Ezekiel 22:6
New International Version
“’See how each of the princes of Israel who are in you uses his power to shed blood.

New Living Translation
“Every leader in Israel who lives within your walls is bent on murder.

English Standard Version
“Behold, the princes of Israel in you, every one according to his power, have been bent on shedding blood.

Berean Standard Bible
See how every prince of Israel within you has used his power to shed blood.

King James Bible
Behold, the princes of Israel, every one were in thee to their power to shed blood.

New King James Version
“Look, the princes of Israel: each one has used his power to shed blood in you.

New American Standard Bible
“Behold, the rulers of Israel, each according to his power, have been among you for the purpose of shedding blood.

NASB 1995
“Behold, the rulers of Israel, each according to his power, have been in you for the purpose of shedding blood.

NASB 1977
“Behold, the rulers of Israel, each according to his power, have been in you for the purpose of shedding blood.

Legacy Standard Bible
“Behold, the princes of Israel, each according to his power, have been in you for the purpose of shedding blood.

Amplified Bible
“Behold, the princes of Israel, every one according to his power, have been intending to shed blood in you.

Christian Standard Bible
“ ‘Look, every prince of Israel within you has used his strength to shed blood.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Look, every prince of Israel within you has used his strength to shed blood.

American Standard Version
Behold, the princes of Israel, every one according to his power, have been in thee to shed blood.

Contemporary English Version
Your own leaders use their power to murder.

English Revised Version
Behold, the princes of Israel, every one according to his power, have been in thee to shed blood.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
" 'See how all the princes of Israel who live in you have used their power to murder people.

Good News Translation
All Israel's leaders trust in their own strength and commit murder.

International Standard Version
"'"Watch out! Each of the princes of Israel has misused his authority to shed blood.

Majority Standard Bible
See how every prince of Israel within you has used his power to shed blood.

NET Bible
"'See how each of the princes of Israel living within you has used his authority to shed blood.

New Heart English Bible
"'"Look, the princes of Israel, everyone according to his power, have been in you to shed blood.

Webster's Bible Translation
Behold, the princes of Israel, every one were in thee to their power to shed blood.

World English Bible
“‘“Behold, the princes of Israel, everyone according to his power, have been in you to shed blood.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Behold, princes of Israel—each according to his arm "" Have been in you to shed blood.

Young's Literal Translation
Lo, princes of Israel -- each according to his arm Have been in thee to shed blood.

Smith's Literal Translation
Behold, the princes of Israel they were a man to his arm to pour out blood in thee.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Behold the princes of Israel, every one hath employed his arm in thee to shed blood.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Behold, the leaders of Israel have each used his arm to shed blood within you.

New American Bible
See! the princes of Israel within you use their power to shed blood.

New Revised Standard Version
The princes of Israel in you, everyone according to his power, have been bent on shedding blood.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Behold, the princes of Israel, every one according to his own tribe, were in you to shed blood.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Behold, the Princes of Israel, each man in his family, were in you that they would shed blood
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Behold, the princes of Israel, every one according to his might, have been in thee to shed blood.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Behold, the princes of the house of Israel have conspired in thee each one with his kindred, that they might shed blood.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Sins of Jerusalem
5Those near and far will mock you, O infamous city, full of turmoil. 6See how every prince of Israel within you has used his power to shed blood. 7Father and mother are treated with contempt. Within your walls the foreign resident is exploited, the fatherless and the widow are oppressed.…

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.”

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.

Micah 3:1-3
Then I said: “Hear now, O leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Should you not know justice? / You hate good and love evil. You tear the skin from my people and strip the flesh from their bones. / You eat the flesh of my people after stripping off their skin and breaking their bones. You chop them up like flesh for the cooking pot, like meat in a cauldron.”

Zephaniah 3:3
Her princes are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves, leaving nothing for the morning.

Hosea 9:15
All their evil appears at Gilgal, for there I hated them. I will drive them from My house for the wickedness of their deeds. I will no longer love them; all their leaders are rebellious.

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.

Jeremiah 5:28
They have grown fat and sleek, and have excelled in the deeds of the wicked. They have not taken up the cause of the fatherless, that they might prosper; nor have they defended the rights of the needy.

Isaiah 59:7
Their feet run to evil; they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are sinful thoughts; ruin and destruction lie in their wake.

Psalm 82:2-4
“How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah / Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; uphold the rights of the afflicted and oppressed. / Rescue the weak and needy; save them from the hand of the wicked.

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

Matthew 23:23
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

Luke 11:42
Woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithes of mint, rue, and every herb, but you disregard justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former.

James 2:6
But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?

Matthew 20:25
But Jesus called them aside and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them.

Mark 10:42
So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them.


Treasury of Scripture

Behold, the princes of Israel, every one were in you to their power to shed blood.

the princes

Ezekiel 22:27
Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.

Nehemiah 9:34
Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them.

Isaiah 1:23
Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.

power [heb] arm

Micah 2:1
Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.

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Arm Bent Blood Causing Death Family Israel Power Princes Purpose Rulers Shed Shedding Uses
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














See how
This phrase serves as a call to attention, urging the listener or reader to observe the situation with discernment. In Hebrew, the word used here is "הִנֵּה" (hinneh), which is often translated as "behold" or "look." It is a directive to pause and consider the gravity of the situation. In the context of Ezekiel, it is a divine summons to recognize the moral and spiritual decay present in Israel. This call to awareness is a common prophetic tool used to awaken the conscience of the people.

each of the princes of Israel
The "princes of Israel" refers to the leaders and rulers of the nation, those who held positions of authority and influence. In Hebrew, "נְשִׂיאֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" (nesi'ei Yisrael) denotes individuals who were expected to guide the people in righteousness and justice. Historically, these leaders were often from the royal or noble classes, entrusted with the welfare of the nation. However, their failure to uphold God's laws and their engagement in corrupt practices are highlighted here as a significant cause of Israel's downfall.

within you
This phrase indicates that the corruption and sin are not external threats but are deeply embedded within the community itself. The Hebrew word "בְּתוֹכֵךְ" (betokhekh) suggests an internal rot, emphasizing that the problem lies at the heart of the nation. This internalization of sin is a recurring theme in the prophetic literature, where the focus is on the need for internal transformation and repentance.

has used his power
The misuse of power is a central theme in this verse. The Hebrew root "חָזַק" (chazaq) implies strength or might, which in this context is being wielded unjustly. The leaders were given authority to protect and serve, yet they exploited their positions for personal gain and oppression. This abuse of power is a direct violation of the covenantal responsibilities outlined in the Torah, where leaders are called to act justly and love mercy.

to shed blood
The shedding of blood is a metaphor for violence and murder, representing the ultimate expression of injustice and sin. In Hebrew, "לִשְׁפֹּךְ דָּם" (lishpokh dam) conveys the idea of spilling blood, which is a grave offense in the biblical tradition. This phrase underscores the severity of the leaders' actions, as they have not only failed in their duties but have actively contributed to the moral and spiritual corruption of the nation. The shedding of innocent blood is repeatedly condemned in Scripture, highlighting the sanctity of life and the divine mandate for justice.

(6) Were in thee to their power.--The tense is the same with that of the verbs in Ezekiel 22:7, and both should be translated alike; the order of the words should also be changed: "The princes of Israel, every one according to his power, have been in thee to shed blood." The rulers, who should have preserved order and administered justice, were foremost in deeds of violence. (See the instances of Manasseh, 2Kings 21:16, and of Jehoiakim, 2Kings 24:4.)

Verse 6. - Behold, the princes of Judah, etc. For the "bloodshed," which was conspicuous among the sins, comp. Ezekiel 9:9; Ezekiel 16:38; Ezekiel 23:37, 45; and for special instances of that sin among its princes, those of Manasseh (2 Kings 21:16) and Jehoiakim (2 Kings 24:4). To their power; Hebrew, each man according to his arm, i.e. his strength. There was no restraint upon the doer of evil other than the limitation of his capacity.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
See how
הִנֵּה֙ (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

every
אִ֥ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

prince
נְשִׂיאֵ֣י (nə·śî·’ê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 5387: An exalted one, a king, sheik, a rising mist

of Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

within you
בָ֑ךְ (ḇāḵ)
Preposition | second person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew

has used
הָ֣יוּ (hā·yū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

his power
לִזְרֹע֖וֹ (liz·rō·‘ōw)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2220: The arm, the foreleg, force

to
לְמַ֖עַן (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.
דָּֽם׃ (dām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1818: Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 22:6 Behold the princes of Israel everyone according (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 22:5
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