Ezekiel 5 15

Ezekiel 5:15 kjv

So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee, when I shall execute judgments in thee in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I the LORD have spoken it.

Ezekiel 5:15 nkjv

'So it shall be a reproach, a taunt, a lesson, and an astonishment to the nations that are all around you, when I execute judgments among you in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I, the LORD, have spoken.

Ezekiel 5:15 niv

You will be a reproach and a taunt, a warning and an object of horror to the nations around you when I inflict punishment on you in anger and in wrath and with stinging rebuke. I the LORD have spoken.

Ezekiel 5:15 esv

You shall be a reproach and a taunt, a warning and a horror, to the nations all around you, when I execute judgments on you in anger and fury, and with furious rebukes ? I am the LORD; I have spoken ?

Ezekiel 5:15 nlt

You will become an object of mockery and taunting and horror. You will be a warning to all the nations around you. They will see what happens when the LORD punishes a nation in anger and rebukes it, says the LORD.

Ezekiel 5 verses

Ezekiel 5 15 Meaning

Ezekiel 5:15 declares that Jerusalem, because of its egregious sins, will become an object of utter disgrace, derision, and dreadful warning to all the surrounding nations. This horrific status is the direct and severe consequence of God executing His righteous judgments upon them with intense anger, wrath, and furious rebukes, thereby affirming His sovereign power and the absolute certainty of His word.

Ezekiel 5 15 Context

Ezekiel chapter 5 continues the highly symbolic actions commanded by God to illustrate the devastating fate awaiting Jerusalem and its inhabitants. The chapter immediately precedes this verse by detailing the three judgments that will decimate the city's population: death by plague and famine (one-third), death by sword (one-third), and scattering with remnant death by sword (one-third), with a tiny remnant preserved. Historically, these prophecies were uttered to the exiles in Babylon around 593 BC, seven years before Jerusalem's final destruction by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC. At this time, the Judean exiles and those left in Jerusalem held false hopes of a swift return and divine protection. God's message through Ezekiel sought to dismantle these delusions by showing the absolute certainty and severity of the impending judgment. The broader cultural context involved many pagan nations surrounding Judah, observing their rise and fall. Jerusalem was meant to be a city set apart, a beacon demonstrating God's wisdom and righteousness to these nations (Deut 4:6-8; Ezek 5:5). Instead, its spiritual apostasy and defilement of God's sanctuary (Ezek 5:11) led it to become a repulsive example, turning its intended glory into its greatest shame, a stark polemic against any belief that a nation's idolatry would go unpunished by the One true God.

Ezekiel 5 15 Word analysis

• You will be a reproach (חרפה - cherpah): This Hebrew term signifies deep disgrace, shame, and public scorn. It implies not just suffering, but being mocked and dishonored. The people of God, once exalted, become an object of derision to those who were less privileged, reversing the divine intention of them being a blessing and witness.
• and a taunt (משל - mashal): Refers to a proverb, byword, or a satirical saying. It suggests that Jerusalem's downfall would become a common topic of scornful conversation and mockery among the nations, encapsulating their utter degradation.
• a warning (מוסר - musar): Signifies instruction, discipline, or an example that serves as a deterrent. Jerusalem's fate would function as a grim lesson for other nations on the consequences of disobeying the God of Israel. This warning highlights God's justice, even if misinterpreted by the pagan observers.
• and an object of horror (שמה - shammah): This powerful word denotes desolation, astonishment, and utter terror. It describes something so dreadful that it evokes shock and awe, inspiring dread rather than pity. The severity of judgment would strike fear into onlookers.
• to the nations around you: This emphasizes the global witness of Judah's collapse. Their downfall would not be unnoticed but would serve as a public spectacle, fulfilling God's covenant curses which explicitly stated Israel would be made an object lesson among the nations.
• when I execute judgments on you: Highlights God's active, intentional involvement. He is not a passive observer but the direct agent bringing forth the consequences of their unfaithfulness. The "judgments" (mishpatim) are divine, just pronouncements.
• in anger (אף - aph): Often depicts fierce, boiling wrath, linked to the flaring of the nostrils.
• and wrath (חמה - chemah): Denotes hot displeasure, burning indignation, and fury, often described as intense, consuming heat.
• and furious rebukes (תוכחות חמה - tokhehoth chemah): This phrase intensifies the divine indignation. Tokhehoth refers to strong, decisive reproof or punishment, while chemah repeats the intense heat/fury. The triple emphasis (anger, wrath, furious rebukes) underscores the profound, just indignation of God at Jerusalem's egregious sin. It communicates an unparalleled severity of divine retribution.
• I the Lord have spoken: This solemn declaration emphasizes God's sovereign authority, the immutability of His decree, and the absolute certainty of its fulfillment. This signature phrase appears frequently in Ezekiel, leaving no doubt about the divine origin and inevitability of the prophecy. It asserts Yahweh's unique identity as the covenant-keeping God who acts decisively on His word.

Ezekiel 5 15 Bonus section

The severe judgment depicted in Ezekiel 5:15 highlights a profound biblical principle: heightened privilege incurs heightened accountability. Israel, uniquely chosen by God and given His law, faced a far greater divine standard than other nations. Their failure to live according to their covenant obligations, particularly in widespread idolatry, meant that their fall would be as dramatic as their initial elevation was intended to be. Furthermore, God's reputation was intertwined with His people's conduct. When Israel descended into idolatry and moral decay, it seemed to the surrounding nations that their God was powerless or simply another deity. Through these devastating judgments, God aimed to restore His name among the nations, demonstrating that He is indeed the powerful, just, and holy God who keeps His word—both His promises and His curses. Thus, the public shame and horror of Jerusalem's downfall paradoxically served to vindicate God's justice and sovereignty in the eyes of the world, teaching them a terrifying lesson about the consequences of disregarding Him.

Ezekiel 5 15 Commentary

Ezekiel 5:15 encapsulates the tragic climax of Jerusalem's descent into ignominy, portraying it not merely as a victim but as an example deliberately made so by divine action. The city, which God intended to be a beautiful crown among nations, reflecting His wisdom and order, would become an antithesis of its divine purpose. The very neighbors it was meant to impress with God's glory would now hold it in contempt, using its ruin as a byword for destruction. This pronounced judgment underscores God's absolute holiness and His commitment to His covenant. The intensity of divine emotion expressed through "anger and wrath and furious rebukes" reveals the depth of God's offense against Jerusalem's profound spiritual defilement and rebellion. It is a righteous indignation, proportional to their privilege and consistent betrayal. The repeated declaration, "I the Lord have spoken," reinforces the unalterable nature of God's prophetic word and His active role in human history, reassuring the exiled that their suffering was part of a divine plan for justice and ultimately, for His glory to be recognized.