“Or if I bring a sword upon that land and say, Let a sword pass through the land, and I cut off from it man and beast,
English Standard Version (ESV)
It's easy to read this as God merely allowing a sword to ravage the land, but notice that God says to the sword, "Go through the land." This isn't just passive permission; it's an active command, highlighting that even the instruments of war are under His sovereign control and carry out His pronouncements.
“Or if I bring a sword upon that land and say, Let a sword pass through the land, and I cut off from it man and beast,
English Standard Version (ESV)
God is speaking to Ezekiel about the judgments that will fall upon a sinful land, even if righteous people live there. He's outlining a scenario where war, symbolized by a "sword," is unleashed to utterly devastate the land, destroying both people and animals. This isn't a random event, but a divinely ordained judgment that will sweep through the territory, leaving nothing untouched.
When war and destruction sweep across a land, who is truly in control? Is it random chance, or something more profound?
The prophecy in Ezekiel describes God 'saying,' 'Sword, go through the land.' This isn't just poetic language; it reveals a profound truth about divine sovereignty.
God's Authority Over All Things
Even the most devastating instruments of judgment, like the sword (representing war and invasion), are under God's direct command. He doesn't merely permit these events; He commissions them. This means that wars, famines, and even the destruction of innocent life are not outside of God's knowledge or control. They are, in fact, expressions of His justice and will, even when His ways are mysterious to us.
Instruments of Justice
As commentators note, armies and their swords are described as servants of God. Though the soldiers themselves might be wicked, their actions in carrying out judgment are part of a divine plan. This perspective challenges us to look beyond the immediate horror and recognize God's ultimate authority, even in the darkest of times.
When disaster strikes, the consequences often extend beyond human perpetrators. Why would judgment impact the innocent?
The verse explicitly states that God's judgment, enacted by the sword, would 'cut off from it man and beast.' This is a stark reminder of the far-reaching and indiscriminate nature of divine judgment.
The Scope of Judgment
Ask a follow-up
In ancient Near Eastern thought, and as reflected here, judgment was often understood to affect the entire land – its people and its resources, including animals. When a nation sinned, the consequences could ripple through every level of society and the natural world connected to it. This wasn't just about punishing individuals, but about addressing the corruption that permeated the very fabric of the land.
A Communal Consequence
The inclusion of 'beast' underscores the idea that when a community turns away from God, the resulting judgment can have devastating effects on all aspects of life. It highlights that, in God's justice, the health of the land and its inhabitants are interconnected. The loss of livestock, for example, would have had severe economic and social repercussions, demonstrating the totality of the devastation.
Understand the original words
chereb · Hebrew Noun
A literal weapon of war, but frequently used in the Bible as a symbol of divine judgment, conflict, or the punitive consequences of national disobedience.
Ezekiel's prophecy, delivered during the Babylonian exile, uses the threat of the 'sword' – warfare and conquest – as one of God's severe judgments against sinning nations, underscoring that military devastation is not random but divinely orchestrated.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Captivity
The Neo-Assyrian Empire conquered the northern Kingdom of Israel and deported a significant portion of its population, establishing a precedent for large-scale exile within the ancient Near East.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquered Judah and deported the first wave of Judeans, including members of the royal family and educated elite, to Babylon. This marked the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
597 BC— this verse
Second Babylonian Deportation
Another wave of exiles, including the prophet Ezekiel himself, was taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar after a rebellion in Jerusalem. This exile significantly disrupted Judean society and religious life.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar's forces finally destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, the heart of Judean worship and identity, and deported the remaining population to Babylon. This event cemented the experience of exile for the Judean people.
This verse speaks of God scattering His people among the nations and a sword pursuing them, echoing the violent judgment described in Ezekiel.
Jeremiah 15:2Jeremiah also personifies the sword as an instrument of God's judgment, commissioned to bring destruction and death upon the land, just as Ezekiel depicts.
Luke 21:24Jesus speaks of Jerusalem falling by the edge of the sword and being led captive, showing how this theme of divine judgment through warfare continued through history.
Revelation 6:4The rider on the red horse is given a great sword to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other, illustrating how war and bloodshed are often instruments of God's sovereign hand.
cambridgeEzekiel 14:17: "Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:"
17 . say, Sword, go through ] This rendering assumes a grammatical anomaly. Rather, the sword shall go through. Ezekiel 14:19-20 . The pestilence.
wesleyEzekiel 14:17: "Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:"
14:17 That land - What land soever it be.
It's easy to read this as God merely allowing a sword to ravage the land, but notice that God says to the sword, "Go through the land." This isn't just passive permission; it's an active command, highlighting that even the instruments of war are under His sovereign control and carry out His pronouncements.
God is speaking to Ezekiel about the judgments that will fall upon a sinful land, even if righteous people live there. He's outlining a scenario where war, symbolized by a "sword," is unleashed to utterly devastate the land, destroying both people and animals. This isn't a random event, but a divinely ordained judgment that will sweep through the territory, leaving nothing untouched.
God is speaking to Ezekiel about the judgments that will fall upon a sinful land, even if righteous people live there. He's outlining a scenario where war, symbolized by a "sword," is unleashed to utterly devastate the land, destroying both people and animals. This isn't a random event, but a divinely ordained judgment that will sweep through the territory, leaving nothing untouched.
"“Or if I bring a sword upon that land and say, Let a sword pass through the land, and I cut off from it man and beast," — It's easy to read this as God merely allowing a sword to ravage the land, but notice that God says to the sword, "Go through the land." This isn't just passive permission; it's an active command,…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026