Ezekiel 21:6

Ezekiel 21:6 KJV is a powerful and vivid command from God to the prophet Ezekiel, instructing him to perform a prophetic act of deep anguish before the people of Israel. This verse encapsulates the severity of the impending judgment that God is about to bring upon Judah and Jerusalem.

Context

This verse is situated within a larger prophecy in Ezekiel 21, often referred to as the "Prophecy of the Sword." God declares that His divine sword (representing the Babylonian army) is drawn against Jerusalem and the land of Israel due to their persistent idolatry and rebellion. Ezekiel's commanded sighing is not merely an expression of personal grief but a symbolic action, a dramatic representation of the profound sorrow and destruction that is about to befall the nation. The people, seeing his intense distress, are meant to inquire about its meaning, providing Ezekiel an opportunity to deliver God's message of judgment (as seen in Ezekiel 21:7).

Key Themes

• Divine Judgment: The verse underscores the certainty and severity of God's judgment against a rebellious people. The sighing is a foretaste of the national lamentation to come.
• Prophetic Action: Ezekiel, often addressed as "son of man," is commanded to embody the very pain and despair that will soon grip the nation. This dramatic, public display serves as a potent visual sermon, designed to awaken the people from their complacency.
• Profound Anguish: The phrase "with the breaking of [thy] loins" vividly portrays an overwhelming, debilitating pain. The loins were considered the seat of strength and vitality, so their "breaking" signifies utter collapse and despair, a deep, internal bitterness that leaves one utterly weakened. This is a sorrow so intense it physically manifests.
• Warning and Consequences: The sighing is a final, desperate warning from God, communicated through His prophet, indicating that the consequences of their sin are imminent and unavoidable.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "sigh" here, na'anaq (נאנק), denotes a deep groan or lament, often associated with pain or distress. The phrase "breaking of loins" (שבר מָתְנַיִם - shever motnayim) is a powerful idiom in Hebrew, signifying extreme physical and emotional collapse. It's a vivid image of one's core strength giving way under immense pressure and grief, similar to how Isaiah describes the trembling of loins in lamentation.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 21:6 serves as a stark reminder of several timeless truths:

• The Seriousness of Sin: God takes sin seriously, and persistent rebellion eventually leads to severe consequences, both individually and corporately.
• God's Compassion in Warning: Even in judgment, God provides warnings through His messengers. The prophet's anguish reflects God's own sorrow over the need for judgment.
• The Call to Repentance: The prophetic sign was meant to move the people to repentance before it was too late. It challenges us to examine our own lives and respond to God's warnings with humility and a desire for change.
• Empathy for the Suffering: The verse also illustrates the deep empathy a spiritual leader or believer might feel for those facing dire consequences due to their choices, bearing their sorrow as a burden.