Ezekiel 22:4-14

4 You are guilty of spilling blood. The statues you have made have polluted you. " ' "You have brought your days to a close. The end of your years has come. So the nations will make fun of you. All of the countries will laugh at you.

5 Those who are near you will tell jokes about you. So will those who are far away. Trouble fills the streets of your sinful city.

6 " ' "The princes of Israel are in your city. All of them use their power to spill blood.

7 They have made fun of fathers and mothers alike. They have crushed outsiders. They have treated badly the children whose fathers have died. They have done the same thing to widows.

8 " ' "You have looked down on the holy things that were set apart to me. You have misused my Sabbath days.

9 You have spread lies about others so you can spill someone's blood. You eat at the mountain temples. You commit impure acts.

10 " ' "You bring shame on your fathers by having sex with their wives. You have sex with women during their monthly period. That is when they are 'unclean.'

11 One of you has sex with another man's wife. I hate that sin. Another brings shame on his daughter-in-law by having sex with her. Still another has sex with his sister, even though she is his own father's daughter.

12 " ' "You accept money from people who want special favors. You do it to spill someone's blood. You charge too much interest when you lend money. You get rich by cheating your neighbors. And you have forgotten me," announces the LORD and King.

13 " ' "I will clap my hands because I am so angry. You got rich by cheating others. You spilled blood inside the walls of your city.

14 Will you be brave on the day I deal with you? Will you be strong at that time? I have spoken. I will do it. I am the Lord.

Ezekiel 22:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 22

In this chapter a catalogue or list of the sins of the Jews is given; a comparison of them to dross is made, and they are dealt with accordingly; and a complaint is lodged against all ranks and orders of men for their sins; on account of which, there being no intercessor for them, they are threatened with captivity and destruction. The prophet is ordered to judge them, and lay before them their abominable sins, Eze 22:1,2, of which a long list is given, as murder, idolatry; contempt of parents; oppression of the stranger, fatherless, and widow; negligence of holy things; profanation of the sabbath; tale bearing, lewdness and uncleanness of various sorts; bribery, usury, extortion, and dishonest gain, Eze 22:3-13 for which the Lord threatens to deal with them in a manner that would be intolerable to them; that he would carry them captive, and scatter them among the Heathen, Eze 22:14-16, they are compared to dross, and as such should be gathered into a furnace, and melted down, Eze 22:17-21, all ranks and orders of men are complained of, because of their sins, and threatened, Eze 22:23,24, the prophets for their voraciousness, rapine, murder, and lies, Eze 22:25,28, the priests, for their violation of the law, neglect of holy things, and profanation of the sabbath, Eze 22:26, the princes, for their cruelty, murder, and dishonest gain, Eze 22:27, the people of the land, for their oppression and robbery, Eze 22:29, and there being none to stand in the gap for them, the Lord threatens to pour out his wrath upon them, and consume them, Eze 22:30,31.