Ezekiel 21:17
I also will clap my hands, and I will satisfy my fury; I the LORD have spoken.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The phrase "cause my fury to rest" isn't about calming down, but about God's judgment finally finding its full, satisfying completion. It reveals that this fury, when unleashed, will actually rest because its purpose of bringing justice is fully accomplished. God declares this with utter finality: "I the LORD have spoken."
The prophet Ezekiel has been delivering a parable about a lion cub, which the Lord now explicitly interprets as a prophecy against Jerusalem and its king. God declares His intention to unleash His fury, symbolized by clapping His hands in a gesture of intense emotion and resolve, showing His judgment is complete and His anger satisfied by the coming destruction. This verse is immediately followed by a new prophetic vision, detailing Nebuchadnezzar's march and divinations to decide whether to attack Jerusalem or Rabbath, confirming that Jerusalem is indeed the target of God's wrath.
Ezekiel is told to clap his hands in judgment. But here, it's the Lord Himself who makes this gesture. What does it mean for God to 'clap His hands'?
When the Lord says, 'I also will clap my hands,' it's a powerful, visual declaration of His righteous anger reaching its peak.
A Visible Sign of Judgment
Clapping hands can symbolize applause, but in this context, it’s a gesture of intense emotion and decisive action. It signifies that God's judgment is not just a distant threat; it's actively being enacted.
Think of it like a judge slamming their gavel – it’s a final, authoritative action. For God to 'clap His hands' means His patience has run out, and His judgment is now being fully expressed and carried out through the coming destruction.
Full Vent for His Fury
The phrase 'I will satisfy my fury' indicates that this judgment brings a finality to God's wrath concerning the sin of His people. It's not an endless, uncontrolled rage, but a righteous indignation that finds its proper, just conclusion through the decreed punishment.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Ezekiel 21:17 is available in the Sola app.
The verse ends with a simple, yet profound statement: 'I the LORD have spoken.' What weight does this carry in the context of judgment?
The declaration 'I the LORD have spoken' is the ultimate confirmation of the impending judgment. It underscores that this is not a mere possibility or a human plan, but a divine decree.
Unchangeable Decree
When God speaks, it carries absolute authority. This statement leaves no room for doubt or negotiation. The destruction of Jerusalem and the land is not subject to change because it originates from the Lord Himself.
Assurance of Fulfillment
For the people of Judah, this was a terrifying assurance that their fate was sealed. For us, reading it, it’s a reminder of God's sovereignty and the certainty of His word, both in judgment and in promise.
God’s spoken word is powerful and effective; it accomplishes what it sets out to do.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The holy, covenant name of God (Yahweh), indicating His eternal self-existence, faithfulness, and personal relationship with His people. It signifies the authority behind the spoken prophetic word.
chemah · Hebrew Noun
An intense, holy, and righteous indignation against sin. In Scripture, it refers to God's settled, judicial opposition to rebellion and iniquity, which must inevitably result in judgment.
This verse comes from a period of intense judgment where God's fury, long provoked by Judah's sin, is finally unleashed through the Babylonian invasion. The imagery of God clapping His hands signifies His decisive action in bringing the judgment to completion, not out of malice, but as a righteous response to their rebellion.
c. 722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, leading to the exile of its people. This event serves as a stark warning of future judgment for the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and begins deporting its people, including members of the royal family and skilled laborers, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Judah's Babylonian captivity.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar deports more of Judah's population and its king, Jehoiachin, to Babylon. The prophet Ezekiel is among this group, receiving his prophetic call in exile.
c. 587-586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Destruction of the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar's forces finally conquer Jerusalem, destroy the city and the Temple, and carry off most of the remaining population into exile. This devastating event fulfills God's judgment against Judah.
c. 586 BC
Prophecy Against Ammon
In the immediate aftermath of Jerusalem's fall, Ezekiel delivers prophecies against the surrounding nations, including the Ammonites, who had shown hostility towards Judah. This expands the scope of God's judgment.
This passage also speaks of God's fury being satisfied, emphasizing the completeness of His judgment against His people's sin.
Ezekiel 14:13Here, God again describes His anger against the land, sending famine and beasts, highlighting the multifaceted ways His fury can be unleashed.
2 Kings 13:18-19This describes a symbolic action by a king of Israel, striking the ground with arrows to represent defeating the Arameans, showing a similar gesture of divine-directed judgment.
Jeremiah 15:1-3Jeremiah pleads for Jerusalem, and God responds by declaring that even if Moses and Samuel stood before Him, His fury would be set against the people, showing the depth of His resolve.
Romans 1:18Paul writes that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all godlessness, paralleling the theological concept of God's righteous anger against sin.
ellicottEzekiel 21:17: "I will also smite mine hands together, and I will cause my fury to rest: I the LORD have said it."
(17) My fury to rest. —As in Ezekiel 16:42 , because it has accomplished its purpose and has nothing more to do. (Comp. Ezekiel 5:13 ; Ezekiel 14:13 .) At Ezekiel 21:18 the third and final prophecy of the chapter begins, and, besides being much more explicit than the others, includes also a new subject (Ezekiel 21:28-32), a prophecy against Ammon. Hitherto it has only been foretold…
cambridgeEzekiel 21:17: "I will also smite mine hands together, and I will cause my fury to rest: I the LORD have said it."
17 . smite mine hands ] The strong anthropomorphism suggests a tumult of emotion in the Divine mind, and sympathy with the terrible work. cause my fury to rest ] Appease, or, assuage my fury. Cf. ch. Ezekiel 5:13 .
The phrase "cause my fury to rest" isn't about calming down, but about God's judgment finally finding its full, satisfying completion. It reveals that this fury, when unleashed, will actually rest because its purpose of bringing justice is fully accomplished. God declares this with utter finality: "I the LORD have spoken."
The prophet Ezekiel has been delivering a parable about a lion cub, which the Lord now explicitly interprets as a prophecy against Jerusalem and its king. God declares His intention to unleash His fury, symbolized by clapping His hands in a gesture of intense emotion and resolve, showing His judgment is complete and His anger satisfied by the coming destruction. This verse is immediately followed by a new prophetic vision, detailing Nebuchadnezzar's march and divinations to decide whether to attack Jerusalem or Rabbath, confirming that Jerusalem is indeed the target of God's wrath.
The prophet Ezekiel has been delivering a parable about a lion cub, which the Lord now explicitly interprets as a prophecy against Jerusalem and its king. God declares His intention to unleash His fury, symbolized by clapping His hands in a gesture of intense emotion and resolve, showing His judgment is complete and His anger satisfied by the coming destruction. This verse is immediately followed by a new prophetic vision, detailing Nebuchadnezzar's march and divinations to decide whether to attack Jerusalem or Rabbath, confirming that Jerusalem is indeed the target of God's wrath.
"I also will clap my hands, and I will satisfy my fury; I the LORD have spoken.”" — The phrase "cause my fury to rest" isn't about calming down, but about God's judgment finally finding its full, satisfying completion. It reveals that this fury, when unleashed, will actually rest…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
