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Ezekiel 24:9

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Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city! I will even make the pile for fire great.

Therefore thus saith {H559} the Lord {H136} GOD {H3069}; Woe {H188} to the bloody {H1818} city {H5892}! I will even make the pile {H4071} for fire great {H1431}.

"Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'Woe to the city drenched with blood! I myself will make a huge bonfire,

Yes, this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the city of bloodshed! I, too, will pile the kindling high.

Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Woe to the bloody city! I also will make the pile great.

Commentary

Context of Ezekiel 24:9

Ezekiel 24 marks a pivotal moment in the prophet's ministry, delivering a message of definitive judgment against Jerusalem. This chapter opens with the parable of the boiling pot, which vividly illustrates the impending siege and destruction of the city by the Babylonians. The inhabitants are like the meat in the pot, destined to be consumed by the intense fire of God's wrath. Verse 9 specifically pronounces a "woe" upon Jerusalem, directly linking its impending doom to its profound moral and spiritual corruption. This prophecy was given at the very time the Babylonian siege began, emphasizing the immediate and unavoidable nature of the judgment.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Judgment and Wrath: The verse clearly states, "Thus saith the Lord GOD," emphasizing the divine origin and certainty of the judgment. The "woe" is not merely a lament but a solemn declaration of God's righteous indignation against sin.
  • Jerusalem's Bloodguilt: The epithet "bloody city" encapsulates Jerusalem's extensive history of spiritual adultery, idolatry, and the shedding of innocent blood. This includes both literal violence and the deeper moral corruption that defiled the city and its people.
  • Inevitable Consequences of Sin: The phrase "I will even make the pile for fire great" signifies the intensity and totality of the impending destruction. It speaks to the consuming nature of God's judgment, where the city's impurities and its very fabric would be purged or destroyed by fire, symbolizing the Babylonian siege and subsequent devastation.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "bloody city" translates the Hebrew *`îr dāmîm* (עִיר דָּמִים). The word *dāmîm* is the plural form of "blood" and often signifies "bloodshed" or "bloodguilt." This is not just about isolated acts of violence, but a pervasive state of moral corruption, injustice, and idolatry that resulted in the shedding of innocent blood, including child sacrifices (e.g., Jeremiah 2:34). It highlights the deep-seated wickedness that permeated Jerusalem's society and government.

The imagery of "make the pile for fire great" evokes a funeral pyre or a massive bonfire. This powerful metaphor indicates a complete and consuming destruction, mirroring the intense heat and devastation that would befall Jerusalem during the siege, burning away its physical structures and symbolic impurities.

Practical Application and Reflection

Ezekiel 24:9 serves as a stark reminder of God's holiness and His unwavering commitment to justice. While the immediate context is ancient Jerusalem, the principles remain timeless:

  • Sin Has Consequences: God does not overlook persistent sin, especially when it involves injustice, idolatry, and violence. There is a day of reckoning for individuals and nations.
  • Divine Patience Has Limits: Despite God's long-suffering, there comes a point where judgment is inevitable if repentance is not offered.
  • Self-Examination: This verse calls believers to examine their own lives and societies for "bloodguilt" in its various forms—injustice, spiritual compromise, and any form of violence against God's creation or people. We are called to pursue righteousness and justice, reflecting God's character in a world that often mirrors the "bloody city."
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 24:6 (3 votes)

    Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose scum [is] therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it! bring it out piece by piece; let no lot fall upon it.

  • Habakkuk 2:12 (3 votes)

    Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity!

  • Isaiah 30:33 (3 votes)

    For Tophet [is] ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made [it] deep [and] large: the pile thereof [is] fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.

  • Jude 1:7 (2 votes)

    Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

  • 2 Peter 3:7 (2 votes)

    But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

  • 2 Peter 3:12 (2 votes)

    Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

  • Isaiah 31:9 (2 votes)

    And he shall pass over to his strong hold for fear, and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign, saith the LORD, whose fire [is] in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.