Ezekiel 7:16 kjv
But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity.
Ezekiel 7:16 nkjv
'Those who survive will escape and be on the mountains Like doves of the valleys, All of them mourning, Each for his iniquity.
Ezekiel 7:16 niv
The fugitives who escape will flee to the mountains. Like doves of the valleys, they will all moan, each for their own sins.
Ezekiel 7:16 esv
And if any survivors escape, they will be on the mountains, like doves of the valleys, all of them moaning, each one over his iniquity.
Ezekiel 7:16 nlt
The survivors who escape to the mountains
will moan like doves, weeping for their sins.
Ezekiel 7 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezek 7:16 | "But if any escape, they will be on the mountains, like doves of the valleys" | Desolation and hiding |
| Jer 4:29 | "She mourns in sackcloth and ashes" | Similar imagery of mourning |
| Isa 3:8 | "For Jerusalem stumbles, and Judah falls, because their actions and deeds turn them away from him" | Cause of judgment (sin) |
| Lam 1:6 | "Her princes have become like deer that find no pasture; they have fled with all their strength, unable to escape their pursuer." | Fleeing in distress |
| Hos 7:11 | "Ephraim is like a foolish dove, without understanding" | Folly and lack of discernment |
| Psa 58:8 | "Like a slug that dissolves into slime, like a woman's untimely birth, may they (wicked) vanish" | Transient and vanishing existence |
| Jer 51:45 | "My people, go out from her! Each of you, save your life from the fierce anger of the LORD." | Exhortation to flee from judgment |
| Luke 21:21 | "Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains" | Parallel prophecy concerning Jerusalem |
| Deut 28:65 | "And among these nations you will find no repose, nor will the sole of your foot have a place to rest" | Lack of peace/rest |
| Isa 24:1-3 | "Behold, the LORD will empty the earth and make it desolate... It shall be as with the people, so with the priest" | Universal desolation |
| Zech 11:3 | "Hear the wail of the shepherds, because their rich pastures are destroyed!" | Grief over loss of livelihood/place |
| Ezek 6:3 | "and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys..." | Divine address to the land itself |
| Ezek 35:12 | "And you shall know that I am the LORD; I have heard all the blasphemies which you have uttered against the mountains of Israel" | Divine knowledge of transgressions |
| Jer 8:2 | "And they will bury them in their cemeteries... none shall be left." | Burial and abandonment |
| Lev 26:12 | "And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people." | God's presence (now removed) |
| Deut 32:30 | "How could one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had given them up, and the LORD had surrendered them?" | Divine abandonment leading to defeat |
| 2 Chron 15:5 | "In those times there was no peace to him who went out or to him who came in" | Absence of peace |
| Jer 9:10 | "I will turn the land into a desert... no traveler will pass through it" | Desolation and abandonment of land |
| Mic 7:2 | "The faithful have vanished from the earth, and there is no one upright among men" | Loss of faithful ones |
| Rev 18:7 | "To the same degree to which she glorified herself and lived wantonly, to the same degree give her torment and mourning" | Retribution for sin |
Ezekiel 7 verses
Ezekiel 7 16 Meaning
The verse describes a state of great distress and desolation for the people of Israel. It signifies that their land will be rendered uninhabited and their sacred places will be defiled due to their transgressions and sins. The imagery of fleeing and the presence of mourning conveys the complete devastation of their society and their sanctuary.
Ezekiel 7 16 Context
Ezekiel 7 is a chapter that details God's judgment upon the kingdom of Judah. The prophecy anticipates the complete destruction of Jerusalem and its temple, the scattering of its people, and the end of its sovereignty. This chapter follows a series of pronouncements of judgment against various nations and against Israel. The core message is that because of their persistent idolatry, violence, and disregard for God's laws, divine retribution is imminent and irreversible. The people are exhorted to face the consequences of their actions, which will leave the land barren and their sacred spaces defiled. This judgment serves as a cleansing and a demonstration of God's justice.
Ezekiel 7 16 Word Analysis
- And if (וְאִם - v'im): Connective particle introducing a conditional clause. Indicates an alternative possibility or outcome following a previous declaration.
- any (פֶּלֶט - pelet): Means escape, remnant, or deliverance. It refers to those who might survive the initial catastrophe.
- escape (פָּלַט - palat): Verb meaning to escape, flee, or be delivered. Highlights the desperate attempt to survive.
- they (הֵמָּה - hemmah): Plural pronoun referring to the "any" who escape.
- shall be (הָיוּ - hayu): Future tense of the verb "to be."
- in (בְּ־ - b'-): Preposition indicating location.
- the mountains (הֶהָרִים - ha-haim): Plural for "mountain." Refers to geographical elevation, often a place of refuge, wilderness, or divine encounter.
- of (בָּבוּא־ - babuv): Hebrew construct form for possessive or relation.
- the valleys (הַגַּיְאֹת - haggaiaot): Plural for "valley" or "ravine."
- like (כְּ־ - k'-): Preposition or adverb meaning "like" or "as." Introduces a simile.
- doves (יוֹנִים - yonim): Plural for "dove" or "pigeon." Known for their gentleness, mourning coos, and often associated with vulnerability and living in crevices or valleys.
- of the valleys (הַבָּבוּא־ - hababvuv): Another possessive phrasing linking "doves" to "valleys," implying they reside or seek shelter there. The repetition of "valleys" emphasizes their hidden, likely mournful existence.
Grouped analysis:
- "in the mountains of the valleys": This unusual phrasing might suggest they are not finding secure high ground but rather hiding in the more sheltered, possibly concealed, depressions within the mountainous terrain. This emphasizes their precariousness. The imagery of doves in valleys further stresses their vulnerability, helplessness, and the potential for mourning.
Ezekiel 7 16 Bonus Section
The simile of doves in the valleys highlights their vulnerability and perhaps their plaintive cries. In biblical literature, doves are sometimes associated with mourning (Psalm 74:19) and are also a symbol of the Holy Spirit, although this latter interpretation is more prevalent in New Testament contexts. The context in Ezekiel suggests a naturalistic observation emphasizing fragility and a desperate search for refuge in a devastated landscape, mirroring the nation's spiritual desolation. The mountains and valleys represent places of natural seclusion and possible refuge from pursuers, but here they are sites of sorrow and vulnerability rather than true security, because God's presence is removed from them due to sin.
Ezekiel 7 16 Commentary
This verse portrays the remnant of Israel as scattered and exposed. Even those who survive the initial devastation are driven to seek refuge in the desolate mountains, comparable to doves hiding in valleys. This imagery vividly illustrates their broken state, lacking security and peace. The doves' reputation for soft cooing, often interpreted as a mournful sound, amplifies the sense of sorrow and distress for the survivors. Their seeking refuge in valleys, potentially dark and hidden places, underscores their despair and loss of divine protection.