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Ezekiel 24:7

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For her blood is in the midst of her; she set it upon the top of a rock; she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust;

For her blood {H1818} is in the midst {H8432} of her; she set {H7760} it upon the top {H6706} of a rock {H5553}; she poured {H8210} it not upon the ground {H776}, to cover {H3680} it with dust {H6083};

For her blood is still in her; she poured it on bare rock; she did not pour it on the ground, to cover it with dust.

For the blood she shed is still within her; she poured it out on the bare rock; she did not pour it on the ground to cover it with dust.

For her blood is in the midst of her; she set it upon the bare rock; she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust.

Commentary

Context

Ezekiel 24:7 is part of the "Parable of the Boiling Pot" (Ezekiel 24:1-14), a vivid and somber prophecy delivered to the prophet Ezekiel on the very day Nebuchadnezzar's siege of Jerusalem began (588 BC). The pot symbolizes Jerusalem, and its contents represent the inhabitants and their sins. This particular verse highlights the city's profound guilt and brazen defiance against God.

The imagery of blood is central to understanding the city's defilement. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, and particularly under the Mosaic Law, blood was sacred, representing life, and its proper handling was crucial. Spilling blood, especially innocent blood, defiled the land and brought severe consequences. This passage underscores that Jerusalem's guilt was not hidden but openly displayed, demanding divine retribution.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Unconcealed Guilt and Defiance: The core message of this verse is Jerusalem's unashamed and open display of its sins, particularly the shedding of innocent blood. Instead of hiding its guilt, the city "set it upon the top of a rock," making its wickedness visible to all, including God. This deliberate act signifies a profound lack of remorse and a brazen defiance of divine law.
  • Impenitence: By not covering the blood with dust, Jerusalem demonstrated its refusal to acknowledge or repent from its moral corruption. This act was a direct affront to God's commands and the natural human inclination to cover up wrongdoing.
  • Divine Justice: The exposed blood serves as a stark reminder that God sees all unrighteousness. The very act of leaving the blood uncovered was an invitation for divine judgment, signaling that the city's sins had reached a point where they could no longer be ignored or concealed from God's righteous wrath.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "blood" here is dam (דָם), which carries significant theological weight beyond mere physical fluid. In this context, it refers to bloodguilt, the collective culpability for violence and injustice, particularly the shedding of innocent lives within the city's walls. The contrast between "rock" (צוּר - tsur) and "ground" (אֶרֶץ - erets, though "dust" is עָפָר - aphar) emphasizes the deliberate exposure. While the Mosaic Law commanded to cover the blood of hunted animals (see Leviticus 17:13), the principle extended to defilement by innocent blood, which cried out from the ground (as seen in the story of Abel's blood in Genesis 4:4-10).

Related Scriptures

This imagery powerfully conveys Jerusalem's extreme guilt, particularly for shedding innocent blood, which cried out for divine judgment. The act of leaving blood exposed on a rock, rather than covering it with dust as was often customary (see Leviticus 17:13 for a related instruction regarding hunting), symbolizes Jerusalem's unrepentant and brazen display of its moral defilement.

The city's stubbornness and refusal to repent are themes echoed throughout the prophetic books, such as in Jeremiah 5:3, where Judah's heart is described as hardened against God's discipline.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 24:7 serves as a powerful reminder that there are no hidden sins before God. While we may attempt to conceal our wrongdoings from others or even from ourselves, God sees all. The "blood on the rock" symbolizes the consequences of unconfessed and unrepented sin. For believers today, this verse underscores the importance of:

  • Confession and Repentance: True repentance involves acknowledging our sins before God, not brazenly displaying or justifying them. As 1 John 1:9 states, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
  • Moral Accountability: This passage reminds us that actions have consequences, and societies, like individuals, are held accountable for their moral choices, especially regarding justice and the sanctity of life.
  • God's Justice: Ultimately, God is a righteous judge who will not let injustice go unpunished. While His mercy is vast, His justice ensures that all wrongs will eventually be addressed.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Leviticus 17:13 (5 votes)

    And whatsoever man [there be] of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust.

  • Deuteronomy 12:16 (4 votes)

    Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water.

  • 1 Kings 21:19 (2 votes)

    And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.

  • Deuteronomy 12:24 (2 votes)

    Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water.

  • Isaiah 26:21 (2 votes)

    For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

  • Job 16:18 (2 votes)

    O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.

  • Isaiah 3:9 (2 votes)

    ¶ The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide [it] not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.