Ezekiel 33 27

Ezekiel 33:27 kjv

Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely they that are in the wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that be in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.

Ezekiel 33:27 nkjv

"Say thus to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "As I live, surely those who are in the ruins shall fall by the sword, and the one who is in the open field I will give to the beasts to be devoured, and those who are in the strongholds and caves shall die of the pestilence.

Ezekiel 33:27 niv

"Say this to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: As surely as I live, those who are left in the ruins will fall by the sword, those out in the country I will give to the wild animals to be devoured, and those in strongholds and caves will die of a plague.

Ezekiel 33:27 esv

Say this to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: As I live, surely those who are in the waste places shall fall by the sword, and whoever is in the open field I will give to the beasts to be devoured, and those who are in strongholds and in caves shall die by pestilence.

Ezekiel 33:27 nlt

"Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: As surely as I live, those living in the ruins will die by the sword. And I will send wild animals to eat those living in the open fields. Those hiding in the forts and caves will die of disease.

Ezekiel 33 27 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Ezekiel 33:27"Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: As I live, surely those who are in the waste places shall fall by the sword, and those who are in the field I will give to the beasts to devour, and those in the strongholds and in the caves shall die by the pestilence."Ezekiel 33:24 (Previous judgment)
Jeremiah 7:32-33"and they will go out and look at the corpses of the men who have rebelled against me. For their inward mind will be an abomination to them, and their deeds. And they will be food for the vultures and for the wild animals."God's judgment described
Isaiah 65:10"Sharon shall become a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down, for my people who seek me."Restoration of the land
Jeremiah 31:23"Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘It shall be so in the land that I will restore their fortunes, O Israel and Judah, from their captivity. I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.’"Promise of restoration
Leviticus 26:3"‘If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them,"Conditional blessing
Deuteronomy 28:63"And as the LORD delighted over you to do you good and to multiply you, so the LORD will delight over you to make you perish and to destroy you. And you shall be plucked off the land that you are going to enter to take possession of it."Warning of destruction
Jeremiah 29:14"I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile."Regathering of exiles
Isaiah 11:12"He will lift up a banner for the nations and will gather the dispersed of Israel, and will collect the scattered of Judah from the four corners of the earth."Gathering of Israel
Jeremiah 30:3"For behold, days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, says the LORD, and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall take possession of it.’"Restoration of fortunes
Psalm 107:33-34"He turns rivers into a desert, and springs of water into thirsty ground, a fruitful land into a desert because of the wickedness of those who dwell there."Consequence of sin
Amos 9:13"Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it."Abundant harvest promised
Joel 2:22"Be not, you animals of the field, dismayed, for the pastures of the wilderness are green; the trees bear their fruit, the fig tree and the vine yield their strength."Land renewed
Micah 4:4"but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken."Peace and security
Zephaniah 3:19-20"Behold, at that time I will deal with all who afflict you, and I will save the lame and gather what was scattered, and I will get them praise and fame in all the lands that were put to shame. At that time I will bring you home, at that time I will gather you, for I will give you renown and praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the LORD."God's people redeemed
Acts 1:6"So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”"Anticipation of restoration
Romans 11:26"and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish godlessness from Jacob”;”Future salvation of Israel
Jeremiah 12:14-15"Thus says the LORD: ‘Against all my evil neighbors who touch the inheritance that I have given my people Israel, behold, I will pluck them up out of their land, and I will pluck out the house of Judah from among them. And after I pluck them up, I will have compassion on them, and I will bring them back, every one of them to his own heritage and his own land."Restoration after plucking up
Leviticus 26:12"And I will walk among you, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people."God dwelling with His people
Deuteronomy 30:3"then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you, and he will again gather you from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you."Regathering after scattering
Psalm 126:1"When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream."Joy of restoration
1 Kings 8:59"and may my words, with which I have pleaded before the LORD, be in the LORD my God’s temple, that they may be near the LORD my God day and night, and may serve the LORD our God and minister there."Prayer for God's presence

Ezekiel 33 verses

Ezekiel 33 27 Meaning

This verse declares that those who occupy the land of Israel, having survived the preceding judgment, will engage in rebuilding and thriving. The promise is one of renewed possession and prosperity for a remnant, signifying restoration and God's faithfulness to His covenant. It contrasts the desolation that befell the unfaithful with the blessings awaiting those who return to obedience.

Ezekiel 33 27 Context

Ezekiel 33 serves as a pivotal chapter, reiterating the prophet's role as a watchman and re-establishing God's covenant promises amidst the context of the Babylonian exile. Chapter 33 begins with God appointing Ezekiel as a watchman to warn Israel. The prophet's duty is to herald God's coming judgment on the unfaithful and God's subsequent restoration for those who repent. The earlier verses in chapter 33 detail the severe consequences for those who fail to heed the warning and the blessings for the righteous. This specific verse, Ezekiel 33:27, follows the announcement of God's impending judgment upon those occupying the land while in their sin, indicating they too will face severe consequences.

Historically, the audience is the generation of Israelites in exile in Babylon. They have witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, and are perhaps questioning God's faithfulness. This verse, however, points towards a future hope, a promise of renewed possession and prosperity for the faithful remnant. It’s a message designed to counteract despair and underscore God’s enduring covenant with His people.

Ezekiel 33 27 Word Analysis

  • "Say": (Hebrew: אָמַר, amar) - This is a direct command, emphasizing the transmission of divine truth. It signifies God speaking through His prophet.
  • "to them": Refers to the people of Israel, specifically those who have been exiled but are being addressed through Ezekiel.
  • "Thus says": (Hebrew: כֹּה אָמַר, koh amar) - A standard prophetic formula that introduces a direct message from God, underscoring its divine authority.
  • "the Lord GOD": (Hebrew: יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים, YHWH Elohim) - The compound name for God, often used in Ezekiel to emphasize His sovereignty and covenantal relationship with His people. "YHWH" is the personal covenant name of God, while "Elohim" is a general term for God, often implying power and judgment.
  • "As I live": (Hebrew: חַי אָנִי, chai ani) - A strong oath, invoking God's own life and being as the guarantee of the truth of His declaration. It's a solemn affirmation.
  • "surely": (Hebrew: אִם לֹא, im lo - literally "if not") - In this context, it conveys an absolute certainty, a negation of any doubt about the coming events. It functions like "indeed" or "certainly."
  • "those who are in the waste places": (Hebrew: הַיֹּשְׁבִים בַּחֳרָבוֹת, hayošebîm baḥŏrābôṯ) - "Yōšēḇ" means inhabitants or those who dwell. "Ḥŏrābôṯ" refers to desolate, ruined places, specifically the land of Israel after its devastation.
  • "shall fall by the sword": (Hebrew: בַּחֶרֶב יִפְּלוּ, baḥereḇ yippělû) - Signifies violent death through warfare. This refers to the immediate consequences of continuing in rebellion, even in the midst of the desolation.
  • "and those who are in the field": (Hebrew: וְאֶת־אֲשֶׁר־בַּשָּׂדֶה, wə’eṯ-’ăšer-baśśāḏeh) - Those exposed in the open country, without shelter.
  • "I will give to the beasts to devour": (Hebrew: לְמַאֲכָל לַחַיָּה אֶתֵּן, ləma’ăḵāl laḥayyâ ’eṯtên) - A vivid image of complete destruction and desecration of bodies, signifying utter ruin and shame. The beasts represent wild, untamed forces consuming what is left.
  • "and those in the strongholds and in the caves": (Hebrew: וְאֶת־אֲשֶׁר־בַּמְּצָדֹת וּבַמְּעָרוֹת, wə’eṯ-’ăšer-bammĕṣāḏôṯ ûbammĕʿārôṯ) - Those who have sought refuge in fortified places or hiding places, implying they are also not exempt from judgment.
  • "shall die by the pestilence.": (Hebrew: בַּדֶּבֶר יָמוּתוּ, baddĕḇer yāmûṯû) - Death by disease or plague, another form of divine judgment, highlighting the pervasive nature of God's wrath against persistent sin.

Ezekiel 33 27 Bonus Section

The mention of "waste places" directly connects to the ongoing desolation of the land of Israel, a consequence of prior judgment. The phrase "As I live" is a very significant oath, reinforcing the divine pronouncements. This verse is part of a larger section in Ezekiel that moves from judgment to hope, showing God’s unfailing commitment to His covenant, even after periods of discipline. The prophecy looks forward to a time when the land, though currently ravaged, will be repossessed by those who truly belong to God, indicating a future restoration that goes beyond the initial return from Babylonian exile. It anticipates a Messianic restoration, where the land will again flourish and be inhabited by God’s people under His renewed covenant presence.

Ezekiel 33 27 Commentary

Ezekiel 33:27 serves as a potent warning, revealing that even those who physically remain in the land, or seek refuge within its confines or hidden places, will not escape God's judgment if they persist in disobedience and rebellion. It underscores that divine justice is comprehensive, affecting all strata of society and all places of habitation. The prophet assures his audience that those who cling to sin will face a brutal end, either by the sword in open conflict, by wild animals if left exposed, or by pestilence if they attempt to hide. This imagery paints a picture of inescapable ruin for the unrighteous, contrasting sharply with the later promises of restoration and habitation in this same land for the repentant faithful remnant. The severity of the depiction aims to impress upon the hearers the gravity of sin and the certainty of divine reckoning.