Ezekiel 36:13 kjv
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because they say unto you, Thou land devourest up men, and hast bereaved thy nations:
Ezekiel 36:13 nkjv
'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Because they say to you, 'You devour men and bereave your nation of children,'
Ezekiel 36:13 niv
"?'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because some say to you, "You devour people and deprive your nation of its children,"
Ezekiel 36:13 esv
Thus says the Lord GOD: Because they say to you, 'You devour people, and you bereave your nation of children,'
Ezekiel 36:13 nlt
"This is what the Sovereign LORD says: The other nations taunt you, saying, 'Israel is a land that devours its own people and robs them of their children!'
Ezekiel 36 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 36:13 | "Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Because they say to you, “You devour men, and you bereave your people of children, says the Lord GOD,’" | Ezekiel 36:13 (Direct Quote) |
| Jeremiah 15:4 | "I will cause them to be tossed about toward all kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, did in Jerusalem." | Jeremiah 15:4 (Reason for reproach) |
| Psalm 79:4 | "We have become a reproach to our neighbors, mocked and ridiculed by those around us." | Psalm 79:4 (Reproach of nations) |
| Isaiah 62:4 | "No longer shall your name be called Forsaken, Nor shall your land any more be called Desolate; But you shall be called Hephzibah, And your land Beulah; For the LORD delights in you, And your land Shall be married." | Isaiah 62:4 (End of reproach) |
| Zephaniah 3:19 | "Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors; I will save the flock that limps and gather the outcast, and I will give them praise and renown in all the land that was put to shame." | Zephaniah 3:19 (Praise instead of shame) |
| Romans 15:3 | "For even Christ did not please himself, but, as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”" | Romans 15:3 (Christ bore reproach) |
| Lamentations 5:18 | "Mount Zion, which is desolate, Owls build their nests in it." | Lamentations 5:18 (Land desolate) |
| Ezekiel 12:22 | "Son of man, what is this proverb that you have about the land of Israel that you say, ‘The days are prolonged, and every vision fails’?" | Ezekiel 12:22 (Nations doubting) |
| Psalm 44:13-14 | "You make us the taunt of our neighbors, the prey and sport of those around us. You make us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples." | Psalm 44:13-14 (Taunt of neighbors) |
| Isaiah 54:4 | "Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; neither be confounded, for you shall not be put to shame; for you shall forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you shall remember no more." | Isaiah 54:4 (Forget shame) |
| Ezekiel 35:12 | "And you shall know that I, the LORD, have heard all the blasphemies which you have spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, ‘They are desolate! They are given us to devour!’" | Ezekiel 35:12 (Enemies' accusation) |
| Jeremiah 23:33 | "And when these people, or a prophet or a priest, ask you, ‘What is the oracle of the LORD?’ you shall say to them, ‘Oracle of the LORD, you are the burden! I will cast you off, declares the LORD.’" | Jeremiah 23:33 (Burden and casting off) |
| Ezekiel 25:3 | "and say to the Ammonites, ‘Hear the word of the Lord GOD: Thus says the Lord GOD, “Because you said, ‘Aha!’ over my sanctuary when it was profaned, and over the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and over the house of Judah when they went into exile,”'" | Ezekiel 25:3 (Nations rejoiced at ruin) |
| Romans 2:24 | "For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”" | Romans 2:24 (Cause of blasphemy) |
| Psalm 89:50-51 | "Remember, Lord, the reproach of your servants, how I bear in my body the marks of Jesus. But this their reproach does not belong to God." | Psalm 89:50-51 (Reproach borne) |
| Joel 2:17 | "Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the vestibule and the altar. Let them say, ‘Spare your people, O LORD, and do not give your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, “Where is their God?”’" | Joel 2:17 (Plea against reproach) |
| Ezekiel 34:29 | "And I will provide for them an outstanding name, and they shall be no more consumers of men, nor shall their nation be a stumbling block to the nations anymore." | Ezekiel 34:29 (Outstanding name) |
| Ezekiel 18:2 | "‘What do you mean by repeating this village tale concerning the land of Israel: “The fathers ate the sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge”?’" | Ezekiel 18:2 (Responsibility) |
| Hebrews 12:2 | "looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the God." | Hebrews 12:2 (Endured shame) |
| Isaiah 49:23 | "Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground, they shall bow down to you, and lick the dust from your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame." | Isaiah 49:23 (Nations serve restored Israel) |
Ezekiel 36 verses
Ezekiel 36 13 Meaning
This verse prophesies that Israel will no longer face the shame and mockery of the nations. They will be delivered from the reproach they have endured due to their sins and exile. Their restoration and redeemed status will vindicate them and silence their detractors. The land itself, once a symbol of their desolation and God’s judgment, will be transformed, and the people, reinstated in their homeland, will cease to be a source of shame.
Ezekiel 36 13 Context
This verse is found within Ezekiel chapter 36, which focuses on the restoration of Israel after their exile. The prophecy addresses the surrounding nations who rejoiced in Israel's downfall and attributed the desolation of the land to their own power or superiority. Specifically, these nations accused Israel of devouring their own people and causing their land to be barren, implying that their God had abandoned them or was powerless. Ezekiel 36:1-15 speaks of God’s indignation against these nations and promises the renewal of the land of Israel. This particular verse is a direct refutation of the nations' accusations and a prelude to God's declarative action of vindication and re-establishment of His people in their land. The historical context is crucial, as Israel's exile was a period of profound shame and vulnerability, marked by the mockery and scorn of neighboring peoples.
Ezekiel 36 13 Word Analysis
- Thus (כֹּה - koh): So, thus, in this manner. It introduces a declarative statement, marking a divine pronouncement.
- says (אָמַר - amar): He said, says, speaks. Common verb indicating divine utterance or communication.
- the Lord (אֲדֹנָי - Adonai): My Lord, Sovereign. A key divine title emphasizing God's absolute authority and lordship.
- GOD (יְהוָה - YHWH): The LORD. The covenant name of God, indicating His personal relationship and faithfulness to His people.
- Because (עַל־כֵּן - al-ken): Therefore, because of this, for this reason. Indicates a cause-and-effect relationship, linking the nations' words to God's subsequent actions.
- they say (אֹמְרִים - omrim): They are saying, they say. Refers to the present or ongoing taunts of the surrounding nations.
- to you (אֵלֶיךָ - eileikha): To you, concerning you. The pronoun refers to Israel, the recipient of these accusations and the subject of the prophecy.
- You devour (אַתְּ־בֹּלַעַת - at-bol'at): You devour, you swallow. An accusation suggesting that Israel consumed its own people, perhaps through internecine strife, mismanagement, or excessive taxation leading to ruin. It could also imply that their transgressions "devoured" their vitality and caused their demise.
- men (אֲנָשִׁים - anashim): Men, people, human beings. The object of the devouring.
- and (וְ־ - ve): And. Connects the two parts of the accusation.
- you bereave (וְאַתְּ־שֹׁקֶלֶת - ve'at-shoqélet): And you cause to be childless, and you bereave. Refers to the perceived destruction of their families and lineage, possibly through death, captivity, or inability to reproduce, contributing to the idea of national extinction.
- your people (עַמֵּךְ - amme'akh): Your people. The people belonging to Israel.
- of children (יַלְדֵיכֶם - yaldiykhêm): Your children. The offspring of Israel.
- says (נְאֻם־ - ne'um): Utterance, declaration, says. Reinforces the authority behind the statement.
- the Lord (אֲדֹנָי - Adonai): My Lord, Sovereign.
Group Analysis:
The phrase "You devour men, and you bereave your people of children" encapsulates the accusation that Israel’s downfall was due to its own inherent failure, leading to population decline and national ruin. The nations saw this as proof of God's judgment or absence. God's response ("says the Lord GOD") counters this by framing His actions as a direct refutation of these specific blasphemies.
Ezekiel 36 13 Bonus Section
The nations' accusations often stemmed from observing Israel's apparent vulnerability and defeat without understanding God's purposes. Their "knowledge" was limited to external events, failing to grasp the theological dimensions of divine discipline and covenant. This verse is a powerful reminder that God will vindicate His name and His people, transforming situations of shame into testaments to His power and faithfulness. The promise here anticipates a future where Israel’s existence and God's presence among them will be undeniable and glorified.
Ezekiel 36 13 Commentary
This verse highlights the depth of the nations' animosity and their attempts to misrepresent Israel's fate. Their accusation was twofold: Israel depleted its own population ("devour men") and destroyed its future by eliminating offspring ("bereave your people of children"). These claims served to magnify Israel's disgrace and to suggest that Yahweh was either unable or unwilling to protect His chosen people. God's subsequent declaration promises a reversal of this situation, where Israel would be restored, and these reproaches would cease. The fulfillment of this promise is seen in the Messiah, who bore the reproaches meant for humanity (Romans 15:3) and whose work leads to ultimate restoration and the end of shame for believers. The ultimate fulfillment will be in the New Jerusalem, where there is no more curse, death, or crying (Revelation 21:4).