Ezekiel 17:21

All his choice troops will fall by the sword, and those who survive will be scattered to every wind. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken.’

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The LORD speaks this declaration immediately after pronouncing judgment on a treasonous king for his capture in Babylon and just before announcing the planting of a new cedar shoot.

The words — The Hebrew מִבְרָחָי/ו (miv.ra.cho/v) translates to "his fugitives," and יִפֹּלוּ (yi.Po.lu) means "they will fall," describing the fate of the fleeing soldiers.

The thread — The fate of fleeing armies and remaining populations appears in 2 Kings 25:5, 2 Kings 25:11, and Ezekiel 5:12.

Why it lands — The text states that military collapse and dispersion will occur so observers recognize the LORD's spoken word as fulfilled. It demands acknowledgment of divine authority over political and military outcomes.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְאֵ֨תve./'Etand/ <obj.>כָּל־kol-all מִבְרָחָ֤יוmiv.ra.cho/vfugitives/ his בְּכָל־be./kholamong/ all אֲגַפָּיו֙'a.ga.Pa/vtroops/ his בַּחֶ֣רֶבba./Che.revby the/ sword יִפֹּ֔לוּyi.Po.luthey will fall וְהַנִּשְׁאָרִ֖יםve./ha./nish.'a.Rimand/ the/ [ones who] survive לְכָל־le./kholto/ every ר֣וּחַRu.achwind יִפָּרֵ֑שׂוּyi.pa.Re.suthey will be scattered וִידַעְתֶּ֕םvi./da'.Temand/ you will know כִּ֛יkithat אֲנִ֥י'a.NiI יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahweh דִּבַּֽרְתִּי׃ סdi.Bar.tiI have spoken

King James Version

And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and ye shall know that I the Lord have spoken it.

Cross-references

2 Kings 25:5 but the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho, and his whole army deserted him.
2 Kings 25:11 Then Nebuzaradan captain of the guard carried into exile the people who remained in the city, along with the deserters who had defected to the king of Babylon and the rest of the population.
Ezekiel 5:12 A third of your people will die by plague or be consumed by famine within you, a third will fall by the sword outside your walls, and a third I will scatter to every wind and unleash a sword behind them.
Ezekiel 12:14 And I will scatter to every wind all the attendants around him and all his troops, and I will draw a sword to chase after them.
Isaiah 26:11 O LORD, Your hand is upraised, but they do not see it. They will see Your zeal for Your people and be put to shame. The fire set for Your enemies will consume them!
Jeremiah 48:44 “Whoever flees the panic will fall into the pit, and whoever climbs from the pit will be caught in the snare. For I will bring upon Moab the year of their punishment,” declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 52:8 but the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho, and his whole army deserted him.
Ezekiel 5:10 As a result, fathers among you will eat their sons, and sons will eat their fathers. I will execute judgments against you and scatter all your remnant to every wind.’
Ezekiel 6:7 The slain will fall among you, and you will know that I am the LORD.
Ezekiel 6:10 And they will know that I am the LORD; I did not declare in vain that I would bring this calamity upon them.