Ezekiel 7 17

Ezekiel 7:17 kjv

All hands shall be feeble, and all knees shall be weak as water.

Ezekiel 7:17 nkjv

Every hand will be feeble, And every knee will be as weak as water.

Ezekiel 7:17 niv

Every hand will go limp; every leg will be wet with urine.

Ezekiel 7:17 esv

All hands are feeble, and all knees turn to water.

Ezekiel 7:17 nlt

Their hands will hang limp,
their knees will be weak as water.

Ezekiel 7 verses

Ezekiel 7 17 meaning

Ezekiel 7:17 portrays a scene of absolute despair and physical collapse. It signifies a universal and total loss of human strength, courage, and ability to act or stand firm in the face of imminent and overwhelming divine judgment. The entire population, from the greatest to the least, is depicted as being so overcome by terror and dismay that all physical and mental capabilities are rendered useless, leading to complete incapacitation and spiritual paralysis.

Ezekiel 7 17 Context

Ezekiel chapter 7 is a pronouncement of the imminent, comprehensive, and inescapable end for the land of Israel, particularly Jerusalem. God declares that the time for judgment has arrived, and it will be severe and without reprieve. The chapter details various facets of this impending catastrophe: an unprecedented destruction, famine, sword, pestilence, collapse of societal order, futility of riches, failure of false prophets and priests, and utter panic among the populace. Verse 17 specifically describes the physical and psychological manifestation of this terror on individuals, highlighting that no one will be exempt from the overwhelming fear and paralysis as divine judgment unfolds upon them for their iniquity and idol worship. The historical context is Judah facing the devastating Babylonian invasion and the ultimate destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC.

Ezekiel 7 17 Word analysis

• All hands:

  • Kol yadayim (כָּל־יָדַיִם).
  • "All" (כָּל kol) denotes universality, emphasizing that no one will be exempt from this fate; it impacts the entire population.
  • "Hands" (יָדַיִם yadayim) are instruments of action, work, strength, and combat. They symbolize power, ability, and initiative.
  • Significance: This signifies the complete paralysis of action and inability to defend oneself, resist, work, or help others. All human capability and initiative cease.

• shall be feeble:

  • Tirfena (תִּרְפֶינָה) from the root rapha (רָפָה).
  • Rapha means "to sink," "to drop," "to relax," "to become slack or feeble," "to abandon," "to let go."
  • Significance: It describes a profound physical and moral slackening. It's not just a momentary weakness but a pervasive state where all resolve and energy drain away, leaving individuals powerless to engage or even react.

• and all knees:

  • v'kol birkayim (וְכָל־בִּרְכַּיִם).
  • "And all" (וְכָל v'kol) again stresses universality.
  • "Knees" (בִּרְכַּיִם birkayim) represent stability, strength, and the ability to stand, move, or flee. They are fundamental for physical support and forward motion.
  • Significance: This points to a total loss of stability, balance, and the capacity for flight or sustained standing. It speaks to a collapse from within, leaving one unable to support their own weight.

• shall be weak as water:

  • Telachena mayim (תֵּלַכְנָה מָיִם).
  • Telachena from the root halak (הָלַךְ) – literally "to go" or "to walk," but idiomatically, when paired with mayim, it means to become fluid, to melt, to flow like water.
  • Mayim (מָיִם) means "water."
  • Significance: This powerful idiom depicts an extreme state of weakness and liquefaction. Instead of being firm and solid, the knees become like water—uncontrollably trembling, dissolving, and utterly incapable of providing support. It conveys utter terror leading to complete physical collapse and emotional dissolution.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "All hands shall be feeble, and all knees": This pairing emphasizes the totality and universality of the impending judgment and its paralyzing effect. It covers both active capability (hands) and foundational support/stability (knees), signifying a complete and comprehensive breakdown of the entire individual—physically and psychologically. There will be no one left with strength, initiative, or ability to stand.

• "feeble, and all knees shall be weak as water": This phrase intensifies the imagery of incapacitation. "Feeble" describes a dropping or weakening, but "weak as water" describes a more profound, almost elemental dissolution. It's an escalation from mere loss of strength to a state of absolute liquidity, uncontrollable trembling, and complete lack of rigidity or purpose, caused by extreme dread.

Ezekiel 7 17 Bonus section

• Active Collapse Imagery: The Hebrew phrasing, particularly telachena mayim ("shall be weak as water" or "shall go into water"), conveys an active process of liquefaction or dissolving from within. It’s not just a static state of weakness but a dynamic yielding to terror, a loss of the very substance of physical resolve.
• Contrast to Divine Strength: This verse implicitly stands in stark contrast to God's unwavering power and strength, which are firm like a rock (Ps 18:2). Human strength, when opposed to God or relying solely on itself, proves to be as ephemeral and shapeless as water.
• Cultural Understanding: "Weak as water" would have been a profoundly resonant idiom in the ancient Near East, symbolizing not merely fear, but the complete disintegration of courage and physical fortitude, leaving an individual utterly powerless and at the mercy of circumstances.
• Universal Spiritual Principle: While immediately contextual to Judah's judgment, the verse conveys a timeless truth: when faced with divine judgment or ultimate existential threats without God, human strength and self-reliance ultimately fail and dissolve into despair and incapacitation.

Ezekiel 7 17 Commentary

Ezekiel 7:17 delivers a vivid and chilling portrayal of the paralyzing terror that would grip the people of Judah as God's judgment descended. It's a prophecy of utter helplessness. The universal weakening of "all hands" speaks to the cessation of all activity, whether fighting, working, or building. There would be no resistance, no capacity to defend or flee. Coupled with "all knees shall be weak as water," it illustrates a profound, physical collapse triggered by overwhelming dread, rendering individuals unable to even stand upright or provide themselves with basic support. This isn't just a metaphor for fear, but a prophecy of its complete and destructive physical manifestation. It underscores the futility of human strength, resilience, or reliance on false hopes in the face of divine decree, signaling the catastrophic end of their self-reliant ways.