Ezekiel 21:7
New International Version
And when they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt with fear and every hand go limp; every spirit will become faint and every leg will be wet with urine.’ It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign LORD.”

New Living Translation
When they ask why you are groaning, tell them, ‘I groan because of the terrifying news I have heard. When it comes true, the boldest heart will melt with fear; all strength will disappear. Every spirit will faint; strong knees will become as weak as water. And the Sovereign LORD says: It is coming! It’s on its way!’”

English Standard Version
And when they say to you, ‘Why do you groan?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the news that it is coming. Every heart will melt, and all hands will be feeble; every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it is coming, and it will be fulfilled,’” declares the Lord GOD.

Berean Standard Bible
And when they ask, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you are to say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt, and every hand will go limp. Every spirit will faint, and every knee will turn to water.’ Yes, it is coming and it will surely happen, declares the Lord GOD.”

King James Bible
And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord GOD.

New King James Version
And it shall be when they say to you, ‘Why are you sighing?’ that you shall answer, ‘Because of the news; when it comes, every heart will melt, all hands will be feeble, every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it is coming and shall be brought to pass,’ says the Lord GOD.”

New American Standard Bible
And when they say to you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the news, for it is coming; and every heart will melt, all hands will go limp, every spirit will be disheartened, and all knees will drip with water. Behold, it is coming and it will happen,’ declares the Lord GOD.”

NASB 1995
“And when they say to you, ‘Why do you groan?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the news that is coming; and every heart will melt, all hands will be feeble, every spirit will faint and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it comes and it will happen,’ declares the Lord GOD.”

NASB 1977
“And it will come about when they say to you, ‘Why do you groan?’ that you will say, ‘Because of the news that is coming; and every heart will melt, all hands will be feeble, every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it comes and it will happen,’ declares the Lord GOD.”

Legacy Standard Bible
And it will be that when they say to you, ‘Why do you groan?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the report that is coming; and every heart will melt, all hands will fall limp, every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it is coming, and it will happen,’ declares Lord Yahweh.”

Amplified Bible
And when they say to you, ‘Why do you sigh and groan?’ you shall answer, ‘Because of the news that is coming; and every heart will melt and all hands will be frail, and every spirit will faint and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it comes and it will happen,’ says the Lord GOD.”

Christian Standard Bible
And when they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning? ’ then say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt, and every hand will become weak. Every spirit will be discouraged, and all knees will run with urine. Yes, it is coming and it will happen. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.’ ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
And when they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ then say: Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt, and every hand will become weak. Every spirit will be discouraged, and every knee will turn to water. Yes, it is coming and it will happen.” This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.

American Standard Version
And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt say, Because of the tidings, for it cometh; and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and it shall be done, saith the Lord Jehovah.

Contemporary English Version
When they ask why you are groaning, tell them you have terrifying news that will make them faint and tremble in fear and lose all courage. These things will happen soon. I, the LORD God, make this promise!

English Revised Version
And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt say, Because of the tidings, for it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and it shall be done, saith the Lord GOD.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When they ask you why you are groaning, say, 'News has come that will discourage everyone. People's hands will hang limp, their hearts will lose courage, and their knees will become as weak as water. It's coming! It will surely take place!' declares the Almighty LORD."

Good News Translation
When they ask you why you are groaning, tell them it is because of the news that is coming. When it comes, their hearts will be filled with fear, their hands will hang limp, their courage will fail, and their knees will tremble. The time has come; it is here." The Sovereign LORD has spoken.

International Standard Version
When they'll ask you, 'Why are you groaning?' you are to say, 'Because of the news that just arrived. Every heart will melt with fear, every hand will grow limp, every spirit will grow faint, and every knee will glisten with sweat.' Look! It has come and it will be fulfilled," declares the Lord GOD.

Majority Standard Bible
And when they ask, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you are to say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt, and every hand will go limp. Every spirit will faint, and every knee will turn to water.’ Yes, it is coming and it will surely happen, declares the Lord GOD.”

NET Bible
When they ask you, 'Why are you groaning?' you will reply, 'Because of the report that has come. Every heart will melt with fear and every hand will be limp; everyone will faint and every knee will be wet with urine.' Pay attention--it is coming and it will happen, declares the sovereign LORD."

New Heart English Bible
It shall be, when they tell you, 'Why do you sigh?' that you shall say, 'Because of the news, for it comes; and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: look, it comes, and it shall be done, says the Lord GOD.'"

Webster's Bible Translation
And it shall be, when they say to thee, Why sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord GOD.

World English Bible
It shall be, when they ask you, ‘Why do you sigh?’ that you shall say, ‘Because of the news, for it comes! Every heart will melt, all hands will be feeble, every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it comes, and it shall be done, says the Lord Yahweh.’”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and it has come to pass, when they say to you, Why are you sighing? That you have said: Because of the report, for it is coming, "" And every heart has melted, "" And all hands have been feeble, "" And every spirit is weak, "" And all knees go [as] waters, "" Behold, it is coming, indeed, it has been, "" A declaration of Lord YHWH.”

Young's Literal Translation
and it hath come to pass, when they say unto thee, For what art thou sighing? that thou hast said: Because of the report, for it is coming, And melted hath every heart, And feeble hath been all hands, And weak is every spirit, And all knees go -- waters, Lo, it is coming, yea, it hath been, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And it was when they shall say to thee, For what sighest thou? and say, For the report, because it came: and every heart melted and all hands were relaxed, and every spirit was weak, and all knees shall go into water: behold, it came, and it was, says the Lord Jehovah.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when they shall say to thee: Why mournest thou? thou shalt say: For that which I hear: because it cometh, and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be made feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and water shall run down every knee: behold it cometh, and it shall be done, saith the Lord God.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And when they will say to you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you shall say: ‘On behalf of the report, For it is approaching. And every heart will waste away, and every hand will be broken, and every spirit will be weakened, and water will flow across every knee.’ Behold, it is approaching and it will happen, says the Lord God.”

New American Bible
When they ask you, “Why are you groaning?” you shall say: Because of what I heard! When it comes every heart shall melt, every hand fall helpless; every spirit will grow faint, and every knee run with water. See, it is coming, it is here!—oracle of the Lord GOD.

New Revised Standard Version
And when they say to you, “Why do you moan?” you shall say, “Because of the news that has come. Every heart will melt and all hands will be feeble, every spirit will faint and all knees will turn to water. See, it comes and it will be fulfilled,” says the Lord GOD.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And if they should say to you, Why do you sigh? you shall say to them, Because of news of disaster which is coming; and every heart shall melt and all hands shall be feeble and every spirit shall faint and all knees shall be weary; behold, it is coming and it shall be brought to pass, says the LORD God.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And if they say to you: ‘Why are you wailing?’, say to them, ‘Because a report has come and all hearts are melted and all hands are feeble and all spirits are in pain and all knees flow like waters; behold, it has come, and it is, says THE LORD OF LORDS
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And it shall be, when they say unto thee: Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt say: Because of the tidings, for it cometh; and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be slack, and every spirit shall be faint, and all knees shall drip with water; behold, it cometh, and it shall be done, saith the Lord GOD.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And it shall come to pass, if they shall say to thee, Wherefore dost thou groan? that thou shalt say, For the report; because it comes: and every heart shall break, and all hands shall become feeble, and all flesh and every spirit shall faint, and all thighs shall be defiled with moisture: behold, it comes, saith the Lord.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The LORD's Sword of Judgment
6But you, son of man, groan! Groan before their eyes with a broken heart and bitter grief. 7And when they ask, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you are to say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt, and every hand will go limp. Every spirit will faint, and every knee will turn to water.’ Yes, it is coming and it will surely happen, declares the Lord GOD.” 8Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,…

Cross References
Jeremiah 6:24
We have heard the report; our hands hang limp. Anguish has gripped us, pain like that of a woman in labor.

Isaiah 13:7-8
Therefore all hands will fall limp, and every man’s heart will melt. / Terror, pain, and anguish will seize them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look at one another, their faces flushed with fear.

Jeremiah 30:6
Ask now, and see: Can a male give birth? Why then do I see every man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor and every face turned pale?

Nahum 2:10
She is emptied! Yes, she is desolate and laid waste! Hearts melt, knees knock, bodies tremble, and every face grows pale!

Isaiah 21:3-4
Therefore my body is filled with anguish. Pain grips me, like the pains of a woman in labor. I am bewildered to hear, I am dismayed to see. / My heart falters; fear makes me tremble. The twilight I desired has turned to horror.

Jeremiah 4:31
For I hear a cry like a woman in labor, a cry of anguish like one bearing her first child—the cry of the Daughter of Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands to say, “Woe is me, for my soul faints before the murderers!”

Isaiah 22:4
Therefore I said, “Turn away from me, let me weep bitterly! Do not try to console me over the destruction of the daughter of my people.”

Jeremiah 49:23-24
Concerning Damascus: “Hamath and Arpad are put to shame, for they have heard a bad report; they are agitated like the sea; their anxiety cannot be calmed. / Damascus has become feeble; she has turned to flee. Panic has gripped her; anguish and pain have seized her like a woman in labor.

Isaiah 15:4-5
Heshbon and Elealeh cry out; their voices are heard as far as Jahaz. Therefore the soldiers of Moab cry out; their souls tremble within. / My heart cries out over Moab; her fugitives flee as far as Zoar, as far as Eglath-shelishiyah. With weeping they ascend the slope of Luhith; they lament their destruction on the road to Horonaim.

Jeremiah 50:43
The king of Babylon has heard the report, and his hands hang limp. Anguish has gripped him, pain like that of a woman in labor.

Luke 21:26
Men will faint from fear and anxiety over what is coming upon the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

Matthew 24:29-30
Immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’ / At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Revelation 6:15-17
Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the commanders, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and free man hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. / And they said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. / For the great day of Their wrath has come, and who is able to withstand it?”

Mark 13:8
Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, as well as famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

Luke 23:30
At that time ‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’


Treasury of Scripture

And it shall be, when they say to you, Why sigh you? that you shall answer, For the tidings; because it comes: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it comes, and shall be brought to pass, said the Lord GOD.

Wherefore

Ezekiel 12:9-11
Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou? …

Ezekiel 20:49
Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?

Ezekiel 24:19
And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so?

For the

Ezekiel 7:26
Mischief shall come upon mischief, and rumour shall be upon rumour; then shall they seek a vision of the prophet; but the law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the ancients.

2 Kings 21:12
Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.

Isaiah 7:2
And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.

and every

Exodus 15:15
Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.

Deuteronomy 20:8
And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart.

Joshua 2:9-11
And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you…

all hands

Job 4:3,4
Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands…

Isaiah 35:3
Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.

Jeremiah 50:43
The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble: anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail.

faint

Leviticus 26:36
And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth.

Isaiah 13:7
Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt:

Jeremiah 8:18
When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me.

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Ezekiel 21
1. Ezekiel prophesies against Jerusalem with a sign of sighing
8. The sharp and bright sword
18. against Jerusalem
25. against the kingdom
28. and against the Ammonites














And when they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?’
The phrase "And when they ask you" indicates a prophetic interaction between Ezekiel and the people. The Hebrew root for "ask" (שָׁאַל, sha'al) implies a seeking of understanding or inquiry, suggesting that the people are perplexed by Ezekiel's actions. "Groaning" (אָנַח, anach) is a deep, mournful sound, often associated with grief or distress. This groaning is not just a physical expression but a prophetic sign of the impending judgment, reflecting the deep sorrow and anguish that will befall the people.

‘Because of the news that is coming
The "news" (שְׁמוּעָה, shemu'ah) refers to the prophetic message of impending doom. In the ancient Near Eastern context, news often traveled slowly, but prophetic news was seen as divinely inspired and certain. The phrase "that is coming" emphasizes the inevitability and imminence of God's judgment. This serves as a warning to the people to prepare their hearts and turn back to God.

Every heart will melt
The imagery of a heart melting (נָמַס, namas) conveys utter fear and despair. In Hebrew culture, the heart is the center of emotion and will. A melting heart signifies a complete loss of courage and resolve, highlighting the overwhelming nature of the coming judgment.

and every hand will go limp
Hands going limp (רָפָה, raphah) symbolize powerlessness and inability to act. In biblical times, hands were a symbol of strength and action. The limpness of hands indicates a total surrender to the circumstances, a recognition that human strength is futile against divine judgment.

every spirit will faint
The fainting of the spirit (כָּהָה, kahah) suggests a loss of inner strength and vitality. The spirit, or ruach in Hebrew, is often associated with life and breath. A fainting spirit indicates a deep, pervasive sense of hopelessness and despair, as the people realize the gravity of their situation.

and every knee will turn to water
This vivid metaphor of knees turning to water (מַיִם, mayim) illustrates extreme fear and instability. In ancient times, strong knees were a sign of readiness and strength. The transformation to water signifies a complete collapse under the weight of impending judgment, leaving the people unable to stand firm.

Yes, it is coming, and it will surely happen,’ declares the Lord GOD.”
The repetition of "it is coming, and it will surely happen" underscores the certainty of God's word. The phrase "declares the Lord GOD" (אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה, Adonai Yahweh) affirms the authority and sovereignty of God. This declaration serves as a final, unassailable confirmation that the prophesied events are not mere possibilities but divinely ordained certainties. It is a call to repentance and a reminder of God's ultimate control over history.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And when
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

they ask,
יֹאמְר֣וּ (yō·mə·rū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

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

are you
אַתָּ֣ה (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

groaning?’
נֶאֱנָ֑ח (ne·’ĕ·nāḥ)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 584: To sigh, groan

you are to say,
וְאָמַרְתָּ֡ (wə·’ā·mar·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘Because of
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the news
שְׁמוּעָ֣ה (šə·mū·‘āh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8052: Something heard, an announcement

that
כִֽי־ (ḵî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

is coming.
בָאָ֡ה (ḇā·’āh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

Every
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

heart
לֵב֩ (lêḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre

will melt,
וְנָמֵ֣ס (wə·nā·mês)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4549: To liquefy, to waste, to faint

and every
כָל־ (ḵāl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

hand
יָדַ֜יִם (yā·ḏa·yim)
Noun - fd
Strong's 3027: A hand

will go limp.
וְרָפ֨וּ (wə·rā·p̄ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 7503: Sink, relax

Every
כָל־ (ḵāl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

spirit
ר֗וּחַ (rū·aḥ)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 7307: Wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, a region of the sky, spirit

will faint,
וְכִהֲתָ֣ה (wə·ḵi·hă·ṯāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3543: To be weak, to despond, to grow dull

and every
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

knee
בִּרְכַּ֙יִם֙ (bir·ka·yim)
Noun - fd
Strong's 1290: The knee

will turn to
תֵּלַ֣כְנָה (tê·laḵ·nāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

water.’
מַּ֔יִם (ma·yim)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

Yes,
הִנֵּ֤ה (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

it is coming
בָאָה֙ (ḇā·’āh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

and it will surely happen,
וְהָיָה֙ (wə·hā·yāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

declares
נְאֻ֖ם (nə·’um)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5002: An oracle

the Lord
אֲדֹנָ֥י (’ă·ḏō·nāy)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 136: The Lord

GOD.”
יְהוִֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3069: YHWH


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 21:7 It shall be when they tell you (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 21:6
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