Cry out and wail, son of man, for it is against my people. It is against all the princes of Israel. They are delivered over to the sword with my people. Strike therefore upon your thigh.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel isn't just lamenting a sword; he's wailing because this devastation is falling upon God's own people and all their princes. The command to "strike upon your thigh" isn't just a gesture of grief, but a visceral act of despair signaling a terrible, irreparable evil that spares no one, not even the leadership.
Cry out and wail, son of man, for it is against my people. It is against all the princes of Israel. They are delivered over to the sword with my people. Strike therefore upon your thigh.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel is speaking to the people of Judah, who are mistakenly feeling secure because of past promises from God. He’s revealing that God’s judgment, symbolized by a drawn sword, is imminent and will fall upon everyone, from the highest princes to the common people. The prophet is commanded to express intense grief and despair, mirroring the utter devastation about to befall God's own chosen people.
Why would God command a prophet to 'cry and howl' and 'strike upon his thigh'? It's more than just sadness; it's a profound expression of divine judgment.
A Command to Grieve
God instructs Ezekiel to express extreme grief with words like "cry and howl" and actions like "smite upon your thigh." This wasn't a suggestion; it was a command. The original language suggests a level of anguish that goes beyond mere sadness – it's a wail of deep sorrow and despair.
A Symbolic Act
Striking one's thigh was a public, physical demonstration of intense mourning, helplessness, and the recognition of an inescapable, terrible fate. It's an outward expression of an inward devastation, signifying that the coming judgment is so immense that words alone cannot capture it. The prophet's personal sorrow mirrors the impending devastation for the people.
It’s one thing for judgment to fall on enemies, but what happens when God's own people face destruction? This verse highlights a painful truth about divine justice.
The Unsparing Sword
The prophecy isn't about foreign nations; it's about 'my people,' 'all the princes of Israel.' This emphasizes that God's judgment, represented by the devouring sword, would fall directly upon those who were in covenant with Him. There was no special immunity for those who claimed to be God's chosen.
Shared Calamity
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The text states plainly, 'They are delivered over to the sword with my people.' This means the princes, the leaders, and the common people would all share in this devastating fate. The sword would spare no rank or status. It underscores that sin has consequences, regardless of one's position or past privileges.
Understand the original words
ben 'adam · Hebrew Noun phrase
A title given to Ezekiel, emphasizing his humanity in contrast to the majesty and holiness of God. It highlights his role as a mortal vessel for divine revelation.
nasi' · Hebrew Noun
A term used to describe political or civil leaders. In the context of Israel, it refers to those responsible for leading the nation in accordance with God's covenant.
saphaq yarek · Hebrew Verb phrase
An act of physical mourning or expressing deep grief, often indicating severe judgment, calamity, or distress.
Ezekiel's prophetic call to 'cry and howl' and 'smite upon your thigh' is deeply rooted in the horrific reality of the Babylonian conquest. This wasn't just a political shift; it was a brutal, personal destruction involving the sword falling upon God's own people and princes, a devastation that culminated in the fall of Jerusalem and the exile.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, conquers Judah and begins deporting its elite, including members of the royal family and educated citizens, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Judah's subjugation.
c. 597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Another major deportation occurs after a brief revolt, further weakening Jerusalem. The prophet Ezekiel himself is among this group exiled to Babylon.
c. 588-586 BC— this verse
Siege and Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar lays siege to Jerusalem, leading to widespread famine and suffering. The city is eventually captured, its walls destroyed, and the Temple is plundered and burned.
c. 586 BC
Third Babylonian Deportation
Following the destruction of Jerusalem, the remaining population is largely deported to Babylon, leaving behind only a small group of the poorest to tend the land.
c. 582 BC
Final Babylonian Deportations
Nebuchadnezzar conducts further deportations from Judah and surrounding regions, solidifying Babylonian control and scattering the remaining Jewish population.
This passage describes a similar expression of deep sorrow and anguish, where Ephraim smites upon its thigh, reflecting the profound grief and regret over past sins that has led to judgment.
Jeremiah 48:36Here, the Moabites are described as howling because their princes are scattered and their kingdom is brought low, paralleling the scattering and destruction of Israel's princes mentioned in Ezekiel.
Lamentations 1:8This verse speaks of Jerusalem's sin as the reason for her great affliction and shame, mirroring the idea that the judgment on Israel and its princes in Ezekiel is a direct consequence of their actions.
Ezekiel 25:6In this passage, judgment is pronounced upon the Ammonites for their 'treacherous dealing,' showing a pattern in Ezekiel where unfaithfulness leads to divine retribution, similar to what is implied for Israel's princes.
Isaiah 22:12-13This prophetic call to mourning and repentance for Jerusalem's impending judgment highlights the use of outward expressions of grief and turning to worldly comforts rather than God, echoing the despair found in Ezekiel's message.
gillEzekiel 21:12: "Cry and howl, son of man: for it shall be upon my people, it shall be upon all the princes of Israel: terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon my people: smite therefore upon thy thigh."
Cry, howl, son of man,.... Not only sigh, but cry; and not cry only, but howl; signifying hereby that this would be the case of the Jews when these calamities should come upon them; and, in order to affect them with them before hand, the prophet is ordered to act such a part, as well as to e…
bensonEzekiel 21:12: "Cry and howl, son of man: for it shall be upon my people, it shall be upon all the princes of Israel: terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon my people: smite therefore upon thy thigh."
Ezekiel 21:12-13. Cry and howl, son of man — As a mark of the vehemence of thy grief. For it shall be upon my people — Namely, the devouring sword; upon all the princes of Israel — Both princes and people shall be involved in one common destruction. Smite therefore upon thy thigh — Use all t…
Ezekiel isn't just lamenting a sword; he's wailing because this devastation is falling upon God's own people and all their princes. The command to "strike upon your thigh" isn't just a gesture of grief, but a visceral act of despair signaling a terrible, irreparable evil that spares no one, not even the leadership.
Ezekiel is speaking to the people of Judah, who are mistakenly feeling secure because of past promises from God. He’s revealing that God’s judgment, symbolized by a drawn sword, is imminent and will fall upon everyone, from the highest princes to the common people. The prophet is commanded to express intense grief and despair, mirroring the utter devastation about to befall God's own chosen people.
Ezekiel is speaking to the people of Judah, who are mistakenly feeling secure because of past promises from God. He’s revealing that God’s judgment, symbolized by a drawn sword, is imminent and will fall upon everyone, from the highest princes to the common people. The prophet is commanded to express intense grief and despair, mirroring the utter devastation about to befall God's own chosen people.
"Cry out and wail, son of man, for it is against my people. It is against all the princes of Israel. They are delivered over to the sword with my people. Strike therefore upon your thigh." — Ezekiel isn't just lamenting a sword; he's wailing because this devastation is falling upon God's own people and all their princes. The command to "strike upon your thigh" isn't just a gesture…
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Last reviewed October 2026