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Translation
King James Version
Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast:
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KJV (with Strong's)
Or if I send H7971 a pestilence H1698 into that land H776, and pour out H8210 my fury H2534 upon it in blood H1818, to cut off H3772 from it man H120 and beast H929:
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Complete Jewish Bible
"Or if I bring a plague into that land and pour out my fury on it in bloodshed, so that I eliminate both its humans and its animals;
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Berean Standard Bible
Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out My wrath upon it through bloodshed, cutting off from it both man and beast,
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American Standard Version
Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my wrath upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast;
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World English Bible Messianic
Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my wrath on it in blood, to cut off from it man and animal;
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Or if I send a pestilence into this land, and powre out my wrath vpon it in blood, to destroy out of it man and beast,
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Young's Literal Translation
`Or--pestilence I send unto that land, and I have poured out My fury against it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast--
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Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Ezekiel 14:19 delivers a stark prophetic declaration of divine judgment, identifying pestilence as one of God's "four sore judgments" against a land deeply entrenched in rebellion and idolatry. This verse powerfully asserts God's absolute sovereignty over all creation and His righteous indignation against sin, emphasizing the comprehensive and devastating nature of His wrath, which spares neither human nor animal life in its execution.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Ezekiel 14:19 is situated within a profound prophetic discourse (Ezekiel 14:12-23) where the Lord directly confronts the persistent idolatry and hypocrisy among the elders of Israel, even those who feigned seeking His counsel. The chapter opens with God declaring that He will answer the elders "according to their many idols" Ezekiel 14:4, exposing their duplicity. The immediate preceding context (Ezekiel 14:12-20) details a sequence of four escalating divine judgments – sword, famine, wild beasts, and pestilence – each presented as capable of utterly devastating a rebellious land. Verse 19 specifically introduces pestilence as the fourth and final judgment in this escalating series, highlighting its unique capacity to "cut off from it man and beast," thereby underscoring the totality and indiscriminateness of the impending destruction. This passage functions as a severe warning, illustrating God's unwavering commitment to justice against unrepentant sin and His refusal to be mocked.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The book of Ezekiel was written during the tumultuous period of the Babylonian exile (circa 593-571 BC), with the prophet himself among those deported to Babylon by the river Chebar. The primary audience consisted of exiles who had witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, yet many still clung to false hopes of a swift return or continued in idolatrous practices, believing God would not fully abandon them. In the ancient Near East, natural calamities such as famine, plague, and warfare were commonly understood as direct manifestations of divine judgment, reflecting a deity's displeasure or wrath. Pestilence, in particular, represented a terrifying and often uncontrollable threat, capable of decimating entire populations and their essential livestock, thereby dismantling the very foundations of society and economy. The explicit mention of "man and beast" in the judgment reflects the agricultural and pastoral nature of ancient Israelite society, where the well-being of livestock was inextricably linked to human survival, prosperity, and even sacrificial worship. God's declaration of sending pestilence in Ezekiel 14 would have resonated deeply with the exiles' understanding of divine retribution and the catastrophic impact of such widespread calamities.
  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes prevalent within Ezekiel and the broader prophetic literature. A central theme is Divine Sovereignty and Judgment, asserting God's absolute control over the forces of nature and His willingness to employ them as instruments of His righteous wrath against sin. The phrase "I send a pestilence" unequivocally emphasizes His direct agency and intentionality. Another crucial theme is the Seriousness of Idolatry and Rebellion, which is consistently presented as the primary catalyst for these severe judgments throughout the book. The people's persistent unfaithfulness and their turning away from the Lord are met with dire consequences, demonstrating that God will not tolerate rivals to His worship, as seen in the broader warnings against idolatry in Ezekiel 6. Finally, the verse highlights the Totality of Divine Retribution, conveyed by the comprehensive destruction implied in "pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast." This echoes similar accounts of widespread judgment, such as the Great Flood or the plagues upon Egypt in Exodus 9, where God's judgment affects all aspects of life, leaving nothing untouched, underscoring the profound consequences of national apostasy.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Pestilence (Hebrew, deber', H1698): This word (H1698) refers to a plague, epidemic, or murrain, often used in the Old Testament to denote a divinely sent affliction. It signifies a widespread, deadly disease, particularly one that affects both humans and animals, leading to mass casualties and societal collapse. Its use here emphasizes the direct, calamitous nature of God's judgment, indicating a severe and pervasive outbreak.
  • Fury (Hebrew, chêmâh', H2534): This term (H2534) denotes intense heat, figuratively representing anger, rage, or hot displeasure. It conveys the burning intensity of God's righteous indignation against unrepentant sin. When God "pours out" His fury, it is not a mild displeasure but a consuming, destructive wrath, indicating the extreme severity of the offense that provoked such a profound divine response.
  • Cut off (Hebrew, kârath', H3772): This primitive root (H3772) means to cut (off, down, or asunder), implying destruction or consumption. In this context, it signifies a complete eradication or termination of life, a severing of existence. The phrase "to cut off from it man and beast" underscores the comprehensive and absolute nature of the judgment, leaving no survivors and ensuring the land is utterly desolated and devoid of life.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Or [if] I send a pestilence into that land,": This clause establishes God's direct and active agency in initiating the judgment. While the KJV includes "if," in the context of Ezekiel 14, it functions more as a declaration of what God will do given the persistent sin and idolatry of the people. God is not merely allowing a natural disaster to occur; He is purposefully dispatching a plague as a direct instrument of His sovereign will against a rebellious nation, demonstrating His control over the forces of disease and death.
  • "and pour out my fury upon it in blood,": This vivid imagery powerfully conveys the intensity and consequence of God's wrath. The phrase "pour out" suggests an unrestrained, overwhelming, and complete release of divine anger, much like a flood or an overflowing vessel. The addition of "in blood" is a potent metonymy, signifying widespread death, carnage, and the shedding of life. It indicates that the pestilence will result in immense loss of life, painting a grim and graphic picture of the judgment's severity and its bloody, devastating outcome.
  • "to cut off from it man and beast:": This final clause specifies the comprehensive and indiscriminate scope of the judgment. The phrase "cut off" signifies total annihilation, complete removal, or utter termination of existence. By explicitly mentioning both "man and beast," the verse highlights that the judgment is all-encompassing, affecting every living thing in the land without distinction. This underscores the devastating totality of God's righteous judgment against unrepentant sin, leaving no aspect of life untouched and ensuring the complete desolation of the land.

Literary Devices

Ezekiel 14:19 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of divine judgment with maximum impact. Anthropomorphism is clearly evident in the depiction of God "sending" and "pouring out" His fury, attributing human actions (sending, pouring) and emotions (fury) to the divine. This makes God's active and intentional involvement in judgment tangible and comprehensible to the human audience. The phrase "pour out my fury upon it in blood" utilizes Metonymy, where "blood" stands for the widespread death, carnage, and loss of life that will inevitably result from the pestilence. It serves as a powerful shorthand for the horrific and deadly consequences of the plague. Furthermore, the verse employs Intensification and a form of Hyperbole through the comprehensive scope of the judgment: "to cut off from it man and beast." This emphasizes the absolute and total devastation, leaving no life untouched, thereby magnifying the severity of God's wrath and underscoring the dire consequences of persistent rebellion and idolatry.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ezekiel 14:19 profoundly contributes to the biblical understanding of divine justice and the dire consequences of sin. It reveals a God who is not merely merciful and patient but also immutably holy and righteous, one who will not indefinitely tolerate rebellion, idolatry, and spiritual infidelity. The concept of pestilence as a direct divine judgment is deeply rooted in Old Testament theology, serving as a stark reminder that God remains sovereign over all creation, including the forces of disease and death, and can wield them as instruments of His righteous will. This verse emphasizes that sin has not only individual but also profound communal consequences, impacting the entire land and its inhabitants, both human and animal. It underscores the severity of God's wrath, which, when unleashed, is comprehensive and devastating, often aiming to purge sin and restore righteousness, ultimately serving as a severe means of calling a people to repentance and a renewed relationship with Him.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Ezekiel 14:19 serves as a sobering and profound reminder of God's unwavering holiness and justice. While believers today live under the New Covenant of grace, the eternal principles of God's character revealed here remain profoundly true. This verse calls us to cultivate a deep and abiding reverence for God, recognizing His ultimate authority and the seriousness with which He views sin, particularly idolatry—anything that subtly or overtly takes precedence over Him in our lives and affections. It challenges us to engage in honest self-examination, both individually and as communities, asking if there are areas where we have subtly or overtly placed other allegiances, desires, or comforts above our singular devotion to the Lord. The comprehensive nature of the judgment ("man and beast") should impress upon us that sin has far-reaching and systemic consequences, impacting not only individuals but also the broader society, the natural world, and even future generations. Ultimately, this passage, though severe in its portrayal of judgment, is a powerful call to humility, sincere repentance, and a renewed, unwavering commitment to living in faithful obedience to the One who holds all life, all judgment, and all mercy in His sovereign hands.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what ways might we, even subtly, engage in "idolatry" in our modern lives, placing other things or pursuits before God?
  • How does understanding God's justice in verses like Ezekiel 14:19 deepen our appreciation for His boundless mercy and transformative grace?
  • What responsibility do believers have to advocate for righteousness, justice, and repentance within their communities, recognizing the communal impact of sin?
  • How does the comprehensive nature of this judgment ("man and beast") challenge and expand our understanding of God's sovereignty over all creation?

FAQ

What does "pour out my fury upon it in blood" mean?

Answer: This phrase is a powerful and vivid expression of God's intense wrath and the devastating consequences of His judgment. "Pour out" signifies an unrestrained, overwhelming, and complete release of divine anger, much like a flood or an overflowing vessel. "Fury" (Hebrew: chêmâh) denotes a burning, intense indignation, a fierce displeasure. The addition of "in blood" is a metonymy, meaning that the pestilence will result in widespread death, carnage, and the shedding of life. It's not that God is literally pouring out blood, but that the effect of His fury, manifested through a deadly pestilence, will be a land filled with the dead bodies of humans and animals, symbolizing immense loss of life and utter devastation. This imagery emphasizes the severity and totality of the judgment, leaving no doubt about its destructive impact.

How does this verse relate to God's character of love and mercy?

Answer: While Ezekiel 14:19 starkly highlights God's justice and wrath against sin, it must be understood within the broader, holistic context of His multifaceted character and overarching redemptive plan. God's holiness demands that sin be addressed; His justice is not arbitrary but an intrinsic expression of His perfect righteousness and moral order. The judgments described in Ezekiel, though severe, are often intended to bring about repentance, restoration, and a return to Him, as seen in passages like Jeremiah 18:7-8. God's love and mercy are profoundly demonstrated in His patience, His repeated warnings, and His provision of opportunities for His people to turn from their wicked ways before judgment falls. Ultimately, His love is most fully revealed in His provision for salvation through Jesus Christ, offering a way for humanity to escape the ultimate consequences of sin, which is spiritual death and eternal separation, for "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 6:23. Thus, His justice and His love are not contradictory but complementary aspects of His divine nature, working in perfect harmony.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Ezekiel 14:19, with its stark portrayal of divine judgment and the cutting off of life due to sin, finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The "fury" of God, which was threatened to be poured out "in blood" to "cut off" man and beast, points to the ultimate consequence of sin: death and separation from a holy God. The Old Testament sacrificial system, with its repeated shedding of animal blood, foreshadowed the absolute necessity of a perfect, unblemished sacrifice to atone for sin, for "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins" Hebrews 9:22. Jesus, as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, became the ultimate and final fulfillment of this profound need. On the cross, the full wrath and "fury" of God against humanity's sin were poured out upon Him, not upon the rebellious land or its inhabitants. Through His shed blood, Christ was literally "cut off" from life, experiencing the ultimate separation and bearing the curse of sin so that humanity might not be. His death was the propitiation for our sins, satisfying God's righteous demands and turning away His wrath Romans 3:25. Therefore, while Ezekiel 14:19 warns of physical judgment and desolation, Christ's atoning work offers deliverance from spiritual death and eternal separation, transforming the consequence of sin into the promise of life for all who believe, demonstrating that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son to save us from the very wrath we deserve. In Him, we are no longer "cut off" but made alive and reconciled to God Colossians 2:13-14.

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Commentary on Ezekiel 14 verses 12–23

The scope of these verses is to show,

I. That national sins bring national judgments. When virtue is ruined and laid waste every thing else will soon be ruined and laid waste too (Eze 14:13): When the land sins against me, when vice and wickedness become epidemical, when the land sins by trespassing grievously, when the sinners have become very numerous and their sins very heinous, when gross impieties and immoralities universally prevail, then will I stretch forth my hand upon it, for the punishment of it. The divine power shall be vigorously and openly exerted; the judgments shall be extended and stretched forth to all the corners of the land, to all the concerns and interests of the nation. Grievous sins bring grievous plagues.

II. That God has a variety of sore judgments wherewith to punish sinful nations, and he has them all at command and inflicts which he pleases. He did indeed give David his choice what judgment he would be punished with for his sin in numbering the people; for any of them would serve to answer the end, which was to lessen the numbers he was proud of; but David, in effect, referred it to God again: "Let us fall into the hands of the Lord; let him choose with what rod we shall be beaten." But he uses a variety of judgments that it may appear he has a universal dominion, and that in all our concerns we may see our dependence on him. Four sore judgments are here specified: - 1. Famine, Eze 14:13. The denying and withholding of common mercies is itself judgment enough, there needs no more to make a people miserable. God needs not bring the staff of oppression, it is but breaking the staff of bread and the work is soon done; he cuts off man and beast by cutting off the provisions which nature makes for both in the annual products of the earth. God breaks the staff of bread when, though we have bread, yet we are not nourished and strengthened by it. Hag 1:6, You eat, but you have not enough. 2. Hurtful beasts, noisome and noxious, either as poisonous or as ravenous. God can make these to pass through the land (Eze 14:15), to increase in all parts of it, and to bereave it, not only of the tame cattle, preying upon their flocks and herds, but of their people, devouring men, women, and children, so that no man may pass through because of the beasts; none dare travel even in the high roads for fear of being pulled in pieces by lions, or other beasts of prey, as the children of Beth-el by two bears. Note, When men revolt from their allegiance to God, and rebel against him, it is just with God that the inferior creatures should rise up in arms against men, Lev 26:22. 3. War. God often chastises sinful nations by bringing a sword upon them, the sword of a foreign enemy, and he gives it its commission and orders what execution it shall do (Eze 14:17): he says, Sword, go through the land. It is bad enough if the sword do but enter into the borders of a land, but much worse when it goes through the bowels of a land. By it God cuts off man and beast, horse and foot. What execution the sword does God does by it; for it is his sword, and it acts as he directs. 4. Pestilence (Eze 14:19), a dreadful disease, which has sometimes depopulated cities; by it God pours out his fury in blood (that is, in death); the pestilence kills as effectually as if the blood were shed by the sword, for it is poisoned by the disease, the sickness we call it. See how miserable the case of mankind is that lies thus exposed to deaths in various shapes. See how dangerous the case of sinners is against whom God has so many ways of fighting, so that, though they escape one judgment, God has another waiting for them.

III. That when God's professing people revolt from him, and rebel against him, they may justly expect a complication of judgments to fall upon them. God has various ways of contending with a sinful nation; but if Jerusalem, the holy city, become a harlot, God will send upon her all his four sore judgments (Eze 14:21); for the nearer any are to God in name and profession the more severely will he reckon with them if they reproach that worthy name by which they are called and give the lie to that profession. They shall be punished seven times more.

IV. That there may be, and commonly are, some few very good men, even in those places that by sin are ripened for ruin. It is no foreign supposition that, even in a land that has trespassed grievously, there may be three such men as Noah, Daniel, and Job. Daniel was now living, and at this time had scarcely arrived at the prime of his eminency, but he was already famous (at least this word of God concerning him would without fail make him so); yet he was carried away into captivity with the first of all, Dan 1:6. Some of the better sort of people in Jerusalem might perhaps think that, if Daniel (of whose fame in the king of Babylon's court they had heard much) had but continued in Jerusalem, it would have been spared for his sake, as the magicians in Babylon were. "No," says God, "though you had him, who was as eminently good in bad times and places as Noah in the old world and Job in the land of Uz, yet a reprieve should not be obtained." In the places that are most corrupt, and in the ages that are most degenerate, there is a remnant which God reserves to himself, and which still hold fast their integrity and stand fair for the honour of delivering the land, as the innocent are said to do, Job 22:30.

V. That God often spares very wicked places for the sake of a few godly people in them. This is implied here as the expectation of Jerusalem's friends in the day of its distress: "Surely God will stay his controversy with us; for are there not some among us that are emptying the measure of national guilt by their prayers, as others are filling it by their sins? And, rather than God will destroy the righteous with the wicked, he will preserve the wicked with the righteous. If Sodom might have been spared for the sake of ten good men, surely Jerusalem may."

VI. That such men as Noah, Daniel, and Job, will prevail, if any can, to turn away the wrath of God from a sinful people. Noah was a perfect man, and kept his integrity when all flesh had corrupted their way; and, for his sake, his family, though one of them was wicked (Ham), was saved in the ark. Job was a great example of piety, and mighty in prayer for his children, for his friends; and God turned his captivity when he prayed. Those were very ancient examples, before Moses, that great intercessor; and therefore God mentions them, to intimate that he had some very peculiar favourites long before the Jewish nation was formed or founded, and would have such when it was ruined, for which reason, it should seem, those names were made use of, rather than Moses, Aaron, or Samuel; and yet, lest any should think that God was partial in his respects to the ancient days, here is a modern instance, a living one, placed between those two that were the glories of antiquity, and he now a captive, and that is Daniel, to teach us not to lessen the useful good men of our own day by over-magnifying the ancients. Let the children of the captivity know that Daniel, their neighbour, and companion in tribulation, being a man of great humility, piety, and zeal for God, and instant and constant in prayer, had as good an interest in heaven as Noah or Job had. Why may not God raise up as great and good men now as he did formerly, and do as much for them?

VII. That when the sin of a people has come to its height, and the decree has gone forth for their ruin, the piety and prayers of the best men shall not prevail to finish the controversy. This is here asserted again and again, that, though these three men were in Jerusalem at this time, yet they should deliver neither son nor daughter; not so much as the little ones should be spared for their sakes, as the little ones of Israel were upon the prayer of Moses, Num 14:31. No; the land shall be desolate, and God would not hear their prayers for it, though Moses and Samuel stood before him, Jer 15:1. Note, Abused patience will turn at last into inexorable wrath; and it should seem as if God would be more inexorable in Jerusalem's case than in another (Eze 14:6), because, besides the divine patience, they had enjoyed greater privileges than any other people, which were the aggravations of their sin.

VIII. That, though pious praying men may not prevail to deliver others, yet they shall deliver their own souls by their righteousness, so that, though they may suffer in the common calamity, yet to them the property of it is altered; it is not to them what it is to the wicked; it is unstrung, and does them no hurt; it is sanctified, and does them good. Sometimes their souls (their lives) are remarkably delivered, and given them for a prey; at least their souls (their spiritual interests) are secured. If their bodies be not delivered, yet their souls are. Riches indeed profit not in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death, from so great a death, so many deaths as are here threatened. This should encourage us to keep our integrity in times of common apostasy, that, if we do so, we shall be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger.

IX. That, even when God makes the greatest desolations by his judgments, he reserves some to be the monuments of his mercy, Eze 14:22, Eze 14:23. In Jerusalem itself, though marked for utter ruin, yet there shall be left a remnant, who shall not be cut off by any of those sore judgments before mentioned, but shall be carried into captivity, both sons and daughters, who shall be the seed of a new generation. The young ones, who had not grown up to such an obstinacy in sin as their fathers had who were therefore cut off as incurable, these shall be brought forth out of the ruins of Jerusalem by the victorious enemy, and behold they shall come forth to you that are in captivity, they shall make a virtue of a necessity, and shall come the more willingly to Babylon because so many of their friends have gone thither before them and are there ready to receive them; and, when they come, you shall see their ways and their doing; you shall hear them make a free and ingenuous confession of the sins they had formerly been guilty of, and a humble profession of repentance for them, with promises of reformation; and you shall see instances of their reformation, shall see what good their affliction has done them, and how prudently and patiently they conduct themselves under it. Their narrow escape shall have a good effect upon them; it shall change their temper and conversation, and make them new men. And this will redound, 1. To the satisfaction of their brethren: They shall comfort you when you see their ways. Note, It is a very comfortable sight to see people, when they are under the rod, repenting and humbling themselves, justifying God and accepting the punishment of their iniquity. When we sorrow (as we ought to do) for the afflictions of others, it is a great comfort to us in our sorrow to see them improving their afflictions and making a good use of them. When those captives told their friends how bad they had been, and how righteous God was in bringing these judgments upon them, it made them very easy, and helped to reconcile them to the calamities of Jerusalem, to the justice of God in punishing his own people so, and to the goodness of God, which now appeared to have had kind intentions in all; and thus "You shall be comforted concerning all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and, when you better understand the thing, shall not have such direful apprehensions concerning it as you have had." Note, It is a debt we owe to our brethren, if we have got good by our afflictions, to comfort them by letting them know it. 2. It will redound to the honour of God: "You shall know that I have not done without cause, not without a just provocation, and yet not without a gracious design, all that I have done in it." Note, When afflictions have done their work, and have accomplished that for which they were sent, then will appear the wisdom and goodness of God in sending them, and God will be not only justified, but glorified in them.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 12–23. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Verse 12, 13 and following) And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, when a land sins against me by acting treacherously, I will stretch out my hand (some versions add 'upon it') and break its staff of bread, and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast. And if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver their own souls by their righteousness, declares the Lord of hosts. If I also bring the most harmful beasts upon the land to devastate it, and it becomes impassable because of the beasts, and these three men are in it, as I live, says the Lord (Vulgate adds 'God'), they shall not deliver sons or daughters, but they alone shall be delivered; but the land shall be desolate. Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say to the sword, Pass through the land, and I cut off from it man and beast, and these three men are in the midst of it, as I live, says the Lord God, they shall not deliver sons or daughters, but they alone shall be delivered. But if I bring a deadly disease upon that land and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to remove from it man and beast, and even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, says the Lord God, they would save neither son nor daughter. They would deliver only themselves by their righteousness. For thus says the Lord God: Even if I bring four deadly judgments upon Jerusalem – sword, famine, evil beasts, and disease – to kill off its inhabitants and its livestock, yet there will be survivors who will bring out sons and daughters. Behold, they themselves will come out to you, and you will see their path and their inventions, and you will be comforted concerning the evil which I have brought upon Jerusalem with everything that I have brought upon it. And you will be comforted when you see their path and their inventions, and you will know that I have not done all that I have done in vain, says the Lord God. Four plagues are brought upon the earth, the transgressing and sinful earth, as the Seventy have translated it: famine, beast, sword, pestilence. If each one of these plagues were brought in separate parts to each region, and these three men, Noah and Daniel and Job, whose righteousness is proclaimed by the voices of the Scriptures, would pray for the sinful earth, they would not only be unable to save it, but not even their own sons and daughters, if they were to perpetrate the works of the sinful earth; but they would only be able to save themselves. The question is why mention only Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and the other righteous patriarchs and prophets. This is easily solved: Noah, because of the impending flood that would cleanse the earth, could not prevent or delay it as the whole earth had corrupted the ways of the Lord (Genesis 6:7). However, he had preserved his sons who might have possessed the same virtue, as a seed for the human race. Daniel also mitigated the imminent captivity of the people of Judah with no tears (Dan. 1). But Job, not because of sins, but because of testing, did not save neither his house nor his children (Job 1). Others, however, say that these three men alone witnessed both prosperity and adversity, and then prosperity again: therefore, they are named together; and this is secretly meant to signify that just as they saw both good and bad, and then joy again, so too the people of Israel, who first enjoyed good things and later endured the yoke of captivity, if they repent, will return to their former happiness. And if Noah and Daniel and Job were gathered together in one place, they would not be able to avert the wrath of God from the sinful earth, that is, those who dwell on the earth. What can be said then about those who believe that through the merits of their parents and their own virtues, they can free their sinful children from the fires of hell? Therefore, neither a sinful father can save his sinful son, nor can a righteous mother, from a chaste conversation, give rewards for chastity to her unchaste daughter. And on the other hand, the vices of parents will not harm their children; but the soul that sins, it shall die (Ezekiel, XVII, 4). Lot, dwelling in Sodom, not only in spirit but also in flesh, did not save his wife when she looked back, but only his daughters, who perhaps had not sinned (Genesis XIX). And the holy man Josiah, not only did he not save the sinful people with his virtues, but he himself died in their sins (2 Kings XIII). But if sometimes the Lord promises his mercy to their descendants on account of Abraham and David, it must be noted that he does not spare those who persist in wickedness; but he helps the conduct of those who repent, so that the merits of the fathers may benefit the conversation of the sons. When, he says, these things are so, and prayer does not save the sinful land from the individual punishments of such great men: thus says the Lord God, because Jerusalem has committed abominable sins, I will bring four plagues upon her at once: the sword, by which she is slain by enemies; and famine, which she endures in siege; and wild beasts, by which she is devoured while fleeing in the deserts and mountains; and pestilence, which always follows hunger and scarcity. He transferred death over her, but this, he says, I will bring upon her, so that neither men remain in her, nor animals. And yet, by my mercy, I will leave some in her, who will raise their sons and daughters; and let the captives come here, that is, to Babylon, and to Chaldea, so that when you see them and observe their works, then you will understand that they were justly captured, and my judgment was just, and may your captivity have consolation; while you understand that I have freed them from the sword, famine, beasts, and pestilence, so that by their perversity you may learn the reason why Jerusalem was overthrown, the temple set on fire, and the people led into captivity, except for those whom the sword, famine, beasts, and pestilence have consumed. These words are spoken about that Jerusalem, to which the captivity was approaching while Ezekiel was prophesying among the Chaldeans. Moreover, it is also spoken about our land, which is called: You are dust, and to dust you shall return (Gen. III, 19); and it is spoken about our Jerusalem and each of the believers, that if they have despised God's commandments and have earned the title of transgressors, famine will be induced; not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the word of God. And a sword shall be brought, of which we read: They shall be delivered into the hands of the sword: the parts of foxes were (or will be) (Psalm 62:11). And to Mary: And thy own soul a sword shall pierce (Luke 2:35). And beasts shall be brought, to whom the just man shall not be delivered, it is demanded: Do not deliver the soul of the one who confesses to you to beasts (Psalm 73:19). And pestilence shall be brought (for which 70 interpreted death), of which it is written: The worst death for sinners (Psalm 33:22). And: The soul that sins, it shall die. And, if bitter death separates thus (Infra XVIII, 4)? Concerning all these, neither the teaching of spiritual parents, whom we understand as masters (I Reg. XV), nor the rulers will be able to free them, unless there is agreement of the sons, and their petitions have aided their efforts. For the justice of the just person will be upon him, and the iniquity of the wicked person will dwell in him: Each person will die for their own sin, and their righteousness will save them (Deut. XXIV, 16). And the Jews say in vain: Abraham is our father (John 8), when they do not have the works of Abraham. But if there is any confidence, let us trust in the Lord alone. For cursed is every man who has hope in another man (Jeremiah 17), even if they are holy, even if they are prophets. We read: Do not trust in men (Psalm 146). And again: It is better to trust in the Lord than to trust in princes (Psalm 118). Not only in secular rulers, but also in the rulers of the churches, those who are just will only save their own souls. However, they will not be able to save their sons and daughters, whom they have borne in the church, if they are negligent. And yet the Apostle says: If someone's work is burned up, he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3:15) However, the hand is extended over the rebellious earth, so that the rod or the strength of the bread may be crushed. She extends and threatens with blows, unwillingly those who extend her and lifts up sinners to strike, but terrifies with extension and preserves the frightened.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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