Ezekiel 33:27

Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; [As] I live, surely they that [are] in the wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that [is] in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that [be] in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.

Say {H559} thou thus unto them, Thus saith {H559} the Lord {H136} GOD {H3069}; As I live {H2416}, surely they that are in the wastes {H2723} shall fall {H5307} by the sword {H2719}, and him that is in the open {H6440} field {H7704} will I give {H5414} to the beasts {H2416} to be devoured {H398}, and they that be in the forts {H4679} and in the caves {H4631} shall die {H4191} of the pestilence {H1698}.

Tell them that Adonai ELOHIM swears, 'As I live, those living in the ruins will fall by the sword, those in the countryside I will give to the wild animals to eat, and those in the fortresses and caves will die of the plague.

Tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘As surely as I live, those in the ruins will fall by the sword, those in the open field I will give to be devoured by wild animals, and those in the strongholds and caves will die by plague.

Thus shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: As I live, surely they that are in the waste places shall fall by the sword; and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured; and they that are in the strongholds and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.

Ezekiel 33:27 delivers a stark prophecy from the Lord GOD, emphasizing the inescapable judgment awaiting those who remained in the desolate land of Judah after the fall of Jerusalem, yet continued in their rebellion.

Context

This verse is part of a larger message in Ezekiel chapter 33, where the prophet is recommissioned as a watchman for the house of Israel. After the news of Jerusalem's destruction reaches the exiles in Babylon, the focus shifts to the remnant left in the land. These individuals harbored a false sense of security or entitlement to the land, despite their persistent disobedience. They believed their mere presence in the land, or their claims to Abraham's inheritance, would protect them, failing to grasp the gravity of their sin. This verse directly addresses their misplaced hope, declaring that no place—be it the desolate countryside, open fields, or fortified hideouts—would offer refuge from divine retribution.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment and Retribution: The verse powerfully illustrates God's unwavering resolve to execute justice upon persistent sin. The phrase "As I live" is a solemn divine oath, underscoring the certainty and immutability of this judgment.
  • No Escape from God's Decree: The three categories of location—wastes, open field, forts and caves—cover all possible hiding places, demonstrating that there was no sanctuary from the Lord's judgment for the unrepentant.
  • Comprehensive Consequences of Unrepentance: The specific forms of death (sword, beasts, pestilence) represent the classic instruments of divine wrath often seen in Old Testament prophecies, highlighting the severe and multifaceted nature of the punishment for rejecting God's warnings. This echoes warnings found in texts like Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "As I live" (Hebrew: Chai Ani) is a powerful oath, used frequently by God to affirm the certainty of His word. It signifies that His very existence guarantees the fulfillment of His declarations. The specific judgments—"sword," "beasts," and "pestilence"—are often referred to as God's "four sore judgments" when famine is added (cf. Ezekiel 14:21), representing comprehensive devastation.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 33:27 serves as a sober reminder of the seriousness of sin and the inevitability of God's justice. While the immediate context is historical Israel, the principle remains timeless:

  • God's Warnings Are Real: We must take God's warnings seriously and not presume upon His patience or mercy. There is no hiding place from His scrutiny or judgment for those who persistently reject His ways.
  • The Call to Repentance: This stern warning is contrasted with God's desire for repentance, as expressed earlier in the chapter: "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live." The severity of judgment underscores the urgency of turning from sin.
  • God's Sovereignty: Ultimately, this verse affirms God's absolute sovereignty over all creation and His ability to execute His will, whether in judgment or in salvation.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 1 Samuel 13:6

    When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.

  • Jeremiah 42:22

    Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go [and] to sojourn.

  • Ezekiel 39:4

    Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that [is] with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and [to] the beasts of the field to be devoured.

  • Isaiah 2:19

    And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.

  • Jeremiah 41:9

    Now the pit wherein Ishmael had cast all the dead bodies of the men, whom he had slain because of Gedaliah, [was] it which Asa the king had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel: [and] Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with [them that were] slain.

  • 1 Samuel 22:1

    ¶ David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard [it], they went down thither to him.

  • Ezekiel 6:11

    ¶ Thus saith the Lord GOD; Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say, Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.

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