Ezekiel 22:12
New International Version
In you are people who accept bribes to shed blood; you take interest and make a profit from the poor. You extort unjust gain from your neighbors. And you have forgotten me, declares the Sovereign LORD.

New Living Translation
There are hired murderers, loan racketeers, and extortioners everywhere. They never even think of me and my commands, says the Sovereign LORD.

English Standard Version
In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take interest and profit and make gain of your neighbors by extortion; but me you have forgotten, declares the Lord GOD.

Berean Standard Bible
In you they take bribes to shed blood. You engage in usury, take excess interest, and extort your neighbors. But Me you have forgotten, declares the Lord GOD.

King James Bible
In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord GOD.

New King James Version
In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take usury and increase; you have made profit from your neighbors by extortion, and have forgotten Me,” says the Lord GOD.

New American Standard Bible
Among you they have taken bribes to shed blood; you have taken interest, you have injured your neighbors by oppression, and you have forgotten Me,” declares the Lord GOD.

NASB 1995
“In you they have taken bribes to shed blood; you have taken interest and profits, and you have injured your neighbors for gain by oppression, and you have forgotten Me,” declares the Lord GOD.

NASB 1977
“In you they have taken bribes to shed blood; you have taken interest and profits, and you have injured your neighbors for gain by oppression, and you have forgotten Me,” declares the Lord GOD.

Legacy Standard Bible
In you they have taken bribes for the purpose of shedding blood; you have taken interest and profits, and you have injured your neighbors for gain by oppression, and you have forgotten Me,” declares Lord Yahweh.

Amplified Bible
In you they have accepted bribes to shed blood; you have taken [forbidden] interest and [a percentage of] profits, and you have injured your neighbors for gain by oppression and extortion, and you have forgotten Me,” says the Lord GOD.

Christian Standard Bible
People who live in you accept bribes in order to shed blood. You take interest and profit on a loan and brutally extort your neighbors. You have forgotten me. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
People who live in you accept bribes in order to shed blood. You take interest and profit on a loan and brutally extort your neighbors. You have forgotten Me.” This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.”

American Standard Version
In thee have they taken bribes to shed blood; thou hast taken interest and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbors by oppression, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord Jehovah.

Contemporary English Version
Others of you accept money to murder someone. Your own people charge high interest when making a loan to other Israelites, and they get rich by cheating. Worst of all, you have forgotten me, the LORD God.

English Revised Version
In thee have they taken bribes to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by oppression, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord GOD.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Other people take bribes to murder people. You collect interest and make excessive profits. You make profits by mistreating your neighbors. You have forgotten me, declares the Almighty LORD.

Good News Translation
Some of your people murder for pay. Some charge interest on the loans they make to other Israelites and get rich by taking advantage of them. They have forgotten me." The Sovereign LORD has spoken.

International Standard Version
They take bribes among you to shed blood. You've taken usury and exacted interest. You've gained control over your neighbor through extortion. And you've forgotten me," declares the Lord GOD.

Majority Standard Bible
In you they take bribes to shed blood. You engage in usury, take excess interest, and extort your neighbors. But Me you have forgotten, declares the Lord GOD.

NET Bible
They take bribes within you to shed blood. You engage in usury and charge interest; you extort money from your neighbors. You have forgotten me, declares the sovereign LORD.

New Heart English Bible
In you have they taken bribes to shed blood; you have taken interest and increase, and you have greedily gained of your neighbors by oppression, and have forgotten me,' says the Lord GOD.

Webster's Bible Translation
In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken interest and increase, and thou hast greedily gained from thy neighbors by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord GOD.

World English Bible
In you have they taken bribes to shed blood. You have taken interest and increase, and you have greedily gained of your neighbors by oppression, and have forgotten me,” says the Lord Yahweh.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
They have taken a bribe to shed blood in you, "" You have taken usury and increase, "" And cut off your neighbor by oppression, "" And you have forgotten Me, "" A declaration of Lord YHWH!

Young's Literal Translation
A bribe they have taken in thee to shed blood, Usury and increase thou hast taken, And cuttest off thy neighbour by oppression, And Me thou hast forgotten, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah!

Smith's Literal Translation
They took a gift in thee to pour out blood; thou tookest usury and interest, and thou wilt plunder thy neighbors by violence, and thou didst forget me, says the Lord Jehovah.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
They have taken gifts in thee to shed blood: thou hast taken usury and increase, and hast covetously oppressed thy neighbours: and then hast forgotten me, saith the Lord God.

Catholic Public Domain Version
They have accepted bribes among you to shed blood. You have received usury and superabundance, and in avarice you have oppressed your neighbors. And you have forgotten me, says the Lord God.

New American Bible
There are those in you who take bribes to shed blood. You exact interest and usury; you extort profit from your neighbor by violence. But me you have forgotten—oracle of the Lord GOD.

New Revised Standard Version
In you, they take bribes to shed blood; you take both advance interest and accrued interest, and make gain of your neighbors by extortion; and you have forgotten me, says the Lord GOD.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
In you have they taken bribes to shed blood; in you have they taken usury and exorbitant gains, and they have deceived their friends by extortion; and you have forgotten me, says the LORD God.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they have taken bribes among you, that they would shed blood, and they have taken interest among you, and they took too much from you, and they betrayed their friends in oppression, and they have forgotten me, says THE LORD OF LORDS
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken interest and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by oppression, and hast forgotten Me, saith the Lord GOD.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
In thee they have received gifts to shed blood; they have received in thee interest and usurious increase; and by oppression thou hast brought thy wickedness to the full, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Sins of Jerusalem
11One man commits an abomination with his neighbor’s wife; another wickedly defiles his daughter-in-law; and yet another violates his sister, his own father’s daughter. 12In you they take bribes to shed blood. You engage in usury, take excess interest, and extort your neighbors. But Me you have forgotten, declares the Lord GOD. 13Now look, I strike My hands together against your unjust gain and against the blood you have shed in your midst.…

Cross References
Jeremiah 22:17
“But your eyes and heart are set on nothing except your own dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood, on practicing extortion and oppression.”

Micah 3:11
Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.”

Isaiah 1:23
Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love bribes and chasing after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, and the plea of the widow never comes before them.

Amos 5:12
For I know that your transgressions are many and your sins are numerous. You oppress the righteous by taking bribes; you deprive the poor of justice in the gate.

Zephaniah 3:3-4
Her princes are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves, leaving nothing for the morning. / Her prophets are reckless, faithless men. Her priests profane the sanctuary; they do violence to the law.

Proverbs 17:23
A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.

Exodus 23:8
Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous.

Deuteronomy 16:19
Do not deny justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.

Psalm 15:5
who lends his money without interest and refuses a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

Isaiah 33:15
He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity, who refuses gain from extortion, whose hand never takes a bribe, who stops his ears against murderous plots and shuts his eyes tightly against evil—

Matthew 23:25
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

Luke 11:39
Then the Lord said, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.

James 5:4
Look, the wages you withheld from the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts.

1 Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

1 Corinthians 6:10
nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.


Treasury of Scripture

In you have they taken gifts to shed blood; you have taken usury and increase, and you have greedily gained of your neighbors by extortion, and have forgotten me, said the Lord GOD.

taken gifts

Exodus 23:7,8
Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked…

Deuteronomy 16:19
Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

Deuteronomy 27:25
Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.

thou hast

Ezekiel 18:8,13
He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man, …

Exodus 22:25,26
If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury…

Leviticus 25:35,36
And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee…

greedily

Proverbs 1:19
So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

Isaiah 56:11
Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.

Matthew 23:14,25
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation…

and hast

Ezekiel 23:35
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast forgotten me, and cast me behind thy back, therefore bear thou also thy lewdness and thy whoredoms.

Deuteronomy 32:18
Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.

Psalm 106:21
They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;

Jump to Previous
Accept Blood Bribes Declares Excessive Extortion Force Forgotten Gain Gained Gifts Goods Great Greedily Increase Injured Interest Kept Mind Neighbors Neighbours Oppression Price Profits Rewards Shed Sovereign Unjust Usury
Jump to Next
Accept Blood Bribes Declares Excessive Extortion Force Forgotten Gain Gained Gifts Goods Great Greedily Increase Injured Interest Kept Mind Neighbors Neighbours Oppression Price Profits Rewards Shed Sovereign Unjust Usury
Ezekiel 22
1. A catalogue of sins in Jerusalem, and the dispersion of the Jews in consequence
17. God will burn them as dross in his furnace
23. The general corruption of prophets, priests, princes, and the people














In you they take bribes to shed blood
The phrase "In you" refers to the city of Jerusalem and its inhabitants, highlighting the pervasive corruption within the community. The act of taking "bribes to shed blood" indicates a severe moral decay where justice is perverted for personal gain. The Hebrew word for "bribes" (שֹׁחַד, shochad) often implies a gift given to influence judgment, which is strictly condemned in the Mosaic Law (Exodus 23:8). This practice undermines the very foundation of justice and righteousness that God desires for His people.

you take usury and excessive interest
The taking of "usury and excessive interest" refers to the exploitation of the poor and needy through financial means. The Hebrew term for "usury" (נֶשֶׁךְ, neshekh) and "excessive interest" (תַרְבִּית, tarbit) both imply lending money at exorbitant rates, which was prohibited among the Israelites (Leviticus 25:36-37). This practice reflects a lack of compassion and a departure from the communal care that God commanded His people to exhibit.

you make unjust gain from your neighbors by extortion
The phrase "unjust gain" (בֶּצַע, betsa) suggests profit obtained through dishonest or unethical means. "Extortion" (עָשַׁק, ashaq) involves oppressing or exploiting others, often through force or threats. This behavior is a direct violation of the command to love one's neighbor (Leviticus 19:18) and reveals a society that prioritizes wealth over righteousness and community welfare.

And you have forgotten Me
The accusation "you have forgotten Me" is a profound indictment of spiritual amnesia. To "forget" (שָׁכַח, shakach) God is not merely a lapse in memory but a willful neglect of His commandments and presence. This forgetfulness leads to moral and spiritual decay, as the people no longer live in accordance with God's covenantal relationship.

declares the Lord GOD
The phrase "declares the Lord GOD" (נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה, ne'um Adonai Yahweh) emphasizes the authority and sovereignty of God in delivering this judgment. It serves as a reminder that despite the people's unfaithfulness, God remains the ultimate judge and ruler. His declaration is both a warning and a call to repentance, urging the people to return to Him and His ways.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
In you
בָ֖ךְ (ḇāḵ)
Preposition | second person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew

they take
לָֽקְחוּ־ (lā·qə·ḥū-)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3947: To take

bribes
שֹׁ֥חַד (šō·ḥaḏ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7810: A present, bribe

to
לְמַ֣עַן (lə·ma·‘an)
Conjunction
Strong's 4616: Purpose -- intent

shed
שְׁפָךְ־ (šə·p̄āḵ-)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 8210: To spill forth, to expend, to sprawl out

blood.
דָּ֑ם (dām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1818: Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed

You engage
לָקַ֗חַתְּ (lā·qa·ḥat)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

in usury,
נֶ֧שֶׁךְ (ne·šeḵ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5392: Interest on a, debt

take
וַתְּבַצְּעִ֤י (wat·tə·ḇaṣ·ṣə·‘î)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - second person feminine singular
Strong's 1214: To cut off, break off, gain by violence

excess interest,
וְתַרְבִּ֣ית (wə·ṯar·bîṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8636: Multiplication, percentage, bonus in addition to principal

and extort
בַּעֹ֔שֶׁק (ba·‘ō·šeq)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6233: Injury, fraud, distress, unjust gain

your neighbors.
רֵעַ֙יִךְ֙ (rê·‘a·yiḵ)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 7453: Friend, companion, fellow

But Me
וְאֹתִ֣י (wə·’ō·ṯî)
Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker | first person common singular
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

you have forgotten,
שָׁכַ֔חַתְּ (šā·ḵa·ḥat)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine singular
Strong's 7911: To mislay, to be oblivious of, from want of memory, attention

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 22:12 In you have they taken bribes (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 22:11
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