Ezekiel 23:47 kjv
And the company shall stone them with stones, and dispatch them with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire.
Ezekiel 23:47 nkjv
The assembly shall stone them with stones and execute them with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters, and burn their houses with fire.
Ezekiel 23:47 niv
The mob will stone them and cut them down with their swords; they will kill their sons and daughters and burn down their houses.
Ezekiel 23:47 esv
And the host shall stone them and cut them down with their swords. They shall kill their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses.
Ezekiel 23:47 nlt
For their enemies will stone them and kill them with swords. They will butcher their sons and daughters and burn their homes.
Ezekiel 23 47 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Eze 23:47 | "And the company shall stone them with stones, and hack them to pieces with their swords; they shall kill their sons and their daughters, and burn their houses with fire." | Ezekiel 23:47 |
| Eze 5:1-4 | Describes a third of the people being burned, another third slain by sword, and a third scattered. | Ezekiel 5:1-4 (Execution of judgment) |
| Jer 29:18 | "And I will pursue them with sword, with famine, and with pestilence, and will give them up to be dismayed to all the kingdoms of the earth..." | Jeremiah 29:18 (Judgment by surrounding nations) |
| Psa 79:6-7 | "Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call on your name!" | Psalm 79:6-7 (God's wrath on nations) |
| Lam 4:13 | "For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, who shed in the midst of her the blood of the just." | Lamentations 4:13 (Responsibility for downfall) |
| Rev 17:16 | "And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the harlot. They will make her desulate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire." | Revelation 17:16 (Imagery of destruction) |
| Deut 28:50-51 | Prophecy of a fierce-faced nation from afar, eating the fruit of the land. | Deuteronomy 28:50-51 (Foreseen destruction) |
| Jer 15:2-3 | Judgment by sword, famine, and plague against Jerusalem. | Jeremiah 15:2-3 (Specific instruments of judgment) |
| 2 Chr 36:17 | God bringing the king of the Chaldeans against them. | 2 Chronicles 36:17 (External agents of judgment) |
| Eze 38:22 | God bringing judgment through plague and bloodshed. | Ezekiel 38:22 (God's direct intervention) |
| Isa 30:30 | The Lord will cause his majestic voice to be heard and show his arm coming down in the heat of his anger. | Isaiah 30:30 (Manifestation of God's power) |
| Mic 5:8-9 | The remnant will be like a lion among the flock. | Micah 5:8-9 (Devastation wrought by God's people) |
| Eze 23:34-35 | Daughters of Judah and Samaria to drink the cup of punishment. | Ezekiel 23:34-35 (Continuation of the theme) |
| Nah 3:1-3 | Woes against Nineveh for bloodshed and cruelty. | Nahum 3:1-3 (Consequences of violence) |
| Psa 137:8-9 | Prayer for judgment against Babylon for its cruelty to Zion. | Psalm 137:8-9 (Justice against oppressors) |
| Eze 14:21 | God sending his four fierce judgments: sword, famine, bad beasts, and pestilence. | Ezekiel 14:21 (Completeness of divine judgments) |
| Ezek 16:38-41 | Judgment upon Jerusalem as an adulteress, involving public shame and destruction. | Ezekiel 16:38-41 (Detailed judgment of unfaithfulness) |
| Hosea 2:10-12 | God will strip her naked and expose her. | Hosea 2:10-12 (Imagery of public humiliation) |
| 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 | Lists of those who will not inherit the kingdom, including idolaters. | 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (Consequences of sin) |
| Romans 6:23 | "For the wages of sin is death..." | Romans 6:23 (Ultimate penalty for sin) |
Ezekiel 23 verses
Ezekiel 23 47 Meaning
This verse describes the final, devastating judgment brought upon the nations of Israel and Judah. It signifies the completeness of their destruction and scattering due to their persistent unfaithfulness and idolatry. The judgment is carried out by the nations, acting as instruments of God's wrath, leaving them utterly ruined and desolate.
Ezekiel 23 47 Context
Ezekiel chapter 23 vividly portrays the sins of Oholah (Samaria) and Oholibah (Jerusalem), personifying them as unfaithful sisters who engaged in adultery and fornication with foreign nations and their gods. This spiritual harlotry led to God's severe judgment. The preceding verses (Eze 23:45-46) describe the judgment by the community, and verse 47 outlines the complete destruction that follows: stoning, sword, killing of families, and burning of houses. This is not a literal judicial stoning, but rather the utter demolition and destruction carried out by the invading armies, representing God's verdict. Historically, this refers to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. The message is a stark warning against idolatry and unfaithfulness to God, demonstrating that such actions bring absolute ruin.
Ezekiel 23 47 Word Analysis
- וּבָ֤קְעוּ (u·vâ·qe·‘ū): "and they shall split" or "hack to pieces". This Hebrew word comes from the root בקע (baqa'), meaning to split, cleave, or break through. It emphasizes a violent and thorough dissection.
- אֹתָם֙ (ō·tām): "them". Refers back to the inhabitants of Jerusalem (Oholibah).
- בָּאֲבָנִ֖ים (bā·’ă·ḇā·nîm): "with stones". The "ba" (ב) is a preposition meaning "with" or "by". "Evenim" means stones.
- וּפָצְע֤וּ (u·fâ·tsə·‘ū): "and they shall wound" or "pierce". From the root פצע (patsa'), meaning to wound, make a breach, or inflict a gaping wound.
- בְּחַרְבֹּתֵיהֶם֙ (bə·ḥar·bō·tê·hem): "with their swords". "Be" (ב) means "with", "harboth" is the plural of sword (חרב, chereb), and "hem" is "their". This signifies the execution by military force.
- יָמִ֣יתוּ (yā·mî·ṯū): "they shall kill". From the verb מות (muth), meaning to die or to kill. It signifies the taking of life.
- בְּנֵיהֶם֙ (bə·nê·hem): "their sons". "Benei" means sons, "hem" is their.
- וּבְנוֹתֵיהֶ֔ם (u·ḇə·nō·ṯê·hem): "and their daughters". "U" is "and", "benoth" means daughters, "hem" is their.
- וְשָׂרְפ֖וּ (wə·śā·rə·pū): "and they shall burn". From the root שרף (saraf), meaning to burn, consume with fire.
- אֶת־בָּתֵּיהֶ֖ם (’eṯ-bā·ṯê·hem): "their houses". "'et" is a direct object marker, "battei" is the plural of house (בית, bayit), and "hem" is their.
Grouped Analysis:The phrases "stone them with stones" (בָּאֲבָנִ֖ים - bā·’ă·ḇā·nîm) and "hack them to pieces with their swords" (וּפָצְע֤וּ בְחַרְבֹּתֵיהֶם֙ - u·fâ·tsə·‘ū bə·ḥar·bō·tê·hem) describe a thorough and violent obliteration. The killing of "sons and their daughters" (בְּנֵיהֶם֙ וּבְנוֹתֵיהֶ֔ם - bə·nê·hem wə·ḇə·nō·ṯê·hem) signifies the complete annihilation of generations and the destruction of the future of Jerusalem. The burning of "their houses" (וְשָׂרְפ֖וּ אֶת־בָּתֵּיהֶ֖ם - wə·śā·rə·pū ’eṯ-bā·ṯê·hem) represents the obliteration of their dwelling places, prosperity, and the very fabric of their society.
Ezekiel 23 47 Bonus Section
The imagery of "stoning" is often associated with judicial punishment in the Old Testament (Lev 24:14-16). However, in this context, it’s a communal execution of judgment by the hostile nations, not a legal proceeding within Israel. This mirrors how God can use surrounding nations as instruments of His wrath to discipline His people. The comprehensive destruction described—stones, swords, family, homes—echoes prophetic pronouncements of total ruin made against various nations throughout Scripture, underscoring that even God's chosen people face extreme consequences for persistent sin. The verse powerfully illustrates the concept of total judgment, leaving nothing standing.
Ezekiel 23 47 Commentary
This verse encapsulates the totality of divine judgment against sin. The use of stones and swords depicts brutal and complete destruction, signifying that the consequence of Oholibah's (Jerusalem's) spiritual adultery and idolatry is utter annihilation by the hands of foreign powers executing God's sentence. The killing of children highlights the tragic intergenerational impact of sin and rebellion against God. The burning of homes symbolizes the devastation of their social structure, wealth, and security. It's a profound statement on God's justice and the severe repercussions of forsaking Him. The verse serves as a somber reminder that unfaithfulness carries a devastating cost.