Ezekiel 14:15

If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts:

If {H3863} I cause noisome {H7451} beasts {H2416} to pass through {H5674} the land {H776}, and they spoil {H7921} it, so that it be desolate {H8077}, that no man may pass through {H5674} because {H6440} of the beasts {H2416}:

"If I unleash wild beasts on the land, and they kill its children and desolate it, so that no one can pass through because of the animals;

Or if I send wild beasts through the land to leave it childless and desolate, with no man passing through it for fear of the beasts,

If I cause evil beasts to pass through the land, and they ravage it, and it be made desolate, so that no man may pass through because of the beasts;

Commentary

Ezekiel 14:15 (KJV) speaks of God's severe judgment upon a land through a specific form of calamity: wild, destructive animals. This verse is part of a broader prophetic discourse delivered by Ezekiel during the Babylonian exile, warning the people of Judah about the dire consequences of their persistent idolatry and rebellion against God.

Context

This verse is situated within a chapter where God addresses the issue of false prophets and the idolatry prevalent among the elders of Israel who came to inquire of Him (Ezekiel 14:1). God declares that He will set His face against those who cling to their idols, even while seeking His counsel (Ezekiel 14:7). Ezekiel 14 outlines four specific judgments God threatens to send: famine, the sword, noisome beasts, and pestilence. These are presented as "My four sore judgments" in Ezekiel 14:21, indicating a comprehensive and devastating divine punishment designed to bring about desolation and force recognition of His sovereignty.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment and Retribution: The phrase "If I cause" clearly indicates God's active role in orchestrating these calamities. It underscores His absolute control over creation and His willingness to use it as an instrument of justice against sin and disobedience.
  • Consequences of Unfaithfulness: This judgment by "noisome beasts" (harmful, destructive animals) is a direct consequence of the people's departure from God. It aligns with the covenant curses outlined in the Law, where a land's desolation and danger from wild animals are promised for disobedience (Leviticus 26:22; Deuteronomy 28:26).
  • Desolation and Impassability: The result of the beasts' activity is that the land becomes "desolate" and "no man may pass through." This signifies a complete breakdown of societal order, agricultural productivity, and safe passage, rendering the land uninhabitable and useless.
  • God's Sovereignty: Even in judgment, God demonstrates His supreme authority over all aspects of creation, including the animal kingdom, to fulfill His purposes.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "noisome beasts" translates the Hebrew term Χ—Φ·Χ™ΦΌΦΈΧ” Χ¨ΦΈΧ’ΦΈΧ” (chayyah ra'ah), which literally means "evil beast" or "wild beast." The emphasis is not merely on animals being wild, but on their destructive, harmful, and dangerous nature when sent by God as a plague. This highlights the severity and divine intentionality behind the judgment.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 14:15 serves as a powerful reminder of several timeless truths:

  • God's Holiness and Justice: God is not indifferent to sin, especially the sin of idolatry and spiritual infidelity. His justice demands a response to persistent rebellion.
  • The Reality of Consequences: Actions have consequences, and spiritual choices can lead to severe, often natural, repercussions. This applies to both nations and individuals.
  • Call to Repentance: Such warnings are ultimately a call to turn back to God. The severity of the judgment is meant to expose the futility of relying on anything other than the Almighty and to prompt genuine repentance. The principle that righteousness exalts a nation, while sin is a reproach, remains true.
  • God's Control: Even amidst chaos and natural disasters, this verse affirms God's ultimate control and purpose. Nothing is outside His sovereign hand.
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Cross-References

  • Ezekiel 5:17

    So will I send upon you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee; and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the LORD have spoken [it].

  • Leviticus 26:22

    I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your [high] ways shall be desolate.

  • Jeremiah 15:3

    And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the LORD: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy.

  • 1 Kings 20:36

    Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him.

  • 2 Kings 17:25

    And [so] it was at the beginning of their dwelling there, [that] they feared not the LORD: therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which slew [some] of them.