Ezekiel 22:3
New International Version
and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: You city that brings on herself doom by shedding blood in her midst and defiles herself by making idols,

New Living Translation
and give her this message from the Sovereign LORD: O city of murderers, doomed and damned—city of idols, filthy and foul—

English Standard Version
You shall say, Thus says the Lord GOD: A city that sheds blood in her midst, so that her time may come, and that makes idols to defile herself!

Berean Standard Bible
and tell her that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘O city who brings her own doom by shedding blood within her walls and making idols to defile herself,

King James Bible
Then say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD, The city sheddeth blood in the midst of it, that her time may come, and maketh idols against herself to defile herself.

New King James Version
Then say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “The city sheds blood in her own midst, that her time may come; and she makes idols within herself to defile herself.

New American Standard Bible
And you shall say, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: “A city shedding blood in her midst, so that her time is coming; and a city that makes idols, contrary to her own good, for defilement!

NASB 1995
“You shall say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “A city shedding blood in her midst, so that her time will come, and that makes idols, contrary to her interest, for defilement!

NASB 1977
“And you shall say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “A city shedding blood in her midst, so that her time will come, and that makes idols, contrary to her interest, for defilement!

Legacy Standard Bible
And you shall say, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “A city shedding blood in her midst, so that her time will come; and she makes idols against herself for defilement!

Amplified Bible
You shall say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “A city that sheds blood in her midst, so that her time [of doom] will come, and makes idols to defile her, contrary to her interest!

Christian Standard Bible
You are to say, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: A city that sheds blood within her walls so that her time of judgment has come and who makes idols for herself so that she is defiled!

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You are to say: This is what the Lord GOD says: A city that sheds blood within her walls so that her time of judgment has come and who makes idols for herself so that she is defiled!

American Standard Version
And thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: A city that sheddeth blood in the midst of her, that her time may come, and that maketh idols against herself to defile her!

Contemporary English Version
and tell them I am saying: Jerusalem, you have murdered many of your own people and have worshiped idols. You will soon be punished!

English Revised Version
And thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord GOD: A city that sheddeth blood in the midst of her, that her time may come, and that maketh idols against herself to defile her!

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Tell it, 'This is what the Almighty LORD says: [Jerusalem,] you are the city that murders people who live in you. Your time has come. You dishonor yourself with disgusting idols.

Good News Translation
Tell the city what I, the Sovereign LORD, am saying: Because you have murdered so many of your own people and have defiled yourself by worshiping idols, your time is coming.

International Standard Version
"You are to say, 'This is what the Lord GOD says: "The city keeps on shedding blood within her, hastening her time to be judged. She crafts idols that defile her.

Majority Standard Bible
and tell her that this is what the Lord GOD says: ?O city who brings her own doom by shedding blood within her walls and making idols to defile herself,

NET Bible
Then say, 'This is what the sovereign LORD says: O city, who spills blood within herself (which brings on her doom), and who makes herself idols (which results in impurity),

New Heart English Bible
You shall say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Woe to the city that sheds blood in the midst of her, so that her time may come, and that makes idols against herself to defile her.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD; The city sheddeth blood in the midst of it, that her time may come, and maketh idols against herself to defile herself.

World English Bible
You shall say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “A city that sheds blood within herself, that her time may come, and that makes idols against herself to defile her!
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and you have said, Thus said Lord YHWH: The city is shedding blood in its midst, "" For the coming in of its time, "" And it has made idols on it for defilement.

Young's Literal Translation
and thou hast said: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: The city is shedding blood in its midst, For the coming in of its time, And it hath made idols on it for defilement.

Smith's Literal Translation
And say, Thus said the Lord Jehovah: The city poured out blood in the midst of her, for her time to come; and she made blocks for herself to be defiled.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And thou shalt shew her all her abominations, and shalt say: Thus saith the Lord God: This is the city that sheddeth blood in the midst of her, that her time may come: and that hath made idols against herself, to defile herself.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And you shall reveal to her all her abominations. And you shall say: Thus says the Lord God: This is the city which sheds blood in her midst, so that her time may come, and which has made idols against herself, so that she may be defiled.

New American Bible
and say: Thus says the Lord GOD: O city that sheds blood within itself so that its time has come, that has made idols for its own defilement:

New Revised Standard Version
You shall say, Thus says the Lord GOD: A city! Shedding blood within itself; its time has come; making its idols, defiling itself.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then say, Thus says the LORD God: The city where blood is shed in the midst, her time has come. and the city that makes idols in the midst of her has defiled herself.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And say, ‘Thus says THE LORD OF LORDS: the time of the city where blood has been shed has arrived, and she has made idols within her, and she is defiled
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And thou shalt say: Thus saith the Lord GOD: O city that sheddest blood in the midst of thee, that thy time may come, and that makest idols unto thyself to defile thee;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord God: O city that sheds blood in the midst of her, so that her time should come, and that forms devices against herself, to defile herself;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Sins of Jerusalem
2“As for you, son of man, will you judge her? Will you pass judgment on the city of bloodshed? Then confront her with all her abominations 3and tell her that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘O city who brings her own doom by shedding blood within her walls and making idols to defile herself, 4you are guilty of the blood you have shed, and you are defiled by the idols you have made. You have brought your days to a close and have come to the end of your years. Therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations and a mockery to all the lands.…

Cross References
Jeremiah 6:7
As a well gushes its water, so she pours out her evil. Violence and destruction resound in her; sickness and wounds are ever before Me.

Isaiah 59:7
Their feet run to evil; they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are sinful thoughts; ruin and destruction lie in their wake.

Micah 3:10
who build Zion with bloodshed and Jerusalem with iniquity.

Hosea 4:2
Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another.

Jeremiah 2:34
Moreover, your skirts are stained with the blood of the innocent poor, though you did not find them breaking in. But in spite of all these things

Matthew 23:37
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!

Luke 13:34
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!

Isaiah 1:15
When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.

Isaiah 1:21
See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness resided within her, but now only murderers!

Jeremiah 22:17
“But your eyes and heart are set on nothing except your own dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood, on practicing extortion and oppression.”

Matthew 23:31-35
So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets. / Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your fathers. / You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the sentence of hell? ...

Acts 7:52
Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—

Revelation 18:24
And there was found in her the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who had been slain on the earth.

Jeremiah 7:6
if you no longer oppress the foreigner and the fatherless and the widow, and if you no longer shed innocent blood in this place or follow other gods to your own harm,

Isaiah 59:3
For your hands are stained with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters injustice.


Treasury of Scripture

Then say you, Thus said the Lord GOD, The city sheds blood in the middle of it, that her time may come, and makes idols against herself to defile herself.

sheddeth

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.

Ezekiel 24:6-9
Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose scum is therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it! bring it out piece by piece; let no lot fall upon it…

Zephaniah 3:3
Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.

that her

Ezekiel 22:4
Thou art become guilty in thy blood that thou hast shed; and hast defiled thyself in thine idols which thou hast made; and thou hast caused thy days to draw near, and art come even unto thy years: therefore have I made thee a reproach unto the heathen, and a mocking to all countries.

Ezekiel 7:2-12
Also, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD unto the land of Israel; An end, the end is come upon the four corners of the land…

Ezekiel 12:25
For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD.

and maketh

2 Kings 21:2-9
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel…

Jeremiah 2:1-3:25
Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, …

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Blood Causing City Contrary Defile Defilement Defiles Doom Drained Herself Idols Images Interest Makes Makest Maketh Making Midst Sheddeth Shedding Sheds Sovereign Streets Thyself Time Unclean
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Blood Causing City Contrary Defile Defilement Defiles Doom Drained Herself Idols Images Interest Makes Makest Maketh Making Midst Sheddeth Shedding Sheds Sovereign Streets Thyself Time Unclean
Ezekiel 22
1. A catalogue of sins in Jerusalem, and the dispersion of the Jews in consequence
17. God will burn them as dross in his furnace
23. The general corruption of prophets, priests, princes, and the people














You are to say
This phrase indicates a direct command from God to the prophet Ezekiel. The Hebrew root for "say" is "אָמַר" (amar), which is often used in the context of divine communication. It underscores the authority and responsibility of the prophet to convey God's message accurately. In a historical context, prophets were seen as the mouthpieces of God, and their words carried the weight of divine authority.

This is what the Lord GOD says
This phrase is a formal introduction to a prophetic oracle. The use of "Lord GOD" translates the Hebrew "אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה" (Adonai Yahweh), emphasizing both the sovereignty and the covenantal relationship of God with His people. It reminds the audience of God's ultimate authority and His personal involvement in the affairs of Israel.

A city that brings on herself doom
The phrase highlights the self-destructive nature of Jerusalem's actions. The Hebrew word for "doom" is "דָּם" (dam), which can also mean "blood," indicating violence and bloodshed. This reflects the historical context of Jerusalem's moral and spiritual decline, where the city's own actions are leading to its downfall.

by shedding blood in her midst
This phrase points to the rampant violence and injustice within Jerusalem. The shedding of innocent blood was a grave sin in the Hebrew Scriptures, often leading to divine judgment. Historically, this reflects the social and moral corruption prevalent in Jerusalem at the time, where leaders and people alike were guilty of murder and oppression.

and defiles herself by making idols
Idolatry was a significant issue in ancient Israel, directly violating the first two commandments. The Hebrew word for "defiles" is "טָמֵא" (tame), meaning to make unclean or impure. This phrase underscores the spiritual adultery of the people, as they turned from worshiping the one true God to false gods. Archaeological findings have uncovered various idols from this period, confirming the widespread practice of idolatry in ancient Israel.

(3) That her time may come.--Her time of punishment. That which will be the inevitable consequence of her acts is represented by a very common figure, as if it were her purpose in doing them. She has been so fully warned of the result that continuance in her course seems to involve the design of bringing on that result.

Verse 3. - The city sheddeth blood, etc. As in the great indictment of Isaiah (Isaiah 1:15, 21; Isaiah 4:4), the sins of murder and idolatry are grouped together. She sins as if with the purpose "that her time" (i.e. the time of her punishment) "may come."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
and tell her
וְאָמַרְתָּ֗ (wə·’ā·mar·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

that this is what
כֹּ֤ה (kōh)
Adverb
Strong's 3541: Like this, thus, here, now

the Lord
אֲדֹנָ֣י (’ă·ḏō·nāy)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 136: The Lord

GOD
יְהוִ֔ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3069: YHWH

says:
אָמַר֙ (’ā·mar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘O city
עִ֣יר (‘îr)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

who brings her own doom
עִתָּ֑הּ (‘it·tāh)
Noun - common singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 6256: Time, now, when

by shedding
שֹׁפֶ֥כֶת (šō·p̄e·ḵeṯ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 8210: To spill forth, to expend, to sprawl out

blood
דָּ֛ם (dām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1818: Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed

within her walls
בְּתוֹכָ֖הּ (bə·ṯō·w·ḵāh)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre

and making
וְעָשְׂתָ֧ה (wə·‘ā·śə·ṯāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

idols
גִלּוּלִ֛ים (ḡil·lū·lîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1544: A log, an idol

to defile herself,
לְטָמְאָֽה׃ (lə·ṭā·mə·’āh)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2930: To be or become unclean


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 22:3 You shall say Thus says the Lord (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 22:2
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