Father and mother are treated with contempt in you; the sojourner suffers extortion in your midst; the fatherless and the widow are wronged in you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
It's easy to read this verse as just a list of bad behavior, but notice the structure: it points to the most vulnerable groups being targeted. The casual dismissal of parents, the exploitation of foreigners, and the torment of orphans and widows all show a society where the fundamental bonds of care and justice have completely broken down. This wasn't just individual sin, but a systemic rot where those with no power were preyed upon by those within the community.
Father and mother are treated with contempt in you; the sojourner suffers extortion in your midst; the fatherless and the widow are wronged in you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel is laying out a powerful indictment against Jerusalem, listing a series of serious social and moral failures within the city. This verse specifically highlights how the most vulnerable – parents, foreigners, orphans, and widows – are being mistreated and exploited, indicating a deep breakdown in justice and compassion. These specific transgressions, directly contradicting God's commands for protecting the weak and honoring family, are presented as evidence of Jerusalem's profound unfaithfulness.
When parents are disregarded and the vulnerable are exploited, a community’s very foundation begins to crumble.
Ezekiel 22:7 paints a stark picture of a society where the essential bonds of respect and care are broken.
The Breakdown of Family
Notice how the verse begins with the contempt shown to 'father and mother.' In ancient Israel, honoring parents was a core commandment, reflecting a deep understanding of family lineage and the authority God established within it. To 'set light by' them meant to disregard their wisdom, their authority, and even their very presence. This wasn't just about bad manners; it was a sign that the fundamental respect for God-ordained structures was eroding.
Exploitation of the Helpless
The verse then extends this disregard to the most vulnerable: the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. These groups had little power or protection in society. The 'stranger' (or sojourner) was often at risk of unfair treatment, facing extortion or legal battles without local knowledge. The fatherless and widow, stripped of their primary protectors, were meant to be shielded by the community's justice and compassion. Instead, Ezekiel sees them 'vexed' – deeply troubled and oppressed. This reveals a society that has turned inward, prioritizing personal gain over collective responsibility and divine command.
When society preys on its weakest members, it’s not just a social failing—it’s a spiritual one.
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The specific sins listed in Ezekiel 22:7—contempt for parents, extortion of strangers, and wronging the fatherless and widow—are not random acts of unkindness. They are symptoms of a deeper spiritual sickness: forgetting God.
The Root of Injustice
Commentaries consistently point out that these transgressions directly violate specific laws given by God in the Torah. The instruction to protect the stranger, care for the fatherless, and honor parents were not mere suggestions; they were expressions of God’s own character and His design for a just community. When the people of Jerusalem treated these commands lightly, they were, in essence, turning their backs on the One who gave them.
A Pattern of Societal Decay
Ezekiel's prophecy often emphasizes that Israel's downfall was a consequence of their spiritual unfaithfulness. The disregard for familial honor and the exploitation of the vulnerable were outward manifestations of an inward turning away from God. When a society forgets its Creator, it inevitably loses its moral compass, leading to the breakdown of compassion and justice. The powerful begin to oppress the weak, and the very fabric of community unravels.
Understand the original words
qalah · Hebrew Verb
To treat with disdain, dishonor, or disregard for established authority or status. Used here regarding the command to honor parents.
ger · Hebrew Noun
A foreigner or temporary resident living in a land not their own; they were biblically afforded specific protections and were not to be oppressed.
osheq · Hebrew Noun
The act of obtaining money or goods through force, threats, or illegal pressure, especially against those who are vulnerable.
Ezekiel's message comes during the Judean exile, a direct consequence of generations of societal breakdown and injustice. The verse highlights how the contempt for family, exploitation of the vulnerable, and disregard for the foreigner were not isolated incidents but systemic failures that ultimately led to God's judgment.
c. 722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom (Israel)
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern kingdom of Israel, deporting many of its inhabitants. This event serves as a stark warning to the southern kingdom of Judah about the consequences of disobedience.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Under King Jehoiakim, Babylonian forces under Nebuchadnezzar deport a first group of Judean exiles, including members of the royal family and nobility, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Judah's decline.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
After a rebellion, Babylonian forces under Nebuchadnezzar deport King Jehoiachin, his court, and thousands more Judeans to Babylon. The prophet Ezekiel is among this group.
c. 590 BC— this verse
Ezekiel's Prophetic Ministry
Ezekiel, living among the exiles in Babylon, receives visions and pronounces judgment upon Judah and Jerusalem for its sins. He details the deep-seated corruption and injustice prevalent in the city.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar, finally destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, bringing an end to the kingdom of Judah and leading to a final mass deportation of its people.
This passage directly commands against oppressing the stranger, highlighting the specific sin mentioned in Ezekiel 22:7 as a violation of God's law.
Deuteronomy 27:16This verse pronounces a curse on anyone who dishonors their father or mother, directly addressing the contempt for parents described in Ezekiel 22:7.
James 1:27This verse defines true religion as caring for the fatherless and widows in their distress, contrasting sharply with the oppression of these vulnerable groups in Ezekiel 22:7.
Proverbs 22:22-23This proverb warns against oppressing the poor or extorting from the needy, echoing the injustice faced by strangers, fatherless, and widows in Ezekiel's vision.
Isaiah 1:17This call to learn to do good and seek justice provides a hopeful counterpoint to the severe societal breakdown seen in Ezekiel 22:7, urging a return to righteous living.
gillEzekiel 22:7: "In thee have they set light by father and mother: in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in thee have they vexed the fatherless and the widow."
In thee have they set light by father and mother,.... Through whom they received their being from God; by whom they were brought into the world, brought up and educated; and to whom they owed great respect, honour, and obedience; but, on the contrary, they wanted affection to their persons, showed great disr…
ellicottEzekiel 22:7: "In thee have they set light by father and mother: in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in thee have they vexed the fatherless and the widow."
(7) By father and mother. —Filial respect was one of the most frequently enjoined precepts of the law (see Leviticus 19:32 ; Leviticus 20:9 , &c.). So the other sins mentioned in this and the following verses are transgressions of special Divine commands. “Dealt by oppression” is “dealt oppressively” (see Le…
It's easy to read this verse as just a list of bad behavior, but notice the structure: it points to the most vulnerable groups being targeted. The casual dismissal of parents, the exploitation of foreigners, and the torment of orphans and widows all show a society where the fundamental bonds of care and justice have completely broken down. This wasn't just individual sin, but a systemic rot where those with no power were preyed upon by those within the community.
Ezekiel is laying out a powerful indictment against Jerusalem, listing a series of serious social and moral failures within the city. This verse specifically highlights how the most vulnerable – parents, foreigners, orphans, and widows – are being mistreated and exploited, indicating a deep breakdown in justice and compassion. These specific transgressions, directly contradicting God's commands for protecting the weak and honoring family, are presented as evidence of Jerusalem's profound unfaithfulness.
Ezekiel is laying out a powerful indictment against Jerusalem, listing a series of serious social and moral failures within the city. This verse specifically highlights how the most vulnerable – parents, foreigners, orphans, and widows – are being mistreated and exploited, indicating a deep breakdown in justice and compassion. These specific transgressions, directly contradicting God's commands for protecting the weak and honoring family, are presented as evidence of Jerusalem's profound unfaithfulness.
"Father and mother are treated with contempt in you; the sojourner suffers extortion in your midst; the fatherless and the widow are wronged in you." — It's easy to read this verse as just a list of bad behavior, but notice the structure: it points to the most vulnerable groups being targeted. The casual dismissal of parents, the exploitation of for…
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Last reviewed October 2026