Ezekiel 14:17
New International Version
“Or if I bring a sword against that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass throughout the land,’ and I kill its people and their animals,

New Living Translation
“Or suppose I were to bring war against the land, and I sent enemy armies to destroy both people and animals.

English Standard Version
“Or if I bring a sword upon that land and say, Let a sword pass through the land, and I cut off from it man and beast,

Berean Standard Bible
Or if I bring a sword against that land and say, ‘Let a sword pass through it,’ so that I cut off from it both man and beast,

King James Bible
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:

New King James Version
“Or if I bring a sword on that land, and say, ‘Sword, go through the land,’ and I cut off man and beast from it,

New American Standard Bible
Or if I were to bring a sword on that country and say, ‘A sword is to pass through the country,’ and I eliminated human and animal life from it,

NASB 1995
“Or if I should bring a sword on that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass through the country and cut off man and beast from it,’

NASB 1977
“Or if I should bring a sword on that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass through the country and cut off man and beast from it,’

Legacy Standard Bible
Or if I should bring a sword on that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass through the country and cut off man and beast from it,’

Amplified Bible
Or if I were to bring a sword on that land and say, ‘Let a sword go through the land and cut off man and animal from it,’

Christian Standard Bible
“Or suppose I bring a sword against that land and say, ‘Let a sword pass through it,’ so that I wipe out both people and animals from it.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Or if I bring a sword against that land and say: Let a sword pass through it, so that I wipe out both man and animal from it,

American Standard Version
Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off from it man and beast;

Contemporary English Version
Or suppose I send an enemy to attack a sinful nation and kill its people and livestock.

English Revised Version
Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off from it man and beast;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Suppose I bring a war against that country by saying, 'I will let a war go throughout this country.' Suppose I destroy the people and the animals in it.

Good News Translation
"Or I might bring war on that country and send destructive weapons to wipe out people and animals alike,

International Standard Version
"Or if I were to bring war to that land and say, 'Hey, sword! Pass throughout the land so I can destroy both man and beasts in it,'

Majority Standard Bible
Or if I bring a sword against that land and say, ?Let a sword pass through it,? so that I cut off from it both man and beast,

NET Bible
"Or suppose I were to bring a sword against that land and say, 'Let a sword pass through the land,' and I were to kill both people and animals.

New Heart English Bible
"Or if I bring a sword on that land, and say, 'Sword, go through the land'; so that I cut off from it man and animal;

Webster's Bible Translation
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:

World English Bible
“Or if I bring a sword on that land, and say, ‘Sword, go through the land, so that I cut off from it man and animal’—
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Or [if] I bring a sword in against that land, and I have said: Sword, pass over through the land, and I have cut off man and beast from it—

Young's Literal Translation
'Or -- a sword I bring in against that land, and I have said: Sword, thou dost pass over through the land, and I have cut off from it man and beast --

Smith's Literal Translation
Or I shall bring a sword upon that land, and I said, Sword, thou shalt pass through the land; and I cut off from it man and cattle.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Or if I bring the sword upon that land, and say to the sword: Pass through the land: and I destroy man and beast out of it:

Catholic Public Domain Version
Or if I lead in the sword upon that land, and if I say to the sword, ‘Pass through the land,’ and so I destroy from it both man and beast,

New American Bible
Or if I bring the sword upon this land, commanding the sword to pass through the land cutting off from it human being and beast alike,

New Revised Standard Version
Or if I bring a sword upon that land and say, “Let a sword pass through the land,” and I cut off human beings and animals from it;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Or if I should bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through that land, and I destroy man and beast from it;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And if I bring a sword on this land, and I will say: "The sword shall pass through in the land, and I shall destroy from it children of men and beasts
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say: Let the sword go through the land, so that I cut off from it man and beast;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Or again if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Let the sword go through the land; and I cut off from them man and beast:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
God's Irrevocable Sentence
16then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if these three men were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the land would be desolate. 17Or if I bring a sword against that land and say, ‘Let a sword pass through it,’ so that I cut off from it both man and beast, 18then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if these three men were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. They alone would be delivered.…

Cross References
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, by famine, by plague, and by the beasts of the earth.

Jeremiah 15:2-3
If they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you are to tell them that this is what the LORD says: ‘Those destined for death, to death; those destined for the sword, to the sword; those destined for famine, to famine; and those destined for captivity, to captivity.’ / I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyers, declares the LORD: the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, and the birds of the air and beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.

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

Leviticus 26:25
And I will bring a sword against you to execute the vengeance of the covenant. Though you withdraw into your cities, I will send a plague among you, and you will be delivered into the hand of the enemy.

Isaiah 34:5-7
When My sword has drunk its fill in the heavens, then it will come down upon Edom, upon the people I have devoted to destruction. / The sword of the LORD is bathed in blood. It drips with fat—with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah, a great slaughter in the land of Edom. / And the wild oxen will fall with them, the young bulls with the strong ones. Their land will be drenched with blood, and their soil will be soaked with fat.

Zechariah 13:8-9
And in all the land, declares the LORD, two-thirds will be cut off and perish, but a third will be left in it. / This third I will bring through the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are My people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’”

Revelation 19:15
And from His mouth proceeds a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.

Deuteronomy 32:41-42
when I sharpen My flashing sword, and My hand grasps it in judgment, I will take vengeance on My adversaries and repay those who hate Me. / I will make My arrows drunk with blood, while My sword devours flesh—the blood of the slain and captives, the heads of the enemy leaders.”

Jeremiah 25:27-29
“Then you are to tell them that this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘Drink, get drunk, and vomit. Fall down and never get up again, because of the sword I will send among you.’ / If they refuse to take the cup from your hand and drink it, you are to tell them that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘You most certainly must drink it! / For behold, I am beginning to bring disaster on the city that bears My Name, so how could you possibly go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for I am calling down a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, declares the LORD of Hosts.’

2 Samuel 24:15-17
So the LORD sent a plague upon Israel from that morning until the appointed time, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died. / But when the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD relented from the calamity and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand now!” At that time the angel of the LORD was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. / When David saw the angel striking down the people, he said to the LORD, “Surely I, the shepherd, have sinned and acted wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please, let Your hand fall upon me and my father’s house.”

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.”

Jeremiah 14:12
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 51:19
These pairs have befallen you: devastation and destruction, famine and sword. Who will grieve for you? Who can comfort you?

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

Jeremiah 9:16
I will scatter them among the nations that neither they nor their fathers have known, and I will send a sword after them until I have finished them off.”


Treasury of Scripture

Or if I bring a sword on that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:

I bring

Ezekiel 5:12,17
A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them…

Ezekiel 21:3,4,9-15
And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked…

Ezekiel 29:8
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring a sword upon thee, and cut off man and beast out of thee.

so that

Ezekiel 14:13
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:

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.

Jeremiah 33:12
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Again in this place, which is desolate without man and without beast, and in all the cities thereof, shall be an habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down.

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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














Or if I bring a sword against that land
The phrase "Or if I bring a sword" signifies divine judgment and intervention. In the Hebrew context, the word for "sword" (חֶרֶב, chereb) often symbolizes war, destruction, or divine retribution. Historically, the sword was a common instrument of warfare and a symbol of power and authority. In the biblical narrative, God uses the sword as a metaphor for judgment, indicating that He has the authority to bring about justice and correction. This phrase reminds us of the sovereignty of God over nations and His ability to execute judgment according to His righteous standards.

against that land
The term "that land" refers specifically to the land of Israel, but it can also be understood more broadly as any nation or people under God's scrutiny. In the historical context of Ezekiel, Israel was often the subject of divine judgment due to its disobedience and idolatry. The land is not just a physical territory but represents the people and their covenant relationship with God. This phrase underscores the idea that no nation is exempt from God's righteous judgment and that His moral laws apply universally. It serves as a call for nations to align themselves with God's will to avoid the consequences of divine judgment.

and say, ‘Let a sword pass through the land,’
The command "Let a sword pass through the land" is a vivid depiction of impending judgment. The Hebrew verb used here implies permission or allowance, indicating that God is not the direct cause of violence but permits it as a consequence of the people's actions. This reflects the biblical principle of sowing and reaping, where nations face the repercussions of their collective sin. The imagery of a sword passing through the land evokes a sense of thorough and unavoidable judgment, emphasizing the seriousness of turning away from God's commandments. It serves as a warning to heed God's word and live in accordance with His statutes to avoid such dire consequences.

and I kill its men and their animals
The phrase "and I kill its men and their animals" highlights the totality of the judgment. In ancient times, the loss of men and animals would signify not only a military defeat but also economic and societal collapse. Men represented the strength and defense of a nation, while animals were crucial for agriculture and sustenance. This comprehensive judgment indicates that sin affects all aspects of life, and God's justice is thorough. It serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of sin and the importance of repentance and obedience to God's commands. The inclusion of animals in the judgment also reflects the interconnectedness of creation and the far-reaching impact of human sinfulness.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Or
א֛וֹ (’ōw)
Conjunction
Strong's 176: Desire, if

if I bring
אָבִ֖יא (’ā·ḇî)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

a sword
חֶ֥רֶב (ḥe·reḇ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

against
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

that
הַהִ֑יא (ha·hî)
Article | Pronoun - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

land
הָאָ֣רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

and say,
וְאָמַרְתִּ֗י (wə·’ā·mar·tî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘Let a sword
חֶ֚רֶב (ḥe·reḇ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

pass
תַּעֲבֹ֣ר (ta·‘ă·ḇōr)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on

through it,’
בָּאָ֔רֶץ (bā·’ā·reṣ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

so that I 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 14:17 Or if I bring a sword (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 14:16
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