Ezekiel 14:16

Ezekiel 14:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.
• New International Version (NIV)as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved, but the land would be desolate.
• English Standard Version (ESV)even if these three men were in it, as I live, declares the Lord God, they would deliver neither sons nor daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the land would be desolate.
• New King James Version (NKJV)even though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters; only they would be delivered, and the land would be desolate.

Context of Ezekiel 14:16

14If that happens, I would only save the righteous people who lived there. If men like Noah, Daniel and Job lived there, I would save them. But nobody else would escape. That is what the Almighty Lord says. 15Or I might send wild animals to kill the people of that nation. Nobody would travel through that place. The wild animals would make it too dangerous to travel there. I promise you this, as surely as I live: if those three righteous men lived there, they would only save themselves. They could not even save the lives of their own children. The whole land would become an empty place. That is what the Almighty Lord says. 17Or I might bring an enemy to attack that nation. I would say, “Soldiers with swords should destroy the whole land.” I would cause them to kill both people and animals. 18I promise you this, as surely as I live: if those three righteous men lived there, they would only save themselves. They could not even save the lives of their own children. That is what the Almighty Lord says.

Ezekiel 14:16 word by word

שְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת הָאֲנָשִׁ֣ים הָאֵלֶּה֮ בְּתוֹכָהּ֒ חַי־אָ֗נִי נְאֻם֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה אִם־בָּנִ֥ים וְאִם־בָּנ֖וֹת יַצִּ֑ילוּ הֵ֤מָּה לְבַדָּם֙ יִנָּצֵ֔לוּ וְהָאָ֖רֶץ תִּהְיֶ֥ה שְׁמָמָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• these threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• in itתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
• I liveחַיchay · aliveH2416
• saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
• the Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
• Godיְהֹוִהyehôvih · YHWH/GodH3069
• they shall deliverנָצַלnâtsal · to rescueH5337
• neither sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• nor daughtersבַּתbath · daughterH1323
• but the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• shall be desolateשְׁמָמָהshemâmâh shimâmâh · devastationH8077

Cross-references for Ezekiel 14:16

• Ezekiel 14:14If that happens, I would only save the righteous people who lived there. If men like Noah, Daniel and Job lived there, I would save them. But nobody else would escape. That is what the Almighty Lord says.
• Matthew 18:19Two people may agree together to ask God for something. If they agree like that, then my Father in heaven will give them what they ask for.
• James 5:16So you should tell each other about any wrong things that you have done. Then you will be able to pray for each other, so that God makes you well again. When a good person prays to God, God does powerful things.
• Ezekiel 14:20I promise you this, as surely as I live: if Noah, Daniel and Job lived there, they would only save themselves because they are righteous people. They could not save the lives even of their own children. That is what the Almighty Lord says.
• Ezekiel 33:11Tell them, “It does not make me happy to punish wicked people with death. I, the Almighty Lord, promise you this, as surely as I live. I want wicked people to stop doing wrong things so that they may continue to live. So stop doing evil things! Israel's people, you do not have to die. Turn back to me!”
• Numbers 14:28Tell them this: “I, the Lord, have heard your words. I promise you, as surely as I live, I will certainly do to you as you have said.
• Genesis 18:23Then Abraham went near to the Lord and he asked, ‘Will you destroy the good people as well as the bad people?
• Genesis 19:29When God destroyed the cities of the valley, he saved Lot from that punishment. God remembered what Abraham had asked him. He took Lot away from the cities where he had lived. Then God destroyed those cities.
• Job 22:20They say, “God has destroyed our enemies. He has burned all their valuable things in a fire.”
• Acts 27:24The angel said, “Paul, do not be afraid. You must go to Rome and Caesar will judge you there. Because of you, God will be kind to all the people on the ship with you. None of them will die.”
• Hebrews 11:7Noah believed God too. God told Noah about bad things that would happen. Nobody could see what would happen, but Noah believed God's message. He was careful to do exactly what God told him. He built a large ship to save his family. As a result of his faith, Noah showed that everyone else in the world was wrong. Noah himself became one of those people that God accepted as right with him. They are right with God because they trust him.

Commentaries on Ezekiel 14:16

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12-23Verses 12-23 Ezekiel 14:12 Or, “When a land” - the case is first put in a general form, and then ism brought with increased force home to Jerusalem - “sinneth against me by trespassing grievously,” and I stretch out “mine hand upon it,” and break the staff of bread “thereof,” and send famine “upon it and” cut off “man and beast: though these three men” etc. Ezekiel 14:14 Noah, Daniel, and Job - Three striking instances of men who, for their integrity…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-23Verses 12-23 National sins bring national judgments. Though sinners escape one judgment, another is waiting for them. When God's professing people rebel against him, they may justly expect all his judgments. The faith, obedience, and prayers of Noah prevailed to the saving of his house, but not of the old world. Job's sacrifice and prayer in behalf of his friends were accepted, and Daniel had prevailed for the saving his companions and the wise men of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-20Israel had not been treated unfairly. God did not judge Israel without reason. If any nation sinned against the Lord in this way, that nation would face the same result. However, this passage clearly speaks about Israel. The words used to describe their sin also describe breaking the covenant (the binding promises between God and his people). Israel had broken this covenant. Because of that, the nation would rightly experience the covenant curses (the…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-2115-21. The argument is cumulative. He first puts the case of the land sinning so as to fall under the judgment of a famine (Eze 14:13); then (Eze 14:15) "noisome beasts" (Le 26:22); then "the sword"; then, worst of all, "pestilence." The three most righteous of men should deliver only themselves in these several four cases. In Eze 14:21 he concentrates the whole in one mass of condemnation. If Noah, Daniel, Job, could not deliver the land, when deserving…Read the comment

Topics related to Ezekiel 14:16

• Intercession

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Lothing
• Resurrection
• Salvation

Commentaries on Ezekiel 14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings