What does Ezekiel 36:7 mean?
"Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I have lifted up mine hand, Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall bear their shame." - Ezekiel 36:7
The Bible verse Ezekiel 36:7 in the King James Version (KJV) reads, "Therefore thus saith the Lord God; I have lifted up mine hand, Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall bear their shame."
This verse is part of a larger passage in the book of Ezekiel, where the prophet Ezekiel is delivering a message from God to the nation of Israel. In this particular verse, God is speaking to the people of Israel, reassuring them that He will bring justice and vengeance against the nations surrounding them who have mistreated and oppressed them.
The theme of justice and retribution is a prominent one in this verse. The phrase "Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall bear their shame" indicates that the surrounding nations will face the consequences of their actions and will be humiliated for their mistreatment of Israel. This theme of divine justice is a common one throughout the Bible, and it reflects the belief that God is righteous and just, and that He will ultimately bring justice to those who have been wronged.
The context of this verse is important for understanding its meaning. At the time when Ezekiel was delivering this message, the nation of Israel was in exile in Babylon, having been conquered and taken captive by the Babylonian empire. The surrounding nations, referred to as "heathen" in the verse, had taken advantage of Israel's vulnerability and had treated them harshly. In this passage, God is promising to vindicate His people and to hold their oppressors accountable for their actions.
Symbolism is also present in this verse. The phrase "I have lifted up mine hand" is a symbolic gesture of solemnity and authority. In ancient cultures, lifting up one's hand was a way of making a solemn oath or vow, and it symbolized a commitment to carry out a specific action. In the context of this verse, God's lifting up of His hand represents His unwavering promise to bring justice to the nations surrounding Israel.
Furthermore, the concept of the nations bearing their shame carries both literal and symbolic significance. On a literal level, this phrase can be understood as a prediction that the surrounding nations will face humiliation and disgrace as a result of their actions against Israel. Symbolically, it can also be interpreted as a larger statement about the consequences of mistreating God's chosen people. The shame and humiliation that the surrounding nations will experience is a symbol of the divine retribution and justice that God promises to bring about.
In conclusion, Ezekiel 36:7 in the King James Version carries a powerful message of justice, retribution, and divine vindication. The verse speaks to the belief in God's righteous judgment and His commitment to defending His people. It is a reminder that God sees and cares about the suffering of His people and that He will ultimately hold the oppressors accountable for their actions. This verse has the power to bring comfort and hope to those who have been wronged and to serve as a warning to those who mistreat others.
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Ezekiel 36:7 - "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I have lifted up mine hand, Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall bear their shame."
"Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I have lifted up mine hand, Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall bear their shame." - Ezekiel 36:7
Ezekiel 36:16 - "¶ Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,"
Ezekiel 36:36 - "Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it."
"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." - Ezekiel 36:26
Ezekiel 36:34 - "And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by."
Luke 7:36-50
Luke 7:36–50
Ezekiel 36:9 - "For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown:"
Ezekiel 27:36 - "The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee; thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt be any more."
Nehemiah 7:36 - "The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five."
Ezekiel 36:30 - "And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen."
Ezekiel 36:28 - "And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God."
Ezekiel 20:36 - "Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD."
Ezekiel 36:21 - "¶ But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went."
Ezekiel 36:14 - "Therefore thou shalt devour men no more, neither bereave thy nations any more, saith the Lord GOD."
Ezekiel 36:1 - "Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD:"
Ezekiel 36:35 - "And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited."
Ezekiel 36:24 - "For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land."
Ezekiel 36:19 - "And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them."
Ezekiel 36:29 - "I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you."
1 Chronicles 7:36 - "The sons of Zophah; Suah, and Harnepher, and Shual, and Beri, and Imrah,"
Exodus 36:7 - "For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much."
"¶ Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying," - Ezekiel 36:16
Ezekiel 36:18 - "Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it:"
Ezekiel 36:10 - "And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded:"
Ezekiel 40:36 - "The little chambers thereof, the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, and the windows to it round about: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits."
Ezekiel 36:13 - "Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because they say unto you, Thou land devourest up men, and hast bereaved thy nations;"
Ezekiel 36:37 - "Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock."
Ezekiel 36:2 - "Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha, even the ancient high places are our's in possession:"