Ezekiel 2:10
in Ezekiel 2which He unrolled before me. And written on the front and back of it were words of lamentation, mourning, and woe.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and he spread it before me: and it was written within and without; and there were written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.
KJV
And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.
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This verse in Ezekiel 2
Commentary
17 notes on this verseI take it to be similar in the case of the book mentioned by Ezekiel, in which had been written lamentation, mourning and woe. The whole book contains the "woe" of those perishing, and the "mourning" of those being saved and the "lamentation" of those in between. John, too, who eats one roll on which there is writing on the back and the front, considered the whole Scripture as one book, which is thought to be sweet at the start, when one chews it, but bitter in the perception of each of those who come to know it.
This site's exposition
Open your mouth and eat
on Ezekiel 2:8-10
The prophet sent to a rebellious people is first warned himself: “Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house.” A hand holds out “a scroll” written “on the front and back” with “words of lamentation, mourning, and woe.” Its contents are named before he eats it in Ezekiel 3:1.
This site's exposition
words of lamentation, mourning, and woe
The hand unrolled the scroll, which had writing on the front and the back. The words were lamentation, mourning and woe. Origen of Alexandria reads the three as the woe of those who perish, the mourning of those being saved, and the lamentation of those between.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church5 voices
A commentator
BonaventureItinerarium Mentis in Deum, Chapter 6 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
In this consideration, moreover, lies the perfection of the mind's illumination, when, as on the sixth day, it sees man made in the image of God. For if an image is an expressive likeness, when our mind contemplates in Christ the Son of God, who …
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistHomilies on Ezekiel, Book 1, Homily 9 · Written before 604.
proposed
"And there were written in it lamentations, a song, and woe." There is no doubt that "song" (carmen) is sometimes used in a good sense and sometimes in a bad sense, because we can speak of both a joyful song and a mournful song. But following the usage of Sacred Scripture, which almost always uses "song" in connection with prosperity, we take "song" in this passage as said in a good sense. For when almighty God had delivered His people from the Red Sea, it is written: "Then Moses and the children of Israel sang a song to the Lord." And when David had achieved victory over his enemies, it is written: "David spoke to the Lord the words of this song." Solomon also says: "Like vinegar on soda is one who sings songs to a wicked heart." For if vinegar is poured on soda, the soda immediately fizzes and bubbles up. And when a perverse mind is rebuked through correction, or is urged toward good through the sweetness of preaching, it becomes worse from the correction; and it is inflamed thereby into the wickedness of murmuring, when it ought to have been restrained from wickedness. Through Elihu also it is said concerning the ungrateful man who despairs of himself: "And he did not say, 'Where is He who made me, who gives songs in the night?'" For a song in the night is joy in tribulation. We receive a song in the night when amid present afflictions we are consoled by future joys. The Apostle was showing us a song in the night when he said: "Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation." David indicates that he has a song in the night, saying: "You are my refuge from the distress that surrounds me; my exultation, deliver me from those surrounding me." For he who recounts that he is surrounded by distresses, and yet declares that God is his exultation, without doubt sings a song in the night. […]
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistHomilies on Ezekiel, Book 1, Homily 9 · Written before 604.
proposed
But "woe" in Sacred Scripture is more often understood of eternal grief than of present grief. Whence it is written: "Woe to the wicked unto evil; for the retribution of his hands shall be made to him." And blessed Job speaks, saying: "If I be wicked, woe unto me; but if I be just, I shall not lift up my head, being filled with affliction and misery." For the affliction of the just is temporal. Therefore the woe which he spoke he distinguished from temporal affliction, since he declared that the just man has affliction, and the wicked man has woe. Truth also says through herself: "Woe to the world because of scandals," and, "Woe to you who laugh, for you shall weep." And, "Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing in those days." Therefore we must consider how these three things are written in the sacred volume: lamentations, song, and woe.
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistHomilies on Ezekiel, Book 1, Homily 9 · Written before 604.
proposed
Lamentations, that is, because repentance for sins is written in it. Song, because there the joys of the righteous are foretold. Woe, because there the damnation of the reprobate is expressed. Therefore, that you may punish your sins, read the lamentations written in this volume: "Rend your hearts, and not your garments." And again: "Be miserable and mourn; let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to sorrow." But that you may rejoice in the promise of following joy, learn the songs of eternal praise written in this volume: "Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord, they shall praise you forever and ever." And as it is said by a certain wise man concerning the heavenly Jerusalem: "And all its streets shall be paved with precious and pure stone, and through all its lanes alleluia shall be sung." The citizens of the heavenly homeland had come to announce this song to us, who cried out in harmony: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will."
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistHomilies on Ezekiel, Book 1, Homily 9 · Written before 604.
proposed
But if you still cling in mind to the present age, if you still delight in earthly pleasures, you cannot love the eternal joys you hear about. Therefore learn the woe that is written in this volume, and drive from your soul through fear what you love, so that from the judgment you may be able to love the song you read. For there under the figure of one condemned the whole multitude of the reprobate is represented, when it is said by the voice of Truth: "Binding his feet and hands, cast him into the outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." For then the reprobate fall into outer darkness, because now they cast themselves down into inner darkness of their own will, so that they would follow the light of truth neither by believing nor by doing good. Bound in feet and hands they are commanded to be cast out, because now while it is the time for working and running, they refused to have free hands and feet for good action. There the woe of the reprobate is written: "Their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched." There it is said to the damned and rejected: "Depart from me, you cursed, into eternal fire, which has been prepared for the devil and his angels."
9 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church3 voices
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistHomilies on Ezekiel, Book 1, Homily 9 · Written before 604.
proposed
In this volume, therefore, all things that edify, all things that instruct, are contained in writing. For you have sinned, and now you repent of having committed unlawful deeds—that you may be taught to do penance, there you find lamentations. You desire to refresh your mind with hope of heavenly joys—there you find a song for your consolation. But if you have both committed evils and do not repent of having committed them, but raise the neck of your mind, bow down to no lamentations of penance, and are corrected by no expectation of heavenly joys, whether you will or not, you shall hear the woe written there, so that he whom neither fear humbles to repentance nor hope exalts to heavenly rewards may now foresee the punishment of his damnation and fall into eternal torment without excuse.
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistHomilies on Ezekiel, Book 1, Homily 9 · Written before 604.
proposed
What then, brothers, what must we wretched ones do, except that we awaken to the words of this book and punish with tears the evils we remember having committed, so that through the laments of repentance we may arrive at the song of life? Lest, if we are unwilling to be afflicted now by repenting, we feel woe afterward without end. Nor should the multitude of our wounds cast us down into despair, because the power of the physician is greater than the magnitude of our weakness. For what is there that he cannot restore to health, who was able to create all things from nothing? For he is the Only-begotten, coeternal with the almighty Father, who lives and reigns with him in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God through all ages of ages. Amen.
A commentator
BonaventureCollations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 12 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
Both reason and faith lead to the splendors of exemplarity. But beyond, there is a threefold help for rising to the exemplary principles: the sensible creatures, the rational creatures, and the sacramental scriptures; and this help contains a mystery. As regards the first, the whole …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
What could be more lamentable, more mournful, more woeful, than to see a holy happy people sunk into such a state of sin and misery as it appears by the prophecy of this book the Jews were at this time? Ezekiel echoes to Jeremiah's lamentations. Note, Though God is rich in mercy, yet impenitent sinners will find there are even among his words lamentations and woe.
4 For they are impudent children and stiff-hearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord G OD . 5 And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:93%@v4-5
And - The person, who held out his hand. Within &c. - On both sides, on that side which was inward when rolled, and on that side also that was outward.
And he spread it before me,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
It was written within and without - Contrary to the state of rolls in general, which are written on the inside only. The Hebrew rolls are generally written in this way. There are several of such Hebrew rolls before me, all written on the inside only, consisting of skins of vellum, or parchment, or basil, a sort of half-tanned sheep or goat skin, sewed together, extending to several yards in length. Other Asiatic books were written in the same way.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
within and without--on the face and the back. Usually the parchment was written only on its inside when rolled up; but so full was God's message of impending woes that it was written also on the back.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
before and behind That which existed from the beginning and that which is destined to be in the end.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
And He spread it before me, and behold, it was written on its front and on its back what was from the beginning and what is destined to be at the end. And it was written in it that if the house of Yisrael transgress the Torah, the nations will rule over them; but if they fulfill the Torah, lamentation, mourning, and sighing will pass away from them.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּפְרֹ֤שׂ | vaiyifros | and he spread out | H6566 → | 67 times |
| אוֹתָהּ֙ | ʾotah | <obj.> it | H853 → | 10935 times |
| לְפָנַ֔י | lefanai | <to> before me | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| וְהִ֥יא | vehi' | and it | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| כְתוּבָ֖ה | khetuvah | [was] written | H3789 → | 224 times |
| פָּנִ֣ים | panim | face | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| וְאָח֑וֹר | veachor | and back | H268 → | |
| וְכָת֣וּב | vekhatuv | and [was] written | H3789 → | 224 times |
| אֵלֶ֔יהָ | ʾeleiha | to it | H413 → | 5510 times |
| קִנִ֥ים | kinim | lamentations | H7015 → | 18 times |
| וָהֶ֖גֶה | vahegeh | and moaning | H1899 → | |
| וָהִֽי׃ ס | vahi | and wailing | H1958 → |
וַיִּפְרֹ֤שׂand he spread out
vaiyifrosH6566 →67 times
אוֹתָהּ֙<obj.> it
ʾotahH853 →10935 times
לְפָנַ֔י<to> before me
lefanaiH6440 →2123 times
וְהִ֥יאand it
vehi'H1931 →1879 times
כְתוּבָ֖ה[was] written
khetuvahH3789 →224 times
פָּנִ֣יםface
panimH6440 →2123 times
וְאָח֑וֹרand back
veachorH268 →
וְכָת֣וּבand [was] written
vekhatuvH3789 →224 times
אֵלֶ֔יהָto it
ʾeleihaH413 →5510 times
קִנִ֥יםlamentations
kinimH7015 →18 times
וָהֶ֖גֶהand moaning
vahegehH1899 →
וָהִֽי׃ סand wailing
vahiH1958 →
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
Revelation 8:13And as I observed, I heard an eagle flying overhead, calling in a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded…
it leads to
- Revelation 11:14
The second woe has passed. Behold, the third woe is coming shortly.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Revelation 9:12
The first woe has passed. Behold, two woes are still to follow.
- Revelation 14:6
Then I saw another angel flying overhead, with the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation and tribe and tongue and people.
- Revelation 11:14
Through
Isaiah 3:11Woe to the wicked; disaster is upon them! For they will be repaid with what their hands have done.
it leads to
- Ecclesiastes 8:13
Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.
- James 2:13
For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
- Psalms 120:3–4
What will He do to you, and what will be added to you, O deceitful tongue?
- Psalms 28:4
Repay them according to their deeds and for their works of evil. Repay them for what their hands have done; bring back on them what they deserve.
- Proverbs 1:31
So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
- Ecclesiastes 8:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Ezekiel
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bonaventure, Itinerarium Mentis in Deum, Chapter 6; Bonaventure, Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 12; Carl Friedrich Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Ezekiel; Gregory the Dialogist, Homilies on Ezekiel, Book 1, Homily 9; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 5:7.