Ezekiel 22:6

Behold, the princes of Israel, every one were in thee to their power to shed blood.

Behold, the princes {H5387} of Israel {H3478}, every one {H376} were in thee to their power {H2220} to shed {H8210} blood {H1818}.

"'The leaders of Isra'el in you all use their power in order to shed blood.

See how every prince of Israel within you has used his power to shed blood.

Behold, the princes of Israel, every one according to his power, have been in thee to shed blood.

Commentary

Context

Ezekiel 22 is a powerful prophetic indictment against Jerusalem, often referred to as the "bloody city" (see Ezekiel 22:2). This chapter details the widespread corruption and sin that permeated every level of society in Judah, from the leaders to the common people, just before its final destruction and exile by the Babylonians. Verse 6 specifically targets the highest echelons of society: the princes of Israel, highlighting their particular culpability in the nation's moral decay.

Key Themes

  • Corruption of Leadership: The verse starkly reveals how those entrusted with power and authority—the princes or rulers—abused their positions. Instead of upholding justice and protecting the vulnerable, they became agents of violence and oppression.
  • Abuse of Power: The phrase "to their power" emphasizes that these leaders leveraged their influence, authority, and might not for good, but for the wicked purpose of shedding blood. This indicates a systemic and intentional misuse of their God-given role.
  • Injustice and Violence: "To shed blood" goes beyond literal murder to encompass judicial corruption, oppression, and any act of injustice that leads to the suffering or death of the innocent. It speaks to the brutal and arbitrary nature of their rule.
  • Divine Accountability: This condemnation from God through Ezekiel underscores the principle that leaders are held to a higher standard and will be judged for how they exercise their authority, especially concerning justice and the protection of life.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "princes" is nesi'im (נְשִׂיאֵי), referring to chiefs, rulers, or leaders. The phrase "to their power" comes from the Hebrew li-gezimtam (לִגְזִמָתָם), which signifies "according to their strength" or "to the utmost of their might/violence." It emphasizes the full extent to which they employed their authority for wicked purposes. "Shed blood" (shafakh dam - שָׁפַךְ דָּם) is a common biblical idiom for committing murder or inflicting unjust violence, often implying guilt and defilement.

Practical Application

Ezekiel's prophecy serves as a timeless warning about the dangers of corrupt leadership and the abuse of power. For believers today, it highlights the importance of:

  • Accountability in Leadership: Leaders in all spheres—government, business, and even the church—are accountable to God for how they wield their influence. This verse reminds us to pray for righteous leaders and to hold them to standards of justice and integrity.
  • Standing Against Injustice: The prophet's condemnation of "shedding blood" extends to all forms of systemic injustice that harm or oppress people. Christians are called to be advocates for justice and to speak out against oppression, just as God's prophets did.
  • Moral Decay's Consequences: The fate of Jerusalem illustrates that widespread moral corruption, especially from those in authority, ultimately leads to societal breakdown and divine judgment. We are reminded that righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach.
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Cross-References

  • Ezekiel 22:27 (4 votes)

    Her princes in the midst thereof [are] like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, [and] to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.

  • Isaiah 1:23 (4 votes)

    Thy princes [are] rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.

  • Nehemiah 9:34 (2 votes)

    Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them.

  • Jeremiah 5:5 (2 votes)

    I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the LORD, [and] the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, [and] burst the bonds.

  • Zechariah 3:3 (2 votes)

    Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.

  • Micah 2:1 (2 votes)

    ¶ Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.

  • Micah 3:9 (2 votes)

    Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.