Thus saith the Lord GOD; An evil, an only evil, behold, is come.
Thus saith {H559} the Lord {H136} GOD {H3069}; An evil {H7451}, an only {H259} evil {H7451}, behold, is come {H935}.
"Here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Disaster, unique disaster - here it comes!
This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Disaster! An unprecedented disaster— behold, it is coming!
Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: An evil, an only evil; behold, it cometh.
-
2 Kings 21:12
Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I [am] bringing [such] evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle. -
2 Kings 21:13
And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as [a man] wipeth a dish, wiping [it], and turning [it] upside down. -
Nahum 1:9
¶ What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time. -
Ezekiel 5:9
And I will do in thee that which I have not done, and whereunto I will not do any more the like, because of all thine abominations. -
Matthew 24:21
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. -
Amos 3:2
You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. -
Daniel 9:12
And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem.
Ezekiel 7:5 is a stark declaration from the Lord God, emphasizing the certainty and severe nature of an impending disaster upon the land of Israel. It is part of a series of pronouncements detailing the comprehensive judgment that would befall the nation due to its persistent sin and rebellion.
Context
This verse is situated within Ezekiel chapter 7, which delivers a powerful and urgent message of judgment against the land of Israel and its inhabitants. The prophet Ezekiel, ministering during the Babylonian exile, conveys God's word that the "end is come" (Ezekiel 7:2) upon the land. The preceding verses paint a picture of God's anger and the desolation that awaits, making it clear that the time for punishment has arrived. Verse 5 intensifies this message, highlighting the unique and overwhelming nature of the calamity.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The Hebrew phrase translated "an evil, an only evil" is ra'ah achat, ra'ah yechidah (רָעָה אַחַת, רָעָה יְחִידָה). The word ra'ah (רָעָה) in this context refers to a calamity, disaster, or misfortune, rather than moral wickedness. The repetition and the use of yechidah, meaning "only" or "unique," serve as a strong rhetorical device to emphasize the unparalleled and singular nature of the impending doom. It signifies that this particular judgment is unique in its severity and scope, a final and decisive blow.
Practical Application
Ezekiel 7:5 serves as a solemn and enduring warning about the consequences of persistent disobedience to God. It highlights several timeless truths: