Ezekiel 6:14

6:13 Then shall ye know that I am the LORD, when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savour to all their idols.

So will I stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall know that I am the LORD. more: or, desolate from the wilderness

KJV

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I will stretch out my hand on them, and make the land desolate and waste, from the wilderness toward Diblah, throughout all their habitations: and they will know that I am Yahweh. ’”

So will I stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall know that I am the Lord.

So will I stretch out my hand on them, and make the land desolate, yes, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall know that I am the LORD.

What does Ezekiel 6:14 mean?

Ezekiel 6:14 is a verse in the book of Ezekiel, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include נָטָה (nâṭâh), יָד (yâd), נָתַן (nâthan). It connects to 28 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

will

stretch

outנָטָהnâṭâh/naw-taw'/H5186to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great variety of application

handיָדyâd/yawd/H3027a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),

upon

them,

and

makeנָתַןnâthan/naw-than'/H5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

the

landאֶרֶץʼerets/eh'-rets/H776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

desolate,שְׁמָמָהshᵉmâmâh/shem-aw-maw'/H8077devastation; figuratively, astonishment

yea,

desolateמְשַׁמָּהmᵉshammâh/mesh-am-maw'/H4923a waste or amazement

than

the

wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr/mid-bawr'/H4057a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs)

toward

Diblath,דִּבְלָהDiblâh/dib-law'/H1689Diblah, a place in Syria

all

their

habitations:מוֹשָׁבmôwshâb/mo-shawb'/H4186a seat; figuratively, a site; abstractly, a session; by extension an abode (the place or the time); by implication, population

and

they

shall

knowיָדַעyâdaʻ/yaw-dah'/H3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)

that

the

LORD.יְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâh/yeh-ho-vaw'/H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of God

or,

desolate

from

the

wilderness

Commentary on Ezekiel 6:14

CLARKE · whole chapter

In this chapter, which forms a distinct section, the prophet denounces the judgments of God against the Jews for their idolatry, Eze 6:1-7 ; but tells them that a remnant shall be saved, and brought to a sense of their sins by their severe afflictions, Eze 6:8-14 . Verse 2 Set thy face toward the mountains of Israel - This is a new prophecy, and was most probably given after the four hundred and thirty days of his lying on his left and right side were accomplished. By Israel here, Judea is simply meant; not the ten tribes, who had long before been carried into captivity. Ezekiel uses this term in reference to the Jews only. The mountains may be addressed here particularly, because it was on them the chief scenes of idolatry were exhibited. Verse 4 Your images shall be broken - Literally, your sun images; representations of the sun, which they worshipped. See the margin. Verse 5 Will scatter your bones round about your altars - This was literally fulfilled by the Chaldeans. According to Baruch, 2:24, 25, they opened the sepulchres of the principal people, and threw the bones about on every side. Verse 9 They that escape of you shall remember me - Those that escape the sword, the pestilence, and the famine, and shall be led into captivity, shall plainly see that it is God who has done this, and shall humble themselves on account of their abominations, leave their idolatry, and worship me alone. And this they have done from the Babylonish captivity to the present day. Verse 11 Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot - Show the utmost marks of thy astonishment and indignation, and dread of the evils that are coming upon them. Some have contended for the propriety of clapping and stamping in public worship from these words! It is scarcely a breach of charity to think that such persons are themselves incapable either of attending on or conducting the worship of God. To be consistent, they should copy the prophet in his other typical actions as well as these; and then we shall hear of their lying on their left side for three hundred and ninety days, and on their right side for forty days; shaving their heads, burning their hair, baking their bread with dung, etc. Now all these things, because they were typical and commanded, were proper in the prophet: in such persons as the above they would be evidences of insanity. Such extravagant acts are no part of God's worship. Verse 14 And make the land - more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath - Diblath or Diblathayim is situated in the land of Moab. It is mentioned Num 33:46 , Almon-Diblathaim; and in Jer 48:22 , Beth-Diblathaim. It was a part of that horrible wilderness mentioned by Moses, Deu 8:15 , "wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought." The precise reason why it is mentioned here is not very evident. Some think it is the same as Riblah, where Nebuchadnezzar slew the princes of Israel, and put out Zedekiah's eyes; the principal difference lying between the ד daleth and the ר resh, which in MSS. is often scarcely discernible; and hence vast multitudes of various readings. Five, probably six, of Kennicott's MSS. have רבלתה riblathah, as likewise two of my oldest MSS.; though in the margin of one a later hand directs the word to be read בדלת bedaleth, with daleth. But all the Versions read the word with a D. This may appear a matter of little importance, but we should take pains to recover even one lost letter of the word of God.

HENRY_FULL · Ezekiel 6:11–14

The Prophet's Lamentation. ( b. c. 594.) 11 Thus saith the Lord God ; Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say, Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence. 12 He that is far off shall die of the pestilence; and he that is near shall fall by the sword; and he that remaineth and is besieged shall die by the famine: thus will I accomplish my fury upon them. 13 Then shall ye know that I am the Lord , when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savour to all their idols. 14 So will I stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall know that I am the Lord . The same threatenings which we had before in the foregoing chapter, and in the former part of this, are here repeated, with a direction to the prophet to lament them, that those he prophesied to might be the more affected with the foresight of them. I. He must by his gestures in preaching express the deep sense he had both of the iniquities and of the calamities of the house of Israel ( v. 11 ): Smite with thy hand and stamp with thy foot. Thus he must make it to appear that he was in earnest in what he said to them, that he firmly believed it and laid it to heart. Thus he must signify the just displeasure he had conceived at their sins, and the just dread he was under of the judgments coming upon them. Some would reject this use of these gestures, and call them antic and ridiculous; but God bids him use them because they might help to enforce the word upon some and give it the setting on; and those that know the worth of souls will be content to be laughed at by the wits, so they may but edify the weak. Two things the prophet must thus lament:—1. National sins. Alas! for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel. Note, The sins of sinners are the sorrows of God's faithful servants, especially the evil abominations of the house of Israel, whose sins are more abominable and have more evil in them than the sins of others. Alas! What will be in the end hereof? 2. National judgments. To punish them for these abominations they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence. Note, It is our duty to be affected not only with our own sins and sufferings, but with the sins and sufferings of others; and to look with compassion upon the miseries that wicked people bring upon themselves; as Christ beheld Jerusalem and wept over it. II. He must inculcate what he had said before concerning the destruction that was coming upon them. 1. They shall be run down and ruined by a variety of judgments which shall find them out and follow them wherever they are ( v. 12 ): He that is far off, and thinks himself out of danger, because out of the reach of the Chaldeans' arrows, shall find himself not out of the reach of God's arrows, which fly day and night ( Ps. xci. 5 ): He shall die of the pestilence. He that is near a place of strength, which he hopes will be to him a place of safety, shall fall by the sword, before he can retreat. He that is so cautious as not to venture out, but remains in the city, shall there die by the famine, the saddest death of all. Thus will God accomplish his fury, that is, do all that against them which he had purposed to do. 2. They shall read their sin in their punishment; for their slain men shall be among their idols, round about their altars, as was threatened before, v. 5-7 . There, where they had prostrated themselves in honour of their idols, God will lay them dead, to their own reproach and the reproach of their idols. They lived among them and shall die among them. They had offered sweet odours to their idols, but there shall their dead carcases send forth an offensive smell, as it were to atone for that misplaced incense. 3. The country shall be all laid waste, as, before, the cities ( v. 6 ): I will make the land desolate. That fruitful, pleasant, populous country, that has been as the garden of the Lord, the glory of all lands, shall be desolate, more desolate than the wilderness towards Diblath, v. 14 . It is called Diblathaim ( Num. xxxiii. 46 ; Jer. xlviii. 22 ), that great and terrible wilderness which is described, Deut. viii. 15 , wherein were fiery serpents and scorpions. The land of Canaan is at this day one of the most barren desolate countries in the world. City and country are thus depopulated, that the altars may be laid waste and made desolate, v. 6 . Rather than their idolatrous altars shall be left standing, both town and country shall be laid in ruins. Sin is a desolating thing; therefore stand in awe and sin not.

WESLEY · Ezekiel 6:14

Wilderness - The horrid wilderness of Moab. Therein the fiery serpents so much annoyed Israel. Accordingly the land of Canaan is at this day one of the most desolate countries in the world.

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Psalms 18:21

For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

Jeremiah 2:13

For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

Jeremiah 2:19

Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

Jeremiah 3:10

And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD. feignedly: Heb. in falsehood

Jeremiah 3:20

Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the LORD. husband: Heb. friend

Jeremiah 5:23

But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.

Jeremiah 9:2

Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.

Jeremiah 17:13

O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.

Jeremiah 32:40

And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. from them: Heb. from after them

Jeremiah 42:20

For ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the LORD your God, saying, Pray for us unto the LORD our God; and according unto all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it. ye dissembled: or, ye have used deceit against your souls

Ezekiel 6:9

And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.

Ezekiel 18:25

Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?

Ezekiel 31:6

All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations.

Ezekiel 32:6

I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee. the land wherein: or, the land of thy swimming

Ezekiel 48:8

And by the border of Judah, from the east side unto the west side, shall be the offering which ye shall offer of five and twenty thousand reeds in breadth, and in length as one of the other parts, from the east side unto the west side: and the sanctuary shall be in the midst of it.

Hosea 1:2

The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.

Hosea 6:7

But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me. men: or, Adam

Hosea 7:13

Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me. destruction: Heb. spoil

Hosea 11:12

Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints. saints: or, most holy

Matthew 12:34

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

Mark 7:21

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

Mark 7:22

Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: covetousness: Gr. covetousnesses, wickednesses

Acts 5:3 Acts 5:4 Romans 3:10 Hebrews 3:12 James 1:15 James 3:6

Topics

Almon-Diblathaim Idolatry

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Ezekiel 6:14.

Ezekiel 33:28

For I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through. most: Heb. desolation and desolation

Ezekiel 33:29

Then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed.

Ezekiel 35:3

And say unto it, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O mount Seir, I am against thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make thee most desolate. most: Heb. desolation and desolation

Genesis 1:17

And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

Genesis 1:29

And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. bearing: Heb. seeding seed yielding: Heb. seeding seed

Genesis 14:20

And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

Genesis 21:14

And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.

Genesis 33:19

And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money. Hamor: Gr. Emmor pieces: or, lambs

Frequently asked questions

What does Ezekiel 6:14 say?

Ezekiel 6:14 (King James Version) reads: "So will I stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall know that I am the LORD. more: or, desolate from the wilderness"

Is Ezekiel 6:14 in the Old or New Testament?

Ezekiel 6:14 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Ezekiel.

Reflect

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