Ezekiel 12:16

THE MESSAGE

"I'll permit a few of them to escape the killing, starvation, and deadly sickness so that they can confess among the foreign countries all the disgusting obscenities they've been involved in. They will realize that I am God ."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But I will spare a few of them from the sword, famine, and plague, so that among the nations where they go they can tell about all their detestable practices. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

Hebrew Names Version
But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they come; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

King James Version
But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen whither they come; and they shall know that I am the Lord .

English Standard Version
But I will let a few of them escape from the sword, from famine and pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they go, and may know that I am the Lord ."

New American Standard Bible
"But I will spare a few of them from the sword, the famine, and plague so that they may tell of all their abominations among the nations where they go, and may know that I am the LORD."

New Century Version
But I will save a few of them from the sword and from hunger and disease. Then they can tell about their hateful actions among the nations where they go. Then they will know that I am the Lord ."

Amplified Bible
"But I will leave a few [survivors] who will escape the sword, the famine, and the virulent disease, that they may confess all their repulsive (idolatrous) acts among the nations where they go, and may know [without any doubt] that I am the LORD."

World English Bible
But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they come; and they shall know that I am Yahweh.

Geneva Bible (1587)
But I will leaue a litle nomber of them from the sworde, from the famine, and from the pestilence, that they may declare all these abominations among the heathen, where they come, and they shall knowe, that I am the Lorde.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But I will spare a few of them from the sword, the famine and the pestilence that they may tell all their abominations among the nations where they go, and may know that I am the LORD."

Legacy Standard Bible
But I will spare a few of them from sword, famine, and pestilence that they may recount all their abominations among the nations where they go, and may know that I am Yahweh."

Berean Standard Bible
But I will spare a few of them from the sword, famine, and plague, so that they can tell of all their abominations among the nations to which they go. Then they will know that I am the LORD."

Contemporary English Version
Some of them will survive the war, the starvation, and the deadly diseases. That way, they will be able to tell foreigners how disgusting their sins were, and that it was the Lord who punished them in this way.

Complete Jewish Bible
But I will spare a few of them from sword, famine and plague; so that they can tell about all their disgusting practices among the nations where they go; thus they too will know that I am Adonai .'"

Darby Translation
But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the nations whither they shall come; and they shall know that I [am] Jehovah.

Easy-to-Read Version
"But I will let a few of the people live. They will not die from the disease, hunger, and war. I will let them live so that they can tell other people about the terrible things they did against me. Then they will know that I am the Lord ."

George Lamsa Translation
But I will spare a few men of them from the sword, from famine, and from pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the Gentiles whither they go; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

Good News Translation
I will let a few of them survive the war, the famine, and the diseases, so that there among the nations they will realize how disgusting their actions have been and will acknowledge that I am the Lord ."

Lexham English Bible
But I will spare from them a few men from the sword, from the famine and from the plague, so that they may tell of all their abominations among the nations to which they will go, and they will know that I am Yahweh."

Literal Translation
But of them I will leave a number of men from the sword, from the famine, and from the plague, so that they may declare all their abominations among the nations, there where they go. And they shall know that I am Jehovah.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But, I will leaue a litle nombre of them, from the swearde, hunger & pestilence: to tell all their abhominacions amonge the Heithen, where they come: that they maye knowe, how that I am the LORDE.

American Standard Version
But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the nations whither they come; and they shall know that I am Jehovah.

Bible in Basic English
But a small number of them I will keep from the sword, from the need of food, and from disease, so that they may make clear all their disgusting ways among the nations where they come; and they will be certain that I am the Lord.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the nations whither they come; and they shall know that I am the LORD.'

King James Version (1611)
But I will leaue a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen whither they come, and they shall know that I am the Lord.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But I will leaue a litle number of the from the sworde, hunger, and pestilence, to tell all their abhominations among the heathen where they come, that they may knowe howe that I am the Lord.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And I will leave of them a few men in number spared from the sword, and from famine, and pestilence; that they may declare all their iniquities among the nations whither they have gone; and they shall know that I am the Lord.

English Revised Version
But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the nations whither they come; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y schal leue of hem a fewe men fro swerd, and hungur, and pestilence, that thei telle out alle the grete trespassis of hem among hethene men, to which thei schulen entre; and thei schulen wite, that Y am the Lord.

Update Bible Version
But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their disgusting behaviors among the nations where they come; and they shall know that I am Yahweh.

Webster's Bible Translation
But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen whither they come; and they shall know that I [am] the LORD.

New English Translation
But I will let a small number of them survive the sword, famine, and pestilence, so that they can confess all their abominable practices to the nations where they go. Then they will know that I am the Lord ."

New King James Version
But I will spare a few of their men from the sword, from famine, and from pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the Gentiles wherever they go. Then they shall know that I am the LORD."

New Living Translation
But I will spare a few of them from death by war, famine, or disease, so they can confess all their detestable sins to their captors. Then they will know that I am the Lord ."

New Life Bible
But I will let a few of them get away from the sword, hunger and disease. They will tell about all their sinful ways to the nations where they go. And they will know that I am the Lord."

New Revised Standard
But I will let a few of them escape from the sword, from famine and pestilence, so that they may tell of all their abominations among the nations where they go; then they shall know that I am the Lord .

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Yet will I leave remaining of them, men easy counted, from the sword from a the famine and from the pestilence, - that they may recount all their abominations among the nations whither they have come, So shall they know that, I, am Yahweh.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I will leave a few men of them from the sword, and from the famine, and from the pestilence: that they may declare all their wicked deeds among the nations whither they shall go: and they shall know that I am the Lord.

Revised Standard Version
But I will let a few of them escape from the sword, from famine and pestilence, that they may confess all their abominations among the nations where they go, and may know that I am the LORD."

Young's Literal Translation
and I have left of them, a few in number, from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence, so that they recount all their abominations among the nations whither they have come, and they have known that I [am] Jehovah.'

Contextual Overview

¹ God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, you're living with a bunch of rebellious people. They have eyes but don't see a thing, they have ears but don't hear a thing. They're rebels all. So, son of man, pack up your exile duffel bags. Leave in broad daylight with everyone watching and go off, as if into exile. Maybe then they'll understand what's going on, rebels though they are. You'll take up your baggage while they watch, a bundle of the bare necessities of someone going into exile, and toward evening leave, just like a person going off into exile. As they watch, dig through the wall of the house and carry your bundle through it. In full sight of the people, put the bundle on your shoulder and walk out into the night. Cover your face so you won't have to look at what you'll never see again. I'm using you as a sign for the family of Israel." ⁷ I did exactly as he commanded me. I got my stuff together and brought it out in the street where everyone could see me, bundled it up the way someone being taken off into exile would, and then, as the sun went down, made a hole in the wall of the house with my hands. As it grew dark and as they watched, I left, throwing my bundle across my shoulders. ⁸The next morning God spoke to me: "Son of man, when anyone in Israel, that bunch of rebels, asks you, ‘What are you doing?' Tell them, ‘ God , the Master, says that this Message especially concerns the prince in Jerusalem—Zedekiah—but includes all the people of Israel.' ¹¹ "Also tell them, ‘I am drawing a picture for you. As I am now doing, it will be done to all the people of Israel. They will go into exile as captives.' ¹²"The prince will put his bundle on his shoulders in the dark and leave. He'll dig through the wall of the house, covering his face so he won't have to look at the land he'll never see again. But I'll make sure he gets caught and is taken to Babylon. Blinded, he'll never see that land in which he'll die. I'll scatter to the four winds those who helped him escape, along with his troops, and many will die in battle. They'll realize that I am God when I scatter them among foreign countries. ¹⁶ "I'll permit a few of them to escape the killing, starvation, and deadly sickness so that they can confess among the foreign countries all the disgusting obscenities they've been involved in. They will realize that I am God ."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I will: Ezekiel 6:8-10, Ezekiel 14:22, Ezekiel 14:23, Isaiah 1:9, Isaiah 6:13, Isaiah 10:22, Isaiah 24:13, Jeremiah 4:27, Jeremiah 30:11, Amos 9:8, Amos 9:9, Matthew 7:14, Matthew 24:22, Romans 11:4, Romans 11:5

a few men: Heb. men of number, Genesis 13:16, Isaiah 10:19, Romans 9:27

that they: Ezekiel 14:22, Ezekiel 14:23, Ezekiel 36:31, Leviticus 26:40, Leviticus 26:41, Jeremiah 3:24, Jeremiah 3:25, Daniel 9:5-12

and they: Deuteronomy 29:24-28, 1 Kings 9:6-9, Jeremiah 22:8, Jeremiah 22:9

Reciprocal: Exodus 12:12 - I am the Lord 1 Kings 20:28 - ye shall know 2 Kings 25:11 - the rest Psalms 59:11 - Slay Jeremiah 5:10 - but make Jeremiah 21:6 - they Jeremiah 42:2 - left Ezekiel 6:9 - they shall Ezekiel 12:15 - General Amos 5:3 - The city

Cross-References

Genesis 12:14
When Abram arrived in Egypt, the Egyptians took one look and saw that his wife was stunningly beautiful. Pharaoh's princes raved over her to Pharaoh. She was taken to live with Pharaoh.

Genesis 20:14
Then Abimelech gave Sarah back to Abraham, and along with her sent sheep and cattle and servants, both male and female. He said, "My land is open to you; live wherever you wish."

Job 42:12
God blessed Job's later life even more than his earlier life. He ended up with fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand teams of oxen, and one thousand donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. He named the first daughter Dove, the second, Cinnamon, and the third, Darkeyes. There was not a woman in that country as beautiful as Job's daughters. Their father treated them as equals with their brothers, providing the same inheritance.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But I will leave a few men of them,.... Or, "men of number" x; of a small number, such as are easily reckoned up; which will require no great skill in numbers, nor trouble to count them:

from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; during the siege of Jerusalem, and at the breaking of it up; but then they should be carried captive into other countries:

that they may declare all their abominations among the Heathen whither they come; who, observing their calamities, and distresses, would read their sin in their punishment; and conclude they must have been guilty of great enormities, who were punished in such a manner; so that their punishment was a visible and standing declaration to the Heathens of the abominable sins they had been guilty of: or else the end of reserving a few of them from the above capital judgments was, that they being brought to a sense of their sins by their afflictions, might freely confess them, express their repentance for them, and justify God in his proceedings towards them:

and they shall know that I [am] the Lord; not the Heathens, among whom this declaration would be made; but the Jews, brought under a conviction of their sin, and of the justice of God in his dealings with them.

x אנשי מספר "viros numeri", Montanus, Vatablus; "homines numero", Starckius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Few - literally, as in the margin; so few, that they can easily be counted Isaiah 10:19. The few who should escape destruction should make known to all among whom they should dwell how great had been the wickedness of the people, how just their punishment.