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Ezekiel 16:40

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They shall also bring up a company against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords.

They shall also bring up {H5927} a company {H6951} against thee, and they shall stone {H7275} thee with stones {H68}, and thrust thee through {H1333} with their swords {H2719}.

They will also bring up a mob against you, who will stone you to death and hack you to pieces with their swords.

They will bring a mob against you, who will stone you and cut you to pieces with their swords.

They shall also bring up a company against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords.

Commentary

Context of Ezekiel 16:40

Ezekiel 16 is a poignant and graphic allegory where God describes Jerusalem (representing the nation of Israel) as a foundling child raised by Him, adorned, and made beautiful, only to become an unfaithful wife who commits spiritual adultery and harlotry with surrounding pagan nations and their idols. Leading up to verse 40, God details Jerusalem's abominable acts of idolatry and her reliance on foreign alliances instead of Him. This verse then describes the severe judgment that will befall her, specifically how her former "lovers" – the very nations she allied with – will be instrumental in her downfall. It follows the pronouncements of judgment in Ezekiel 16:38-39, where God declares He will judge her as adulteresses and shed blood are judged.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Retribution: This verse powerfully illustrates God's just and severe judgment against spiritual unfaithfulness. The punishment directly relates to the sin: those whom Jerusalem pursued as lovers will be the instruments of her shame and destruction.
  • Consequences of Idolatry and Spiritual Adultery: The "stoning" and "thrusting through with swords" are vivid images of violent execution and warfare, signifying the ultimate consequences of abandoning God for idols and worldly alliances. This reflects the Mosaic Law's penalty for adultery and idolatry, which often involved stoning.
  • Public Shame and Exposure: The "company" bringing up a charge against Jerusalem implies a public, humiliating judgment, where her nakedness and shame (as described in previous verses) are fully exposed before those she sought to please.
  • Abandonment by Former Allies: A recurring theme in prophetic literature is that nations Israel relied on for protection or prosperity would ultimately turn against her (e.g., Lamentations 1:2).

Linguistic Insights

The KJV text uses direct and forceful language: "bring up a company against thee," "stone thee with stones," and "thrust thee through with their swords." There are no deeply obscure Hebrew terms here that require extensive linguistic unpacking for a general audience. The imagery is clearly understood as a form of capital punishment and military conquest, reflecting ancient methods of execution and warfare. The "company" (Hebrew: kahal) refers to an assembly or multitude, specifically a hostile gathering of nations.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 16:40 serves as a timeless warning against spiritual idolatry and unfaithfulness to God. For believers today, it underscores several vital truths:

  • The Seriousness of Spiritual Idolatry: Anything that takes the place of God in our hearts – whether possessions, power, relationships, or worldly pursuits – constitutes spiritual idolatry. God takes such unfaithfulness seriously.
  • Consequences of Worldly Alliances: Relying on worldly systems, values, or powers over God's divine provision and guidance can lead to ultimate betrayal and downfall. Our trust should be solely in God.
  • God's Justice: While this verse describes a severe judgment, it highlights God's unwavering justice. He will ultimately address sin and unfaithfulness, whether through direct consequence or through the natural outworking of our choices.
  • Call to Repentance: Though this passage focuses on judgment, the broader book of Ezekiel also emphasizes God's desire for repentance and restoration (Ezekiel 18:32). Understanding the severity of judgment can motivate a return to faithfulness.
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

  • Ezekiel 23:47 (4 votes)

    And the company shall stone them with stones, and dispatch them with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire.

  • Habakkuk 1:6 (3 votes)

    For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, [that] bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces [that are] not theirs.

  • Habakkuk 1:10 (3 votes)

    And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.

  • Ezekiel 24:21 (2 votes)

    Speak unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth; and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left shall fall by the sword.

  • Jeremiah 25:9 (2 votes)

    Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.

  • Ezekiel 23:10 (2 votes)

    These discovered her nakedness: they took her sons and her daughters, and slew her with the sword: and she became famous among women; for they had executed judgment upon her.

  • John 8:5 (2 votes)

    Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?