King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate; and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD.
Complete Jewish Bible:
The inhabited cities will be laid waste, the land will be desolate, and you will know that I am ADONAI."'"
Berean Standard Bible:
The inhabited cities will be laid waste, and the land will become desolate. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
American Standard Version:
And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be a desolation; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And the cities{H5892} that are inhabited{H3427} shall be laid waste{H2717}, and the land{H776} shall be desolate{H8077}; and ye shall know{H3045} that I am the LORD{H3068}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Jeremiah 4:7
- The lion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way; he is gone forth from his place to make thy land desolate; [and] thy cities shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant.
Isaiah 7:23
- And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] every place shall be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, it shall [even] be for briers and thorns.
Isaiah 7:24
- With arrows and with bows shall [men] come thither; because all the land shall become briers and thorns.
Jeremiah 25:9
- Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.
Isaiah 3:26
- And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she [being] desolate shall sit upon the ground.
Isaiah 64:10
- Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.
Isaiah 64:11
- Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste.
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Commentary for Ezekiel 12:20
Ezekiel 12:20 is a verse that captures a prophecy of judgment against Judah, specifically foretelling the desolation of inhabited cities and the devastation of the land. This verse is part of the larger context of Ezekiel's prophetic messages to the exiled Jews in Babylon, delivered during the early sixth century BCE. At this time, Judah was experiencing political turmoil and the threat of Babylonian conquest, which eventually led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 586 BCE.
The theme of Ezekiel 12:20 revolves around the idea of divine retribution and the recognition of God's sovereignty. The verse emphasizes that through the coming calamities, the people will come to the realization that the Lord, Yahweh, is the one true God who is executing judgment upon them for their idolatry and disobedience. The desolation of the cities and the land serves as a tangible sign of God's power and his control over history and nations.
This verse also reflects the broader theological motif found throughout the Old Testament, where the covenant relationship between God and Israel is highlighted. When Israel fails to uphold their covenantal obligations, they face divine judgment, which is not only punitive but also restorative, aiming to bring the people back to a right relationship with God. The historical context of Ezekiel's prophecies is crucial for understanding the gravity of the situation and the urgency with which the prophet communicates the need for repentance and the assurance that God's ultimate purpose is redemption and restoration.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H5892
There are 937 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עִיר
Transliteration: ʻîyr
Pronunciation: eer
Description: or (in the plural) עָר; or עָיַר; (Judges 10:4), from עוּר; a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post); Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town. - Strong's Number: H3427
There are 980 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָשַׁב
Transliteration: yâshab
Pronunciation: yaw-shab'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry; (make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(-tle), (down-) sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry. - Strong's Number: H2717
There are 36 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חָרַב
Transliteration: chârab
Pronunciation: khaw-rab'
Description: or חֲרֵב; a primitive root; to parch (through drought) i.e. (by analogy,) to desolate, destroy, kill; decay, (be) desolate, destroy(-er), (be) dry (up), slay, [idiom] surely, (lay, lie, make) waste. - Strong's Number: H776
There are 2739 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֶרֶץ
Transliteration: ʼerets
Pronunciation: eh'-rets
Description: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world. - Strong's Number: H8077
There are 54 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שְׁמָמָה
Transliteration: shᵉmâmâh
Pronunciation: shem-aw-maw'
Description: or שִׁמָמָה; feminine of שָׁמֵם; devastation; figuratively, astonishment; (laid, [idiom] most) desolate(-ion), waste. - Strong's Number: H3045
There are 873 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָדַע
Transliteration: yâdaʻ
Pronunciation: yaw-dah'
Description: a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.); acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-) norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, [phrase] be learned, [phrase] lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, [idiom] prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), [idiom] will be, wist, wit, wot. - Strong's Number: H3068
There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְהֹוָה
Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.