For in my jealousy and in my blazing wrath I declare, On that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse isn't just about an earthquake, but an earthquake specifically because of God's jealousy and blazing wrath. It reveals that this shaking will be a direct, divine response to the threats against His people, showing His fierce protectiveness and commitment to vindicate Himself.
For in my jealousy and in my blazing wrath I declare, On that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse comes right after God promises to bring a massive invasion against His people Israel, led by a figure called Gog. In response to Gog's aggressive plans and the threat he poses to a seemingly secure Israel, God declares His own fierce jealousy and wrath will be unleashed. This divine intervention will manifest as a cataclysmic earthquake shaking the very land, signaling the dramatic and powerful way God will fight for His name and His people.
When God speaks of jealousy, it's not a petty emotion. It's a powerful, divine attribute that fuels His actions, especially when His people and His name are threatened.
Ezekiel 38:19 opens with "For in my jealousy and in my blazing wrath have I declared..." This isn't just a human feeling projected onto God. Divine jealousy, in the biblical sense, speaks to God's passionate commitment to His covenant people and His holy name.
A Holy Passion
God's jealousy is an intense desire for what belongs to Him – His people, His honor, His creation. When these are threatened or encroached upon, His jealousy is ignited. It's a protective, righteous anger against anything that would usurp His place or harm those He loves.
Fuel for Action
This jealousy isn't passive; it's the very engine that drives God's intervention. The "blazing wrath" shows the intensity of this divine response. It's a declaration that He will act decisively to defend His people and uphold His glory.
A cataclysmic earthquake shakes the land of Israel. Is this a sign of judgment on Israel, or something far more powerful?
The verse culminates in a powerful promise: "On that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel." This "shaking" is understood as a massive earthquake.
Divine Intervention, Not Judgment
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While earthquakes can signify judgment, in this context, it's a direct act of God's intervention for Israel. The commentaries emphasize that this shaking is not primarily about consternation among the Israelites, but a demonstration of God's power against the invading forces of Gog. It's a physical manifestation of God's wrath unleashed on His enemies.
A World-Shaking Event
This isn't just a local tremor. It's a "great shaking," signifying a profound and widespread disturbance. This event serves to vindicate God, to protect His people, and to reveal His might on a grand scale, confirming His promises and His power even in the face of overwhelming opposition.
Understand the original words
qin'ah · Hebrew Noun
A divine attribute describing God’s intense, protective, and exclusive love for His people. It expresses His demand for total loyalty and His fierce opposition to anything that threatens the sanctity of His relationship with His covenant people.
Ezekiel's prophecy of a great earthquake in Israel speaks to a future, climactic divine intervention. It echoes the deep anxieties and hopes born from past exiles and restoration efforts, promising God's ultimate jealousy for His people and wrath against their enemies.
Late 8th Century BC
Assyrian Captivity of Northern Israel
The northern kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Assyrian Empire, leading to the exile of many of its inhabitants. This event created a sense of vulnerability and a longing for future restoration and divine protection.
597 BC - 586 BC
Babylonian Exile of Southern Judah
The southern kingdom of Judah, including its capital Jerusalem, fell to the Babylonian Empire. This period of exile was a profound crisis, leading to widespread destruction and a deep theological reflection on God's judgment and promises.
c. 580-570 BC— this verse
Ezekiel's Prophecies of Restoration and Future Judgment
Ezekiel prophesied during the Babylonian exile, offering messages of both judgment and future hope for Israel. His prophecies included vivid visions of restoration, the rebuilding of the temple, and divine vindication against Israel's enemies.
539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon, initiating the Persian Empire. This political shift eventually led to the decree allowing exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple.
c. 520 BC
Rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple
Under Persian rule, the Jewish exiles returned to Jerusalem and, despite opposition, successfully rebuilt the Second Temple. This marked a significant step in the restoration of Jewish national and religious life.
This passage speaks of a future shaking that will affect the heavens and the earth, paralleling the intense divine intervention described in Ezekiel, signifying God's powerful work in establishing His kingdom.
Zechariah 14:4-5These verses vividly describe a cataclysmic earthquake on the Mount of Olives during a future divine intervention, mirroring the physical upheaval mentioned in Ezekiel as a sign of God's judgment and presence.
Revelation 16:18This prophetic passage foretells a massive earthquake and other cosmic disturbances accompanying God's final judgments, resonating with the earth-shattering event in Ezekiel as a manifestation of divine wrath.
Joel 3:16This verse also predicts that the Lord will roar from Zion and shake the heavens and the earth, aligning with Ezekiel's prophecy of a great shaking as a direct expression of God's power and judgment.
jfbEzekiel 38:19: "For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;"
- great shaking—an earthquake: physical agitations after accompanying social and moral revolutions. Foretold also in Joe 3:16; (compare Hag 2:6, 7; Mt 24:7, 29; Re 16:18).
henryEzekiel 38:14-23: "Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?"
38:14-23 The enemy should make a formidable descent upon the land of Israel. When Israel dwell safely under the Divine protection, shalt not thou be made to know it by finding that endeavours to destroy them are made in vain? Promises of security are treasured up in the word of God, against the troubles and dangers the churc…
This verse isn't just about an earthquake, but an earthquake specifically because of God's jealousy and blazing wrath. It reveals that this shaking will be a direct, divine response to the threats against His people, showing His fierce protectiveness and commitment to vindicate Himself.
This verse comes right after God promises to bring a massive invasion against His people Israel, led by a figure called Gog. In response to Gog's aggressive plans and the threat he poses to a seemingly secure Israel, God declares His own fierce jealousy and wrath will be unleashed. This divine intervention will manifest as a cataclysmic earthquake shaking the very land, signaling the dramatic and powerful way God will fight for His name and His people.
This verse comes right after God promises to bring a massive invasion against His people Israel, led by a figure called Gog. In response to Gog's aggressive plans and the threat he poses to a seemingly secure Israel, God declares His own fierce jealousy and wrath will be unleashed. This divine intervention will manifest as a cataclysmic earthquake shaking the very land, signaling the dramatic and powerful way God will fight for His name and His people.
"For in my jealousy and in my blazing wrath I declare, On that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel." — This verse isn't just about an earthquake, but an earthquake specifically because of God's jealousy and blazing wrath. It reveals that this shaking will be a direct, divine response to the threats…
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Last reviewed October 2026