Ezekiel 7:9
in Ezekiel 7I will not look on you with pity, nor will I spare you, but I will punish you for your ways and for the abominations among you. Then you will know that it is I, the LORD, who strikes the blow.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will bring upon thee according to thy ways; and thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I, Jehovah, do smite.
KJV
And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will recompense thee according to thy ways and thine abominations that are in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I am the Lord that smiteth.
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This verse in Ezekiel 7
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThose shall have judgment without mercy who made light of mercy when it was offered them. All this is the just punishment of their sins, and it is what they have by their own folly brought upon themselves.
This site's exposition
Very soon I will pour out My wrath upon you
on Ezekiel 7:8-9
Verses 8 and 9 repeat verses 3 and 4 almost word for word. The change comes, “Then you will know that it is I, the LORD, who strikes the blow,” where Ezekiel 7:4 had only the LORD’s name. The added words name the hand behind the disaster.
This site's exposition
who strikes the blow
This verse repeats verse 4 with one addition. They will know that it is the LORD who strikes the blow. Matthew Henry notes that the people saw only Nebuchadnezzar, while he was only a staff in the Lord's hand.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 9.) And my eye shall not spare, neither will I have compassion: but I will lay (or give) upon you your ways, and your abominations shall be in your midst, and you shall know that I am the Lord who strikes.
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Two sins are particularly specified as provoking God to bring these judgments upon them--pride and oppression. God will humble them by his judgments, for they have magnified themselves. The rod of affliction has blossomed, but it was pride that budded,
You look at second causes, and think it is Nebuchadnezzar that smites you, but you shall be made to know he is but the staff: it is the hand of the Lord that smiteth you, and who knows the weight of his hand?" Those who would not know it was the Lord that did them goo shall be made to know it is the Lord that smiteth them; for, one way or other, he will be owned.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity,.... This verse is the same with Eze 7:4; only instead of "I will recompense thy ways upon thee", here it is, I will recompense thee according to thy ways upon thee and thine abominations that are in the midst of thee; which have both the same sense, showing the equity and justice of the divine proceedings: and to the clause, it is added, and ye shall know that I am the Lord that smiteth; with the rod of his anger, inflicts punishment for sin.
Though threatened judgments may be long deferred, yet they shall not be dropped; the time for executing them will come. Though God's patience may put them off, nothing but man's sincere repentance and reformation will put them by.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Behold, the day of punishment has come, behold, it comes; the kingdom has been revealed, the rule has sprung up, the wicked one has appeared.
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. 2 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
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְלֹא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תָח֥וֹס | tachos | it will look with compassion | H2347 → | 24 times |
| עֵינִ֖י | ʾeini | eye my | H5869 → | 887 times |
| וְלֹ֣א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| אֶחְמ֑וֹל | ʾechmol | I will show pity | H2550 → | 41 times |
| כִּדְרָכַ֜יִךְ | kidrakhayikh | according to ways your | H1870 → | 707 times |
| עָלַ֣יִךְ | ʾalayikh | to you | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| אֶתֵּ֗ן | ʾeten | I will requite | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| וְתוֹעֲבוֹתַ֙יִךְ֙ | vetoavotayikh | and abominations your | H8441 → | 117 times |
| בְּתוֹכֵ֣ךְ | betokhekh | in midst of you | H8432 → | 418 times |
| תִּֽהְיֶ֔יןָ | tihyeina | they will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם | vida'tem | and you will know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| כִּ֛י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אֲנִ֥י | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| מַכֶּֽה׃ | makeh | [am] striking | H5221 → | 499 times |
וְלֹא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
תָח֥וֹסit will look with compassion
tachosH2347 →24 times
עֵינִ֖יeye my
ʾeiniH5869 →887 times
וְלֹ֣אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
אֶחְמ֑וֹלI will show pity
ʾechmolH2550 →41 times
כִּדְרָכַ֜יִךְaccording to ways your
kidrakhayikhH1870 →707 times
עָלַ֣יִךְto you
ʾalayikhH5921 →5755 times
אֶתֵּ֗ןI will requite
ʾetenH5414 →2011 times
וְתוֹעֲבוֹתַ֙יִךְ֙and abominations your
vetoavotayikhH8441 →117 times
בְּתוֹכֵ֣ךְin midst of you
betokhekhH8432 →418 times
תִּֽהְיֶ֔יןָthey will be
tihyeinaH1961 →3559 times
וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕םand you will know
vida'temH3045 →945 times
כִּ֛יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
אֲנִ֥יI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
מַכֶּֽה׃[am] striking
makehH5221 →499 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
Galatians 6:7Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 9:6
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
- Hosea 10:12
Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.
- Job 4:8
As I have observed, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble reap the same.
- Romans 2:6–10
God “will repay each one according to his deeds.”
- 1 Corinthians 15:33
Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
- 2 Corinthians 9:6
Through
Revelation 20:13The sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and each one was judged according to his deeds.
it leads to
- John 5:28–29
Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice
- Revelation 6:8
Then I looked and saw a pale green horse. Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed close behind. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill by sword,…
- Hosea 13:14
I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from Death. Where, O Death, are your plagues? Where, O Sheol, is your sting? Compassion is hidden from My eyes.
- John 5:28–29
About Ezekiel
This page draws on Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.