Ezekiel 14:12-23
New English Translation
12 The Lord’s message came to me: 13 “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,[a] cause famine to come on it, and kill both people and animals. 14 Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel,[b] and Job, were in it, they would save only their own lives by their righteousness, declares the Sovereign Lord.
15 “Suppose I were to send wild animals through the land and kill its children, leaving it desolate, without travelers due to the wild animals. 16 Even if these three men were in it, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, they could not save their own sons or daughters; they would save only their own lives, and the land would become desolate.
17 “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. 18 Even if these three men were in it, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, they could not save their own sons or daughters—they would save only their own lives.
19 “Or suppose I were to send a plague into that land and pour out my rage on it with bloodshed, killing both people and animals. 20 Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, they could not save their own son or daughter; they would save only their own lives by their righteousness.
21 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: How much worse will it be when I send my four terrible judgments—sword, famine, wild animals, and plague—to Jerusalem to kill both people and animals! 22 Yet some survivors will be left in it, sons and daughters who will be brought out. They will come out to you, and when you see their behavior and their deeds, you will be consoled about the catastrophe I have brought on Jerusalem—for everything I brought on it. 23 They will console you when you see their behavior and their deeds, because you will know that it was not without reason that I have done everything that I have done in it, declares the Sovereign Lord.”
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- Ezekiel 14:13 tn Heb “break its staff of bread.”
- Ezekiel 14:14 sn Traditionally this has been understood as a reference to the biblical Daniel, though he was still quite young when Ezekiel prophesied. One wonders if he had developed a reputation as an intercessor by this point. For this reason some prefer to see a reference to a ruler named Danel, known in Canaanite legend for his justice and wisdom. In this case all three of the individuals named would be non-Israelites, however the Ugaritic Danel is not known to have qualities of faith in the Lord that would place him in the company of the other men. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:447-50.
Ezekiel 14:12-23
New American Standard Bible
The City Will Not Be Spared
12 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 13 “Son of man, if a country sins against Me by (A)being unfaithful, and I stretch out My hand against it, [a]destroy its (B)supply of bread, send famine against it, and eliminate from it both human and animal life, 14 even (C)though these three men, (D)Noah, (E)Daniel, and (F)Job were in its midst, by their own righteousness they could only save (G)themselves,” declares the Lord God. 15 “If I were to cause (H)vicious animals to pass through the land and they [b]depopulated it, and it became desolate so that no one would pass through it because of the animals, 16 though these three men were in its midst, as I live,” declares the Lord God, “they could not save either their sons or their daughters. (I)They alone would be saved, but the country would be desolate. 17 Or if I were to (J)bring a sword on that country and say, ‘A sword is to pass through the country,’ and I (K)eliminated human and animal life from it, 18 even though these three men were in its midst, as I live,” declares the Lord God, “they could not save either their sons or their daughters, but they alone would be saved. 19 Or if I were to send a (L)plague against that country and pour out My wrath on it in blood to eliminate man and animal from it, 20 even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in its midst, as I live,” declares the Lord God, “they could not save either their son or their daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness.”
21 For this is what the Lord God says: “How much more when (M)I send My four [c]severe judgments against Jerusalem: sword, famine, vicious animals, and plague to eliminate human and animal life from it! 22 Yet, behold, [d]survivors will be left in it who will be brought out, both sons and daughters. Behold, they are going to come out to you, and you will (N)see their conduct and actions; then you will be (O)comforted for the disaster which I have brought against Jerusalem for everything which I have brought upon it. 23 Then they will comfort you when you see their conduct and actions, for you will know that I have not done (P)without reason whatever I did [e]to it,” declares the Lord God.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ezekiel 14:13 Lit break its staff
- Ezekiel 14:15 Lit bereaved it of children
- Ezekiel 14:21 Lit evil
- Ezekiel 14:22 Lit a survivor
- Ezekiel 14:23 Lit in
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