Ezekiel 22:13

THE MESSAGE

"‘Now look! I've clapped my hands, calling everyone's attention to your rapacious greed and your bloody brutalities. Can you stick with it? Will you be able to keep at this once I start dealing with you? "‘I, God , have spoken. I'll put an end to this. I'll throw you to the four winds. I'll scatter you all over the world. I'll put a full stop to your filthy living. You will be defiled, spattered with your own mud in the eyes of the nations. And you'll recognize that I am God .'" God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, the people of Israel are slag to me, the useless byproduct of refined copper, tin, iron, and lead left at the smelter—a worthless slag heap. So tell them, ‘ God , the Master, has spoken: Because you've all become worthless slag, you're on notice: I'll assemble you in Jerusalem. As men gather silver, copper, iron, lead, and tin into a furnace and blow fire on it to melt it down, so in my wrath I'll gather you and melt you down. I'll blow on you with the fire of my wrath to melt you down in the furnace. As silver is melted down, you'll be melted down. That should get through to you. Then you'll recognize that I, God , have let my wrath loose on you.'" God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, tell her, ‘You're a land that during the time I was angry with you got no rain, not so much as a spring shower. The leaders among you became desperate, like roaring, ravaging lions killing indiscriminately. They grabbed and looted, leaving widows in their wake. "‘Your priests violated my law and desecrated my holy things. They can't tell the difference between sacred and secular. They tell people there's no difference between right and wrong. They're contemptuous of my holy Sabbaths, profaning me by trying to pull me down to their level. Your politicians are like wolves prowling and killing and rapaciously taking whatever they want. Your preachers cover up for the politicians by pretending to have received visions and special revelations. They say, "This is what God , the Master, says..." when God hasn't said so much as one word. Extortion is rife, robbery is epidemic, the poor and needy are abused, outsiders are kicked around at will, with no access to justice.' "I looked for someone to stand up for me against all this, to repair the defenses of the city, to take a stand for me and stand in the gap to protect this land so I wouldn't have to destroy it. I couldn't find anyone. Not one. So I'll empty out my wrath on them, burn them to a crisp with my hot anger, serve them with the consequences of all they've done. Decree of God , the Master."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“‘Now look, I clap my hands together against the dishonest profit you have made and against the blood shed among you.

Hebrew Names Version
Behold, therefore, I have struck my hand at your dishonest gain which you have made, and at your blood which has been in the midst of you.

King James Version
Behold, therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee.

English Standard Version
"Behold, I strike my hand at the dishonest gain that you have made, and at the blood that has been in your midst.

New American Standard Bible
"Behold, then, I strike with My hand your profit which you have made and the bloodshed which is among you.

New Century Version
"‘So, Jerusalem, I will shake my fist at you for stealing money and for murdering people.

Amplified Bible
"Behold, therefore, I strike My hands [together] at your dishonest gain which you have acquired and at the bloodshed which is among you.

World English Bible
Behold, therefore, I have struck my hand at your dishonest gain which you have made, and at your blood which has been in the midst of you.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Beholde, therefore I haue smitten mine hands vpon thy couetousnesse, that thou hast vsed, and vpon the blood, which hath bene in the middes of thee.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Behold, then, I smite My hand at your dishonest gain which you have acquired and at the bloodshed which is among you.

Legacy Standard Bible
"Now behold, I have struck My hand at your greedy gain which you have acquired and at the bloodshed which is among you.

Berean Standard Bible
Now look, I strike My hands together against your unjust gain and against the blood you have shed in your midst.

Contemporary English Version
I will shake my fist in anger at your violent crimes.

Complete Jewish Bible
"‘Therefore, I am clapping my hands together because of your ill-gotten gains and the blood shed in you.

Darby Translation
And behold, I have smitten mine hand at thine overreaching which thou hast done, and at thy bloodshed which hath been in the midst of thee.

Easy-to-Read Version
"‘Now look! I will slam my hand down and stop you! I will punish you for cheating and killing people.

George Lamsa Translation
Behold, therefore I will strike my hands together with anger because of the iniquity which you have done and because of the blood which has been shed in the midst of you.

Good News Translation
"I will bring my fist down on your robberies and murders.

Lexham English Bible
And look! I strike my hand for your ill-gotten gain that you have made and at your blood that was in the midst of you.

Literal Translation
And behold! I have struck My hand against your unjust gain which you have made, and at your blood which has been in your midst.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Beholde, I haue smytten my hondes vpo thy couetousnesse, that thou hast vsed, and vpon the bloude which hath bene shed in the.

American Standard Version
Behold, therefore, I have smitten my hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee.

Bible in Basic English
See, then, I have made my hands come together in wrath against your taking of goods by force and against the blood which has been flowing in you.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Behold, therefore, I have smitten My hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee.

King James Version (1611)
Behold therefore, I haue smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gaine which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath bene in the midst of thee.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Beholde, I haue smitten my handes vpon thy couetousnesse that thou hast vsed, and vpon the blood which hath ben shed in thee.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And if I shall smite my hand at thine iniquities which thou hast accomplished, which thou hast wrought, and at thy blood that has been shed in the midst of thee,

English Revised Version
Behold, therefore, I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Lo! Y haue smyte togidere myn hondis on thin aueryce, which thou didist, and on the blood which is sched out in the myddis of thee.

Update Bible Version
Look, therefore, I have smitten my hand at your dishonest gain which you have made, and at your blood which has been in the midst of you.

Webster's Bible Translation
Behold, therefore I have smitten my hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee.

New English Translation
"‘See, I strike my hands together at the dishonest profit you have made, and at the bloodshed they have done among you.

New King James Version
"Behold, therefore, I beat My fists at the dishonest profit which you have made, and at the bloodshed which has been in your midst.

New Living Translation
"But now I clap my hands in indignation over your dishonest gain and bloodshed.

New Life Bible
"I will bring My hand down hard upon the money you have made by your sinful ways, and for the blood of those you have killed among you.

New Revised Standard
See, I strike my hands together at the dishonest gain you have made, and at the blood that has been shed within you.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Lo! therefore I have smitten my hand, At thine unjust gain which thou hast made - And over thy bloodshed, which they have caused in thy midst.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Behold, I have clapped my hands at thy covetousness, which thou hast exercised: and at the blood that hath been shed in the midst of thee.

Revised Standard Version
"Behold, therefore, I strike my hands together at the dishonest gain which you have made, and at the blood which has been in the midst of you.

Young's Literal Translation
And lo, I have smitten My hand, Because of thy dishonest gain that thou hast gained, And for thy blood that hath been in thy midst.

Contextual Overview

¹ God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, are you going to judge this bloody city or not? Come now, are you going to judge her? Do it! Face her with all her outrageous obscenities. Tell her, ‘This is what God , the Master, says: You're a city murderous at the core, just asking for punishment. You're a city obsessed with no-god idols, making yourself filthy. In all your killing, you've piled up guilt. In all your idol-making, you've become filthy. You've forced a premature end to your existence. I'll put you on exhibit as the scarecrow of the nations, the world's worst joke. From far and near they'll deride you as infamous in filth, notorious for chaos. ⁶"‘Your leaders, the princes of Israel among you, compete in crime. You're a community that's insolent to parents, abusive to outsiders, oppressive against orphans and widows. You treat my holy things with contempt and desecrate my Sabbaths. You have people spreading lies and spilling blood, flocking to the hills to the sex shrines and fornicating unrestrained. Incest is common. Men force themselves on women regardless of whether they're ready or willing. Sex is now anarchy. Anyone is fair game: neighbor, daughter-in-law, sister. Murder is for hire, usury is rampant, extortion is commonplace. "‘And you've forgotten me. Decree of God , the Master. ¹³"‘Now look! I've clapped my hands, calling everyone's attention to your rapacious greed and your bloody brutalities. Can you stick with it? Will you be able to keep at this once I start dealing with you? "‘I, God , have spoken. I'll put an end to this. I'll throw you to the four winds. I'll scatter you all over the world. I'll put a full stop to your filthy living. You will be defiled, spattered with your own mud in the eyes of the nations. And you'll recognize that I am God .'" God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, the people of Israel are slag to me, the useless byproduct of refined copper, tin, iron, and lead left at the smelter—a worthless slag heap. So tell them, ‘ God , the Master, has spoken: Because you've all become worthless slag, you're on notice: I'll assemble you in Jerusalem. As men gather silver, copper, iron, lead, and tin into a furnace and blow fire on it to melt it down, so in my wrath I'll gather you and melt you down. I'll blow on you with the fire of my wrath to melt you down in the furnace. As silver is melted down, you'll be melted down. That should get through to you. Then you'll recognize that I, God , have let my wrath loose on you.'" God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, tell her, ‘You're a land that during the time I was angry with you got no rain, not so much as a spring shower. The leaders among you became desperate, like roaring, ravaging lions killing indiscriminately. They grabbed and looted, leaving widows in their wake. "‘Your priests violated my law and desecrated my holy things. They can't tell the difference between sacred and secular. They tell people there's no difference between right and wrong. They're contemptuous of my holy Sabbaths, profaning me by trying to pull me down to their level. Your politicians are like wolves prowling and killing and rapaciously taking whatever they want. Your preachers cover up for the politicians by pretending to have received visions and special revelations. They say, "This is what God , the Master, says..." when God hasn't said so much as one word. Extortion is rife, robbery is epidemic, the poor and needy are abused, outsiders are kicked around at will, with no access to justice.' "I looked for someone to stand up for me against all this, to repair the defenses of the city, to take a stand for me and stand in the gap to protect this land so I wouldn't have to destroy it. I couldn't find anyone. Not one. So I'll empty out my wrath on them, burn them to a crisp with my hot anger, serve them with the consequences of all they've done. Decree of God , the Master." ¹⁵The Scarecrow of the Nations God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, are you going to judge this bloody city or not? Come now, are you going to judge her? Do it! Face her with all her outrageous obscenities. Tell her, ‘This is what God , the Master, says: You're a city murderous at the core, just asking for punishment. You're a city obsessed with no-god idols, making yourself filthy. In all your killing, you've piled up guilt. In all your idol-making, you've become filthy. You've forced a premature end to your existence. I'll put you on exhibit as the scarecrow of the nations, the world's worst joke. From far and near they'll deride you as infamous in filth, notorious for chaos. "‘Your leaders, the princes of Israel among you, compete in crime. You're a community that's insolent to parents, abusive to outsiders, oppressive against orphans and widows. You treat my holy things with contempt and desecrate my Sabbaths. You have people spreading lies and spilling blood, flocking to the hills to the sex shrines and fornicating unrestrained. Incest is common. Men force themselves on women regardless of whether they're ready or willing. Sex is now anarchy. Anyone is fair game: neighbor, daughter-in-law, sister. Murder is for hire, usury is rampant, extortion is commonplace. "‘And you've forgotten me. Decree of God , the Master. "‘Now look! I've clapped my hands, calling everyone's attention to your rapacious greed and your bloody brutalities. Can you stick with it? Will you be able to keep at this once I start dealing with you? "‘I, God , have spoken. I'll put an end to this. I'll throw you to the four winds. I'll scatter you all over the world. I'll put a full stop to your filthy living. You will be defiled, spattered with your own mud in the eyes of the nations. And you'll recognize that I am God .'" God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, the people of Israel are slag to me, the useless byproduct of refined copper, tin, iron, and lead left at the smelter—a worthless slag heap. So tell them, ‘ God , the Master, has spoken: Because you've all become worthless slag, you're on notice: I'll assemble you in Jerusalem. As men gather silver, copper, iron, lead, and tin into a furnace and blow fire on it to melt it down, so in my wrath I'll gather you and melt you down. I'll blow on you with the fire of my wrath to melt you down in the furnace. As silver is melted down, you'll be melted down. That should get through to you. Then you'll recognize that I, God , have let my wrath loose on you.'" God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, tell her, ‘You're a land that during the time I was angry with you got no rain, not so much as a spring shower. The leaders among you became desperate, like roaring, ravaging lions killing indiscriminately. They grabbed and looted, leaving widows in their wake. "‘Your priests violated my law and desecrated my holy things. They can't tell the difference between sacred and secular. They tell people there's no difference between right and wrong. They're contemptuous of my holy Sabbaths, profaning me by trying to pull me down to their level. Your politicians are like wolves prowling and killing and rapaciously taking whatever they want. Your preachers cover up for the politicians by pretending to have received visions and special revelations. They say, "This is what God , the Master, says..." when God hasn't said so much as one word. Extortion is rife, robbery is epidemic, the poor and needy are abused, outsiders are kicked around at will, with no access to justice.' "I looked for someone to stand up for me against all this, to repair the defenses of the city, to take a stand for me and stand in the gap to protect this land so I wouldn't have to destroy it. I couldn't find anyone. Not one. So I'll empty out my wrath on them, burn them to a crisp with my hot anger, serve them with the consequences of all they've done. Decree of God , the Master." ¹⁶The Scarecrow of the Nations God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, are you going to judge this bloody city or not? Come now, are you going to judge her? Do it! Face her with all her outrageous obscenities. Tell her, ‘This is what God , the Master, says: You're a city murderous at the core, just asking for punishment. You're a city obsessed with no-god idols, making yourself filthy. In all your killing, you've piled up guilt. In all your idol-making, you've become filthy. You've forced a premature end to your existence. I'll put you on exhibit as the scarecrow of the nations, the world's worst joke. From far and near they'll deride you as infamous in filth, notorious for chaos. "‘Your leaders, the princes of Israel among you, compete in crime. You're a community that's insolent to parents, abusive to outsiders, oppressive against orphans and widows. You treat my holy things with contempt and desecrate my Sabbaths. You have people spreading lies and spilling blood, flocking to the hills to the sex shrines and fornicating unrestrained. Incest is common. Men force themselves on women regardless of whether they're ready or willing. Sex is now anarchy. Anyone is fair game: neighbor, daughter-in-law, sister. Murder is for hire, usury is rampant, extortion is commonplace. "‘And you've forgotten me. Decree of God , the Master. "‘Now look! I've clapped my hands, calling everyone's attention to your rapacious greed and your bloody brutalities. Can you stick with it? Will you be able to keep at this once I start dealing with you? "‘I, God , have spoken. I'll put an end to this. I'll throw you to the four winds. I'll scatter you all over the world. I'll put a full stop to your filthy living. You will be defiled, spattered with your own mud in the eyes of the nations. And you'll recognize that I am God .'"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I have: Ezekiel 21:14, Ezekiel 21:17, Numbers 24:10

thy dishonest: Ezekiel 22:27, Proverbs 28:8, Isaiah 33:15, Jeremiah 5:26, Jeremiah 5:27, Jeremiah 7:9-11, Amos 2:6-8, Amos 3:10, Amos 8:4-6, Micah 2:1-3, Micah 6:10, Micah 6:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:6

and at: Ezekiel 22:2-4

Reciprocal: Leviticus 19:35 - in meteyard Leviticus 25:14 - General Deuteronomy 27:25 - General Joshua 7:24 - took Achan Job 31:39 - caused the owners thereof to lose their life Psalms 26:10 - bribes Proverbs 21:7 - robbery Isaiah 23:17 - and she shall Jeremiah 17:11 - he that Ezekiel 7:23 - for Ezekiel 18:7 - hath not Romans 2:21 - dost thou steal 1 Corinthians 6:10 - thieves

Cross-References

Genesis 22:6
Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and gave it to Isaac his son to carry. He carried the flint and the knife. The two of them went off together.

Genesis 22:7
Isaac said to Abraham his father, "Father?" "Yes, my son." "We have flint and wood, but where's the sheep for the burnt offering?"

Genesis 22:8
Abraham said, "Son, God will see to it that there's a sheep for the burnt offering." And they kept on walking together.

Genesis 22:9
They arrived at the place to which God had directed him. Abraham built an altar. He laid out the wood. Then he tied up Isaac and laid him on the wood. Abraham reached out and took the knife to kill his son.

Genesis 22:19
Then Abraham went back to his young servants. They got things together and returned to Beersheba. Abraham settled down in Beersheba.

Genesis 22:20
After all this, Abraham got the news: "Your brother Nahor is a father! Milcah has given him children: Uz, his firstborn, his brother Buz, Kemuel (he was the father of Aram), Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel." (Bethuel was the father of Rebekah.) Milcah gave these eight sons to Nahor, Abraham's brother.

1 Corinthians 10:13
No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Behold, therefore, I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made,.... As one amazed at it; or as filled with indignation against it; or as grieved and distressed at it; so Jarchi and Kimchi: or else as rejoicing at the punishment going to be inflicted on them for it. So the Septuagint renders it,

"I will bring my hand upon them;''

and the Targum,

"behold, I will bring my vengeance upon thee for the sins of mammon, c.

Jarchi and Kimchi observe from their Rabbins, that four and twenty sins are recited by Ezekiel but the final sentence of punishment is for rapine or dishonest gain, which is the greatest evil of all, 1 Timothy 6:10:

and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee; the innocent blood shed in the midst of her; not so much by thieves and cutthroats, as under a pretence of justice which was very abominable indeed; against which the Lord expresses just and strong resentment.