Ezekiel 5 16

Ezekiel 5:16 kjv

When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread:

Ezekiel 5:16 nkjv

When I send against them the terrible arrows of famine which shall be for destruction, which I will send to destroy you, I will increase the famine upon you and cut off your supply of bread.

Ezekiel 5:16 niv

When I shoot at you with my deadly and destructive arrows of famine, I will shoot to destroy you. I will bring more and more famine upon you and cut off your supply of food.

Ezekiel 5:16 esv

when I send against you the deadly arrows of famine, arrows for destruction, which I will send to destroy you, and when I bring more and more famine upon you and break your supply of bread.

Ezekiel 5:16 nlt

"I will shower you with the deadly arrows of famine to destroy you. The famine will become more and more severe until every crumb of food is gone.

Ezekiel 5 verses

Ezekiel 5 16 meaning

Ezekiel 5:16 proclaims God's deliberate and escalating judgment upon Jerusalem through a severe and destructive famine. The verse portrays God as actively sending this calamity, describing the famine metaphorically as "evil arrows" precisely aimed for complete destruction. It emphasizes the divine intention behind the suffering and the progressive nature of the punishment, culminating in the complete cessation of food supply, graphically depicted as "breaking the staff of bread." This signifies not mere scarcity, but utter destitution and the removal of life's fundamental necessities.

Ezekiel 5 16 Context

Ezekiel 5:16 is set within a harrowing prophecy of judgment against Jerusalem. Chapter 5 initiates with the symbolic acts of Ezekiel cutting his hair and beard, dividing it into three parts to graphically illustrate the fate of the city's inhabitants: a third consumed by fire (the siege), a third struck down by the sword (battle and flight), and a third scattered to the wind (exile). Verse 16 specifically elaborates on one dimension of this tripartite judgment—famine—emphasizing its divine origin, its destructive character as "evil arrows," and its increasing intensity. This prophecy was directly aimed at the kingdom of Judah, then facing imminent destruction at the hands of Babylon (culminating in 586 BC), due to their pervasive idolatry, covenant infidelity, and moral corruption. The judgments detailed were a direct fulfillment of the curses outlined in the Mosaic Covenant (Lev 26, Deut 28), demonstrating God's justice and His steadfastness in upholding His covenant, even through severe punishment. The people's rebellion had surpassed that of even surrounding pagan nations, despite their unique knowledge of the one true God.

Ezekiel 5 16 Word analysis

• When I shall send upon them: This establishes God (YHWH) as the unequivocal, active agent initiating the judgment. "Them" refers to the rebellious inhabitants of Jerusalem. It highlights divine sovereignty and purposeful action, not a random natural disaster.
• the evil arrows: Hebrew ḥiṣṣî rāʿāh (חִצִּי רָעָה). Ḥiṣṣî are "arrows," used metaphorically for penetrating, precise, and deadly divine judgments. Rāʿāh translates to "calamity" or "disaster," referring to the destructive nature. It paints a picture of targeted, painful destruction.
• of famine: Hebrew rāʿāv (רָעָב). Denotes a severe lack of food, leading to starvation. This specifies the particular destructive force sent by God, a common and dreaded consequence of ancient sieges.
• which shall be for their destruction: Clarifies the ultimate purpose of the famine – utter ruin and obliteration, not just temporary hardship. This judgment is punitive and terminal in its intent.
• and which I will send to destroy you: Repetition for powerful emphasis. The use of "you" directly addresses the people, confirming God's personal intent and making the judgment inescapable. It leaves no doubt about the divine hand behind the devastation.
• and I will increase the famine upon you: Indicates a progression and worsening of the calamity. It's not a static condition but an intensifying hardship, amplifying suffering beyond normal levels of endurance.
• and will break your staff of bread: Hebrew ū-ve-shāvār-tî maṭṭēh leḥem (וּבְשָׁבַרְתִּי מַטֵּה לֶחֶם). A profound biblical idiom signifying the complete removal of the means of sustenance.
  • break: shāvār (שָׁבָר), to smash, to shatter. Conveys irreversible and total destruction of the food supply.
  • your staff: maṭṭēh (מַטֶּה), literally "rod" or "staff," symbolically represents support, strength, or basic necessity.
  • of bread: leḥem (לֶחֶם), the staple food, signifying the fundamental means of physical life.Together, the phrase denotes the absolute stripping away of all provisions necessary for survival, leading to death.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "When I shall send upon them...and which I will send to destroy you": This repeated emphasis establishes the undeniable divine agency behind the impending disaster. It directly refutes any notion of natural coincidence or pagan deity influence, affirming YHWH's sovereign control over historical events and His direct involvement in executing judgment against His own people.
• "the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction": This metaphor personifies famine as a lethal weapon in God's arsenal. The image conveys targeted, swift, painful, and ultimately annihilating judgment, signifying that the famine is a direct, destructive tool wielded by God rather than a general, indiscriminate suffering. It's purposeful obliteration.
• "I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread": These clauses illustrate both the escalating severity and the ultimate finality of the judgment. "Increase the famine" highlights a worsening, unbearable scarcity. "Breaking the staff of bread" serves as a conclusive idiom for the complete, total deprivation of all food sources, guaranteeing mass starvation and the collapse of life-sustaining societal structures.

Ezekiel 5 16 Bonus section

• The famine predicted here is not just a food shortage but a complete disruption of societal order and the ultimate threat to life itself. It implicitly touches on the breakdown of community, law, and even human decency under extreme duress, often leading to acts of desperation like cannibalism (as referenced in Deut 28:53).
• The divine authorship of "evil arrows of famine" refutes the idea of blind fate or the impotence of YHWH compared to other gods. Instead, it asserts YHWH's omnipotence and control over creation, wielding elements as instruments of His justice against those who reject Him.
• This verse underscores a key theological concept in the prophetic books: that God's judgments are just and proportionate responses to sin, delivered to fulfill His righteous character and to uphold the sanctity of His covenant.

Ezekiel 5 16 Commentary

Ezekiel 5:16 delivers a chilling pronouncement of God's absolute resolve in judging Jerusalem. It presents a divinely orchestrated famine as a targeted weapon ("evil arrows") against a people steeped in profound apostasy. This is not a random misfortune, but a direct consequence of their covenant breaking, where God Himself actively "sends" and "increases" the devastating hunger. The graphic image of "breaking the staff of bread" goes beyond mere scarcity, signaling the total cessation of sustenance and the irreversible destruction of all life-supporting provisions. This prophecy emphasizes God's holiness, His commitment to justice, and His faithfulness to the covenant, which includes severe judgments for unrepentant rebellion. It illustrates the profound tragedy that befalls a people when they exchange the truth of God for idols, experiencing God's retributive justice as promised in ancient covenant curses, ultimately highlighting that true security comes only from obedience to Him.