Ezekiel 22 22

Ezekiel 22:22 kjv

As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I the LORD have poured out my fury upon you.

Ezekiel 22:22 nkjv

As silver is melted in the midst of a furnace, so shall you be melted in its midst; then you shall know that I, the LORD, have poured out My fury on you.' "

Ezekiel 22:22 niv

As silver is melted in a furnace, so you will be melted inside her, and you will know that I the LORD have poured out my wrath on you.'?"

Ezekiel 22:22 esv

As silver is melted in a furnace, so you shall be melted in the midst of it, and you shall know that I am the LORD; I have poured out my wrath upon you."

Ezekiel 22:22 nlt

and you will melt like silver in fierce heat. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have poured out my fury on you.'"

Ezekiel 22 verses

Ezekiel 22 22 Meaning

Ezekiel 22:22 portrays a stark divine judgment against Jerusalem and its inhabitants, comparing them to silver undergoing an intense, destructive melting process in a furnace. The verse emphasizes that just as impure silver is subjected to fire to separate dross, the people of Israel will be gathered into Jerusalem (the "furnace") and experience overwhelming destruction. The ultimate purpose of this devastating judgment is to make them experientially "know that I am the LORD," affirming God's absolute sovereignty and unyielding justice in the face of their profound wickedness and rebellion. Unlike many refining metaphors, this passage suggests a pervasive corruption leading to a judgment of consuming rather than purifying, underscoring the severity of their sin.

Ezekiel 22 22 Context

Ezekiel 22 is a powerful oracle against Jerusalem, denouncing it as a "bloody city" consumed by every imaginable sin. The chapter details the pervasive corruption of all levels of society: rulers are rapacious, priests profane the holy and violate God's law, prophets utter false visions, and the people engage in oppression, extortion, and idol worship. Verse 22 functions as the culminating point of a severe judgment introduced in verses 17-21, where God declares His intention to gather the inhabitants of Jerusalem into the city "as silver is gathered into a furnace" to melt them in the "fire of His wrath." Historically, this reflects the period leading up to or during the Babylonian siege and destruction of Jerusalem (circa 586 BCE). The people, despite their covenant with Yahweh and the presence of the Temple, had thoroughly debased themselves, leading God to declare that He would act with furious judgment from within the very place they considered sacred, thus dismantling their false sense of security and forcing them to confront His true identity.

Ezekiel 22 22 Word analysis

• As silver is melted (כַּהִתּוּךְ כֶּסֶף, ka-hittuch kesef):
  • As (כַּ, ka): A comparative particle, introducing a direct analogy. It highlights the process, not just the state.
  • Melted (הִתּוּךְ, hittuch): A noun indicating the action of melting, liquefying by heat. While often associated with refining, here, in context, it speaks to an intense, overwhelming process that suggests dissolution rather than purification resulting in salvageable metal.
  • Silver (כֶּסֶף, kesef): A valuable metal requiring heat for refinement. However, the preceding verses (22:18-20) already label Israel as "dross, copper, tin, and iron," where "silver" is either overshadowed by impurities or itself symbolically becomes subject to intense heat for total removal, not recovery.
• in a furnace (בְּתוֹךְ כּוּר, be-tokh kur):
  • In (בְּתוֹךְ, be-tokh): Signifies presence or location "in the midst of" or "within."
  • Furnace (כּוּר, kur): A vessel specifically designed for intense heating, used for smelting or refining metals. In this prophecy, the "furnace" is not an external instrument but explicitly Jerusalem itself (Ezek 22:18-21), implying judgment will occur within the very city they believed God would protect.
• so you shall be melted (כֵּן תֻּתְּכוּ, ken tutt'khu):
  • So (כֵּן, ken): The corresponding comparative term to "as," reinforcing the analogy.
  • You shall be melted (תֻּתְּכוּ, tutt'khu): Pual imperfect, 2nd person masculine plural of hatach (to melt, pour out). The Pual stem indicates an intensive passive action. It means "you shall be thoroughly/violently melted," emphasizing the severity and inevitability of the destructive process applied to the people. This active divine judgment is comprehensive, leaving nothing unaffected.
• in its midst (בְּתוֹכָהּ, be-tokhah):
  • In its midst (בְּתוֹכָהּ, be-tokhah): "Its" (or "her") refers back to the furnace which is Jerusalem. The destruction is inescapable within their own boundaries, leaving no refuge. The place they ran to for safety becomes the place of their destruction.
• and you shall know (וִידַעְתֶּם, vi-yeda'tem):
  • And you shall know (וִידַעְתֶּם, vi-yeda'tem): Qal perfect, 2nd person masculine plural of yada (to know, perceive, experience). This "knowing" is not intellectual assent but an experiential, often painful, realization brought about by God's actions. It is a fundamental theological purpose behind all of Ezekiel's judgment oracles.
• that I am the LORD (כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה, ki ani Yahweh):
  • That (כִּי, ki): Introduces the content of the knowledge.
  • I am (אֲנִי, ani): An emphatic first-person singular pronoun.
  • The LORD (יְהוָה, Yahweh): God's covenant name, underscoring His unique, unchangeable identity, sovereignty, and faithfulness to His word—both in blessing and judgment. The judgment forces them to recognize the true God whom they had neglected and defied.

Ezekiel 22 22 Bonus section

The repetitive nature of the phrase "know that I am the LORD" throughout Ezekiel (over 70 times) is central to the prophet's theology. It underlines that whether God acts in judgment or restoration, His primary aim is always self-revelation. In Ezekiel 22:22, this knowledge comes through punitive experience, forcing the recognition of His power and justice. However, in other instances (e.g., Ezekiel 36:23, 38:23), this same knowledge of God arises from His acts of restoration and deliverance, indicating the dual capacity of God's actions to reveal His identity across different scenarios of judgment and grace. The profound corruption of Jerusalem, highlighted in this chapter, stands in stark contrast to God's ideal for Israel, who was meant to be a holy nation and a "kingdom of priests" (Exod 19:6). Their failure to live up to this calling directly precipitates such an extreme judgment, which simultaneously serves as a corrective lesson for future generations regarding God's unwavering holiness.

Ezekiel 22 22 Commentary

Ezekiel 22:22 delivers a chilling climax to God's indictment of Jerusalem. While the metaphor of melting metals often carries the nuance of purification, the context in Ezekiel 22 transforms it into a process of severe, consuming judgment. Jerusalem is so rife with corruption—identified as a mixture of valueless "dross" (copper, tin, iron, and lead) in the preceding verses—that the intense heat of God's wrath, unleashed within the city itself (the "furnace"), will result not in a purified remnant, but in the thorough dissolution and destruction of its rebellious inhabitants. This is less a refining of "silver" and more a consumption of a corrupted mass. The divine purpose is profound: the crushing judgment will compel the survivors and those who witness it to finally comprehend and acknowledge God's identity and power. This "knowing that I am the LORD" is an experiential, terrifying realization of His just character and sovereign authority, forcefully imprinted upon a people who had long defied Him, ensuring His reputation is vindicated through their suffering. It serves as a stark warning that God's covenant love is conditioned on obedience, and His holy nature demands severe consequences for persistent, pervasive sin.