Bible Strands
Ezekiel 6:14
I will stretch out My hand against them, and wherever they live I will make the land a desolate waste, from the wilderness to Diblah. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — God speaks through Ezekiel to the exiled community, pronouncing judgment immediately after detailing the slaughter of idolaters at their high places.
The words — נָטִיתִי (na.Ti.ti) means "I will stretch out," and שְׁמָמָה (she.ma.Mah) means "a desolation," denoting the active divine action that will turn their inhabited territory into a waste.
The thread — The motif of an outstretched hand and land desolation recurs in Isaiah 5:25, Isaiah 9:12, and Ezekiel 20:33, consistently marking divine intervention and wrath.
Why it lands — The text states God will stretch out His hand and make the land a desolate waste from the wilderness to Diblah, demanding acknowledgment that national destruction serves to reveal His identity as the LORD.
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
King James Version
So will I stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall know that I am the Lord.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 5:25 Therefore the anger of the LORD burns against His people; His hand is raised against them to strike them down. The mountains quake, and the corpses lie like refuse in the streets. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.
- Isaiah 9:12 Aram from the east and Philistia from the west have devoured Israel with open mouths. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.
- Ezekiel 20:33 As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, with a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath I will rule over you.
- Numbers 33:46 They set out from Dibon-gad and camped at Almon-diblathaim.
- Isaiah 9:17 Therefore the Lord takes no pleasure in their young men; He has no compassion on their fatherless and widows. For every one of them is godless and wicked, and every mouth speaks folly. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.
- Isaiah 9:21 Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; together they turn against Judah. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.
- Isaiah 10:4 Nothing will remain but to crouch among the captives or fall among the slain. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.
- 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 48:22 upon Dibon, Nebo, and Beth-diblathaim,
- Ezekiel 14:13 “Son of man, if a land sins against Me by acting unfaithfully, and I stretch out My hand against it to cut off its supply of food, to send famine upon it, and to cut off from it both man and beast,