Ezekiel 21 29

Ezekiel 21:29 kjv

Whiles they see vanity unto thee, whiles they divine a lie unto thee, to bring thee upon the necks of them that are slain, of the wicked, whose day is come, when their iniquity shall have an end.

Ezekiel 21:29 nkjv

While they see false visions for you, While they divine a lie to you, To bring you on the necks of the wicked, the slain Whose day has come, Whose iniquity shall end.

Ezekiel 21:29 niv

Despite false visions concerning you and lying divinations about you, it will be laid on the necks of the wicked who are to be slain, whose day has come, whose time of punishment has reached its climax.

Ezekiel 21:29 esv

while they see for you false visions, while they divine lies for you ? to place you on the necks of the profane wicked, whose day has come, the time of their final punishment.

Ezekiel 21:29 nlt

Your prophets have given false visions,
and your fortune-tellers have told lies.
The sword will fall on the necks of the wicked
for whom the day of final reckoning has come.

Ezekiel 21 verses

Ezekiel 21 29 Meaning

Ezekiel 21:29 portrays God's resolute judgment upon the wicked of Judah, specifically their leadership, despite the false assurances offered by charlatans. The verse exposes the deceptive nature of false visions and divinations, which falsely promised relief or different outcomes, only to lead those who believed them to a destiny of utter defeat and death alongside other wicked individuals. It emphasizes that a divinely appointed "day" of judgment has arrived, signifying a definitive end to their unrepentant iniquity through severe consequences.

Ezekiel 21 29 Context

Ezekiel 21 is a prophetic message of imminent divine judgment against Jerusalem and the land of Israel, metaphorically depicted as a "sword of the LORD." This chapter continues a series of pronouncements against Judah's sin and pride. Specifically, verse 29 addresses the king of Judah (likely Zedekiah) and the people who placed their trust in false prophets and diviners rather than God's clear word through Ezekiel and Jeremiah. Historically, Judah was under threat from Babylon. False prophets promised peace and deliverance, directly contradicting the true word of God, which declared Babylon as God's instrument of judgment. The verse thus sets up a stark contrast between human deception and divine truth, highlighting the futility of seeking counsel from those who speak lies in the face of God's unyielding decree.

Ezekiel 21 29 Word analysis

• While they see: The "they" refers to the false prophets, diviners, or pagan religious practitioners who claim insight or spiritual knowledge. Their activity is concurrent with the events, meaning they are active until the very last moment, despite the impending doom.
• vain visions (חֲזוֹן שָׁוְא - chazon shav):
  • Chazon: Hebrew for "vision," implying a prophetic or divinely inspired revelation.
  • Shav: Hebrew for "vanity," "emptiness," "falsehood," "deception."
  • Significance: These are not genuine insights from God but empty, delusive imaginings, carrying no truth or divine authority. They are designed to flatter or reassure, offering false hope contrary to God's reality. This directly opposes genuine divine communication.
• for thee: Directed at the one being addressed, likely Zedekiah, the king of Judah (referenced earlier in the chapter, especially verse 25), or collectively, the leadership/people of Judah. These lies are personalized to appeal to their desires or fears.
• while they divine lies (מִקְסָם כָּזָב - miksam kazav):
  • Miksam: Hebrew for "divination," an act of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means.
  • Kazav: Hebrew for "lie," "deception," "falsehood."
  • Significance: This emphasizes the practice of illicit occult arts (divination was forbidden by Mosaic Law, Deut 18:10) and explicitly labels their pronouncements as fabrications. These are not merely mistakes but deliberate falsehoods, lacking any divine origin or truth.
• to bring thee upon the necks of them that are slain (צַוְּארֵי חַלְלֵי - tzavarre challelle):
  • Tzavarre: Hebrew for "necks," here metaphorically referring to the defeated, subjected, or trodden upon.
  • Challelle: Hebrew for "those slain," "wounded," "fallen," specifically in battle.
  • Significance: The false counsel is directly leading the recipient into a state of utter defeat and death. The image is one of a victorious conqueror stepping over the bodies of the fallen enemies. Their deception guides Judah's leaders into the very catastrophe they seek to avoid, joining the ranks of those executed by divine judgment.
• of the wicked (רְשָׁעִים - rasha'im):
  • Rasha'im: Hebrew for "wicked," "guilty," "unrighteous."
  • Significance: This categorizes those upon whose "necks" the deceived will fall. It clearly defines the moral state of those experiencing this severe judgment. The judgment is not random but justly inflicted upon those who are truly guilty and unrepentant.
• whose day is come (יוֹם בָּא - yom ba):
  • Yom ba: Hebrew for "day has come."
  • Significance: "Day" here signifies a decisive, appointed time for divine judgment (the "Day of the Lord"). This phrasing declares the inevitability and immediacy of God's timing. It's a set date, a sovereign decree that has reached its fulfillment. The judgment is not merely predicted but has actively begun or is instantly upon them.
• when iniquity shall have an end (עָוֹן קֵץ - avon qetz):
  • Avon: Hebrew for "iniquity," "guilt," "sin," specifically implying perversity or deviation from God's path.
  • Qetz: Hebrew for "end," "limit," "completion," "cessation."
  • Significance: The primary purpose and result of this specific judgment is the termination of a particular phase or manifestation of wickedness. It signifies divine cleansing or the removal of evil from a specific sphere or time, emphasizing God's ultimate justice and sovereignty over sin. It points to a finality, a removal of the sin that prompted the judgment.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:
• "While they see vain visions for thee, while they divine lies unto thee": This highlights the persistent and multi-faceted deception offered to Judah's leadership. It uses parallelism to intensify the message of false assurance. "Vain visions" suggests prophetic claims, "divine lies" points to magical practices. Both are equally fraudulent and condemned by God, specifically tailored to their recipient's desires but originating from falsehood, not truth.
• "to bring thee upon the necks of them that are slain, of the wicked": This links the deception directly to the dire consequence. The "necks of them that are slain" is a vivid metaphor for utter defeat, destruction, and death. It describes the humiliating posture of the vanquished. These slain are not random victims but "the wicked," signifying a divinely sanctioned justice. The lies lead the deceived straight into the midst of deserved judgment.
• "whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end": This twin clause provides the divine rationale and timing for the judgment. "Whose day is come" asserts divine timing and inevitability; this is a predetermined, unalterable moment of reckoning. "When iniquity shall have an end" underscores the purpose: the judgment serves to purge or bring a definitive cessation to a specific period or extent of wickedness, fulfilling God's righteous decree and ensuring His holiness. This specific judgment, therefore, serves as a divine punctuation mark on persistent sin.

Ezekiel 21 29 Bonus section

The "necks of them that are slain" could also imply not just stepping over bodies but becoming part of those fallen. The false counsel literally brings the king (or Judah) to be counted among the wicked slain. This emphasizes total collapse and identification with the condemned. The ending phrase, "iniquity shall have an end," points to a theological principle where divine judgment often serves as a cleansing or a definitive removal of the obstacle of sin, paving the way for eventual restoration or the fulfillment of God's broader redemptive plan. It implies God's purpose beyond just punishment, focusing on the ultimate termination of sin's reign and its consequences.

Ezekiel 21 29 Commentary

Ezekiel 21:29 delivers a sharp condemnation of Judah's reliance on false prophets and diviners during its hour of crisis. The deceptive assurances, portrayed as "vain visions" and "lies," were designed to soothe anxiety but served only to confirm their tragic fate. These charlatans provided no true comfort or guidance; instead, their words acted as a spiritual snare, leading the leadership and people directly into the "necks of them that are slain" – a graphic image of utter defeat and death alongside others justly judged as "wicked." The core of the message is God's unwavering commitment to justice: "their day is come," signifying a predestined, unalterable moment for reckoning. This divinely appointed judgment ultimately aims to bring an "end" to their "iniquity," not necessarily eradicating all sin from the earth but bringing to a definitive close the specific cycle of rebellion and deception that defined their era. This served as a stark lesson that trusting human lies inevitably leads to divine judgment, ensuring that God's sovereign plan prevails over all forms of human pretense and perversion.