Ezekiel 14:13
New International Version
“Son of man, if a country sins against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals,

New Living Translation
“Son of man, suppose the people of a country were to sin against me, and I lifted my fist to crush them, cutting off their food supply and sending a famine to destroy both people and animals.

English Standard Version
“Son of man, when a land sins against me by acting faithlessly, and I stretch out my hand against it and break its supply of bread and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast,

Berean Standard Bible
“Son of man, if a land sins against Me by acting unfaithfully, and I stretch out My hand against it to cut off its supply of food, to send famine upon it, and to cut off from it both man and beast,

King James Bible
Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it:

New King James Version
“Son of man, when a land sins against Me by persistent unfaithfulness, I will stretch out My hand against it; I will cut off its supply of bread, send famine on it, and cut off man and beast from it.

New American Standard Bible
“Son of man, if a country sins against Me by being unfaithful, and I stretch out My hand against it, destroy its supply of bread, send famine against it, and eliminate from it both human and animal life,

NASB 1995
“Son of man, if a country sins against Me by committing unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against it, destroy its supply of bread, send famine against it and cut off from it both man and beast,

NASB 1977
“Son of man, if a country sins against Me by committing unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against it, destroy its supply of bread, send famine against it, and cut off from it both man and beast,

Legacy Standard Bible
“Son of man, if a country sins against Me by committing unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against it, break its staff of bread, send famine against it, and cut off from it both man and beast,

Amplified Bible
“Son of man, if a land sins against Me by committing unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against it and destroy its source of bread and send famine on it and cut off from it both man and animal,

Christian Standard Bible
“Son of man, suppose a land sins against me by acting faithlessly, and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its supply of bread, to send famine through it, and to wipe out both people and animals from it.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Son of man, if a land sins against Me by acting faithlessly, and I stretch out My hand against it to cut off its supply of bread, to send famine through it, and to wipe out both man and animal from it,

American Standard Version
Son of man, when a land sinneth against me by committing a trespass, and I stretch out my hand upon it, and break the staff of the bread thereof, and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast;

Contemporary English Version
Ezekiel, son of man, suppose an entire nation sins against me, and I punish it by destroying the crops and letting its people and livestock starve to death.

English Revised Version
Son of man, when a land sinneth against me by committing a trespass, and I stretch out mine hand upon it, and break the staff of the bread thereof, and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Son of man, suppose a country sins against me by being unfaithful to me. I will use my power against it, cut off its food supply, send a famine to it, and destroy its people and animals.

Good News Translation
"Mortal man," he said, "if a country sins and is unfaithful to me, I will reach out and destroy its supply of food. I will send a famine and kill people and animals alike.

International Standard Version
"Son of Man, when a nation sins against me by a treacherous act, I'll reach out to oppose it, destroying its source of food, by sending famine against it, and by destroying both people and beast within it.

Majority Standard Bible
“Son of man, if a land sins against Me by acting unfaithfully, and I stretch out My hand against it to cut off its supply of food, to send famine upon it, and to cut off from it both man and beast,

NET Bible
"Son of man, suppose a country sins against me by being unfaithful, and I stretch out my hand against it, cut off its bread supply, cause famine to come on it, and kill both people and animals.

New Heart English Bible
"Son of man, when a land sins against me by committing a trespass, and I stretch out my hand on it, and break the staff of its bread, and send famine on it, and cut off from it man and animal;

Webster's Bible Translation
Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out my hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it:

World English Bible
“Son of man, when a land sins against me by committing a trespass, and I stretch out my hand on it, and break the staff of its bread and send famine on it, and cut off from it man and animal—
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“Son of man, when the land sins against Me to commit a trespass, and I have stretched out My hand against it, and broken the staff of bread for it, and sent famine into it, and cut off man and beast from it—

Young's Literal Translation
'Son of man, the land -- when it sinneth against Me to commit a trespass, and I have stretched out My hand against it, and broken for it the staff of bread, and sent into it famine, and cut off from it man and beast --

Smith's Literal Translation
Son of man, if a land shall sin against me to cover a transgression, and I stretched forth my hands upon it, and I broke to it the staff of bread, and sent famine upon it, and I cut off from it man and cattle:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Son of man, when a land shall sin against me, so as to transgress grievously, I will stretch forth my hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof: and I will send famine upon it, and will destroy man and beast out of it.

Catholic Public Domain Version
“Son of man, when a land will have sinned against me, so that it transgresses grievously, I will extend my hand over it, and I will crush the staff of its bread. And I will send a famine upon it, and I will destroy from it both man and beast.

New American Bible
Son of man, if a land sins against me by breaking faith, and I stretch out my hand against it, breaking its staff of bread and setting famine loose upon it, cutting off from it human being and beast alike—

New Revised Standard Version
Mortal, when a land sins against me by acting faithlessly, and I stretch out my hand against it, and break its staff of bread and send famine upon it, and cut off from it human beings and animals,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Son of man, if a land should sin against me and commit iniquity before me, then I will stretch out my hand against it, and will break the staff of its wheat; and I will send famine upon it, and will destroy man and beast from it;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
“Son of man, if the land will sin against me and she will do evil before me, I shall lift my hands against her and I shall break her with a famine, and I shall destroy children of men and beast from her
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Son of man, when a land sinneth against Me by trespassing grievously, and I stretch out My hand upon it, and break the staff of the bread thereof, and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Son of man, if a land shall sin against me by committing a trespass, then will I stretch out my hand upon it, and will break its staff of bread, and will send forth famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
God's Irrevocable Sentence
12And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 13“Son of man, if a land sins against Me by acting unfaithfully, and I stretch out My hand against it to cut off its supply of food, to send famine upon it, and to cut off from it both man and beast, 14then even if these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were in it, their righteousness could deliver only themselves, declares the Lord GOD.…

Cross References
Jeremiah 14:11-12
Then the LORD said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of this people. / Although they may fast, I will not listen to their cry; although they may offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will finish them off by sword and famine and plague.”

Isaiah 3:1
For behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts is about to remove from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support: the whole supply of food and water,

Leviticus 26:26
When I cut off your supply of bread, ten women will bake your bread in a single oven and dole out your bread by weight, so that you will eat but not be satisfied.

Deuteronomy 28:23-24
The sky over your head will be bronze, and the earth beneath you iron. / The LORD will turn the rain of your land into dust and powder; it will descend on you from the sky until you are destroyed.

Amos 4:6-8
“I afflicted all your cities with cleanness of teeth and all your towns with lack of bread, yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD. / “I also withheld the rain from you when the harvest was three months away. I sent rain on one city but withheld it from another. One field received rain; another without rain withered. / People staggered from city to city for water to drink, but they were not satisfied; yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD.

2 Chronicles 7:13-14
If I close the sky so there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send a plague among My people, / and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

Psalm 105:16
He called down famine on the land and cut off all their supplies of food.

Lamentations 4:9
Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce.

Hosea 4:1-3
Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the people of the land: “There is no truth, no loving devotion, and no knowledge of God in the land! / Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another. / Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it will waste away with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea disappear.

Matthew 24:7
Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

Luke 21:11
There will be great earthquakes, famines, and pestilences in various places, along with fearful sights and great signs from heaven.

Revelation 6:5-6
And when the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” Then I looked and saw a black horse, and its rider held in his hand a pair of scales. / And I heard what sounded like a voice from among the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine.”

Revelation 18:8
Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and grief and famine—and she will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”

Romans 1:18
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.

Hebrews 12:25
See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if the people did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject Him who warns us from heaven?


Treasury of Scripture

Son of man, when the land sins against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out my hand on it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine on it, and will cut off man and beast from it:

when

Ezekiel 9:9
Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.

Ezra 9:6
And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.

Isaiah 24:20
The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.

break

Ezekiel 4:16
Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment:

Ezekiel 5:16
When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread:

Leviticus 26:26
And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied.

and will cut

Ezekiel 14:17,19,21
Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it: …

Ezekiel 25:13
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword.

Genesis 6:7
And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

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Animal Bread Break Committing Country Cut Destroy Famine Grievously Hand Sinneth Sins Staff Stretch Supply Thereof Trespass Trespassing Unfaithfulness
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Animal Bread Break Committing Country Cut Destroy Famine Grievously Hand Sinneth Sins Staff Stretch Supply Thereof Trespass Trespassing Unfaithfulness
Ezekiel 14
1. God answers idolaters according to their own heart
6. They are exhorted to repent, for fear of judgments, by means of seduced prophets
12. God's irrevocable sentence of famine
15. of wild beasts
17. of the sword
19. and of pestilence
22. A remnant shall be reserved for example of others














Son of man
This phrase is a frequent address to Ezekiel, emphasizing his humanity and role as a representative of the people. In Hebrew, "ben adam" underscores the prophet's connection to mankind, highlighting the contrast between human frailty and divine authority. It serves as a reminder of Ezekiel's mission to convey God's messages to Israel, acting as a bridge between the divine and the earthly.

if a land sins against Me
The Hebrew word for "sins" here is "chata," which implies missing the mark or straying from the path of righteousness. This phrase suggests a collective moral failure, not just individual transgressions. Historically, Israel's repeated disobedience and idolatry led to divine judgment. The phrase underscores the covenant relationship between God and His people, where national sin has communal consequences.

by acting faithlessly
The term "faithlessly" comes from the Hebrew "ma'al," indicating betrayal or treachery. It conveys a breach of trust, particularly in the context of Israel's covenant with God. This phrase highlights the seriousness of Israel's infidelity, akin to spiritual adultery, which provokes divine response. It serves as a warning of the consequences of abandoning faithfulness to God.

I will stretch out My hand against it
This imagery of God stretching out His hand is a powerful expression of divine intervention and judgment. In biblical history, this phrase often precedes acts of deliverance or punishment. It reflects God's active role in the affairs of nations, emphasizing His sovereignty and the certainty of His justice when His laws are violated.

to cut off its supply of bread
The cutting off of bread symbolizes famine, a common consequence of divine judgment in the Old Testament. Bread, a staple of life, represents God's provision. The withdrawal of sustenance signifies a withdrawal of divine favor and protection, urging the people to recognize their dependence on God for survival and prompting repentance.

to send famine upon it
Famine is a recurring theme in Scripture as a tool of divine discipline. It serves as a tangible reminder of human vulnerability and the need for reliance on God. Historically, famines often led to societal upheaval, forcing people to confront their spiritual state and return to God. This phrase underscores the seriousness of sin and the lengths to which God will go to bring His people back to Him.

and to cut off from it both man and beast
The inclusion of both man and beast in this judgment highlights the comprehensive nature of divine retribution. It reflects the interconnectedness of creation, where human sin impacts the entire ecosystem. This phrase serves as a sobering reminder of the far-reaching consequences of sin, affecting all aspects of life and creation, and calls for a holistic repentance and return to God.

(13) When the land sinneth.--The definite article is not in the Hebrew, and should be omitted, as the proposition is a general one. Also the future tenses throughout the verse should be rendered as present, in accordance with this character of a general statement: "When a land sinneth . . . and I stretch out . . . and break the staff . . . and send famine . . . and cut off." The particular judgment of famine was threatened in the warnings of the law (Leviticus 26:26; Deuteronomy 28:38-40), and also, in immediate connection with it, all the other woes here mentioned.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of man,
אָדָ֗ם (’ā·ḏām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

if
כִּ֤י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

a land
אֶ֚רֶץ (’e·reṣ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

sins
תֶחֱטָא־ (ṯe·ḥĕ·ṭā-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 2398: To miss, to sin, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, lead astray, condemn

against Me
לִי֙ (lî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew

by acting unfaithfully,
לִמְעָל־ (lim·‘āl-)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 4603: To cover up, to act covertly, treacherously

and I stretch out
וְנָטִ֤יתִי (wə·nā·ṭî·ṯî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 5186: To stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend

My hand
יָדִי֙ (yā·ḏî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 3027: A hand

against it
עָלֶ֔יהָ (‘ā·le·hā)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

to cut off
וְשָׁבַ֥רְתִּי (wə·šā·ḇar·tî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7665: To break, break in pieces

its supply
מַטֵּה־ (maṭ·ṭêh-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4294: A staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe

of bread,
לָ֑חֶם (lā·ḥem)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3899: Food, bread, grain

to send
וְהִשְׁלַחְתִּי־ (wə·hiš·laḥ·tî-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

famine through it,
רָעָ֔ב (rā·‘āḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7458: Famine, hunger

and to cut off
וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י (wə·hiḵ·rat·tî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3772: To cut, to destroy, consume, to covenant

from it
מִמֶּ֖נָּה (mim·men·nāh)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

both man
אָדָ֥ם (’ā·ḏām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

and beast,
וּבְהֵמָֽה׃ (ū·ḇə·hê·māh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 929: A dumb beast, any large quadruped, animal


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 14:13 Son of man when a land sins (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 14:12
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