All hands are feeble, and all knees turn to water.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This vivid image of "hands feeble" and "knees weak as water" goes beyond just fear; it describes a total paralysis where no action, whether defensive, offensive, or even practical like escaping with possessions, is possible. The ancient writers understood this as a chilling, physical manifestation of terror, so profound it rendered people utterly helpless and incapable of survival.
All hands are feeble, and all knees turn to water.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel has just announced the impending, inescapable judgment of God on Israel, a complete destruction rather than a partial one. The people will mourn and try to flee, but there will be nowhere to go and no one to help them. This verse describes the utter paralysis and despair that will grip everyone as the disaster unfolds, rendering them incapable of fighting, fleeing, or even holding onto anything.
Imagine a soldier unable to lift his sword, or a builder unable to move a stone. Ezekiel paints a picture of complete helplessness, not just in the army, but in everyone.
This verse describes a profound physical and emotional collapse in the face of overwhelming disaster.
No Strength Left
This isn't just about a tough situation; it's about a total breakdown of human ability, highlighting the utter devastation God's judgment brings.
Fear can do more than just make your heart race. Sometimes, it grips your body so tightly that it renders you useless.
The vivid imagery of 'knees weak as water' points to the extreme physical reactions caused by sheer terror.
Terror's Grip
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Ezekiel uses this visceral language to show that God’s judgment isn't just an external event; it instills a terror so deep it breaks down the very body.
The people turned to idols for strength and security. What happens when those powerless gods offer no defense against God's judgment?
While the verse focuses on the physical effects of fear, the broader context of Ezekiel points to why this fear is so paralyzing.
The Futility of False Gods
Ezekiel reminds us that true security comes from obedience to the one true God, not from the idols we create or the strength we try to muster on our own.
Ezekiel's vivid imagery of limp hands and weak knees captures the utter helplessness and paralyzing terror experienced by the people of Judah during the Babylonian conquest and the destruction of Jerusalem, a devastating event that ended their national sovereignty.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian military campaigns
The Neo-Assyrian Empire, under rulers like Tiglath-Pileser III and Sargon II, conducted frequent and brutal military campaigns throughout the Levant, including incursions into the territory of Judah.
605 BC
First deportation to Babylon
Under Nebuchadnezzar II, Babylon began its rise to power, culminating in the first major deportation of Judean captives, including noble youth like Daniel, to Babylon.
597 BC
Second deportation to Babylon
Another significant deportation of Judeans occurred, including King Jehoiachin and many skilled artisans and leaders, further weakening the kingdom of Judah.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar's forces finally conquered Jerusalem, destroying the city, the Temple of Solomon, and deporting a large portion of the remaining population to Babylon.
c. 571 BC
Ezekiel's prophetic ministry ends
Ezekiel's recorded prophecies conclude around this time, with his final messages often addressing the aftermath of Jerusalem's destruction and the scattered exiles.
This passage uses similar imagery of trembling and anguish, describing those who hear the news of impending destruction as being gripped by fear, much like the paralysis described in Ezekiel.
Isaiah 13:7Isaiah speaks of the day of the Lord's wrath where 'all hands will be feeble' and 'all knees will knock,' directly paralleling the physical manifestations of terror seen in Ezekiel's prophecy.
Ezekiel 21:7This verse repeats the exact phrase 'all hands shall be feeble, and all knees shall be weak as water,' applying it to the inhabitants of Judah as Nebuchadnezzar's sword approaches, reinforcing the widespread despair and helplessness.
Psalm 22:14The psalmist describes his own suffering with 'I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within me,' reflecting a similar feeling of physical dissolution and weakness due to distress.
pooleEzekiel 7:17: "All hands shall be feeble, and all knees shall be weak as water."
All hands with which they should hold the instruments of fortification, the weapons of war, the tools of working, and that should carry away their goods, that they shall not be able to work at the ramparts, nor fight in the battle, nor earn-their bread, or carry away their substance on which they might subsist. All knees, which bowed to idols, shall now fall under the punishments of idolatry, shall be neither stron…
pulpitEzekiel 7:17: "All hands shall be feeble, and all knees shall be weak as water."
Verse 17. - All knees shall be weak as water; literally, shall flow with water. So the Vulgate. The LXX. is yet stronger, shall be defiled, etc. The words may point to the cold sweat of terror which paralyzes men's power to act. The phrase is peculiar to Ezekiel, and meets us again in Ezekiel 21:7. The thought finds a parallel in Isaiah 13:7; Jeremiah 6:24.
This vivid image of "hands feeble" and "knees weak as water" goes beyond just fear; it describes a total paralysis where no action, whether defensive, offensive, or even practical like escaping with possessions, is possible. The ancient writers understood this as a chilling, physical manifestation of terror, so profound it rendered people utterly helpless and incapable of survival.
Ezekiel has just announced the impending, inescapable judgment of God on Israel, a complete destruction rather than a partial one. The people will mourn and try to flee, but there will be nowhere to go and no one to help them. This verse describes the utter paralysis and despair that will grip everyone as the disaster unfolds, rendering them incapable of fighting, fleeing, or even holding onto anything.
Ezekiel has just announced the impending, inescapable judgment of God on Israel, a complete destruction rather than a partial one. The people will mourn and try to flee, but there will be nowhere to go and no one to help them. This verse describes the utter paralysis and despair that will grip everyone as the disaster unfolds, rendering them incapable of fighting, fleeing, or even holding onto anything.
"All hands are feeble, and all knees turn to water." — This vivid image of "hands feeble" and "knees weak as water" goes beyond just fear; it describes a total paralysis where no action, whether defensive, offensive, or even practical like escaping with…
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Last reviewed October 2026