Ezekiel 4 17

Ezekiel 4:17 kjv

That they may want bread and water, and be astonied one with another, and consume away for their iniquity.

Ezekiel 4:17 nkjv

that they may lack bread and water, and be dismayed with one another, and waste away because of their iniquity.

Ezekiel 4:17 niv

for food and water will be scarce. They will be appalled at the sight of each other and will waste away because of their sin.

Ezekiel 4:17 esv

I will do this that they may lack bread and water, and look at one another in dismay, and rot away because of their punishment.

Ezekiel 4:17 nlt

Lacking food and water, people will look at one another in terror, and they will waste away under their punishment.

Ezekiel 4 verses

Ezekiel 4 17 meaning

Ezekiel 4:17 describes the grim and direct consequences of Jerusalem's impending siege and exile. It outlines the intense physical suffering – a severe scarcity of essential food and water – that would lead to widespread despair and social fragmentation among the inhabitants. This protracted suffering, marked by physical and mental decline, is explicitly stated as a direct result of their accumulated "iniquity," underscoring the divine justice at play. The verse depicts a scene of profound human degradation and the ultimate outcome of prolonged covenant disobedience.

Ezekiel 4 17 Context

Ezekiel 4:17 serves as the culminating statement for the prophetic action spanning Ezekiel 4:1-16. In this chapter, Ezekiel is commanded to enact a symbolic siege of Jerusalem, meticulously detailing its duration (390 days for Israel, 40 days for Judah), the type of siege, and critically, the severe rationing of food and water he must consume (Eze 4:9-12). He is instructed to bake his bread using human dung as fuel (later changed to animal dung in Eze 4:15 at Ezekiel's plea), signifying the uncleanness and desperation of the coming famine. This verse then declares the purpose or outcome of such severe scarcity: "that they may lack bread and water, and be in dismay with one another, and waste away because of their iniquity." It encapsulates the full impact of God's judgment against His people for their persistent sin and covenant violations, moving from the physical deprivation to its devastating psychological and social consequences, all rooted in their moral failures.

Ezekiel 4 17 Word analysis

• that they may lack (לְמַעַן יֶחְסְרוּ – lema'an yehs'ru): The Hebrew yehs'ru (יֶחְסְרוּ) derives from hasar (חָסַר), meaning "to lack," "to be diminished," or "to fail." The prefixed lema'an indicates purpose, revealing that the rationing is intended to cause this deprivation. It speaks not just of mere shortage, but a profound and painful want of absolute essentials.

• bread (לֶחֶם – lechem): Represents the most fundamental sustenance for life, symbolizing physical nourishment. The phrase "breaking the staff of bread" is a common biblical idiom for complete famine (Lev 26:26; Eze 5:16).

• and water (וָמַיִם – vamayim): Mayim (מַיִם) is water, equally vital for survival. The pairing with "bread" highlights the extreme and comprehensive nature of the scarcity; both primary sources of life will be withheld.

• and be in dismay (וְנָשַׁמּוּ – v'nashamu): From the root shamem (שָׁמַם), meaning "to be desolate," "astonished," "horrified," or "appalled." It suggests a state of mental and emotional collapse, reflecting the psychological toll of severe deprivation. This is more than sadness; it implies terror, shock, and profound disorientation, indicative of shattered hopes and expectations.

• with one another (אִישׁ וָאָחִיו – ish va'ahiv): Literally, "man and his brother." This emphasizes the breakdown of social bonds and trust. Under such extreme pressure, mutual support would evaporate, replaced by suspicion, resentment, and conflict, where even family ties fail.

• and waste away (וְנִמַּקּוּ – v'nimaqu): From the root maqaq (מָקַק), meaning "to melt," "to rot," "to decay," or "to pine away." This describes a slow, agonizing deterioration, not a quick death. It speaks to both physical emaciation and a spiritual or moral rotting from within, signifying a prolonged state of suffering that eats away at the individual's very being. This lingering death intensifies the experience of judgment.

• because of their iniquity (בַּעֲוֹנָם – ba'avônâm): Avon (עָוֺן) refers to sin, guilt, perversity, or transgression. The preposition ba means "in" or "because of." This phrase provides the explicit divine justification for their suffering. The severe conditions are not random calamity but a direct, divinely orchestrated consequence of their persistent rebellion and moral failures.

• that they may lack bread and water: This phrase signifies the absolute and comprehensive deprivation. It is not just inconvenience, but the denial of fundamental necessities for human existence, revealing the intensity of God's judgment. The withholding of these elements turns life into a constant struggle for survival, breaking down any semblance of normalcy.

• and be in dismay with one another: This goes beyond physical suffering, focusing on the psychological and social breakdown. The collective dread and despair will erode communal solidarity, leading to mistrust and strife even among those previously connected. This internal fragmentation amplifies the external hardships, making collective survival impossible.

• and waste away because of their iniquity: This phrase directly links their slow, agonizing deterioration ("waste away") to its spiritual root ("because of their iniquity"). It underscores the justice of God; the judgment is not arbitrary but proportionate to their rebellion. The slow, "rotting" process implies an inescapable and drawn-out suffering, a visible manifestation of their internal spiritual decay.

Ezekiel 4 17 Bonus section

The concept of "breaking the staff of bread" (Eze 4:16; Lev 26:26) is a powerful metaphor throughout the Old Testament, denoting a complete disruption of the food supply, making life unsustainable. This is distinct from a mere drought or bad harvest; it implies a divinely orchestrated removal of the fundamental means of sustenance. Furthermore, the slow "wasting away" (root maqaq) due to iniquity is precisely paralleled in Lev 26:39 as a covenant curse for Israel's disobedience, strongly linking Ezekiel's prophecy to established Mosaic law. The specific instruction for Ezekiel to eat defiled, weighed, and rationed food beforehand made the prophetic act deeply personal, prefiguring the experience of the people. This acted as a divine testimony, proving the certainty of the impending disaster and the personal nature of God's judgment. The severity described also served as a warning to the exiles who might have believed Jerusalem to be inviolable or that God would not allow such suffering to befall His chosen city.

Ezekiel 4 17 Commentary

Ezekiel 4:17 presents a chilling culmination of the symbolic actions of chapters 4-5, encapsulating the purpose and nature of divine judgment on Jerusalem. The deprivation of bread and water is the foundational punishment, breaking the very "staff of bread" that sustained life, echoing Leviticus 26:26 and Deuteronomy 28:48. This physical suffering, however, is not an end in itself; it's a means to psychological and social disintegration. "Dismay" suggests not just sadness but deep anguish and horror, an inward shattering under prolonged distress. This despair breaks familial and communal bonds, causing people to turn on "one another," signifying utter societal collapse and a reversal of the harmonious community YHWH desired. The most potent element is that this slow, agonizing decay—to "waste away" or "pine away"—is directly attributed to their "iniquity." This emphasizes God's justice; their suffering is a bitter harvest of their persistent idolatry, injustice, and disobedience. It serves as a stark reminder that sin carries real and severe consequences, affecting not only individual well-being but also the very fabric of society. The prophecy points to a time when outward desolation mirrors inward spiritual corruption, compelling the survivors to acknowledge the righteousness of God's judgments.