Ezekiel 23:46

This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Bring a mob against them and consign them to terror and plunder.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The Lord Yahweh speaks through Ezekiel to issue a judicial decree against the allegorical cities of Samaria and Jerusalem. This declaration occurs immediately after the sentencing phase and directly precedes the execution of the mob's violence.

The words — The imperative הַעֲלֵה (ha.'a.Leh) commands to "bring up," paired with קָהָל (ka.Hal) meaning "a company" or "mob." The formula כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה (koh 'amar 'adonai Yahweh) frames the subsequent command as direct divine speech.

The thread — This mobilization of a hostile mob echoes the judgment decree in Ezekiel 16:40 and shares the theme of divine horror among nations found in Jeremiah 15:4 and 24:9.

Why it lands — The text states that covenant unfaithfulness triggers divinely authorized collective violence against the guilty parties. It requires the reader to acknowledge that spiritual adultery produces historical judgment without softening the severity of the stated consequences.

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

כִּ֛יkifor כֹּ֥הkohthus אָמַ֖ר'a.Marhe says אֲדֹנָ֣י'a.do.Nai[the] Lord יְהוִ֑הYah.wehYahweh הַעֲלֵ֤הha.'a.Lehbring up עֲלֵיהֶם֙'a.lei./Hemon/ them קָהָ֔לka.Hala company וְנָתֹ֥ןve./na.Tonand/ give over אֶתְהֶ֖ן'et./Hen<obj.>/ them לְזַעֲוָ֥הle./za.'a.Vahto/ terror וְלָבַֽז׃ve./la./Vazand/ to/ spoil

King James Version

For thus saith the Lord God; I will bring up a company upon them, and will give them to be removed and spoiled.

Cross-references

Ezekiel 16:40 They will bring a mob against you, who will stone you and cut you to pieces with their swords.
Jeremiah 15:4 I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah did in Jerusalem.
Jeremiah 24:9 I will make them a horror and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a disgrace and an object of scorn, ridicule, and cursing wherever I have banished them.
Jeremiah 25:9 behold, I will summon all the families of the north, declares the LORD, and I will send for My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, whom I will bring against this land, against its residents, and against all the surrounding nations. So I will devote them to destruction and make them an object of horror and contempt, an everlasting desolation.
Jeremiah 34:17 Therefore this is what the LORD says: You have not obeyed Me; you have not proclaimed freedom, each man for his brother and for his neighbor. So now I proclaim freedom for you, declares the LORD—freedom to fall by sword, by plague, and by famine! I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
Ezekiel 23:22 Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will incite your lovers against you, those from whom you turned away in disgust. And I will bring them against you from every side—