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 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 5:12 | "A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence..." | Ezekiel 5:12 (Primary Verse) |
| Leviticus 26:25 | "And I will bring a sword upon you..." | Leviticus 26:25 (Divine punishment) |
| Deuteronomy 28:53 | "And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters..." | Deuteronomy 28:53 (Consequences of disobedience) |
| Jeremiah 15:2 | "And it shall come to pass, that they that are for death shall be death; and they that are for the sword shall be the sword..." | Jeremiah 15:2 (Prophetic judgment) |
| Jeremiah 16:4 | "They shall die of grievous deaths..." | Jeremiah 16:4 (Sorrow and death) |
| Jeremiah 21:9 | "...he that goeth forth of the city shall die thereof by the sword..." | Jeremiah 21:9 (Judgment on city) |
| Jeremiah 24:10 | "And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence among them..." | Jeremiah 24:10 (Sent of divine agents) |
| Jeremiah 29:17-18 | "Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence..." | Jeremiah 29:17-18 (Scattering and judgment) |
| Jeremiah 44:13 | "...they shall fall by the sword and by famine..." | Jeremiah 44:13 (Fulfillment of prophecy) |
| Lamentations 4:9 | "They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger..." | Lamentations 4:9 (Suffering comparison) |
| Ezekiel 6:12 | "He that is far off shall die of the pestilence..." | Ezekiel 6:12 (Widespread death) |
| Ezekiel 7:15 | "The sword is without, and the pestilence and the famine within..." | Ezekiel 7:15 (Stages of judgment) |
| Revelation 6:8 | "And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death..." | Revelation 6:8 (Symbolic death) |
| Revelation 13:10 | "He that killeth with the sword must he killed with the sword..." | Revelation 13:10 (Justice in judgment) |
| Luke 21:24 | "And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations..." | Luke 21:24 (Future fulfillment) |
| Isaiah 1:20 | "...if ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land..." | Isaiah 1:20 (Blessings for obedience) |
| Hosea 9:3 | "They shall not dwell in the LORD's land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria." | Hosea 9:3 (Exile and impurity) |
| Amos 4:10 | "I have sent pestilence upon you after the manner of Egypt: their young men have I slain with the sword..." | Amos 4:10 (Historical parallels) |
| Matthew 10:14 | "And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or of that city, shake off the dust of your feet." | Matthew 10:14 (Rejection consequences) |
| Revelation 18:4 | "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins..." | Revelation 18:4 (Call to separation) |
Ezekiel 5 verses
Ezekiel 5 12 Meaning
A third of the people will die from pestilence, a third from famine, and a third from the sword; and a third will be scattered to all the winds. This signifies a severe and widespread judgment upon Jerusalem, with death and dispersion coming through various means of divine punishment.
Ezekiel 5 12 Context
Chapter 5 of Ezekiel outlines God's severe judgment upon Jerusalem and its inhabitants for their persistent idolatry and defilement of the sanctuary. The prophet is commanded to enact a symbolic representation of this judgment, which includes shaving his hair and dividing it into three portions: one burned, one smitten with a sword, and one scattered by the wind. This verse, Ezekiel 5:12, explains the symbolic meaning of these actions, foretelling that a third of Jerusalem's population would die from plague, a third from starvation, and a third by the sword, with another third scattered to the winds. This represents a complete devastation and scattering of the people due to their disobedience. The historical context is the Babylonian siege and eventual destruction of Jerusalem, which fulfills these prophetic pronouncements of judgment.
Ezekiel 5 12 Word Analysis
- "A third": The Hebrew word for "third" is "shalish" (שָׁלִישׁ), indicating a third part or a third portion. This division signifies a substantial and widespread reduction of the population, illustrating the totality of God's judgment.
- "part": Hebrew: "shelosh" (שָׁלֹשׁ), another instance referring to a third.
- "of thee": Refers to Jerusalem and its people.
- "shall die": Hebrew: "metim" (מֵתִים), future tense of "to die".
- "with": Preposition indicating the means or cause.
- "pestilence": Hebrew: "deber" (דֶּבֶר), which means plague, pestilence, or epidemic disease. This was a common instrument of divine judgment in the Old Testament, often signifying God's direct action through sickness.
- "and": Conjunction linking different elements of the judgment.
- "with famine": Hebrew: "wa ra'ab" (וְרָעָב). "Ra'ab" signifies hunger or famine, a condition resulting from lack of food, often caused by siege or drought, and a potent weapon of war and divine displeasure.
- "and": Another linking conjunction.
- "with the sword": Hebrew: "wa hahereb" (וְהַחֶרֶב). "Hereb" denotes a sword or any cutting weapon, representing death by warfare, battle, or execution.
- "and": Final linking conjunction in this enumeration.
- "I will": Indicates God's active participation and decree in bringing about these judgments.
- "smite": Hebrew: "maqqot" (מַקּוֹת), which can mean to strike, smite, or plague.
- "a third": Again, "shalish" (שָׁלִישׁ), reinforcing the proportion.
- "in the midst": Hebrew: "bekereb" (בְּקֶרֶב), meaning in the midst or within.
- "of thee": Referring to Jerusalem.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "A third part... die with the pestilence... with famine... with the sword": This tripartite division of death (plague, famine, sword) is a common prophetic trope illustrating complete and comprehensive destruction. It highlights that various forms of judgment would afflict the city and its people, leaving no escape. The scale indicates the magnitude of God's wrath and the totality of the punishment for sin.
- "and a third unto all winds": The Hebrew idiom for "scattered to all winds" ("padayeh eth ha'roeach kol" - פזר אֶת הָרוּחַ כֹּל) signifies complete dispersion and exile. It implies that those who survive the direct assaults of plague, famine, and sword will be scattered across the entire earth, losing their identity, homeland, and connection to God's covenant in their nation. This represents the ultimate loss of security and belonging.
Ezekiel 5 12 Bonus Section
The imagery of death by pestilence, famine, and sword is consistent with other prophetic pronouncements in the Old Testament as instruments of God's judgment against nations that forsake Him (Jeremiah 14:12-16, 15:2-3). The scattering to the winds is also a recurrent theme in judgment prophecies, symbolizing exile and the loss of national identity (Deuteronomy 28:64-65). This verse can be seen as a specific instance of a broader covenant curse invoked by disobedience. The percentage breakdown, while seemingly precise, serves more as an emphatic rhetorical device to convey absolute destruction and scattering, rather than a literal statistical prediction. The repetition of "a third" emphasizes the consistent application of judgment across different facets of the catastrophe.
Ezekiel 5 12 Commentary
Ezekiel 5:12 is a stark declaration of divine judgment, portraying the severe consequences of unfaithfulness to God. The breakdown of the population into three categories of death—pestilence, famine, and sword—and a third group scattered to the winds, emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the impending destruction upon Jerusalem. This is not random misfortune but a divinely ordained response to the people's persistent sins, particularly their idolatry and defilement of the covenant. The prophecy serves as a dire warning of the devastating impact of sin and disobedience. It reflects the principle that when a nation turns away from God, it invites His judgment, which can manifest through various means, leading to not only death but also social disintegration and dispersal.