Ezekiel 22:27
Ezekiel 22:27 in Multiple Translations
Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey, shedding blood, and destroying lives for dishonest gain.
Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.
Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, that they may get dishonest gain.
Her rulers in her are like wolves violently taking their food; putting men to death and causing the destruction of souls, so that they may get their profit.
Her city officials are like wolves ripping up their prey, killing people, destroying lives so they can profit through fraud.
Her princes in the mids thereof are like wolues, rauening the praye to shed blood, and to destroy soules for their owne couetous lucre.
Its princes in its midst [are] as wolves, Tearing prey, to shed blood, to destroy souls, For the sake of gaining dishonest gain.
Her princes within it are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood and to destroy souls, that they may get dishonest gain.
Her princes in the midst of her are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.
Her princes in the midst of her, are like wolves ravening the prey to shed blood, and to destroy souls, and to run after gains through covetousness.
Their officials are like [SIM] wolves that tear apart the animals that they have killed: They murder people [DOU] in order to get their money.
Berean Amplified Bible — Ezekiel 22:27
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 22:27 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
שָׂרֶ֣י/הָ
בְ/קִרְבָּ֔/הּ
כִּ/זְאֵבִ֖ים
טֹ֣רְפֵי
טָ֑רֶף
לִ/שְׁפָּךְ
דָּם֙
לְ/אַבֵּ֣ד
נְפָשׁ֔וֹת
לְמַ֖עַן
בְּצֹ֥עַ
בָּֽצַע
שָׂרֶ֣י/הָ
sar
H8269
ruler
N-mp | Suff
בְ/קִרְבָּ֔/הּ
qereb
H7130
entrails
Prep | N-ms | Suff
כִּ/זְאֵבִ֖ים
zᵉʼêb
H2061
wolf
Prep | N-mp
טֹ֣רְפֵי
ṭâraph
H2963
to tear
V-Qal
טָ֑רֶף
ṭereph
H2964
prey
N-ms
לִ/שְׁפָּךְ
shâphak
H8210
to pour
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
דָּם֙
dâm
H1818
blood
N-ms
לְ/אַבֵּ֣ד
ʼâbad
H6
to perish
Prep | V-Piel-Inf-a
נְפָשׁ֔וֹת
nephesh
H5315
soul
N-cp
לְמַ֖עַן
maʻan
H4616
because
Prep
בְּצֹ֥עַ
bâtsaʻ
H1214
to cut off
V-Qal-Inf-a
בָּֽצַע
betsaʻ
H1215
unjust-gain
N-ms
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
Use ← → arrow keys to navigate between words.
Hebrew Word Reference — Ezekiel 22:27
שָׂרֶ֣י/הָ
sar
H8269
"ruler"
N-mp | Suff
A leader or person in charge, like a prince or captain, as seen in the Bible with King David and other rulers.
Definition: 1) prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain 1a) chieftain, leader 1b) vassal, noble, official (under king) 1c) captain, general, commander (military) 1d) chief, head, overseer (of other official classes) 1e) heads, princes (of religious office) 1f) elders (of representative leaders of people) 1g) merchant-princes (of rank and dignity) 1h) patron-angel 1i) Ruler of rulers (of God) 1j) warden
Usage: Occurs in 368 OT verses. KJV: captain (that had rule), chief (captain), general, governor, keeper, lord,(-task-)master, prince(-ipal), ruler, steward. See also: Genesis 12:15; 1 Kings 22:32; 2 Chronicles 32:21.
בְ/קִרְבָּ֔/הּ
qereb
H7130
"entrails"
Prep | N-ms | Suff
This Hebrew word means the inner part or midst of something, whether physical or emotional, and can refer to the entrails of an animal or the seat of thought and emotion. In 1 Kings 17:21, it describes Elijah's emotional plea to God.
Definition: : among/within 1) midst, among, inner part, middle 1a) inward part 1a1) physical sense 1a2) as seat of thought and emotion 1a3) as faculty of thought and emotion 1b) in the midst, among, from among (of a number of persons) 1c) entrails (of sacrificial animals) Also means: qe.rev (קֶ֫רֶב ": inner_parts" H7130H)
Usage: Occurs in 220 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] among, [idiom] before, bowels, [idiom] unto charge, [phrase] eat (up), [idiom] heart, [idiom] him, [idiom] in, inward ([idiom] -ly, part, -s, thought), midst, [phrase] out of, purtenance, [idiom] therein, [idiom] through, [idiom] within self. See also: Genesis 18:12; Joshua 7:12; Psalms 5:10.
כִּ/זְאֵבִ֖ים
zᵉʼêb
H2061
"wolf"
Prep | N-mp
Ze'ev means wolf in Hebrew, an animal mentioned in the Bible, often symbolizing danger or fierceness.
Definition: wolf
Usage: Occurs in 7 OT verses. KJV: wolf. See also: Genesis 49:27; Jeremiah 5:6; Isaiah 11:6.
טֹ֣רְפֵי
ṭâraph
H2963
"to tear"
V-Qal
This Hebrew word means to tear or pull something apart, and it can also mean to provide food. In the Bible, it appears in Exodus 22:13 and Proverbs 30:14. It describes an act of violence or providing for someone.
Definition: 1) to tear, rend, pluck 1a) (Qal) to tear, rend 1b) (Niphal) to be torn in pieces 1c) (Poal) to be torn in pieces 1d) (Hiphil) to provide food
Usage: Occurs in 22 OT verses. KJV: catch, [idiom] without doubt, feed, ravin, rend in pieces, [idiom] surely, tear (in pieces). See also: Genesis 37:33; Proverbs 30:8; Psalms 7:3.
טָ֑רֶף
ṭereph
H2964
"prey"
N-ms
This word refers to something that has been torn apart, like prey or food. In Genesis 49:27 and Isaiah 18:6, it describes the spoils of war or the leftovers of a predator's meal.
Definition: 1) prey, food, leaf 1a) prey 1b) food 1c) leaf
Usage: Occurs in 23 OT verses. KJV: leaf, meat, prey, spoil. See also: Genesis 49:9; Isaiah 5:29; Psalms 76:5.
לִ/שְׁפָּךְ
shâphak
H8210
"to pour"
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
To pour or spill something out, like blood or a liquid. In the Bible, it can mean to shed blood or to pour out one's heart in prayer or complaint. For example, in Psalm 42:4, the writer pours out his soul to God.
Definition: : pour 1) to pour, pour out, spill 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to pour, pour out 1a2) to shed (blood) 1a3) to pour out (anger or heart) (fig) 1b) (Niphal) to be poured out, be shed 1c) (Pual) to be poured out, be shed 1d) (Hithpael) 1d1) to be poured out 1d2) to pour out oneself
Usage: Occurs in 111 OT verses. KJV: cast (up), gush out, pour (out), shed(-der, out), slip. See also: Genesis 9:6; Jeremiah 6:6; Psalms 22:15.
דָּם֙
dâm
H1818
"blood"
N-ms
Blood refers to the liquid that flows through the body, essential for life. In the Bible, blood is often used to symbolize life, guilt, or sacrifice, as seen in the story of Jesus' crucifixion.
Definition: 1) blood 1a) of wine (fig.)
Usage: Occurs in 295 OT verses. KJV: blood(-y, -guiltiness, (-thirsty), [phrase] innocent. See also: Genesis 4:10; Numbers 19:5; Psalms 5:7.
לְ/אַבֵּ֣ד
ʼâbad
H6
"to perish"
Prep | V-Piel-Inf-a
To perish means to be destroyed or lost, whether it's a person, animal, or thing, like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19.
Definition: 1) perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) perish, die, be exterminated 1a2) perish, vanish (fig.) 1a3) be lost, strayed 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to destroy, kill, cause to perish, to give up (as lost), exterminate 1b2) to blot out, do away with, cause to vanish, (fig.) 1b3) cause to stray, lose 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to destroy, put to death 1c1a) of divine judgment 1c2) object name of kings (fig.) Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (אֲבַד "to destroy" H0007)
Usage: Occurs in 174 OT verses. KJV: break, destroy(-uction), [phrase] not escape, fail, lose, (cause to, make) perish, spend, [idiom] and surely, take, be undone, [idiom] utterly, be void of, have no way to flee. See also: Exodus 10:7; Psalms 112:10; Psalms 1:6.
נְפָשׁ֔וֹת
nephesh
H5315
"soul"
N-cp
The Hebrew word for soul or living being, used in the Bible to describe the essence of a person or animal. It encompasses the ideas of life, breath, and vitality, and is translated as 'soul' or 'creature' in the KJV. This word is central to biblical concepts of humanity and existence.
Definition: 1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion 1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man 1b) living being 1c) living being (with life in the blood) 1d) the man himself, self, person or individual 1e) seat of the appetites 1f) seat of emotions and passions 1g) activity of mind 1g1) uncertain 1h) activity of the will 1h1) uncertain 1i) activity of the character 1i1) uncertain
Usage: Occurs in 683 OT verses. KJV: any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, [phrase] slay, soul, [phrase] tablet, they, thing, ([idiom] she) will, [idiom] would have it. See also: Genesis 1:20; Leviticus 26:43; Judges 18:25.
לְמַ֖עַן
maʻan
H4616
"because"
Prep
This Hebrew word means because of something or for a specific purpose. It is used to explain why something happens or is done. In the Bible, it is used to describe God's intentions or purposes.
Definition: 1) purpose, intent prep 1a) for the sake of 1b) in view of, on account of 1c) for the purpose of, to the intent that, in order to conj 1d) to the end that
Usage: Occurs in 252 OT verses. KJV: because of, to the end (intent) that, for (to,... 's sake), [phrase] lest, that, to. See also: Genesis 12:13; 2 Kings 13:23; Psalms 5:9.
בְּצֹ֥עַ
bâtsaʻ
H1214
"to cut off"
V-Qal-Inf-a
This Hebrew verb means to cut off or stop, and can also describe being greedy or covetous, as seen in various KJV translations.
Definition: : to cut off 1) to cut off, break off, gain by unrighteous violence, get, finish, be covetous, be greedy 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to cut off 1a2) to stop 1a3) to gain wrongfully or by violence 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to cut off, sever 1b2) to finish, complete, accomplish 1b3) to violently make gain of
Usage: Occurs in 16 OT verses. KJV: (be) covet(-ous), cut (off), finish, fulfill, gain (greedily), get, be given to (covetousness), greedy, perform, be wounded. See also: Job 6:9; Jeremiah 8:10; Psalms 10:3.
בָּֽצַע
betsaʻ
H1215
"unjust-gain"
N-ms
This word describes unjust gain or profit, often acquired through violence or dishonest means, as referred to in the Bible.
Definition: profit, unjust gain, gain (profit) acquired by violence
Usage: Occurs in 23 OT verses. KJV: covetousness, (dishonest) gain, lucre, profit. See also: Genesis 37:26; Isaiah 56:11; Psalms 30:10.
Study Notes — Ezekiel 22:27
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Ezekiel 22:27 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Ezekiel 22:27
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ezekiel 22:27
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Ezekiel 22:27
- Trapp's Commentary on Ezekiel 22:27
- Ellicott's Commentary on Ezekiel 22:27
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Ezekiel 22:27
- Cambridge Bible on Ezekiel 22:27
- Whedon's Commentary on Ezekiel 22:27
- Sermons on Ezekiel 22:27
Context — Israel’s Wicked Leaders
25The conspiracy of the princes in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing its prey. They devour the people, seize the treasures and precious things, and multiply the widows within her.
26Her priests do violence to My law and profane My holy things. They make no distinction between the holy and the common, and they fail to distinguish between the clean and the unclean. They disregard My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.
27Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey, shedding blood, and destroying lives for dishonest gain.
28Her prophets whitewash these deeds by false visions and lying divinations, saying, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says,’ when the LORD has not spoken. 29The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy and have exploited the foreign resident without justice.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ezekiel 22:13 | Now look, I strike My hands together against your unjust gain and against the blood you have shed in your midst. |
| 2 | Isaiah 1:23 | Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love bribes and chasing after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, and the plea of the widow never comes before them. |
| 3 | Ezekiel 22:6 | See how every prince of Israel within you has used his power to shed blood. |
| 4 | Micah 7:8 | Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will arise; though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light. |
| 5 | James 5:1–4 | Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you. Your riches have rotted and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and consume your flesh like fire. You have hoarded treasure in the last days. Look, the wages you withheld from the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts. |
| 6 | Micah 3:9–11 | Now hear this, O leaders of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who despise justice and pervert all that is right, who build Zion with bloodshed and Jerusalem with iniquity. Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.” |
| 7 | Hosea 7:1–7 | When I heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim will be exposed, as well as the crimes of Samaria. For they practice deceit and thieves break in; bandits raid in the streets. But they fail to consider in their hearts that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds are all around them; they are before My face. They delight the king with their evil, and the princes with their lies. They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by a baker who needs not stoke the fire from the kneading to the rising of the dough. The princes are inflamed with wine on the day of our king; so he joins hands with those who mock him. For they prepare their heart like an oven while they lie in wait; all night their anger smolders; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire. All of them are hot as an oven, and they devour their rulers. All their kings fall; not one of them calls upon Me. |
| 8 | Ezekiel 19:3–6 | She brought up one of her cubs, and he became a young lion. After learning to tear his prey, he devoured men. When the nations heard of him, he was trapped in their pit. With hooks they led him away to the land of Egypt. When she saw that she had waited in vain, that her hope was lost, she took another of her cubs and made him a young lion. He prowled among the lions, and became a young lion. After learning to tear his prey, he devoured men. |
| 9 | Ezekiel 22:25 | The conspiracy of the princes in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing its prey. They devour the people, seize the treasures and precious things, and multiply the widows within her. |
| 10 | Micah 3:2–3 | You hate good and love evil. You tear the skin from my people and strip the flesh from their bones. You eat the flesh of my people after stripping off their skin and breaking their bones. You chop them up like flesh for the cooking pot, like meat in a cauldron.” |
Ezekiel 22:27 Summary
This verse is saying that the leaders of the city are being very cruel and hurtful to the people, using their power to get what they want in dishonest ways. It's like they are wild animals, hurting and killing without caring about the harm they cause. This is very sad and wrong, and it's not what God wants for His people, as He says in Jeremiah 22:3 to do justice and righteousness. We can learn from this verse to always try to treat others with kindness and fairness, and to stand up against injustice and cruelty, just like God does.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean for officials to be like wolves tearing their prey?
This means that the leaders of the city are using their power to brutally exploit and harm the people they are supposed to protect, much like wolves attack and devour their prey, as seen in Matthew 7:15 where false prophets are also compared to wolves in sheep's clothing.
What is the motivation behind the officials' actions in Ezekiel 22:27?
The officials are motivated by a desire for dishonest gain, which is a form of greed and corruption, similar to what is warned against in 1 Timothy 6:10 where the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.
How does this verse relate to the rest of the chapter?
This verse is part of a larger condemnation of the city's leaders and people for their corruption and disobedience to God's law, as seen in Ezekiel 22:25-26 where the princes and priests are also criticized for their actions.
What is the significance of the phrase 'shedding blood, and destroying lives'?
This phrase emphasizes the severe and violent nature of the officials' actions, which are a direct violation of God's commandment not to murder, as stated in Exodus 20:13 and reiterated in Matthew 5:21.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways that I may be contributing to the exploitation or harm of others, even if unintentionally, and how can I change my actions to better reflect God's love and justice?
- How can I, as a follower of God, stand against corruption and injustice in my own community, and what role can I play in promoting righteousness and compassion?
- In what ways do I prioritize my own gain or interests over the well-being of others, and how can I cultivate a more selfless and servant-hearted attitude, as seen in Philippians 2:3-4?
- What does this verse reveal about God's heart for justice and His concern for the vulnerable, and how can I align my own heart and actions with His?
Gill's Exposition on Ezekiel 22:27
Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey,.... The king and his nobles, those of the first rank and quality, who ought to have protected the persons and property of the
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ezekiel 22:27
Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Ezekiel 22:27
Her princes, as before, ,26. Princes; rulers of all sorts, who should have crushed oppressors and defended the oppressed. Wolves; creatures greedy, bloody, and crafty, resembling dogs that men make use of to defend their folds; so the authority which God had given to defend is by these hypocrites perverted to satisfy the bloody and greedy appetite of tyrannical governors among the Jews: possibly the prophet may tax the degeneracy and baseness of these rulers hereby. Shed blood; innocent blood; a crying sin in princes, who have God’ s power committed to them to preserve the innocent. Destroy souls; undo and ruin families, cutting off the fathers, and impoverishing the widow and fatherless. Get dishonest gain; confiscating estates not forfeited.
Trapp's Commentary on Ezekiel 22:27
Ezekiel 22:27 Her princes in the midst thereof [are] like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, [and] to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.Ver. 27. Her princes in the midst thereof.] Lupis ferociores et voraciores erant. There was in this state, as physicians say there is in some diseases, corruptio totius substantiae, a general defection: and here they are particularly told of it; so, as Isocrates saith in his oration to Philip King of Macedonia, That which is spoken to all is spoken to none. See Micah 3:11 Zephaniah 3:3.
Ellicott's Commentary on Ezekiel 22:27
(27) Her princes.—These are not only the kings, but also the nobles and those in authority at court—in other words, the ruling class. Their injustice and violence is a constant theme for prophetic rebuke.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Ezekiel 22:27
Verse 27. Her princes] Are as bad as her priests; they are rapacious, and grievously oppress the people by unjust impositions in order to increase their revenues.
Cambridge Bible on Ezekiel 22:27
27. Her princes] The “princes” here are the chiefs or leaders of the people, cf. Jeremiah 26:10; Jeremiah 36:12. get dishonest gain] Cf. Jeremiah 6:13; Jeremiah 8:10. The term is used pretty generally, of selfish advantage.
Whedon's Commentary on Ezekiel 22:27
27. Princes — Rather, captains (Jeremiah 26:10). The subordinate officers are in full sympathy with the iniquitous practices of the court and temple. They are after the spoils at any price.
Sermons on Ezekiel 22:27
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
No Dirty Dogs Shall Ever Trample Upon That Golden Pavement by Thomas Brooks | Thomas Brooks emphasizes the stark contrast between the holiness of heaven and the unholiness of sinful people, using vivid animal imagery to describe the nature of the unholy. He |
|
The Wolf by Harriet N. Cook | Harriet N. Cook uses the analogy of wolves to illustrate the wild, savage, and cruel nature of sin and wickedness in the world. She draws parallels between the behavior of wolves, |
|
The Cup of Wrath by Andrew Bonar | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the severity of God's wrath and the consequences of sin. He uses imagery of the seven seals, trumpets, and vials from the book of Revelation |
|
Deferred Obedience 2 - Part 3 by Joshua Daniel | This sermon addresses the issue of dishonesty and corruption, highlighting the consequences of cheating and unethical practices, especially during times of crisis. It emphasizes th |
|
(Isaiah) the Glory of the Messiah’s Reign by David Guzik | In this sermon, the preacher addresses the issue of unfairness and exploitation in society. He condemns those who take advantage of the weak and vulnerable, such as the poor, widow |
|
Signs Seen, and Not Seen by J.C. Philpot | J.C. Philpot preaches on the lamentation of not seeing the signs of God's favor, highlighting the importance of recognizing outward marks of God's presence and grace upon the soul. |
|
Overcoming Lust (Compilation) by Compilations | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the evidence of being born of God, which is making war against sin. He describes how indulging in sinful desires may provide temporary pleas |