Ezekiel 6:9

And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.

And they that escape {H6412} of you shall remember {H2142} me among the nations {H1471} whither they shall be carried captives {H7617}, because I am broken {H7665} with their whorish {H2181} heart {H3820}, which hath departed {H5493} from me, and with their eyes {H5869}, which go a whoring {H2181} after {H310} their idols {H1544}: and they shall lothe {H6962} themselves {H6440} for the evils {H7451} which they have committed {H6213} in all their abominations {H8441}.

Those of you who escape will remember me among the nations where they have been exiled. How broken I have been over their whoring hearts that left me, and over their eyes that went whoring after their idols! They are going to loathe themselves for all the evils they committed in their disgusting practices.

Then in the nations to which they have been carried captive, your survivors will remember Me—how I have been grieved by their adulterous hearts that turned away from Me, and by their eyes that lusted after idols. So they will loathe themselves for the evil they have done and for all their abominations.

And those of you that escape shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captive, how that I have been broken with their lewd heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which play the harlot after their idols: and they shall loathe themselves in their own sight for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.

Ezekiel 6:9 is a poignant verse within a prophecy of judgment, revealing God's grief over Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness and His ultimate purpose in their suffering.

Context

This verse is part of Ezekiel Chapter 6, where the prophet Ezekiel delivers a message of impending judgment against the idolatrous mountains and people of Israel. God declares His intention to bring the sword, famine, and pestilence upon the land because of their widespread worship of idols and abominable practices. The judgment is severe, but verse 9 introduces a crucial element: a surviving remnant. This remnant, though few, will be carried into Babylonian captivity, where they will ultimately remember God and be brought to repentance.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment and a Preserved Remnant: While God's wrath is poured out due to their sins, His judgment is not absolute destruction. A small group will escape death, though they will endure exile. This demonstrates God's justice intertwined with His enduring covenant faithfulness.
  • God's Grief Over Idolatry: The phrase "I am broken with their whorish heart" reveals God's deep sorrow and pain over His people's spiritual adultery. Idolatry is not merely a breaking of rules; it is a personal betrayal of the covenant relationship, likened to a spouse's unfaithfulness.
  • Spiritual Unfaithfulness and Idolatry: The verse explicitly identifies the "whorish heart" and "eyes, which go a whoring after their idols." This vivid imagery underscores the allure and pervasive nature of idolatry in ancient Israel, where they pursued false gods with the same passion as illicit lovers. Hosea 4:12 also uses similar language to describe Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness.
  • Repentance and Self-Loathing: The ultimate purpose of the exile for the remnant is to bring them to a place of profound remorse. They will "lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed," signifying genuine repentance born out of the painful consequences of their choices and a renewed understanding of God's holiness.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "broken" (שָׁבַר - shavar) here conveys God's deep pain and indignation. It's not merely that He is offended, but that He is personally wounded by their actions, emphasizing the intimate nature of the covenant He had with Israel. The term "whorish" (זָנָה - zanah) consistently used in the Old Testament for idolatry, powerfully illustrates the betrayal of devotion owed exclusively to God. Their "eyes" going "a whoring after their idols" highlights how visual temptation and observation led them into forbidden practices.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 6:9 offers several timeless lessons:

  • The Seriousness of Spiritual Adultery: This verse reminds us that anything that takes the place of God in our hearts—be it wealth, power, pleasure, or even self-righteousness—is a form of idolatry that grieves Him deeply. God desires our exclusive devotion.
  • God's Use of Hardship for Repentance: Sometimes, difficult circumstances serve as a divine catalyst to bring us to a place of self-reflection and genuine repentance. The exile was not merely punishment, but a painful process intended to purify and restore.
  • The Path to True Repentance: The "loathing themselves" described here is a crucial step in genuine repentance. It's not just regret for consequences, but a deep sorrow for having offended a holy and loving God, leading to a desire for transformation, as promised in Ezekiel 36:26.
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.

  • Ezekiel 20:43

    And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.

  • Isaiah 7:13

    And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; [Is it] a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?

  • Job 42:6

    Wherefore I abhor [myself], and repent in dust and ashes.

  • Psalms 78:40

    ¶ How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, [and] grieve him in the desert!

  • Zechariah 10:9

    And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again.

  • Ezekiel 20:7

    Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I [am] the LORD your God.

  • Isaiah 43:24

    Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.

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