Ezekiel 14:13-14
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This verse highlights that "trespassing grievously" isn't just about a single act, but a persistent, faithless betrayal of God that invites judgment. The "breaking the staff of bread" imagery powerfully depicts God removing the very foundation of life and sustenance when that faithfulness is broken.
“Son of man, when a land sins against me by acting faithlessly, and I stretch out my hand against it and break its supply of bread and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast, even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness, declares the Lord GOD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel is about to explain why the land faces devastating judgment, and in this passage, God lays out a hypothetical scenario. He describes how, when a land sins by acting faithlessly against Him, He will withdraw His provision, bringing famine and destruction upon both people and animals. This is a prelude to discussing the impotence of even the most righteous individuals to avert God's judgment when a nation has filled the cup of its iniquity.
When we talk about a 'land sinning,' what does that even mean? Is it the dirt, the trees, or the people?
The verse begins with a hypothetical scenario: 'when a land sins against me by acting faithlessly.' The scholars point out that the Hebrew doesn't use a definite article here, meaning it's not about a specific nation like Israel, but a general principle that applies to any land.
The People are the Land
When the text speaks of 'the land' sinning, it's a way of referring to the people who inhabit it. Their collective actions, their 'faithless trespassing,' is what incurs God's judgment. It’s about the moral and spiritual state of the community.
Deepening Iniquity
This 'trespassing grievously' implies a repeated pattern of unfaithfulness, not just a single mistake. It's a conscious turning away from God, often after receiving warnings or promises. This fills up the 'measure of iniquity' that eventually calls for divine response.
God's judgment isn't random. What does 'breaking the staff of bread' truly signify in this context?
The passage describes God's direct action: 'I stretch out my hand against it and break its supply of bread.' This isn't a metaphorical gesture but a depiction of God's active involvement in bringing judgment.
The Staff of Bread
'The staff of bread' is a powerful image. Bread is the most basic sustenance, the staff or support for life. To break it means to undermine the very foundation of survival. This imagery vividly portrays the severity of famine and scarcity.
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Divine Cause and Effect
When God 'breaks the staff of bread' and 'sends famine,' it's presented as a direct consequence of the land's sin. This isn't a distant or impersonal force. God's hand is actively involved, demonstrating that He holds authority over natural resources and can withdraw them as a form of discipline.
Understand the original words
ben adam · Hebrew Noun phrase
A title used frequently for Ezekiel, emphasizing his humanity and his role as a messenger of God, highlighting the contrast between the glory of God and the frailty of man.
chata · Hebrew Verb
To miss the mark of God's standard; to act in opposition to His will, whether through rebellion, ignorance, or apathy.
ma'al · Hebrew Verb
To act treacherously or unfaithfully, often used of breaking a covenant or trust, specifically applied to idolatry in the Old Testament.
ra'av · Hebrew Noun
A state of severe shortage of food; in the Bible, it is often a covenantal judgment from God designed to bring a nation to repentance.
tsedaqah · Hebrew Noun
The quality of being upright, just, or in right standing with God; it is the state of living in accordance with His moral law.
This passage speaks to the exiles in Babylon, reminding them that devastating famines and the cutting off of people and animals are direct consequences of a land's profound unfaithfulness to God, even when righteous individuals are present.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar's forces conquer Jerusalem, deporting members of the Judean royal family and elite, including Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Babylonian dominance over Judah.
597 BC— this verse
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a rebellion, Jerusalem is besieged again, and King Jehoiachin along with thousands more Judeans, including the prophet Ezekiel, are exiled to Babylon. This event occurred during Ezekiel's prophetic ministry.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Third Deportation
After a prolonged siege, Nebuchadnezzar finally destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the remaining population (except the poorest) to Babylon. This event represents the catastrophic culmination of Judah's rebellion and disobedience.
c. 580 BC
Ezekiel's Ministry Continues
Ezekiel continues to prophesy to the exiles in Babylon, addressing themes of judgment, sin, and eventual restoration. His messages often grapple with the reasons for their exile and the consequences of unfaithfulness.
This passage directly echoes Ezekiel's warning, listing famine as a consequence of disobedience to God's commands, highlighting that such judgments are part of a covenantal response to sin.
Deuteronomy 28:38-40Here, famine and the loss of produce are explicitly detailed as curses for breaking the covenant, showing how God's justice can bring about literal deprivation when a people turns away from Him.
Jeremiah 15:1-2This prophetic word illustrates a similar situation where, despite the potential intercession of figures like Moses, Samuel, and Jeremiah, God decrees judgment, including famine and sword, upon a sinful land.
Psalm 104:15This psalm celebrates God's provision of food for humanity and beasts, and Ezekiel's prophecy serves as a stark contrast, showing how God can withdraw this very life-sustaining provision ('the staff of bread') as judgment.
cambridgeEzekiel 14:13: "Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it:"
13 . when the land ] Rather: a land. The whole of Ezekiel 14:13 is supposition: when a land sinneth … and I stretch … and break … and send … and cut off.
calvinEzekiel 14:12-13: "The word of the LORD came again to me, saying,"
Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it:
Fili hominis terra cum scelerate egerit erga me, [46] et extendero manum meam super eam, et confregero in ipsa baculum panis, et immisero in ipsam famem, et excidero ex ipsa hominem et jument…
This verse highlights that "trespassing grievously" isn't just about a single act, but a persistent, faithless betrayal of God that invites judgment. The "breaking the staff of bread" imagery powerfully depicts God removing the very foundation of life and sustenance when that faithfulness is broken.
Ezekiel is about to explain why the land faces devastating judgment, and in this passage, God lays out a hypothetical scenario. He describes how, when a land sins by acting faithlessly against Him, He will withdraw His provision, bringing famine and destruction upon both people and animals. This is a prelude to discussing the impotence of even the most righteous individuals to avert God's judgment when a nation has filled the cup of its iniquity.
Ezekiel is about to explain why the land faces devastating judgment, and in this passage, God lays out a hypothetical scenario. He describes how, when a land sins by acting faithlessly against Him, He will withdraw His provision, bringing famine and destruction upon both people and animals. This is a prelude to discussing the impotence of even the most righteous individuals to avert God's judgment when a nation has filled the cup of its iniquity.
"“Son of man, when a land sins against me by acting faithlessly, and I stretch out my hand against it and break its supply of bread and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast, even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job,…" — This verse highlights that "trespassing grievously" isn't just about a single act, but a persistent, faithless betrayal of God that invites judgment. The "breaking the staff of bread" imagery powerfu…
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Last reviewed October 2026
