Ezekiel 36:14-15
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The prophecy shifts from enemies attacking Israel to the land itself, highlighting a past reputation of being a place that "devoured people." This wasn't just natural disasters, but God's judgment for sin, a judgment that will finally cease as the land becomes a place of abundance and life, not death and loss.
therefore you shall no longer devour people and no longer bereave your nation of children, declares the Lord GOD. And I will not let you hear anymore the reproach of the nations, and you shall no longer bear the disgrace of the peoples and no longer cause your nation to stumble, declares the Lord GOD.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
God is speaking to the land of Israel, promising a future restoration after its desolate state and the exile of its people. This promise directly addresses the past reproach that the land was a place that brought destruction and death, causing its inhabitants to be devoured or its nations to be bereaved of children. The verses immediately following will explain how this restoration and blessing will occur through God's own cleansing and new spirit.
The land of Israel was once accused of a horrific crime: devouring its own people. How could a land be a predator?
Ezekiel addresses the land of Israel, personifying it as a cruel entity. The accusation leveled against it was that it 'devoured men' and 'bereaved its nations.' This wasn't about the land physically eating people. Instead, it referred to the devastating impact of God's judgment. Through famine, pestilence, and the sword, God's people were destroyed, and families were left without offspring. This made the land seem cursed, a place that consumed its inhabitants and brought ruin.
God declares an end to the land's destructive reputation. What does this reversal look like for Israel?
The promise in Ezekiel 36:14 is a radical shift. God declares that the land will no longer be a place of destruction. Instead of devouring its people, it will become a place where life flourishes. The word 'bereave' can also carry the sense of causing loss or preventing continuation. God promises that the nation will no longer be 'bereaved'—meaning, they will have children, their families will continue, and their legacy will be preserved. This is a promise of restoration, fertility, and enduring life.
This prophecy points beyond immediate restoration to a time when God's people and presence will be fully secure.
The ultimate fulfillment of this promise is not just about the land producing crops and people. It's about God restoring His people to their land and dwelling among them in peace and blessing. The 'devouring' and 'bereaving' were consequences of sin and judgment. The reversal signifies God's complete forgiveness and His desire to establish a lasting relationship. The land will no longer be a place of exile and destruction, but a place where God's people live securely, multiply, and experience His presence without fear.
Ask a follow-up
Understand the original words
cherpah · Hebrew Noun
A feeling of shame, scorn, or insult cast upon someone, often used in the Old Testament to describe the public humiliation of Israel when they are defeated or judged by pagan nations.
kelimmah · Hebrew Noun
A condition of dishonor or shame; in a biblical context, it often refers to the loss of reputation or standing before God or others due to sin or judgment.
kashal · Hebrew Verb
An object or action that causes someone to fall into sin or judgment; metaphorically, it refers to that which obstructs a person's walk with God or results in spiritual failure.
This prophecy comes during the Babylonian exile, a time when the land of Israel was seen as a desolate place that had 'devoured' its own people through sin and God's judgment. Ezekiel's message promises a future where the land will no longer be a place of death and reproach, but of life and abundance, a stark contrast to the devastation of the fall of Jerusalem.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Northern Kingdom of Israel is conquered by the Assyrian Empire, leading to the exile of many of its people. This event marked a significant loss of population and national identity.
597 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon deports a portion of Judah's population, including the prophet Ezekiel and King Jehoiachin, to Babylon. This was a prelude to more severe judgments.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Destruction of the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem, destroys the city and Solomon's Temple, and deports most of the remaining population to Babylon. This event represents the nadir of Israel's national and religious life, fulfilling prophecies of devastation.
c. 571 BC
Ezekiel's Visions of Restoration
Ezekiel receives visions of a restored Jerusalem, a new Temple, and the regathering of the scattered people of Israel. These prophecies offer hope amidst the despair of exile.
539 BC
Cyrus the Great Conquers Babylon
The Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great overthrows the Babylonian Empire. This event opens the door for the exiled Jews to return to their homeland.
538 BC onwards
Return from Exile
Cyrus issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. This marks the beginning of the return and restoration period, though it was a gradual process.
This passage speaks of 'a reward for your work' and children returning to their own land, directly echoing the theme of restoration and the cessation of loss promised in Ezekiel 36:14.
Isaiah 65:23Here, God promises that His chosen people 'shall not labor in vain or bear children for calamity,' which is a powerful parallel to the end of 'devouring' and 'bereaving' nations mentioned in Ezekiel.
Lamentations 5:7This verse directly addresses the historical sorrow of a people whose 'fathers sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities,' reflecting the kind of national suffering that Ezekiel 36:14 declares will finally cease.
Ezekiel 37:26This verse, also from Ezekiel, paints a picture of a future covenant of peace with Israel, where God will establish them and multiply them, directly connecting to the end of destruction and loss found in chapter 36.
barnesEzekiel 36:14: "Therefore thou shalt devour men no more, neither bereave thy nations any more, saith the Lord GOD."
Bereave - Or, as in the margin: i. e., the land shall not prove the ruin of its inhabitants by tempting them (as of old time) to the sin of idolatry.
jfbEzekiel 36:14: "Therefore thou shalt devour men no more, neither bereave thy nations any more, saith the Lord GOD."
- bereave—so the Keri, or Hebrew Margin reads, to correspond to "bereave" in Eze 36:13; but "cause to fall" or "stumble," in the Hebrew text or Chetib, being the more difficult reading, is the one least likely to come from a corrector; also, it forms a good transition to the next subject, namely, the moral cause of the people's calamities, namely, their falls, or stumblings thro…
The prophecy shifts from enemies attacking Israel to the land itself, highlighting a past reputation of being a place that "devoured people." This wasn't just natural disasters, but God's judgment for sin, a judgment that will finally cease as the land becomes a place of abundance and life, not death and loss.
God is speaking to the land of Israel, promising a future restoration after its desolate state and the exile of its people. This promise directly addresses the past reproach that the land was a place that brought destruction and death, causing its inhabitants to be devoured or its nations to be bereaved of children. The verses immediately following will explain how this restoration and blessing will occur through God's own cleansing and new spirit.
God is speaking to the land of Israel, promising a future restoration after its desolate state and the exile of its people. This promise directly addresses the past reproach that the land was a place that brought destruction and death, causing its inhabitants to be devoured or its nations to be bereaved of children. The verses immediately following will explain how this restoration and blessing will occur through God's own cleansing and new spirit.
"therefore you shall no longer devour people and no longer bereave your nation of children, declares the Lord GOD. And I will not let you hear anymore the reproach of the nations, and you shall no longer bear the disgrace of the peoples and…" — The prophecy shifts from enemies attacking Israel to the land itself, highlighting a past reputation of being a place that "devoured people." This wasn't just natural disasters, but God's judgment fo…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
