Ezekiel 35 13

Ezekiel 35:13 kjv

Thus with your mouth ye have boasted against me, and have multiplied your words against me: I have heard them.

Ezekiel 35:13 nkjv

Thus with your mouth you have boasted against Me and multiplied your words against Me; I have heard them."

Ezekiel 35:13 niv

You boasted against me and spoke against me without restraint, and I heard it.

Ezekiel 35:13 esv

And you magnified yourselves against me with your mouth, and multiplied your words against me; I heard it.

Ezekiel 35:13 nlt

In saying that, you boasted proudly against me, and I have heard it all!

Ezekiel 35 verses

Ezekiel 35 13 meaning

Ezekiel 35:13 condemns Edom (Mount Seir) for its arrogant and boastful speech directly against God. Through their continuous and multiplied verbal attacks, which stemmed from their hatred of Israel and exploitation of its desolation, they effectively challenged the sovereignty and authority of the Almighty. God declares definitively that He has heard every word of their insolent blasphemy and will surely respond in judgment.

Ezekiel 35 13 Context

Ezekiel chapter 35, often titled "Prophecy against Mount Seir," focuses on the coming judgment upon Edom, symbolizing the perpetual enemy of Israel. This oracle of judgment stands in stark contrast to the preceding and following chapters that prophesy Israel's restoration. The historical context includes Edom's consistent animosity towards Israel, particularly during Judah's downfall at the hands of Babylon. Instead of showing compassion, Edom took advantage of Jerusalem's destruction (Eze 25:12, Obad 1:11-14), desiring to seize the desolate lands of Israel (Eze 35:10, 36:2). Edom's hatred and contempt were not merely political or territorial but amounted to a direct insult against the God of Israel, whom they considered powerless given Judah's desolation. Verse 13 specifically highlights that this hatred manifested verbally, as boasts and scorn, openly defying God's sovereignty. Their actions and words demonstrated a profound and blasphemous pride.

Ezekiel 35 13 Word analysis

• And you have magnified yourselves (וַתַּרְבּוּ vattarbu - literally, "and you have made numerous/increased," related to רָבָה rāvāh to multiply, increase): This word choice suggests a multifaceted transgression. It implies that Edom has not only elevated its own importance and arrogance ("magnified yourselves") but also intensified and made great their opposition. It conveys boasting, an inflated sense of self-importance, and a perceived dominance over circumstances or even over God. It points to Edom's active role in puffing themselves up against the divine.
• against me (עָלַי 'alai - "upon me," "against me"): This is a direct, personal pronoun indicating that the offense is not merely a general wickedness but a specific, deliberate challenge and insult to God Himself. Their actions and words are understood as an affront targeting the Divine.
• with your mouth (בְּפִיכֶם bəfikhɛm - "with your mouth"): This specifies the organ and means of the transgression. It emphasizes that the sin was not only in thought or intent but was actively expressed verbally, through taunts, boasts, and perhaps declarations of intent to possess Israel's land, directly challenging God's covenant with Israel. This highlights the active and overt nature of their defiance.
• and have multiplied your words (וְהִרְבֵּיתֶם דִּבְרֵיכֶם vəhirbitem divreikhɛm - "and you have multiplied your words"): Similar to "magnified," this phrase intensifies the preceding one. It means they uttered many words, incessant and persistent talk. This implies not a single, isolated insult, but a continuous stream of boastful, blasphemous, and derisive speech against God and His people, reinforcing their contempt and arrogance.
• against me (עָלַי 'alai - "upon me," "against me"): The repetition of "against me" further stresses the direct object of their verbal abuse. It reinforces the point that Edom's words were a personal offense, a challenge thrown directly into God's face, making the nature of the sin intensely personal to God.
• I have heard it (אֲנִי שָׁמַעְתִּי ani shama'ti - "I myself have heard"): This is God's decisive, emphatic, and personal response. The "I myself" (אֲנִי ani) is emphatic, signifying God's direct and complete awareness. This declaration isn't a passive observation but an active statement of knowing and remembrance, ensuring that their transgression will not go unnoticed or unpunished. It underscores God's omnipresence and His justice; He is a God who listens and acts based on what He hears.

Words-group analysis:

• "And you have magnified yourselves against me with your mouth and have multiplied your words against me": This parallelism highlights two facets of Edom's vocal defiance: (1) exaltation of self ("magnified yourselves") in opposition to God, suggesting pride and arrogance; and (2) extensive verbal attacks ("multiplied your words"), denoting the persistent and pervasive nature of their blasphemy. The repetition of "against me" emphasizes the direct, personal affront to God, illustrating the profound hubris and disregard for divine authority embodied in Edom's speech. Their words were not merely empty but expressed deep-seated animosity.
• "I have heard it": This short, powerful declaration by God acts as a final, immutable pronouncement. It signifies God's omniscience—no word goes unheard. It conveys a promise of certain judgment, implying that because God has heard, He will surely act. It underscores the active, personal involvement of God in the affairs of humanity, ensuring that even spoken insults are registered and will be addressed by His divine justice. This contrasts human speech with divine perfect hearing and judgment.

Ezekiel 35 13 Bonus section

The Hebrew word vattarbu for "magnified yourselves" (from the root רבה - ravah) can mean both to increase in number/multiply and to become great/magnify. In this context, it perfectly encapsulates Edom's transgression: they "increased" their defiant words and "magnified" themselves (became arrogant) in doing so. This double meaning emphasizes both the quantity and the quality of their offensive speech. Edom's open verbal hostility against God was considered an extreme form of spiritual arrogance and an act of war against the divine, ensuring severe recompense. This aligns with a significant theme throughout the prophets that pride and insolent speech are particularly abhorrent to God and draw immediate divine attention and action. God's response "I have heard it" sets the stage for the rest of chapter 35, where the full weight of His heard judgment is brought upon Mount Seir.

Ezekiel 35 13 Commentary

Ezekiel 35:13 starkly portrays Edom's defiant arrogance and the ultimate futility of such a stance against God. Their verbal assaults—boasting, magnifying themselves, and multiplying their scornful words—were not directed simply against Israel but specifically "against Me," the Lord Himself. This highlights that contempt for God's people is ultimately contempt for God. Edom saw Israel's fall as a weakness of Israel's God, daring to verbalize their triumph and future plans as if God had no say. Their pronouncements were loud and repeated, demonstrating a deep-seated pride and lack of fear of the Divine. However, the verse concludes with God's irrefutable response: "I have heard it." This declaration is a powerful assertion of God's omnipresence, omniscience, and active sovereignty. It signifies that no boast or blasphemy escapes His attention, and their verbal sins are not just recorded but have initiated their inevitable judgment. It implies that their confident pronouncements were a direct provocation that God would personally address. In this verse, speech is shown as a powerful force, capable of incurring divine wrath when it becomes an instrument of hubris and direct defiance against the Most High.For example, a person today might boastingly dismiss spiritual principles, mock believers, or openly challenge divine authority through their words, similar to Edom's attitude. This verse serves as a stark reminder that such vocal disdain is heard directly by God.