Ezekiel 21:6
Ezekiel 21:6 in Multiple Translations
But you, son of man, groan! Groan before their eyes with a broken heart and bitter grief.
Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.
Sigh therefore, thou son of man; with the breaking of thy loins and with bitterness shalt thou sigh before their eyes.
Make sounds of grief, son of man; with body bent and a bitter heart make sounds of grief before their eyes.
You, son of man, you are to groan. Groan as if you're broken up inside, showing terrible sadness while they watch you.
Mourne therefore, thou sonne of man, as in the paine of thy reines, and mourne bitterly before them.
And thou, son of man, sigh with breaking of loins, yea, with bitterness thou dost sigh before their eyes,
“Therefore sigh, you son of man. You shall sigh before their eyes with a broken heart and with bitterness.
Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.
And thou, son of man, mourn with the breaking of thy loins, and with bitterness sigh before them.
Therefore, you human, groan! Groan in front of the Israeli people very sadly and sorrowfully [IDM, DOU].
Berean Amplified Bible — Ezekiel 21:6
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Ezekiel 21:6 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וַ/יְהִ֥י
דְבַר
יְהוָ֖ה
אֵלַ֥/י
לֵ/אמֹֽר
וַ/יְהִ֥י
hâyâh
H1961
to be
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
דְבַר
dâbâr
H1697
Chronicles
N-ms
יְהוָ֖ה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
The Lord
N-proper
אֵלַ֥/י
ʼêl
H413
to(wards)
Prep | Suff
לֵ/אמֹֽר
ʼâmar
H559
to say
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Ezekiel 21:6
וַ/יְהִ֥י
hâyâh
H1961
"to be"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Definition: 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about 1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
Usage: Occurs in 3131 OT verses. KJV: beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 17:4; Genesis 36:11.
דְבַר
dâbâr
H1697
"Chronicles"
N-ms
A word or thing, like a matter or affair, as seen in the book of Chronicles where it refers to the events and words of kings. It can also mean a cause or reason for something.
Definition: This name means word, speaking
Usage: Occurs in 1290 OT verses. KJV: act, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dearth, decree, deed, [idiom] disease, due, duty, effect, [phrase] eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-) ness, [phrase] glory, [phrase] harm, hurt, [phrase] iniquity, [phrase] judgment, language, [phrase] lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, [idiom] ought, [idiom] parts, [phrase] pertaining, [phrase] please, portion, [phrase] power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, [idiom] (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, [phrase] sign, [phrase] so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, [phrase] song, speech, [idiom] spoken, talk, task, [phrase] that, [idiom] there done, thing (concerning), thought, [phrase] thus, tidings, what(-soever), [phrase] wherewith, which, word, work. See also: Genesis 11:1; Exodus 23:8; Deuteronomy 18:21.
יְהוָ֖ה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
"The Lord"
N-proper
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Definition: Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
Usage: Occurs in 5522 OT verses. KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה). See also: Genesis 2:4; Genesis 24:42; Exodus 8:8.
אֵלַ֥/י
ʼêl
H413
"to(wards)"
Prep | Suff
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Definition: 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)
Usage: Occurs in 4205 OT verses. KJV: about, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in). See also: Genesis 1:9; Genesis 21:14; Genesis 31:13.
לֵ/אמֹֽר
ʼâmar
H559
"to say"
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Definition: 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
Usage: Occurs in 4337 OT verses. KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. See also: Genesis 1:3; Genesis 18:23; Genesis 25:32.
Study Notes — Ezekiel 21:6
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Ezekiel 21:6 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Ezekiel 21:6
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ezekiel 21:6
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Ezekiel 21:6
- Trapp's Commentary on Ezekiel 21:6
- Ellicott's Commentary on Ezekiel 21:6
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Ezekiel 21:6
- Cambridge Bible on Ezekiel 21:6
- Barnes' Notes on Ezekiel 21:6
- Whedon's Commentary on Ezekiel 21:6
- Sermons on Ezekiel 21:6
Context — God’s Sword of Judgment
4Because I will cut off both the righteous and the wicked, My sword will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north.
5Then all flesh will know that I, the LORD, have taken My sword from its sheath, not to return it again.’
6But you, son of man, groan! Groan before their eyes with a broken heart and bitter grief.
7And when they ask, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you are to say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt, and every hand will go limp. Every spirit will faint, and every knee will turn to water.’ Yes, it is coming and it will surely happen, declares the Lord GOD.” 8Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 22:4 | Therefore I said, “Turn away from me, let me weep bitterly! Do not try to console me over the destruction of the daughter of my people.” |
| 2 | Ezekiel 6:11 | This is what the Lord GOD says: Clap your hands, stomp your feet, and cry out “Alas!” because of all the wicked abominations of the house of Israel, who will fall by sword and famine and plague. |
| 3 | Jeremiah 19:10 | Then you are to shatter the jar in the presence of the men who accompany you, |
| 4 | Jeremiah 9:17–21 | This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Take note, and summon the wailing women; send for the most skillful among them. Let them come quickly and take up a lament over us, that our eyes may overflow with tears, and our eyelids may gush with water. For the sound of wailing is heard from Zion: ‘How devastated we are! How great is our shame! For we have abandoned the land because our dwellings have been torn down.’” Now, O women, hear the word of the LORD. Open your ears to the word of His mouth. Teach your daughters to wail, and one another to lament. For death has climbed in through our windows; it has entered our fortresses to cut off the children from the streets, the young men from the town squares. |
| 5 | Isaiah 16:11 | Therefore my heart laments for Moab like a harp, my inmost being for Kir-heres. |
| 6 | Ezekiel 37:20 | When the sticks on which you write are in your hand and in full view of the people, |
| 7 | Ezekiel 9:4 | “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem,” said the LORD, “and put a mark on the foreheads of the men sighing and groaning over all the abominations committed there.” |
| 8 | Habakkuk 3:16 | I heard and trembled within; my lips quivered at the sound. Decay entered my bones; I trembled where I stood. Yet I must wait patiently for the day of distress to come upon the people who invade us. |
| 9 | Ezekiel 12:3–5 | Therefore, son of man, pack your bags for exile. In broad daylight, set out from your place and go to another as they watch. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house. Bring out your baggage for exile by day, as they watch. Then in the evening, as they watch, go out like those who go into exile. As they watch, dig through the wall and carry your belongings out through it. |
| 10 | Isaiah 21:3 | Therefore my body is filled with anguish. Pain grips me, like the pains of a woman in labor. I am bewildered to hear, I am dismayed to see. |
Ezekiel 21:6 Summary
[Ezekiel 21:6 is a call to lament and mourn over the sin and rebellion that surrounds us, and to recognize the seriousness of God's judgment, as seen in Ezekiel 21:4-5. This verse reminds us that God's judgment is not just a distant concept, but a personal and emotional reality that should move our hearts to repentance and humility, similar to the response of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32. As we reflect on this verse, we are reminded of the importance of repentance and humility, as seen in 1 John 1:9, and the need to turn to God with a broken and contrite heart, as seen in Psalm 51:17.]
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Ezekiel commanded to groan with a broken heart and bitter grief?
Ezekiel is commanded to groan as a way of expressing the depth of God's sorrow and judgment, as seen in Ezekiel 21:6, and this is reminiscent of God's lament in Genesis 6:6-7 over the wickedness of humanity before the flood.
What is the significance of groaning before the eyes of the people?
Groaning before the eyes of the people is a public display of Ezekiel's emotional response to God's judgment, and it serves as a warning to the people of the severity of God's wrath, as seen in Ezekiel 21:6-7, similar to the prophetic actions of Jeremiah in Jeremiah 27:2.
How does this verse relate to the concept of God's judgment?
This verse highlights God's judgment as a response to sin, and it emphasizes the seriousness of God's wrath, as seen in Ezekiel 21:4-5, where God's sword is unsheathed against both the righteous and the wicked, and in Romans 6:23, where the wages of sin is death.
What can we learn from Ezekiel's emotional response to God's judgment?
We can learn that God's judgment is not just a distant concept, but it is also a personal and emotional reality that should move our hearts to repentance and humility, as seen in Ezekiel 21:6, and in 2 Corinthians 7:10, where godly sorrow leads to repentance.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways that I can express my own sorrow and grief over the sin and rebellion in my life and in the world around me?
- How can I, like Ezekiel, be a prophetic voice in my community, warning others of the dangers of sin and the importance of repentance?
- What are some areas in my life where I need to repent and turn to God, and how can I take steps to do so?
- How can I balance the message of God's judgment with the message of His love and mercy, as seen in John 3:16 and Romans 5:8?
Gill's Exposition on Ezekiel 21:6
Sigh, therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins,.... As if thy loins were broke, and go as if they were, and sigh as thou goest; or as a woman in travail, having her hands upon her
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ezekiel 21:6
Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Ezekiel 21:6
Sigh; thereby express to them deepest sorrows for what is present, and most piercing fears of what is to come. With the breaking of thy loins; like a woman in travail, or as one whose griefs are ready to break his heart, . With bitterness; with all sorts of the most bitter cries and tears. Before their eyes who were now with him in Babylon, and who, as they easily could, so surely would, send word to them in Jerusalem and Judea.
Trapp's Commentary on Ezekiel 21:6
Ezekiel 21:6 Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of [thy] loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.Ver. 6. Sigh therefore, with the breaking of thy loins.] Gemituque et gestu dolorem referas; show greatest grief, such as is deep and downright; sigh till thy buttons fly; or as a travailing woman. Non ut praeficae in funeribus solent.
Ellicott's Commentary on Ezekiel 21:6
(6) With the breaking of thy loins.—The loins were regarded as the seat of strength (Job 40:16); and the breaking of these, therefore, expresses entire prostration. Comp. Psalms 66:11; Psalms 69:23; Isaiah 21:3; Nahum 2:10. The prophet was to do this “before their eyes,” i.e., was in some way to express before them a sense of extreme dejection and prostration, such as should call forth the question and reply of the following verse. With the expression “Every heart shall melt” comp. Luke 21:26.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Ezekiel 21:6
Verse 6. Sigh - with the breaking of thy loins] Let thy mourning for this sore calamity be like that of a woman in the pains of travail.
Cambridge Bible on Ezekiel 21:6
6, 7. Agitation of the prophet at the tidings of the coming calamity. This agitation of his is only a symbol of the dismay and paralysis that shall overtake all when the calamity comes. On the figures in Ezekiel 21:7 cf. Ezekiel 7:17.
Barnes' Notes on Ezekiel 21:6
The prophet was directed to let the people see him sighing and prostrate, as a sign of the sorrow and weakness about to come upon the people.
Whedon's Commentary on Ezekiel 21:6
6. Sigh… with the breaking of thy loins — This expression of speechless grief, which seems as if it will tear the body asunder, is the picture prophecy of the anguish which all shall feel when the
Sermons on Ezekiel 21:6
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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"Five Loaves and Two Fishes" Ch. 6:1-21 by Charles Alexander | In this sermon, the preacher delves into the significance of the miracles of the feeding of the five thousand and the walking on water in the Gospel of John, emphasizing the teachi |
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Help Wanted: A Potter by Warren Wiersbe | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the story of Jacob and his encounter with God at Bethel. Jacob had run away from his family and was sleeping with a stone as a pillow when he |
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Weeping for Souls by Ian Goligher | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of having a broken heart and a broken spirit when delivering the message of God. He uses the examples of Elisha and Jeremiah, |
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23. the Hidden Woman (Part 2) by Denny Kenaston | This sermon emphasizes the importance of honoring and respecting husbands, highlighting the impact of a wife's reverence on her husband's growth and the generational consequences o |
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Audio Sermon: The Hidden Woman by Denny Kenaston | This sermon emphasizes the importance of women embracing their role as hidden women, supporting, honoring, and reverencing their husbands. It highlights the power of submission, re |
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Ezekiel 37 by Art Katz | In this sermon, the speaker reflects on a conversation he had with a former Marxist who showed him kindness and patience. The speaker was intrigued by the person's constant mention |
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Doctrine of the Remnant - Part 1 by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher begins by praying for mercy upon America and for people to turn away from idols and serve God. He emphasizes the importance of not just worshiping God |