when I send against you the deadly arrows of famine, arrows for destruction, which I will send to destroy you, and when I bring more and more famine upon you and break your supply of bread.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse powerfully portrays famine not just as a lack of food, but as "evil arrows" from God himself, specifically designed for destruction. This imagery suggests that famine is a targeted, piercing force, meant to bring a swift and complete end, unlike mere scarcity that might be endured.
when I send against you the deadly arrows of famine, arrows for destruction, which I will send to destroy you, and when I bring more and more famine upon you and break your supply of bread.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel has just been commanded to enact a symbolic siege upon Jerusalem, cutting his hair into three parts to represent the different fates awaiting its inhabitants. This verse continues God's declaration of judgment, specifically detailing the severe famine that will plague the city, emphasizing it as a direct, deadly weapon sent from God. The prophet further explains that God will intensify this famine, even rendering the bread they do have unable to sustain them.
God describes famine not just as a lack of food, but as 'arrows' shot with deadly intent. What does this powerful imagery reveal about God's judgment?
In Ezekiel 5:16, God declares He will send 'the deadly arrows of famine.' This isn't just a poetic metaphor; it’s a profound declaration of divine action.
God as the Archer
God is presented as the one who sends these arrows. This means famine isn't a random accident or a mere misfortune. It's a specific judgment, wielded by God Himself.
The Nature of the 'Arrows'
These 'arrows' are described as 'deadly' and 'for destruction.' Unlike a battlefield arrow that might wound but allow survival, God's arrows of famine are intended for total ruin. They represent not just hunger, but the complete collapse of sustenance and life.
Multiple Forms of Judgment
Commentators note that these 'arrows' could represent various physical scourges that lead to famine: drought, excessive rain, locusts, disease affecting crops, and more. Each represents a distinct way God can bring about judgment, like a skilled archer choosing the right weapon for the target.
God doesn't just send famine; He 'increases' it and 'breaks the staff of bread.' What does this escalation signify?
The verse doesn't stop at the initial 'sending' of famine. It describes a terrifying escalation:
Ask a follow-up
Adding Famine Upon Famine
God says, 'I will increase the famine upon you.' This implies a compounding effect, where one disaster is followed by another, making the situation progressively worse. It’s not a single blow, but a relentless assault.
Breaking the 'Staff of Bread'
The phrase 'break your staff of bread' is particularly striking. Bread was the staple, the very 'staff' that supported life. To break it means to remove its strength, its nourishment, its ability to sustain.
Understand the original words
ra‘aḇ · Hebrew Noun
A severe shortage of food causing widespread starvation; in biblical usage, it is frequently depicted as a tool of divine judgment used to humble a nation or bring it to repentance.
ḥēṣî · Hebrew Noun
A weapon consisting of a slender shaft with a pointed head, often used in scripture metaphorically to describe divine judgments, word of God, or sudden attacks of enemies.
mašḥît · Hebrew Noun
The act of ruining, devastating, or bringing to an end; in this context, it refers to the complete devastation brought by God's judgment against covenant unfaithfulness.
maṭṭeh leḥem · Hebrew Noun phrase
An essential staple for life; biblically, it symbolizes provision and God’s sustaining care, the breaking of which signifies the removal of divine favor and the onset of death.
Ezekiel is prophesying during the Babylonian exile, a time when Jerusalem's destruction and the people's suffering were a stark reality. The 'arrows of famine' weren't just abstract threats but represented the devastating consequences of God's judgment experienced by those in exile and those left behind in a besieged Jerusalem.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The northern kingdom of Israel falls to the Assyrian Empire, leading to the exile of its people and the displacement of populations.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Under King Nebuchadnezzar II, Jerusalem is first attacked, and members of the Judean royalty and elite, including the prophet Daniel, are deported to Babylon.
597 BC— this verse
Second Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar deports more Judeans, including the prophet Ezekiel and King Jehoiachin, to Babylon after a rebellion.
587/586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the majority of the remaining population to Babylon. This marks the end of the kingdom of Judah.
539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers Babylon, paving the way for the eventual return of Jewish exiles to Judah.
538 BC
Edict of Cyrus
Cyrus issues a decree allowing Jewish exiles to return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.
This passage describes God sending 'destroying arrows' and 'famine' as a form of judgment, mirroring the imagery used in Ezekiel.
Psalm 7:13This Psalm also personifies God's judgments as 'arrows' and 'burning coals' that are prepared for destruction, echoing the concept of God's directed and deadly judgments in Ezekiel.
Leviticus 26:26This verse directly speaks to the consequence of disobedience where 'ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall give back your bread in busehels,' illustrating the 'breaking of the staff of bread' and the severe scarcity that comes from God's discipline.
Isaiah 9:20This prophecy speaks of people eating 'on the right hand, and are hungry; and they eat on the left hand, and are not satisfied,' which is a powerful depiction of the 'staff of bread' being broken, where even food doesn't provide nourishment.
pooleEzekiel 5:16: "When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread:"
I shall send; it is a messenger that goes not till God sends, and ever goes when he sendeth; he sends cleanness of teeth. The evil arrows; either because thunder, tempests, locusts, blastings, &c., which cause famine, are sent by him, and fly like arrows; or because, like ar…
pulpitEzekiel 5:16: "When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread:"
Verse 16. - The evil arrows of famine, etc. The thought of the "arrows" of God's judgment may have been taken from Deuteronomy 32:23, 42, and occurs frequently also in the Psalms (Psalm 7:13; Psalm 38:2, et al.). Clothed in the language of poetry, the attributes of Jehovah i…
The verse powerfully portrays famine not just as a lack of food, but as "evil arrows" from God himself, specifically designed for destruction. This imagery suggests that famine is a targeted, piercing force, meant to bring a swift and complete end, unlike mere scarcity that might be endured.
Ezekiel has just been commanded to enact a symbolic siege upon Jerusalem, cutting his hair into three parts to represent the different fates awaiting its inhabitants. This verse continues God's declaration of judgment, specifically detailing the severe famine that will plague the city, emphasizing it as a direct, deadly weapon sent from God. The prophet further explains that God will intensify this famine, even rendering the bread they do have unable to sustain them.
Ezekiel has just been commanded to enact a symbolic siege upon Jerusalem, cutting his hair into three parts to represent the different fates awaiting its inhabitants. This verse continues God's declaration of judgment, specifically detailing the severe famine that will plague the city, emphasizing it as a direct, deadly weapon sent from God. The prophet further explains that God will intensify this famine, even rendering the bread they do have unable to sustain them.
"when I send against you the deadly arrows of famine, arrows for destruction, which I will send to destroy you, and when I bring more and more famine upon you and break your supply of bread." — The verse powerfully portrays famine not just as a lack of food, but as "evil arrows" from God himself, specifically designed for destruction. This imagery suggests that famine is a targeted, piercin…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026