Ezekiel 22:27-28
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The verse paints a stark picture of leaders acting like predators, not protectors. Notice that their "wolves" behavior is described as being "in her midst," meaning these dangers weren't from outside the community but from its very own ruling class. This highlights the devastating betrayal when those in power actively prey on the people they're meant to serve.
Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, shedding blood, destroying lives to get dishonest gain. And her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,’ when the LORD has not spoken.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel is detailing the profound corruption plaguing Jerusalem, emphasizing that even its leaders, the princes and nobles who should protect the people, have become like predatory wolves. They are ruthlessly tearing apart the city's inhabitants, shedding innocent blood and destroying lives solely for their own selfish enrichment. This verse directly precedes a description of how the false prophets then cover up these heinous acts, creating a truly toxic leadership environment that invites divine judgment.
When leaders should be protectors, they become predators. Ezekiel paints a grim picture of how power corrupts.
Ezekiel calls the leaders of Jerusalem 'princes.' These weren't just kings, but the entire ruling class – nobles, chiefs, and those in authority. They were meant to defend the people, like shepherds guarding their flock. Instead, they'd become like wolves – cunning, greedy, and violent. They preyed on the very people they were sworn to protect, twisting their God-given authority into a tool for destruction and personal gain. This corruption wasn't just about stealing money; it was about shedding innocent blood and destroying lives, families, and futures.
What drives leaders to such cruelty? Ezekiel points to a powerful, destructive motive: selfish profit.
The ultimate goal of these wolf-like princes was 'dishonest gain.' This wasn't merely about a little extra income; it was about acquiring wealth and power through unethical and violent means. They would shed innocent blood and destroy lives – meaning they'd ruin families, impoverish widows and orphans, and confiscate property unjustly – all to line their own pockets. This highlights a critical spiritual truth: when personal greed becomes the driving force, it overrides morality, justice, and compassion, leading to horrific consequences for everyone involved.
Understand the original words
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sar · Hebrew Noun
Civil or political leaders, often used to describe those in positions of authority who have a responsibility to act with justice and righteousness on behalf of God.
nabi · Hebrew Noun
Spokespersons for God who receive divine revelation and are tasked with declaring His message faithfully, regardless of its popularity.
shav chazah · Hebrew Noun/Verb phrase
A false prophecy or a deceptive declaration presented as if it originated from God, aimed at misleading the people or soothing their conscience.
Adonai YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
Divine title emphasizing the Master-Servant relationship (Adonai) and the self-existent, covenant-keeping nature of God (YHWH).
The prophet Ezekiel speaks this powerful indictment at the nadir of his people's history, when Jerusalem has been destroyed and its people exiled. His words are not just a prophecy, but a searing exposé of the corrupt leadership—the 'princes'—whose greed and violence made them spiritually akin to ravenous wolves, actively contributing to the judgment that befell the nation.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many Israelites and resettling the area with foreigners. This event marks a significant decline in the fortunes of God's people.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and begins deporting Judeans, including Daniel and his companions. This marks the start of the Babylonian exile.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Babylon deports more Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon. Jerusalem's temple is still standing, but its political and spiritual leadership is weakened.
587/586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar's forces destroy Jerusalem and its magnificent temple, ending the Davidic monarchy and scattering the remaining population. This is the lowest point for Judah.
c. 571 BC
Ezekiel's Final Visions
Ezekiel delivers his final prophecies, including his condemnation of Jerusalem's leadership, after the city's destruction. These messages offer a scathing indictment of the corruption that led to the disaster.
Micah paints a similar, damning picture of Israel's leaders, describing them as predatory hunters who strip and devour the people, echoing Ezekiel's 'wolves tearing the prey'.
Jeremiah 5:26-28This passage denounces the powerful who prosper through wickedness, warning that they grow fat and sleek while oppressing the poor and needy, a concept that aligns with the 'dishonest gain' Ezekiel attributes to the princes.
Matthew 7:15Jesus warns about false prophets who come in sheep's clothing but are inwardly ravening wolves; while focused on spiritual deception, the 'wolf' imagery powerfully conveys a dangerous, predatory nature hidden beneath a guise of authority.
1 Timothy 6:10This verse states that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, directly linking the pursuit of wealth to the destructive actions described in Ezekiel, where princes shed blood and destroy lives for dishonest gain.
gillEzekiel 22:27: "Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain."
Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey,.... The king and his nobles, those of the first rank and quality, who ought to have protected the persons and property of the meaner sort; these were like "wolves" themselves, subtle, voracious, and cruel, preying upon harmless persons, as those creatures do upon the sheep and lambs: t…
ellicottEzekiel 22:27: "Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain."
(27) Her princes. —These are not only the kings, but also the nobles and those in authority at court—in other words, the ruling class. Their injustice and violence is a constant theme for prophetic rebuke.
The verse paints a stark picture of leaders acting like predators, not protectors. Notice that their "wolves" behavior is described as being "in her midst," meaning these dangers weren't from outside the community but from its very own ruling class. This highlights the devastating betrayal when those in power actively prey on the people they're meant to serve.
Ezekiel is detailing the profound corruption plaguing Jerusalem, emphasizing that even its leaders, the princes and nobles who should protect the people, have become like predatory wolves. They are ruthlessly tearing apart the city's inhabitants, shedding innocent blood and destroying lives solely for their own selfish enrichment. This verse directly precedes a description of how the false prophets then cover up these heinous acts, creating a truly toxic leadership environment that invites divine judgment.
Ezekiel is detailing the profound corruption plaguing Jerusalem, emphasizing that even its leaders, the princes and nobles who should protect the people, have become like predatory wolves. They are ruthlessly tearing apart the city's inhabitants, shedding innocent blood and destroying lives solely for their own selfish enrichment. This verse directly precedes a description of how the false prophets then cover up these heinous acts, creating a truly toxic leadership environment that invites divine judgment.
"Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, shedding blood, destroying lives to get dishonest gain. And her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lo…" — The verse paints a stark picture of leaders acting like predators, not protectors. Notice that their "wolves" behavior is described as being "in her midst," meaning these dangers weren't from outside…
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Last reviewed October 2026
