Ezekiel 9:9

Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah [is] exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.

Then said {H559} he unto me, The iniquity {H5771} of the house {H1004} of Israel {H3478} and Judah {H3063} is exceeding {H3966}{H3966} great {H1419}, and the land {H776} is full {H4390} of blood {H1818}, and the city {H5892} full {H4390} of perverseness {H4297}: for they say {H559}, The LORD {H3068} hath forsaken {H5800} the earth {H776}, and the LORD {H3068} seeth {H7200} not.

Then he said to me, "The wickedness of the house of Isra'el and Y'hudah is enormous, the land is full of blood, and the city is full of justice denied; because they say, 'ADONAI has left the land, ADONAI doesn't see.'

He replied, โ€œThe iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great. The land is full of bloodshed, and the city is full of perversity. For they say, โ€˜The LORD has forsaken the land; the LORD does not see.โ€™

Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of wresting of judgment: for they say, Jehovah hath forsaken the land, and Jehovah seeth not.

Commentary

Ezekiel 9:9 records God's solemn declaration to the prophet Ezekiel, revealing the profound depth of Israel and Judah's sin and the twisted reasoning behind their rebellion, setting the stage for the impending divine judgment.

Context

This verse is part of a series of chilling visions granted to Ezekiel in Ezekiel chapters 8-11, which depict the abominations being committed within the temple precincts and throughout Jerusalem. God is showing Ezekiel the reasons for His imminent departure from the temple and the subsequent destruction of the city by Babylon. The "house of Israel and Judah" refers to the unified sin of the divided kingdom, emphasizing that both the Northern (Israel) and Southern (Judah) kingdoms had fallen into deep apostasy. The land was steeped in violence and injustice, a direct violation of God's covenant laws, leading to a spiritual decay that justified divine intervention.

Key Themes

  • Profound and Pervasive Sin: The phrase "exceeding great" underscores the immense scale and severity of their wickedness. "Full of blood" points to rampant violence, murder, and possibly even child sacrifice, which was a horrific practice associated with idolatry (Jeremiah 19:4). "The city full of perverseness" speaks to widespread moral corruption, injustice, and a perversion of God's righteous standards in all aspects of society. This comprehensive indictment shows sin permeating every level of society.
  • Denial of Divine Sovereignty and Presence: The people's assertion, "The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not," is a critical revelation of their spiritual blindness and rebellion. They believed God was either absent, uncaring, or oblivious to their actions, effectively giving themselves permission to indulge in sin without fear of consequence. This fatal presumption is a common human tendency to suppress the truth of God's omnipresence and justice.
  • Justification for Judgment: This verse serves as God's explicit justification for the severe judgment that follows in the subsequent verses of Ezekiel 9 and Ezekiel 10. God is not acting arbitrarily; He is responding righteously to a people who have utterly rejected Him and His ways, denying His very nature and authority.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word translated "iniquity" is 'avon (ืขึธื•ึนืŸ), which often carries the nuance of twistedness, perversity, or guilt incurred by sin. It implies not just an act of transgression, but a deep-seated moral distortion. The term "perverseness" (mลซtฤ“h, related to turning aside or corruption) further emphasizes this idea of a society that has strayed far from the straight path of God's law, deliberately choosing crookedness over righteousness.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 9:9 serves as a timeless warning. Firstly, it reminds us that God is indeed omnipresent and omniscient; nothing is hidden from His sight, and He does not forsake the earth in terms of His sovereign oversight, even when it seems chaotic. Denying God's awareness or presence is a dangerous path that leads to unchecked sin and eventually, divine accountability. Secondly, it highlights the severe consequences of widespread moral decay and the shedding of innocent blood. For believers today, this verse calls for self-examination, urging us to recognize our own tendencies to minimize sin or rationalize disobedience, and to live in light of God's constant presence and ultimate justice, striving for righteousness in a world that often denies God's truth.

Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash 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 โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Job 22:13

    And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?

  • Ezekiel 8:12

    Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth.

  • 2 Chronicles 36:14

    Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.

  • 2 Chronicles 36:16

    But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till [there was] no remedy.

  • Ezekiel 7:23

    ยถ Make a chain: for the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence.

  • Psalms 94:7

    Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard [it].

  • Micah 3:1

    ยถ And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; [Is it] not for you to know judgment?
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