Ezekiel 5 12

Ezekiel 5:12 kjv

A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.

Ezekiel 5:12 nkjv

One-third of you shall die of the pestilence, and be consumed with famine in your midst; and one-third shall fall by the sword all around you; and I will scatter another third to all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.

Ezekiel 5:12 niv

A third of your people will die of the plague or perish by famine inside you; a third will fall by the sword outside your walls; and a third I will scatter to the winds and pursue with drawn sword.

Ezekiel 5:12 esv

A third part of you shall die of pestilence and be consumed with famine in your midst; a third part shall fall by the sword all around you; and a third part I will scatter to all the winds and will unsheathe the sword after them.

Ezekiel 5:12 nlt

A third of your people will die in the city from disease and famine. A third of them will be slaughtered by the enemy outside the city walls. And I will scatter a third to the winds, chasing them with my sword.

Ezekiel 5 verses

Ezekiel 5 12 meaning

Ezekiel 5:12 describes God's severe and specific judgments against the inhabitants of Jerusalem. The verse explains the three divisions of the hair in Ezekiel's symbolic act, representing the three distinct ways the population of Jerusalem will be destroyed or dispersed. A third will perish by pestilence and famine within the city walls during the siege, reflecting the suffering from lack of resources and disease. Another third will fall by the sword, encompassing those who die fighting the invaders or trying to escape outside the city. The final third will be scattered into exile across various nations, yet even in their dispersion, God's "sword" of judgment will relentlessly pursue them, indicating that their suffering and divine discipline will not cease even far from home.

Ezekiel 5 12 Context

Ezekiel chapter 5 continues the series of symbolic actions portraying the imminent judgment upon Jerusalem and the nation of Israel. Ezekiel's cutting and dividing of his hair (Ezek 5:1-4) serves as a visual parable, illustrating the inescapable and severe consequences of the people's deep-seated apostasy and idolatry. The original audience was primarily the Jewish exiles in Babylon, who clung to the false hope that Jerusalem, with its temple, would be immune to destruction. God, through Ezekiel, systematically shatters this illusion, asserting that their unique status did not grant immunity but rather increased their culpability due to their greater knowledge of God's law (Ezek 5:6-7). Verse 12 specifically interprets the actions depicted in 5:1-2, assigning precise judgments to the three portions of hair, thereby revealing the threefold destiny awaiting Jerusalem's inhabitants: death by famine and pestilence within the besieged city, death by the sword outside the city, and widespread scattering into exile, relentlessly pursued by divine judgment. This served as a stark polemic against the false prophets promising peace and against the prevailing belief in an unconditional covenant that would shield Jerusalem from divine wrath despite their egregious sins.

Ezekiel 5 12 Word analysis

• A third part (שְׁלִישִׁית - shelishith): Literally means "thirdness" or "a third portion." It emphasizes a precise and divinely ordained proportion of judgment. The repeated "a third part" across the various judgments underscores the comprehensive nature of God's justice, touching every segment of the population, not randomly but with calculated division.
• thee: Refers directly to Jerusalem, personified as a woman. This intimate address highlights the specific target of God's wrath, a city once cherished.
• shall die (יָמֻתוּ - yamūṯū): Future tense, plural, indicating a definite outcome for a group. Signifies absolute termination of life.
• pestilence (דֶּבֶר - deḇer): A general term for plague, epidemic, or devastating disease. It is frequently associated in the Bible with divine judgment, an unstoppable force unleashed by God, especially during sieges when sanitation collapses.
• famine (רָעָב - ra`aḇ): Severe hunger due to lack of food, often a consequence of war and siege, leading to starvation and death. A common curse for disobedience in the covenant.
• consumed (יִכְלוּ - yiḵlū): A strong verb implying utter destruction or completion, suggesting that the famine and pestilence will leave nothing of them. Not just to die, but to be completely wasted away.
• in the midst of thee (בְּתוֹכֵךְ - bəṯôḵeḵ): Refers to the inner confines of Jerusalem. This highlights the suffering of those trapped inside the city during the prolonged siege, where the worst effects of famine and disease would be concentrated. It signifies no escape for many, as they would die right where they thought they were safest.
• shall fall by the sword (יִפְּלוּ בַחֶרֶב - yiplū baḥereḇ): A common biblical idiom for death in battle or execution. The sword (ḥereḇ) represents warfare and violent death at the hands of the invading Babylonians.
• round about thee (סְבִיבָיִךְ - sāḇîḇāyiḵ): Refers to the areas surrounding the city. This would include those attempting to flee, those fighting defensive battles outside the walls, or those residing in surrounding towns captured by the enemy. It depicts widespread military action and death.
• I will scatter (וְאֶזְרֶה - wəʾezre): First person singular, emphasizing God's direct agency in this act. The verb suggests dispersal, like seeds scattered to the wind, indicating involuntary and widespread exile.
• into all the winds (לְכָל-רוּחַ - ləḵol-rūḥ): A metaphorical expression indicating dispersion in every direction, globally. This implies a loss of national identity, a wide dispersion among various foreign nations. Ruach here means wind/direction.
• I will draw out a sword after them (וַהֲרִיקֹתִי אַחֲרֵיהֶם חֶרֶב - wahǎrîqōṯî ʾaḥărêhem ḥereḇ): A powerful image of persistent, unceasing divine judgment. To "draw out" (or "empty") a sword implies making it ready and keeping it ready. Even in exile, the judgment of God, symbolized by the sword, would follow the scattered remnants, meaning continued hardship, oppression, and suffering, serving as a reminder of their disobedience and the broken covenant. It signifies that the consequences of their sin were not over just by leaving the land but would accompany them in their foreign lands until God's purpose for their discipline was fulfilled.

Ezekiel 5 12 Bonus section

• Polemics against "Inviolability of Jerusalem": This verse, like much of Ezekiel, directly challenged the prevailing theology in Judah that Jerusalem, as God's chosen city with the Temple, was inviolable (see Jer 7:4, 26:1-6). The detailed description of its destruction disproved any such notions, asserting that God's holiness required judgment on sin, even among His own people and in His own city.
• Connection to Symbolic Act (Ezek 5:1-4): This verse provides the interpretative key to Ezekiel's hair-cutting ritual. The first third burned with fire (symbolic of pestilence and famine in the besieged city), the second third struck with a sword (death by warfare), and the last third scattered to the wind (exile), perfectly aligning with the described judgments.
• "Holy" Fire Metaphor: In the original symbolic act, Ezekiel burns a third of the hair in the midst of the city. While this verse specifies "pestilence and famine," the "fire" in the preceding verse can also subtly allude to a 'consuming' judgment that functions like a purging fire within the heart of the city, bringing death by natural disaster/sickness.
• Historical Fulfillment: This prophecy was tragically fulfilled with the Babylonian sieges of Jerusalem (597 BC and especially 586 BC), when many died from disease and starvation, thousands fell by the sword, and the remainder were carried into exile.
• Significance of "I will": The repeated use of "I will" (אֶזְרֶה ezre - "I will scatter"; וַהֲרִיקֹתִי wahǎrîqōṯî - "I will draw out") firmly places the sovereignty and direct agency of these severe judgments in God's hands. It's not just a consequence of natural events or enemy action, but divine orchestrating.

Ezekiel 5 12 Commentary

Ezekiel 5:12 lays out a definitive and severe tri-partite judgment on Jerusalem, a direct consequence of their extreme unfaithfulness and idolatry. Each third represents a distinct form of God's wrath, yet all stem from the same divine decree against a rebellious people. The judgment is not arbitrary but proportionate and purposeful, signifying a complete overturning of their secure status. The precision of the "third parts" conveys God's just allocation of punishment, emphasizing that every inhabitant would face a severe outcome, leaving no one untouched by the consequences of sin. The intensity of suffering "in the midst" and "round about" underscores the totality of the siege, encompassing both those within the walls and those trying to escape. The final scattering "into all the winds" speaks to the loss of national identity and the worldwide dispersion that marked their exile. Most chillingly, the promise to "draw out a sword after them" signifies that even in displacement, God's judgment would follow, ensuring no escape from the consequences of their covenant violation until true repentance, if ever, began. This prophecy serves as a solemn reminder of God's unwavering commitment to His covenant, demanding faithfulness and executing justice when His people flagrantly defy Him. It demonstrates that divine privilege comes with heightened responsibility, and its violation incurs a more profound judgment.