Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: I will make a stormy wind break out in my wrath, and there shall be a deluge of rain in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to make a full end.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's striking here is not just God's anger, but the active way He uses natural forces—a stormy wind, overflowing rain, and great hailstones—as instruments of His wrath. This isn't just a description of destruction; it's God personally unleashing His fury through powerful, overwhelming elements to bring about a complete end.
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: I will make a stormy wind break out in my wrath, and there shall be a deluge of rain in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to make a full end.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel has been confronting false prophets who have been deceiving God's people with false promises of peace and security, even building up defenses with "untempered mortar." In response, God declares He will personally send a destructive storm – winds, torrential rain, and hailstones – to tear down the flimsy structures and expose the prophets' lies, utterly consuming their deceitful work. This judgment isn't just natural disaster; it's God's furious wrath unleashed to bring about a complete end to their deception and the false security it offered.
When judgment comes, it's not a passive event. God's wrath is portrayed as an active, powerful force ready to break loose.
The prophets often used natural disasters to symbolize God's judgment. In Ezekiel 13:13, the Lord declares He will 'make a stormy wind break out,' pour down a 'deluge of rain,' and send 'great hailstones.' This isn't just about a bad weather forecast; it's God Himself orchestrating the destruction. He's not distant; He's actively bringing His anger to bear on those who have been misled and have deceived others. The phrasing emphasizes that God is the source of this terrifying power, making it clear that this judgment is deliberate and purposeful, intended to make 'a full end.'
What is the ultimate goal of this divine storm? It's not just to scare, but to completely eradicate.
The imagery of a storm, a deluge, and hailstones all points to utter destruction. The Lord says these elements are sent 'to make a full end.' This isn't a mild correction or a warning shot. The false prophets had built flimsy spiritual structures with 'untempered mortar,' offering false security. God's judgment, depicted as a violent storm, is designed to tear down and destroy everything that is built on lies and deception. It signifies a complete and total dismantling of their false hopes and their deceptive ministry.
Understand the original words
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chemah · Hebrew Noun
The profound, holy, and righteous indignation of God against sin and rebellion, which is expressed through divine judgment; it is a manifestation of His holiness.
aph · Hebrew Noun
A deep-seated, often burning, emotional response of God against wickedness; it is not arbitrary or passionate in a human sense, but a consistent, righteous reaction to injustice.
This prophecy comes during the devastating Babylonian exile, a time when Jerusalem has already fallen and the Temple is destroyed. Ezekiel's words are a fierce judgment against the false prophets who misled the people with false promises of peace, highlighting the devastating consequences of their deception.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Empire's Height
The Assyrian Empire exerted significant power over the region, impacting the political landscape and leading to earlier deportations of some Israelites. This established a pattern of powerful empires dominating Judah.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and exiles a portion of the population, including Daniel. This event marked the beginning of the Babylonian exile and a period of great uncertainty for the Jewish people.
597 BC
Second Deportation
Another significant group of Judeans, including Ezekiel himself, is deported to Babylon. This exile deepens the sense of crisis and loss among the people.
c. 586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Destruction of the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, ending the Davidic monarchy and leading to a final, massive deportation. This is the ultimate catastrophe that Ezekiel addresses.
c. 586-571 BC
Ezekiel's Ministry in Exile
During this period, Ezekiel delivers his prophecies to the exiles in Babylon, addressing their spiritual state and the reasons for their downfall, including the condemnation of false prophets.
This passage vividly describes God's power unleashed through a destructive hailstorm, mirroring the divine fury and destructive power described in Ezekiel's vision.
Jeremiah 23:19This verse speaks of a 'fierce whirlwind' and 'contention' coming from the Lord against the wicked, echoing the stormy and wrathful judgment mentioned in Ezekiel.
Matthew 7:25Jesus uses the imagery of a storm and flood destroying a house built on sand to illustrate the consequence of building one's life on a faulty foundation, a parallel to the destruction of the false prophets' work.
2 Peter 3:7This passage warns of a future judgment by fire and flood upon the ungodly, linking natural destructive forces to divine wrath and a complete end.
cambridgeEzekiel 13:13: "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in my fury to consume it."
13 . rent it with a stormy wind ] Rather: cause a stormy wind to break forth.
calvinEzekiel 13:13: "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in my fury to consume it."
- Propterea sic dicit Dominator Iehovah. Cadere faciam [17] spiritum tempestatum in ira mea: et imbre inundans in ira mea: et erit imber inundans in ira mea, [18] et lapides grandinis in excandescentia ad consumptionem.
He still pursues the same sentiment; but he says he will send forth st…
What's striking here is not just God's anger, but the active way He uses natural forces—a stormy wind, overflowing rain, and great hailstones—as instruments of His wrath. This isn't just a description of destruction; it's God personally unleashing His fury through powerful, overwhelming elements to bring about a complete end.
Ezekiel has been confronting false prophets who have been deceiving God's people with false promises of peace and security, even building up defenses with "untempered mortar." In response, God declares He will personally send a destructive storm – winds, torrential rain, and hailstones – to tear down the flimsy structures and expose the prophets' lies, utterly consuming their deceitful work. This judgment isn't just natural disaster; it's God's furious wrath unleashed to bring about a complete end to their deception and the false security it offered.
Ezekiel has been confronting false prophets who have been deceiving God's people with false promises of peace and security, even building up defenses with "untempered mortar." In response, God declares He will personally send a destructive storm – winds, torrential rain, and hailstones – to tear down the flimsy structures and expose the prophets' lies, utterly consuming their deceitful work. This judgment isn't just natural disaster; it's God's furious wrath unleashed to bring about a complete end to their deception and the false security it offered.
"Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: I will make a stormy wind break out in my wrath, and there shall be a deluge of rain in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to make a full end." — What's striking here is not just God's anger, but the active way He uses natural forces—a stormy wind, overflowing rain, and great hailstones—as instruments of His wrath. This isn't just a descript…
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Last reviewed October 2026