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Monday, August 25th, 2025
the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
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Read the Bible

Christian Standard Bible ®

Ezekiel 5:5

“This is what the Lord God says: I have set this Jerusalem in the center of the nations, with countries all around her.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Backsliders;   Church;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Jerusalem;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Prophecy, prophet;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Palestine;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jerusalem;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Directions (Geographical);   Gestures;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Famine;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Jerusalem;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Beard;  

Encyclopedias:

- The Jewish Encyclopedia - Geographers;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Thus says the Lord GOD: This is Yerushalayim; I have set her in the midst of the nations, and countries are round about her.
King James Version
Thus saith the Lord God ; This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her.
English Standard Version
"Thus says the Lord God : This is Jerusalem. I have set her in the center of the nations, with countries all around her.
New American Standard Bible
"This is what the Lord GOD says: 'This is Jerusalem; I have placed her at the center of the nations, with lands around her.
New Century Version
"This is what the Lord God says: This is Jerusalem. I have put her at the center of the nations with countries all around her.
Amplified Bible
"Thus says the Lord GOD, 'This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the center of the nations, and countries are around her.
World English Bible
Thus says the Lord Yahweh: This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations, and countries are round about her.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Thus saith the Lorde God, This is Ierusalem: I haue set it in the middes of the nations and countreyes, that are rounde about her.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Thus says the Lord GOD, 'This is Jerusalem; I have set her at the center of the nations, with lands around her.
Legacy Standard Bible
"Thus says Lord Yahweh, ‘This is Jerusalem; I have set her at the center of the nations, with lands all around her.
Berean Standard Bible
This is what the Lord GOD says: 'This is Jerusalem, which I have set in the center of the nations, with countries all around her.
Contemporary English Version
I am the Lord God, and I have made Jerusalem the most important place in the world, and all other nations admire it.
Complete Jewish Bible
"Here is what Adonai Elohim , says: ‘This is Yerushalayim! I have placed her in the middle of the nations; countries can be found all around her.
Darby Translation
Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: This is Jerusalem: I have set her in the midst of the nations, and the countries are round about her.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then the Lord God said to me, "The brick is a picture of Jerusalem. I put Jerusalem in the middle of other nations with countries all around her.
George Lamsa Translation
Thus says the LORD God: This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations, with all the cities round about her.
Good News Translation
The Sovereign Lord said, "Look at Jerusalem. I put her at the center of the world, with other countries all around her.
Lexham English Bible
Thus says the Lord Yahweh: This is Jerusalem in the midst of the nations where I have put her, and countries are around her.
Literal Translation
So says the Lord Jehovah: This is Jerusalem. I have set her in the midst of the nations, and all around her are the lands.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Morouer, thus sayde the LORDE God: This same is Ierusalem. I set her in the middest of the Heithen and nacions, that are rounde aboute her,
American Standard Version
Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations, and countries are round about her.
Bible in Basic English
This is what the Lord has said: This is Jerusalem: I have put her among the nations, and countries are round her on every side;
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Thus saith the Lord GOD: This is Jerusalem! I have set her in the midst of the nations, and countries are round about her.
King James Version (1611)
Thus saith the Lord God; This is Ierusalem: I haue set it in the midst of the nations and countreys that are round about her.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Moreouer, thus saith the Lorde God: This same is Hierusalem, which I set in the middest of nations, and countreis rounde about her.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Thus saith the Lord; This is Jerusalem: I have set her and the countries round about her in the midst of the nations.
English Revised Version
Thus saith the Lord GOD: This is Jerusalem: I have set her in the midst of the nations, and countries are round about her.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The Lord God seith these thingis, This is Jerusalem; Y haue sette it in the myddis of hethene men, and londis in the cumpas therof.
Update Bible Version
Thus says the Lord Yahweh: This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations, and countries are round about her.
Webster's Bible Translation
Thus saith the Lord GOD; This [is] Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries [that are] around her.
New English Translation
"This is what the sovereign Lord says: This is Jerusalem; I placed her in the center of the nations with countries all around her.
New King James Version
"Thus says the Lord GOD: "This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations and the countries all around her.
New Living Translation
"This is what the Sovereign Lord says: This is an illustration of what will happen to Jerusalem. I placed her at the center of the nations,
New Life Bible
The Lord God says, ‘This is Jerusalem. I have set her in the center of the nations, with lands around her.
New Revised Standard
Thus says the Lord God : This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the center of the nations, with countries all around her.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Thus, saith My Lord, Yahweh, This, is Jerusalem, In the midst of the nations, I placed her, - and of the countries round about her;
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thus saith the Lord God: This is Jerusalem, I have set her in the midst of the nations, and the countries round about her.
Revised Standard Version
Thus says the Lord GOD: This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the center of the nations, with countries round about her.
Young's Literal Translation
Thus said the Lord Jehovah: this [is] Jerusalem, In the midst of the nations I have set her, And round about her [are] the lands.
THE MESSAGE
"This is what God , the Master, says: This means Jerusalem. I set her at the center of the world, all the nations ranged around her. But she rebelled against my laws and ordinances, rebelled far worse than the nations ranged around her—sheer wickedness!—refused my guidance, ignored my directions.

Contextual Overview

5“This is what the Lord God says: I have set this Jerusalem in the center of the nations, with countries all around her. 6She has rebelled against my ordinances with more wickedness than the nations, and against my statutes more than the countries that surround her. For her people have rejected my ordinances and have not walked in my statutes. 7“Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: Because you have been more insubordinate than the nations around you—you have not walked in my statutes or kept my ordinances; you have not even kept the ordinances of the nations around you— 8therefore, this is what the Lord God says: See, I myself am against you, Jerusalem, and I will execute judgments within you in the sight of the nations. 9Because of all your detestable practices, I will do to you what I have never done before and what I will never do again. 10As a result, fathers will eat their sons within Jerusalem, and sons will eat their fathers. I will execute judgments against you and scatter all your survivors to every direction of the wind. 11“Therefore, as I live”—this is the declaration of the Lord God—“I will withdraw and show you no pity, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your abhorrent acts and detestable practices. Yes, I will not spare you. 12A third of your people will die by plague and be consumed by famine within you; a third will fall by the sword all around you; and I will scatter a third to every direction of the wind, and I will draw a sword to chase after them. 13When my anger is spent and I have vented my wrath on them, I will be appeased. Then after I have spent my wrath on them, they will know that I, the Lord, have spoken in my jealousy. 14“I will make you a ruin and a disgrace among the nations around you, in the sight of everyone who passes by.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

This: Ezekiel 4:1, Jeremiah 6:6, Luke 22:19, Luke 22:20, 1 Corinthians 10:4

I have: Ezekiel 16:14, Deuteronomy 4:6, Micah 5:7, Matthew 5:14

Reciprocal: Matthew 26:26 - this

Cross-References

Genesis 3:19
You will eat bread by the sweat of your browuntil you return to the ground,since you were taken from it.For you are dust,and you will return to dust.”
Genesis 5:7
Seth lived 807 years after he fathered Enosh, and he fathered other sons and daughters.
Genesis 5:8
So Seth’s life lasted 912 years; then he died.
Genesis 5:10
Enosh lived 815 years after he fathered Kenan, and he fathered other sons and daughters.
Genesis 5:11
So Enosh’s life lasted 905 years; then he died.
Genesis 5:12
Kenan was 70 years old when he fathered Mahalalel.
Genesis 5:14
So Kenan’s life lasted 910 years; then he died.
Genesis 5:21
Enoch was 65 years old when he fathered Methuselah.
Genesis 5:22
And after he fathered Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and fathered other sons and daughters.
Genesis 5:32
Noah was 500 years old, and he fathered Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Thus saith the Lord God, this [is] Jerusalem,.... A type or sign of it; it may refer to both the former and latter type. It is the city of Jerusalem that is designed by the city portrayed upon the tile; and the same is signified by the head of the prophet that was to be shaved; that being not only the chief city of Judea, but of the whole world, as follows:

I have set it in the midst of the nations; as the chief of them; and distinguished it from them by peculiar favours and blessings, natural and spiritual; being seated in a land flowing with milk and honey; and having the house and worship of God in it; and where were the symbols of his presence, and his word and ordinances; and therefore should have excelled them in true religion, devotion, and holiness, and set an example to them. The Jews generally understand this of the natural situation of Jerusalem. Jarchi interprets it of the middle of the world; as if it was mathematically placed in the centre of the earth. Kimchi says it was in the midst of the continent; and so its air was better than others; and these sort of writers n often speak of the land of Israel being in the navel or centre of the earth; they say o that the sanhedrim sat in the middle of the world; and therefore is compared to the navel, Song of Solomon 7:2; because it sat in the temple, which was in the middle of the world; but the former sense is best; though Jerom gives in to the latter:

and countries [that are] round about her: this is a proposition of itself; fire former clause being distinguished from it by the accent "athnach"; and should be rendered thus, "and the countries [are]", or "[were], round about her" p; on the east was Asia, on the west Europe on the south Africa and Libya, and on the north Babylon, Scythia, Armenia, Persia, and Pontus; and was mere conspicuous, eminent, and honourable than them all, having greater privileges, prerogatives, and excellencies; and therefore should have exceeded them in its regard to the laws and statutes of God, which she did not; hence this is said, in order to upbraid her for her ingratitude, as appears by the following words.

n Kimchi in Ezek. xxxviii. 12. o T. Bab. Sanhedrin. fol. 37. 1. & Gloss. in ib. p וסביבותיה ארצות "et circa eam [erant] terrae", Cocceius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I have set it in the midst of the nations - It was not unusual for nations to regard the sanctuary, which they most revered, as the center of the earth. In the case of the holy land this was both natural and appropriate. Egypt to the south, Syria to the north, Assyria to the east and the Isles of the Gentiles in the Great Sea to the west, were to the Jew proofs of the central position of his land in the midst of the nations (compare Jeremiah 3:19). The habitation assigned to the chosen people was suitable at the first for separating them from the nations; then for the seat of the vast dominion and commerce of Solomon; then, when they learned from their neighbors idol-worship, their central position was the source of their punishment. Midway between the mighty empires of Egypt and Assyria the holy land became a battlefield for the two powers, and suffered alternately from each as for the time the one or the other became predominant.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 5:5. This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations — I have made this city the most eminent and the most illustrious in the world. Some think that these words refer to its geographical situation, as being equally in the centre of the habitable world. But any point on a globe is its centre, no matter where laid down; and it would not be difficult to show that even this literal sense is tolerably correct. But the point which is the centre of the greatest portion of land that can be exhibited on one hemisphere is the capital of the British empire. See my Sermon on the universal spread of the Gospel.


 
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