Ezekiel 21:25-27
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The word translated as "profane" here actually carries the intense meaning of being "deadly wounded" or "overthrown," suggesting Zedekiah's fate is already sealed in God's eyes, not just that he's morally impure. This isn't just about his personal sin, but about the culmination of his reign as the "iniquity of the end," a final, destructive transgression that will bring divine judgment upon him and the nation.
And you, O profane wicked one, prince of Israel, whose day has come, the time of your final punishment, thus says the Lord GOD: Remove the turban and take off the crown. Things shall not remain as they are. Exalt that which is low, and bring low that which is exalted. A ruin, ruin, ruin I will make it. This also shall not be, until he comes, the one to whom judgment belongs, and I will give it to him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet shifts his focus from the general destruction looming over Judah to a direct condemnation of its king, Zedekiah. This "profane wicked prince" is accused of violating his oaths to Babylon, thus dishonoring God and sealing his own doom. His "day" signifies the appointed time of his final punishment, when his transgressions will finally meet their end through God's judgment.
Why does Ezekiel call the leader of Israel 'profane' and 'wicked'? It wasn't just general bad behavior, but a specific betrayal.
The prophet Ezekiel confronts Zedekiah, the prince of Israel, with a harsh reality. The term 'profane' here doesn't just mean rude or irreverent; it speaks to someone who has defiled something sacred.
A Desecrated Covenant
Zedekiah had sworn an oath to the king of Babylon, a vow taken in the name of the Lord. By breaking this oath, he didn't just betray a political alliance; he profaned God's name and the sanctity of sworn promises. This act of perjury and faithlessness is a core reason for the prophet's severe condemnation.
The Agravating Factor
Being a 'prince of Israel' made Zedekiah's actions even more serious. He was God's anointed leader, a representative of the covenant people. His sin was a public disgrace, making God's name seem weak or untrustworthy to the surrounding nations.
The verse speaks of a day when 'iniquity shall have an end.' What does this ultimate end of sin truly mean?
Ezekiel declares that Zedekiah's 'day has come' – a day of reckoning. This isn't just any bad day; it's the day when his accumulated iniquity will finally reach its culmination and be met with judgment.
Judgment's Culmination
Scripture often depicts sin as having a course. God, in His patience, allows iniquity to run its course up to a certain point. When that point is reached – when the cup of iniquity is full – divine judgment follows swiftly. Zedekiah's 'day' marks this tipping point.
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More Than Just Punishment
This phrase, 'when iniquity shall have an end,' signifies more than just the punishment itself. It implies the cessation of the opportunity for that particular kind of sin. For Zedekiah and his kingdom, this means the end of their power to rebel, to break oaths, and to lead God's people astray in the same way.
Understand the original words
chalal · Hebrew Adjective
Describes something common, polluted, or ritually impure. In a theological sense, it often characterizes those who act without regard for God's holiness or those who have polluted what God has set apart.
rasha‘ · Hebrew Adjective
Describes one who acts with conscious evil or malice. It denotes a person whose lifestyle or actions are in total opposition to God's moral law.
nasi’ · Hebrew Noun
A designated title for the ruler of Israel; in this context, it is used ironically or as an indictment against the leader who has failed his responsibility to lead the people in righteousness.
Adonay Yahweh · Hebrew Noun/Title
A title for God emphasizing His absolute sovereignty, authority, and covenant relationship with His people; it denotes Him as the 'Self-Existent One' who is the 'Master' or 'Lord' of all creation.
tsaniph · Hebrew Noun
An item of headwear used by priests and kings, symbolizing honor, authority, and the status of the wearer. In a priestly context, it signified consecration and holiness.
atarah · Hebrew Noun
A royal headdress symbolizing majesty, supreme authority, and sovereign rule. Biblically, it often represents the power and legitimacy of a king.
avvah · Hebrew Noun
The biblical concept of a devastating collapse or overthrow, often resulting from divine judgment upon human pride, rebellion, or sin. It implies a complete reversal of status or fortune.
mishpat · Hebrew Noun
The act of evaluating, adjudicating, or bringing consequences for human actions. Ultimately, God is the supreme Judge to whom all authority and accountability belong.
This verse speaks directly to King Zedekiah during the final, desperate days of Jerusalem's siege. His rebellion and broken oath set in motion the devastating judgment described by Ezekiel, marking the 'end of iniquity' through the complete destruction of the Davidic monarchy and the Temple.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, conquers Judah and deports some of its nobility, including Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Judah's vassalage to Babylon.
597 BC
Second Deportation of Jerusalem
After King Jehoiakim rebels, Nebuchadnezzar deports more of Jerusalem's elite, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon. Zedekiah is installed as a puppet king.
c. 593-592 BC
Ezekiel's Ministry Begins
Ezekiel, exiled in Babylon, begins his prophetic ministry, delivering messages of judgment and hope to the exiles and to those still in Jerusalem.
c. 589-588 BC
Zedekiah's Final Rebellion
King Zedekiah, against Ezekiel's warnings, breaks his treaty with Babylon and allies with Egypt, initiating a full-scale rebellion.
c. 587-586 BC— this verse
Siege and Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar's armies lay siege to Jerusalem. The city endures a brutal siege for over a year before finally falling.
c. 586 BC
Final Deportation and Temple Destruction
The Babylonians destroy Jerusalem, including the Temple, and deport the remaining population, except for the poorest, to Babylon. King Zedekiah witnesses his sons' executions before his eyes are blinded and he is exiled.
This passage describes God's patience with the Amorites, allowing their iniquity to reach its full measure before judgment, a concept echoed in Ezekiel's prophecy about the 'iniquity of the end'.
Jeremiah 25:12Jeremiah prophesies the end of Israel's punishment after seventy years, connecting the concept of an 'end' of iniquity with divine judgment and restoration, similar to the context in Ezekiel.
Daniel 8:23This verse speaks of a future ruler whose arrogance and deceit will reach its peak before being broken by divine judgment, paralleling the idea of a wicked leader's final days as described in Ezekiel 21:25.
Matthew 23:32Jesus tells the Pharisees to 'fill up, then, what your fathers began,' implying their accumulated sin would bring full judgment, which aligns with the 'iniquity of the end' theme in Ezekiel.
2 Kings 25:7This passage describes the actual blinding and exile of King Zedekiah, fulfilling Ezekiel's prophecy and vividly illustrating the 'day' of final punishment for the 'profane wicked prince'.
gillEzekiel 21:25: "And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end,"
And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel,.... Meaning Zedekiah, the then reigning prince; who is so called, because he had profaned or violated the oath and covenant he made with the king of Babylon, as well as because of other sins he was guilty of; and his being a prince of Israel was an aggravation of his crimes: now, though it is "not fit" in common, or for ordinary persons, "to…
ellicottEzekiel 21:25: "And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end,"
(25) Profane.— The prophet now turns from the people as a whole to the individual prince at their head. The word for “ profane” is the same as is translated “slain” in Ezekiel 21:14 ; it would be better rendered here, as there, overthrown. What is close at hand is described as accomplished. When iniquity shall have an end.—Literally, at the time of the iniquity of the end. The same ex…
The word translated as "profane" here actually carries the intense meaning of being "deadly wounded" or "overthrown," suggesting Zedekiah's fate is already sealed in God's eyes, not just that he's morally impure. This isn't just about his personal sin, but about the culmination of his reign as the "iniquity of the end," a final, destructive transgression that will bring divine judgment upon him and the nation.
The prophet shifts his focus from the general destruction looming over Judah to a direct condemnation of its king, Zedekiah. This "profane wicked prince" is accused of violating his oaths to Babylon, thus dishonoring God and sealing his own doom. His "day" signifies the appointed time of his final punishment, when his transgressions will finally meet their end through God's judgment.
The prophet shifts his focus from the general destruction looming over Judah to a direct condemnation of its king, Zedekiah. This "profane wicked prince" is accused of violating his oaths to Babylon, thus dishonoring God and sealing his own doom. His "day" signifies the appointed time of his final punishment, when his transgressions will finally meet their end through God's judgment.
"And you, O profane wicked one, prince of Israel, whose day has come, the time of your final punishment, thus says the Lord GOD: Remove the turban and take off the crown. Things shall not remain as they are. Exalt that which is low, and bri…" — The word translated as "profane" here actually carries the intense meaning of being "deadly wounded" or "overthrown," suggesting Zedekiah's fate is already sealed in God's eyes, not just that he's mo…
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Last reviewed October 2026
