Ezekiel 22:9
There are men in you who slander to shed blood, and people in you who eat on the mountains; they commit lewdness in your midst.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The phrase "men that carry tales" doesn't just mean gossips; it points to dangerous informers whose words are so twisted they directly lead to innocent people being killed. Furthermore, "eating on the mountains" wasn't just a picnic, but likely involved participating in idolatrous feasts that blurred the lines between worship and debauchery.
Jerusalem is being judged as a "bloody city" filled with pervasive wickedness. This verse highlights specific sins within the city's leadership and populace: malicious gossip that leads to bloodshed, participation in idolatrous feasts on high places, and widespread sexual immorality. These offenses are part of a larger pattern of disobedience that has completely corrupted the community, setting the stage for God's impending judgment described in the following verses.
Ever feel like gossip can be destructive? In Jerusalem, it was literally a death sentence.
The verse speaks of 'men that carry tales to shed blood.' This isn't just idle chatter; it refers to informers and false witnesses. Imagine people actively going around, stirring up trouble, twisting words, and lying to authorities, all with the goal of getting innocent people killed. This was a deliberate, malicious act, not an accident. It highlights how verbal sin can have the most devastating physical consequences, leading to the shedding of innocent blood. This took place right within the community, showing how deeply this rot had set in.
What happens when sacred places become sites of corruption and forbidden feasts?
The phrase 'they eat upon the mountains' points to a specific and pervasive sin: idolatry. In ancient Israel, mountains were often chosen as high, prominent places for pagan worship. The people weren't just passively tolerating this; they were actively participating. They would 'eat' at these sites, meaning they were sharing in the sacrificial meals offered to idols. This was a complete rejection of Yahweh, their covenant God, and a plunge into spiritual impurity. It shows a community actively choosing to honor false gods over the One True God, even within the promised land.
When 'lewdness' becomes the norm, what does that say about a community's heart?
The final part of the verse, 'they commit lewdness in your midst,' is a broad indictment. It encompasses all sorts of sexual immorality and impurity – adultery, fornication, incest, and any other violation of God’s design for intimacy. The fact that this is happening 'in your midst' means it's not hidden away in dark corners; it’s happening openly and commonly within the community. This isn't just about individual choices; it's about a societal breakdown where God’s standards are ignored, and impurity has become a defining characteristic of Jerusalem.
Understand the original words
rakil · Hebrew Noun
The act of speaking falsely or maliciously against someone to harm their reputation or life.
zimmah · Hebrew Noun
A term denoting moral depravity, shameless acts, or unnatural sexual immorality that violates covenantal standards.
Ezekiel's sharp words in this verse are a direct indictment of the moral and spiritual decay within Jerusalem that directly preceded its catastrophic destruction and the Babylonian exile. The 'carrying tales to shed blood' refers to the rampant false accusations and slander that led to unjust deaths, while 'eating upon the mountains' and 'committing lewdness' point to widespread idolatry and immoral practices, even in the face of impending doom.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Empire's Rise
The powerful Neo-Assyrian Empire exerted significant influence and control over the region, including Judah. This period saw increasing political instability and pressure that would eventually lead to further conflict.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, conquers Judah and begins deporting its elite to Babylon. This event marked the start of the Babylonian exile and weakened the kingdom significantly.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar deports more of Jerusalem's population and its king, Jehoiachin. This further intensified the crisis for the people of Judah.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
This passage speaks of people who 'bend their tongues like a bow to shoot lies,' directly paralleling the 'men who carry tales to shed blood' in Ezekiel, highlighting the destructive power of gossip and slander.
Leviticus 19:16This verse explicitly warns against 'going about as a slanderer among your people,' which is the very behavior described in Ezekiel 22:9, showing the ancient prohibition against such harmful speech.
Ezekiel 18:6Ezekiel had previously condemned eating on the mountains and committing 'detestable things,' and verse 9 reiterates these same practices, showing a pattern of persistent idolatry and corrupt behavior within the city.
1 Kings 21:10The story of Naboth’s vineyard shows 'worthless fellows' falsely accusing him to shed his blood, mirroring the 'men that carry tales to shed blood' in Ezekiel and illustrating the real-world consequences of slander for personal gain.
Romans 1:29-31This New Testament passage lists a similar array of sins including slanderers, liars, and those involved in lewdness, demonstrating that these moral failures are not just ancient issues but persistent human struggles that grieve God across eras.
gillEzekiel 22:9: "In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood: and in thee they eat upon the mountains: in the midst of thee they commit lewdness."
In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood,.... Innocent blood, as the Targum; such who go from house to house, as pedlars do, with their wares or spices, as the word (a) signifies; hence the Syriac version renders it "merchants"; and carry tales and lies of innocent persons, and stir up others against them to wrath and revenge, and shed their b…
cambridgeEzekiel 22:9: "In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood: and in thee they eat upon the mountains: in the midst of thee they commit lewdness."
9 . Informers and false witnesses, Jeremiah 9:3 ; Exodus 23:1 ; Leviticus 19:16 . Cf. ch. Ezekiel 18:6 ; Ezekiel 18:11 . commit lewdness ] This clause should probably introduce the vices in Ezekiel 22:10 . Idolatry is metaphorically “lewdness,” but here it is not the community but individuals who are spoken of, cf. Ezekiel 22:11 .
The phrase "men that carry tales" doesn't just mean gossips; it points to dangerous informers whose words are so twisted they directly lead to innocent people being killed. Furthermore, "eating on the mountains" wasn't just a picnic, but likely involved participating in idolatrous feasts that blurred the lines between worship and debauchery.
Jerusalem is being judged as a "bloody city" filled with pervasive wickedness. This verse highlights specific sins within the city's leadership and populace: malicious gossip that leads to bloodshed, participation in idolatrous feasts on high places, and widespread sexual immorality. These offenses are part of a larger pattern of disobedience that has completely corrupted the community, setting the stage for God's impending judgment described in the following verses.
Jerusalem is being judged as a "bloody city" filled with pervasive wickedness. This verse highlights specific sins within the city's leadership and populace: malicious gossip that leads to bloodshed, participation in idolatrous feasts on high places, and widespread sexual immorality. These offenses are part of a larger pattern of disobedience that has completely corrupted the community, setting the stage for God's impending judgment described in the following verses.
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The Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, bringing the Kingdom of Judah to an end. This catastrophic event resulted in a mass exile and profound spiritual crisis for the Jewish people.
c. 580-570 BC
Ezekiel's Ministry in Babylon
Ezekiel prophesies to the exiled Judeans in Babylon, confronting them with the sins that led to their destruction and calling for repentance and hope.
"There are men in you who slander to shed blood, and people in you who eat on the mountains; they commit lewdness in your midst." — The phrase "men that carry tales" doesn't just mean gossips; it points to dangerous informers whose words are so twisted they directly lead to innocent people being killed. Furthermore, "eating on th…
