Ezekiel 39:16 kjv
And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the land.
Ezekiel 39:16 nkjv
The name of the city will also be Hamonah. Thus they shall cleanse the land." '
Ezekiel 39:16 niv
near a town called Hamonah. And so they will cleanse the land.'
Ezekiel 39:16 esv
(Hamonah is also the name of the city.) Thus shall they cleanse the land.
Ezekiel 39:16 nlt
(There will be a town there named Hamonah, which means 'horde.') And so the land will finally be cleansed.
Ezekiel 39 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Commemoration/Naming Places | ||
| Gen 11:9 | "Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused..." | God's judgment leading to a name. |
| Gen 32:2 | "Jacob called the name of that place Mahanaim." | Naming after a significant event/encounter. |
| Ex 17:7 | "So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah..." | Naming after testing and strife. |
| Josh 4:7 | "These stones shall be for a memorial to the people of Israel forever." | Setting up memorials for God's mighty acts. |
| Judg 7:22 | "they called the name of the place, 'The Pit of Terror'." | Naming places based on chaotic/fearful events. |
| God's Glory Through Judgment | ||
| Ex 14:18 | "And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I get glory over Pharaoh..." | God's name glorified through judgment. |
| Ex 15:6 | "Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power, Your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy." | Celebration of God's victorious power. |
| Ez 38:23 | "So I will show my greatness and make myself holy and make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD." | Gog's defeat revealing God's holiness to nations. |
| Ez 39:7 | "And My holy name I will make known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let My holy name be profaned any more." | God's vindication and holiness for His people. |
| Psa 46:10 | "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" | God's universal exaltation through His actions. |
| Isa 5:16 | "But the LORD of hosts is exalted in justice, and the Holy God shows himself holy in righteousness." | God's justice revealed in judgment. |
| Defeat of Large Armies | ||
| Ex 14:28 | "Not one of them remained." | Utter destruction of an overwhelming army. |
| 2 Chr 20:23-24 | "For the Ammonites and Moabites rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir... none escaped." | Vast armies self-destructing by God's decree. |
| Judg 7:12 | "the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the East lay along the valley like locusts for multitude..." | Comparison to vast, numerous enemies. |
| Jer 25:33 | "And those pierced by the LORD on that day shall extend from one end of the earth to the other." | Extensive destruction by the Lord. |
| Eschatological Judgments / Gog-Magog | ||
| Ez 38:8 | "In the latter years you will come into the land..." | Prophetic timeframe for Gog's invasion. |
| Joel 3:12-14 | "Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision!" | Divine judgment on vast numbers in the last days. |
| Rev 19:17-18 | "Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of captains..." | Eschatological feast on fallen armies. |
| Rev 20:8 | "and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea." | Revitalization of Gog-Magog in end-times, immense number. |
| Rev 20:9 | "And fire came down from heaven and consumed them." | Divine consumption of end-time adversaries. |
Ezekiel 39 verses
Ezekiel 39 16 Meaning
This verse declares that the city located near the site of Gog's destruction will be named "Hamonah." This name, derived from the Hebrew word for "multitude" or "tumult," serves as a permanent and powerful memorial. It eternally signifies the immense number of Gog's defeated army, underscoring the absolute and overwhelming victory achieved by the Lord God over the forces that rose against Him and His people. The naming of the city ensures that the magnitude of God's judgment and glory will never be forgotten.
Ezekiel 39 16 Context
Ezekiel 39:16 appears within a vivid prophetic vision detailing the complete destruction of Gog's invading army in the land of Israel, following the glorious return and restoration of Israel. Chapter 39 elaborates on the specifics of this massive divine judgment first introduced in chapter 38. The immediate context of verse 16 describes a seven-month period of cleansing the land, as the house of Israel is tasked with burying the innumerable slain from Gog's forces to purify the land (vv. 12-15). This particular verse, along with the subsequent verses about the "feast for the birds and wild beasts" (vv. 17-20), emphasizes the finality and comprehensiveness of this victory. The naming of the city "Hamonah" concludes the section on the monumental cleanup operation, establishing a perpetual reminder of God's overwhelming triumph and His public vindication among the nations. Historically, this prophecy would have served to comfort the exiles in Babylon, assuring them that despite their current desolation, God was sovereign, would restore them, and ultimately defend them against all future aggressors, glorifying His name in the process.
Ezekiel 39 16 Word analysis
- And also (
וְגַם- ve'gam): This conjunction introduces an additional, yet crucial, detail. It connects this declaration about the city's name directly to the preceding actions of burying the dead, emphasizing that the naming is a natural and necessary outcome of the great victory and cleanup. It highlights an added facet of memorialization. - the name (
שֵׁם- shem): In biblical culture, a name was far more than a mere label; it conveyed character, essence, and destiny. Naming a place for an event gave that event permanence and impact. Here, the name ensures the lasting memorialization of God's act and its profound significance. - of the city (
עִיר- ir): This refers to a specific, settled habitation. The designation of a city for this name implies a fixed point of remembrance. It also highlights the transformation of a place associated with battle and defilement into a lasting testimony of divine intervention, distinct from the immediate burial sites in the valley. - shall be (
הִיא- hi` used for emphasis, implying "it is [to be]" or "it shall be called"): This verb declares a divine decree, indicating certainty and immutability. The naming is not a suggestion or a temporary measure but a future certainty established by God's prophetic word. - Hamonah (
חֲמוֹנָה- Hamonah): This is a feminine noun derived from the Hebrew rootהָמוֹן(hamon).Hamonsignifies a "multitude," "crowd," "noise," "din," "uproar," or "tumult." Thus, "Hamonah" can be understood as "Multitude," "Tumult," or "The City of Multitudes/Uproar." The name directly echoes the vast numbers of the fallen enemy (multitude) and the chaotic destruction and divine judgment (tumult/uproar) that characterized their defeat.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "And also the name": This phrase introduces the concept of an enduring identifier for the pivotal events. The divine command to name the city gives eternal significance to the scale of God's judgment upon Gog.
- "of the city shall be Hamonah": This entire phrase powerfully declares that the physical landscape itself will bear witness to God's unparalleled victory. By naming a prominent city after the "multitude" destroyed, God ensures that future generations, both of Israel and the surrounding nations, will look upon this place and recall the ultimate defeat of overwhelming forces by divine hand. It serves as a permanent testimony to God's faithfulness and power to vindicate His name and defend His people.
Ezekiel 39 16 Bonus section
The specific choice of "Hamonah" reflects not only the literal multitude of Gog's army but also the symbolic "noise" or "uproar" of their initial boasts and their subsequent chaotic destruction. The prophecy intends for this name to be more than just a label; it's a constant, visceral reminder of God's devastating power against all who oppose Him. The emphasis on cleanup and naming further highlights God's comprehensive control over the aftermath of battle, asserting His sovereignty over every detail, ensuring the land itself testifies to His glory.
Ezekiel 39 16 Commentary
Ezekiel 39:16 acts as the concluding note to the massive cleanup operation described in the preceding verses. The naming of the city "Hamonah," meaning "Multitude" or "Tumult," encapsulates the entire epic narrative of Gog's invasion and destruction. It serves a profound theological and practical purpose: to provide a lasting, physical memorial to God's definitive victory. This name permanently impresses upon human memory the overwhelming number of the enemies defeated and the deafening noise of their utter demise at the hand of the Almighty. It functions as a public sign to Israel that their God is indeed the Lord who fights for them, and to the nations that He alone is sovereign, able to deliver His people and execute unparalleled judgment. This naming is not arbitrary but divinely ordained, sealing the reality of the victory into the very fabric of the land. It provides absolute assurance of God's power and a warning against those who would rise against His plans and His people. It points to a day when the reality of God's might will be undeniable, echoing His declaration, "Then they will know that I am the LORD."