Ezekiel 39:9

Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out, kindle fires, and burn up the weapons—the bucklers and shields, the bows and arrows, the clubs and spears. For seven years they will use them for fuel.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — The Lord GOD speaks through Ezekiel to Israel following the prophesied defeat of Gog and Magog. This declaration occurs within a vision detailing the immediate aftermath of divine judgment.

The words — The Hebrew verb וּ/בִעֲר֡וּ (u./vi.'a.Ru) translates literally as "they will kindle" or "burn up," denoting the deliberate consumption of captured arms. The noun בְּ/נֶ֨שֶׁק (be./Ne.shek) refers collectively to "weapons" or military equipment.

The thread — The destruction of war implements appears in Psalms 46:9, where God breaks bows and shatters spears, and aligns with Isaiah 66:24's vision of perpetual judgment on rebels. Malachi 1:5 reinforces this theme by affirming the Lord's supremacy beyond Israel's borders.

Why it lands — The text states that Israelite inhabitants will use captured weapons as fuel for seven years, eliminating the need for wood gathering. Readers must acknowledge that divine victory completely nullifies military reliance and guarantees sustained security.

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

וְֽיָצְא֞וּve./ya.tze.'Uand/ they will go out יֹשְׁבֵ֣י׀yo.she.Vei[the] inhabitants of עָרֵ֣י'a.Rei[the] cities of יִשְׂרָאֵ֗לYis.ra.'ElIsrael וּבִעֲר֡וּu./vi.'a.Ruand/ they will kindle וְ֠הִשִּׂיקוּVe./hi.si.kuand/ they will kindle a fire בְּנֶ֨שֶׁקbe./Ne.shekwith/ weapon וּמָגֵ֤ןu./ma.Genand/ shield וְצִנָּה֙ve./tzi.Nahand/ body shield בְּקֶ֣שֶׁתbe./Ke.shetwith/ bow וּבְחִצִּ֔יםu./ve./chi.Tzimand/ with/ arrows וּבְמַקֵּ֥לu./ve./ma.Keland/ with/ staff of יָ֖דyadhand וּבְרֹ֑מַחu./ve./Ro.machand/ with/ spear וּבִעֲר֥וּu./vi.'a.Ruand/ they will kindleבָהֶ֛םva./Hemwith/ themאֵ֖שׁ'eshfire שֶׁ֥בַעShe.va'seven שָׁנִֽים׃sha.Nimyears

King James Version

And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years:

Cross-references

Psalms 46:9 He makes wars to cease throughout the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the shields in the fire.
Isaiah 66:24 “As they go forth, they will see the corpses of the men who have rebelled against Me; for their worm will never die, their fire will never be quenched, and they will be a horror to all mankind.”
Malachi 1:5 You will see this with your own eyes, and you yourselves will say, ‘The LORD is great—even beyond the borders of Israel.’”
Joshua 11:6 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for by this time tomorrow I will deliver all of them slain before Israel. You are to hamstring their horses and burn up their chariots.”
Psalms 111:2 Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them.
Ezekiel 39:10 They will not gather wood from the countryside or cut it from the forests, for they will use the weapons for fuel. They will loot those who looted them and plunder those who plundered them, declares the Lord GOD.
Zechariah 9:10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war will be broken. Then He will proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion will extend from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth.