Ezekiel22

Ezekiel is commanded to judge Jerusalem, revealing its extensive abominations including widespread bloodshed, idolatry, oppression, and profaning holy things. The Lord declares He will scatter Israel and consume their wickedness, likening them to dross to be melted in His fiery wrath within Jerusalem. God condemns the corruption of prophets, priests, and princes, and finding no righteous intercessor, promises to pour out His indignation upon the land.

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Jerusalem, the Bloody City, Is Judged

Moreover the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

And thou, son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city? then cause her to know all her abominations.

And thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: A city that sheddeth blood in the midst of her, that her time may come, and that maketh idols against herself to defile her!

Thou art become guilty in thy blood that thou hast shed, and art defiled in thine idols which thou hast made; and thou hast caused thy days to draw near, and art come even unto thy years: therefore have I made thee a reproach unto the nations, and a mocking to all the countries.

Those that are near, and those that are far from thee, shall mock thee, thou infamous one and full of tumult.

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

In thee have they set light by father and mother; in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the sojourner; in thee have they wronged the fatherless and the widow.

Thou hast despised my holy things, and hast profaned my sabbaths.

Slanderous men have been in thee to shed blood; and in thee they have eaten upon the mountains: in the midst of thee they have committed lewdness.

In thee have they uncovered their fathers’ nakedness; in thee have they humbled her that was unclean in her impurity.

And one hath committed abomination with his neighbor’s wife; and another hath lewdly defiled his daughter-in-law; and another in thee hath humbled his sister, his father’s daughter.

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.

Behold, therefore, I have smitten my hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee.

Can thy heart endure, or can thy hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with thee? I, Jehovah, have spoken it, and will do it.

And I will scatter thee among the nations, and disperse thee through the countries; and I will consume thy filthiness out of thee.

And thou shalt be profaned in thyself, in the sight of the nations; and thou shalt know that I am Jehovah.

Israel Becomes Dross in the Furnace

And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

Son of man, the house of Israel is become dross unto me: all of them are brass and tin and iron and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are the dross of silver.

Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Because ye are all become dross, therefore, behold, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.

As they gather silver and brass and iron and lead and tin into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt it; so will I gather you in mine anger and in my wrath, and I will lay you there, and melt you.

Yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you with the fire of my wrath, and ye shall be melted in the midst thereof.

As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I, Jehovah, have poured out my wrath upon you.

The Corruption of Leaders and People

And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

Son of man, say unto her, Thou art a land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation.

There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey: they have devoured souls; they take treasure and precious things; they have made her widows many in the midst thereof.

Her priests have done violence to my law, and have profaned my holy things: they have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they caused men to discern between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.

Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, that they may get dishonest gain.

And her prophets have daubed for them with untempered mortar, seeing false visions, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, when Jehovah hath not spoken.

The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery; yea, they have vexed the poor and needy, and have oppressed the sojourner wrongfully.

And I sought for a man among them, that should build up the wall, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none.

Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I brought upon their heads, saith the Lord Jehovah.

Study Notes for Ezekiel 22

Verse 2

The rhetorical question 'wilt thou judge?' confirms Ezekiel's prophetic role in announcing God's indictment against Jerusalem, which is defined by its violence and idolatry.

Verse 3

The title 'bloody city' (Heb. *ʻir haddāmîm*) refers not only to murder but also to judicial injustice and ritual violence, such as the sacrifice of children associated with idolatry.

Verse 4

Jerusalem’s persistent guilt has accelerated its own destruction, bringing the time of judgment (the siege and exile) upon itself, resulting in shame before the nations.

Verse 6

The indictment begins with the *princes* (rulers/leaders), indicating that corruption and violence permeated the highest levels of authority.

Verse 7

This verse lists violations of basic covenant requirements related to social justice, specifically the exploitation of the most vulnerable: parents, strangers, the fatherless, and widows.

Verse 8

Israel’s sin is dual: social injustice (v. 7) and religious apostasy/neglect (despising holy things and profaning the Sabbath).

Verse 9

'Eat upon the mountains' refers to participation in idolatrous feasts and cultic practices associated with fertility worship on high places.

Verse 10

These verses detail severe sexual perversions, including various forms of incest and ritual violation, all strictly forbidden by the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 18).

Verse 12

The taking of *usury* (interest on loans) from fellow Israelites was strictly prohibited (Ex. 22:25), demonstrating the greedy exploitation of the poor and needy.

Verse 13

God’s striking of his hand is a powerful gesture of shock, anger, and final determination to execute judgment against the profits gained through injustice and violence.

Verse 14

This rhetorical question emphasizes the terrifying nature of the impending judgment; no human strength or endurance will suffice against God's determined wrath.

Verse 15

The scattering of Israel among the nations is presented here not just as punishment, but as a severe means of purification, consuming their moral and ritual 'filthiness.'

Verse 18

Dross is the worthless residue left after refining metal. By calling Israel 'dross,' God declares that the nation, though once precious, has lost its value and purity.

Verse 19

The 'gathering' into Jerusalem refers to the final siege, where the remaining inhabitants are confined, ready for the refining fire of destruction.

Verse 20

The metaphor of the furnace illustrates that God's judgment is precise and purposeful, designed to expose and destroy the impurities within the nation.

Verse 24

The 'land that is not cleansed' implies moral and ritual impurity that has not been washed away by repentance or the metaphorical 'rain' of God’s blessing and mercy.

Verse 25

The Prophets are accused of acting like predatory animals, using deceit and false assurances to seize wealth and power from the people.

Verse 26

The Priests failed their central duty to maintain the crucial distinction between the holy and the common (Lev. 10:10), thus profaning God’s sacred law and presence.

Verse 27

The Princes (civil rulers) are compared to ravening wolves, using their authority solely for violent personal gain, echoing the charges in verses 6 and 12.

Verse 28

Prophets *daubed them with untempered morter* (or whitewash), meaning they covered up the structural flaws of the nation with empty, deceptive assurances of peace and safety.

Verse 29

The People of the Land are also condemned, showing that corruption and systemic oppression permeated every level of society, not just the leadership.

Verse 30

This pivotal verse reveals God’s search for an intercessor—a righteous person who would stand in the gap (like Moses or Abraham) to protect the land, but none was found.

Verse 31

Because no righteous intercessor existed, God executes the judgment fully, ensuring that the punishment perfectly matches the evil of their own deeds.

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Ezekiel22

Jerusalem, the Bloody City, Is Judged

Israel Becomes Dross in the Furnace

The Corruption of Leaders and People

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