Ezekiel 12:16
in Ezekiel 12But I will spare a few of them from sword and famine and plague, so that in the nations to which they go, they can recount all their abominations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Ezekiel 12
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Few - literally, as in the margin; so few, that they can easily be counted Isa 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.
This site's exposition
I will scatter to every wind
on Ezekiel 12:14-16
The judgment reaches past the prince. A few are spared from sword and famine and plague, “so that in the nations to which they go, they can recount all their abominations.” The recognition formula comes twice, over the scattering and over the remnant, so both serve one end.
This site's exposition
I will spare a few of them
A few will be spared from sword, famine and plague. Albert Barnes notes that the word means so few they could be easily counted. In the nations they reach, these survivors will recount their abominations, so that others learn why the judgment came.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 10 and following) This burden is upon the prince who is in Jerusalem, and upon all the house of Israel who are among them. Say: I am your omen: as I have done, so it shall be done to them. They shall go into exile and captivity. But the prince who is among them shall be carried on shoulders, he shall go out in darkness; they shall dig through the wall to bring him out; his face shall be covered, so that he may not see the land with his eyes.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Those that by their afflictions are brought to this are then made to know that God is the Lord and may help to bring others to the knowledge of him. See how God brings good out of evil. The dispersion of sinners, who had done God much dishonour and disservice in their own country, proves the dispersion of penitents, who shall do him much honour and service in others countries.
Declare - By relating those sins, for which God was justly angry, and for which he punished them, though they were his own people. See how God brings good out of evil! The dispersion of sinners, who had done God much dishonour and disservice in their own country, proves the dispersion of penitents, who shall do him much honour and service in other countries!
But I will leave a few men of them,....
The words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהוֹתַרְתִּ֤י | vehotarti | and I will leave over | H3498 → | 106 times |
| מֵהֶם֙ | mehem | some of them | ||
| אַנְשֵׁ֣י | ʾanshei | people of | H582 → | 566 times |
| מִסְפָּ֔ר | mispar | number | H4557 → | 134 times |
| מֵחֶ֖רֶב | mecherev | from [the] sword | H2719 → | 413 times |
| מֵרָעָ֣ב | meraav | from [the] famine | H7458 → | 101 times |
| וּמִדָּ֑בֶר | umidaver | and from [the] pestilence | H1698 → | 49 times |
| לְמַ֨עַן | lemaan | so that | H4616 → | 272 times |
| יְסַפְּר֜וּ | yesaperu | they may recount | H5608 → | 159 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| תּוֹעֲבֽוֹתֵיהֶ֗ם | toavoteihem | abominations their | H8441 → | 117 times |
| בַּגּוֹיִם֙ | bagoyim | among the nations | H1471 → | 561 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | where | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בָּ֣אוּ | bau | they have gone | H935 → | 2568 times |
| שָׁ֔ם | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| וְיָדְע֖וּ | veyadeu | and they will know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אֲנִ֥י | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| יְהוָֽה׃ פ | yahweh | [am] Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
וְהוֹתַרְתִּ֤יand I will leave over
vehotartiH3498 →106 times
מֵהֶם֙some of them
mehem
אַנְשֵׁ֣יpeople of
ʾansheiH582 →566 times
מִסְפָּ֔רnumber
misparH4557 →134 times
מֵחֶ֖רֶבfrom [the] sword
mecherevH2719 →413 times
מֵרָעָ֣בfrom [the] famine
meraavH7458 →101 times
וּמִדָּ֑בֶרand from [the] pestilence
umidaverH1698 →49 times
לְמַ֨עַןso that
lemaanH4616 →272 times
יְסַפְּר֜וּthey may recount
yesaperuH5608 →159 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
תּוֹעֲבֽוֹתֵיהֶ֗םabominations their
toavoteihemH8441 →117 times
בַּגּוֹיִם֙among the nations
bagoyimH1471 →561 times
אֲשֶׁר־where
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
בָּ֣אוּthey have gone
bauH935 →2568 times
שָׁ֔םthere
shamH8033 →834 times
וְיָדְע֖וּand they will know
veyadeuH3045 →945 times
כִּֽי־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
אֲנִ֥יI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
יְהוָֽה׃ פ[am] Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 1:9Unless the LORD of Hosts had left us a few survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah.
it leads to
- Romans 9:29
It is just as Isaiah foretold: “Unless the Lord of Hosts had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah.”
- Isaiah 37:31–32
And the surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root below and bear fruit above.
- Genesis 19:24
Then the LORD rained down sulfur and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the LORD out of the heavens.
- Lamentations 3:22
Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail.
- Romans 9:29
Through
Jeremiah 4:27For this is what the LORD says: “The whole land will be desolate, but I will not finish its destruction.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 46:28
And you, My servant Jacob, do not be afraid, declares the LORD, for I am with you. Though I will completely destroy all the nations to which I have banished you, I will not…
- Jeremiah 5:10
Go up through her vineyards and ravage them, but do not finish them off. Strip off her branches, for they do not belong to the LORD.
- Jeremiah 5:18
“Yet even in those days,” declares the LORD, “I will not make a full end of you.
- Jeremiah 30:11
For I am with you to save you, declares the LORD. Though I will completely destroy all the nations to which I have scattered you, I will not completely destroy you. Yet I will…
- Jeremiah 46:28
About Ezekiel
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.