Ezekiel 7 27

Ezekiel 7:27 kjv

The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with desolation, and the hands of the people of the land shall be troubled: I will do unto them after their way, and according to their deserts will I judge them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 7:27 nkjv

'The king will mourn, The prince will be clothed with desolation, And the hands of the common people will tremble. I will do to them according to their way, And according to what they deserve I will judge them; Then they shall know that I am the LORD!' "

Ezekiel 7:27 niv

The king will mourn, the prince will be clothed with despair, and the hands of the people of the land will tremble. I will deal with them according to their conduct, and by their own standards I will judge them. "?'Then they will know that I am the LORD.'?"

Ezekiel 7:27 esv

The king mourns, the prince is wrapped in despair, and the hands of the people of the land are paralyzed by terror. According to their way I will do to them, and according to their judgments I will judge them, and they shall know that I am the LORD."

Ezekiel 7:27 nlt

The king and the prince will stand helpless,
weeping in despair,
and the people's hands
will tremble with fear.
I will bring on them
the evil they have done to others,
and they will receive the punishment
they so richly deserve.
Then they will know that I am the LORD."

Ezekiel 7 verses

Ezekiel 7 27 Meaning

Ezekiel 7:27 describes the comprehensive and inevitable nature of divine judgment upon ancient Judah, reaching every level of society from the top leadership to the common populace. It emphasizes that this judgment will be perfectly just, proportionate to their own sinful actions and moral standards, and will ultimately serve to reveal God's absolute sovereignty and righteous character. The widespread despair signifies the total collapse of their self-reliant systems and the revelation of their helplessness before the Almighty.

Ezekiel 7 27 Context

Ezekiel chapter 7 is a prophecy delivered by Ezekiel, exiled to Babylon, concerning the swift and complete destruction of Jerusalem and the land of Israel. It serves as a stern announcement that "the end has come" for Judah due to their pervasive idolatry, injustice, and defilement of God's temple. The chapter uses vivid imagery to convey the absolute nature of the impending doom, emphasizing that there will be no escape for anyone, regardless of their social standing or perceived piety. The verse fits into the latter part of the chapter, where the prophet details the widespread despair and terror that will grip all inhabitants, from the king to the common person, signaling the collapse of all human institutions and the inescapable reality of divine wrath. The declaration "they will know that I am the LORD" underpins the entire prophecy, asserting God's ultimate purpose in judgment: to reveal His unique sovereignty.

Ezekiel 7 27 Word analysis

• The king will mourn (הַמֶּלֶךְ יִתְאַבָּל - ha-melekh yit'abbāl):
  • הַמֶּלֶךְ (ha-melekh): "The king." Refers to the reigning monarch of Judah, likely Zedekiah, the last king before Jerusalem's destruction. Represents the highest human authority.
  • יִתְאַבָּל (yit'abbāl): "will mourn," "will grieve." Denotes deep sorrow and lamentation. This goes beyond mere sadness; it implies public grieving, perhaps in sackcloth, as was customary for deep national or personal catastrophe (Gen 37:34). It signifies the complete failure of the monarchy to protect its people or its own interests.
• the prince will be clothed with dismay (וְהַנָּשִׂיא יִלְבַּשׁ שְׁמָמָה - və-hanāśī' yilbaš shmāmā):
  • וְהַנָּשִׂיא (və-hanāśī'): "And the prince." In Ezekiel, "prince" (nāśī') sometimes replaces "king" to reflect a diminished sovereignty or to refer to tribal leaders or heads of state in the future (Ezek 34:24; 44:3). Here it signifies secondary leadership or perhaps an acknowledgement of the king's subordinate role under God.
  • יִלְבַּשׁ שְׁמָמָה (yilbaš shmāmā): "will be clothed with dismay/desolation." Literally, "will wear desolation." This powerful idiom portrays dismay or horror not merely as an internal feeling, but as an outer garment, fully enveloping the individual. שְׁמָמָה (shmāmā) means desolation, waste, horror. It signifies utter spiritual and psychological devastation, reflecting the physical destruction of their land and institutions. This conveys a deeper sense of hopelessness than mere mourning.
• and the hands of the common people will tremble (וִידֵי עַם־הָאָרֶץ תִּבָּהַלְנָה - viyḏēy 'am-hā'āreṣ tibbāhalnâ):
  • וִידֵי (viyḏēy): "And the hands of." Hands represent agency, ability to act, to work, to fight.
  • עַם־הָאָרֶץ ('am-hā'āreṣ): "the common people," "the people of the land." This term often refers to the landowning citizens, distinguishing them from the ruling elite or foreign residents, or the lower classes. Here it likely means the general populace, implying that judgment spares no one from society's base.
  • תִּבָּהַלְנָה (tibbāhalnâ): "will tremble," "will be alarmed," "will be distraught." Indicates extreme fear, panic, and loss of composure or strength. Their capacity to act or defend themselves is paralyzed by terror.
• According to their way I will deal with them (כְּדַרְכָּם אֶעֱשֶׂה אוֹתָם - kə-ḏarkām 'e'eśeh 'ōṯām):
  • כְּדַרְכָּם (kə-ḏarkām): "According to their way," "as their path." "Way" (דֶּרֶךְ - derekh) signifies their conduct, lifestyle, moral behavior, and actions. It encompasses their idolatry, social injustice, and rejection of God's laws.
  • אֶעֱשֶׂה אוֹתָם ('e'eśeh 'ōṯām): "I will deal with them," "I will do to them." God's active, judicial response to their sinful course. It's a statement of divine action being directly commensurate with human deeds.
• and by their own standards I will judge them (וּבְמִשְׁפְּטֵיהֶם אֶשְׁפְּטֵם - ūvəmishpāṭêhem 'eshpəṭêm):
  • וּבְמִשְׁפְּטֵיהֶם (ūvəmishpāṭêhem): "And by their own standards," "by their own judgments/ordinances." This implies that God will use the very principles, practices, or values that Israel themselves chose or adopted, often sinful ones, as the basis for their condemnation. Or it means they will be judged by the divine standard which they ignored. This is an example of lex talionis, divine retribution mirroring the offense.
  • אֶשְׁפְּטֵם ('eshpəṭêm): "I will judge them." Direct declaration of God's role as the sovereign, righteous Judge.
• and they will know that I am the LORD (וְיָדְעוּ כִּי־אֲנִי יְהוָה - və-yādə'ū kî-'anî YHWH):
  • וְיָדְעוּ (və-yādə'ū): "And they will know," "they will perceive/recognize." This is the recurring theological refrain in Ezekiel (65+ times). It's a knowing through experience and undeniable evidence, often painful.
  • כִּי־אֲנִי יְהוָה (kî-'anî YHWH): "that I am the LORD." The full, unmediated declaration of God's essential being, His unique covenant name YHWH (Yahweh). Through the devastation, survivors, both in Israel and among the nations, will understand His absolute power, holiness, and unwavering commitment to His word, His character, and His justice.

• King...prince...common people...tremble: This sequence demonstrates the totalizing scope of God's judgment. No level of society, no segment of the population, is exempt from the impending catastrophe. The structure emphasizes the reversal of order – those in power reduced to mourning and terror.
• According to their way...by their own standards: These two clauses emphatically establish the justice of God's judgment. The punishment is not arbitrary but precisely tailored to the specific moral and spiritual trajectory Israel chose. Their rebellion and abandonment of God are met with a reciprocal divine response.
• They will know that I am the LORD: This is the ultimate didactic purpose behind the devastating judgment. The suffering serves not just as punishment, but as a severe lesson designed to reveal God's unmatched identity and authority to a people who had forgotten or ignored Him. It implies both a painful recognition of His power and, potentially, an opportunity for repentance in the future.

Ezekiel 7 27 Bonus section

The threefold description of "king, prince, common people" serves to underscore the completeness and totality of the impending judgment, covering the full social spectrum without exception. It also reflects a polemic against the false security placed in human leadership and societal structures that ultimately fail in the face of divine wrath. The despair of these leaders contrasts sharply with their former arrogance and self-assurance, demonstrating the vanity of relying on human strength when defying God. The phrase "according to their way... by their own standards" resonates deeply with the principle found in Job and Psalms that the wicked often fall into the pit they dug for others, or are snared by the very devices they created. The purpose clause "they will know that I am the LORD" is not merely about gaining intellectual knowledge but experiencing the unchallengeable reality of Yahweh, often through the very means (e.g., exile, desolation) they refused to heed in prophetic warnings. This forced recognition lays the groundwork for any future possibility of genuine repentance or return.

Ezekiel 7 27 Commentary

Ezekiel 7:27 concludes a devastating prophecy of Judah's immediate and universal judgment. The verse paints a grim picture where every stratum of society—from the monarch to the leading officials (princes) down to the general populace—is consumed by profound despair, terror, and an utter loss of agency. The imagery of the prince being "clothed with dismay" is particularly vivid, portraying the desolation as an inescapable garment, encompassing and defining their very being. The trembling hands of the common people symbolize their paralyzed state, unable to resist or cope with the overwhelming divine onslaught.

Crucially, the verse reiterates the principle of divine justice: God's actions are not arbitrary but directly correspond to Judah's own "way" and "standards" of conduct. This signifies a meticulous and righteous retribution where their punishment precisely matches the measure of their iniquity and their chosen path of rebellion. The suffering, while intense, is therefore wholly deserved, acting as a direct consequence of their widespread idolatry, moral decay, and rejection of the covenant. The ultimate goal, as with all declarations in Ezekiel of "knowing I am the LORD," is revelatory. Through this unprecedented judgment and their profound suffering, the survivors and onlookers will undeniably perceive God's unique sovereignty, His unchanging holiness, and His absolute power, affirming that His word stands true and His justice is perfect. The calamity is thus a severe but necessary education in who God truly is.