Lexical Summary qallasah: Mockery, scorn, derision Original Word: קַלָּסָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance mocking Intensive from qalac; ridicule -- mocking. see HEBREW qalac NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom qalas Definition derision NASB Translation mocking (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs קַלָּסָה noun feminine id., "" id.; — Ezekiel 22:4. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Context Strong’s Hebrew 7048 קַלָּסָה denotes the experience of being made a “mockery” or an “object of scorn.” It appears only once in Scripture, in Ezekiel 22:4, where the prophet announces that Jerusalem’s blood-guilt and idolatry have rendered the city contemptible to surrounding nations. Usage in Ezekiel 22:4 “You have become guilty by the blood you have shed and defiled by the idols you have made. You have caused your days to draw near and have reached the end of your years. Therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations and a mockery to all the lands.” (Berean Standard Bible) Here קַלָּסָה underscores the depth of Judah’s shame. Divine judgment does not stop with internal collapse; it exposes sin publicly so that the nations behold both Israel’s punishment and God’s holiness. The verse pairs “reproach” with “mockery,” emphasizing that covenant violation invites both moral disgrace and derisive contempt. Historical Background Ezekiel prophesied to exiles in Babylon between 593 and 571 B.C. Jerusalem’s leadership still believed deliverance was possible, but Ezekiel insisted that the city’s fate was sealed. The Babylonians would soon breach its walls, raze the temple, and drag survivors into captivity. In that geopolitical setting, “mockery” was not merely ridicule; it was the humiliating aftermath of military defeat, temple desecration, and the loss of national identity. Theological Themes 1. Holiness of God: קַלָּסָה illustrates that God’s character demands visible retribution for covenantal treachery (Leviticus 26:31-33). Intertextual Echoes and Related Concepts While קַלָּסָה is unique to Ezekiel 22:4, Scripture frequently deploys parallel ideas: Together these texts reveal a consistent biblical pattern: unrepentant covenant breach culminates in public disgrace that advertises both God’s justice and the peril of persistent sin. Christological Perspective Jesus Christ endures mockery in the Passion narratives (Matthew 27:29-31), identifying with covenant breakers even though He Himself was sinless. In bearing our shame, He reverses קַלָּסָה for all who trust Him—trading derision for honor (Hebrews 12:2; 1 Peter 2:6-7). Ministry Application • Call to Repentance: Congregations must remember that habitual sin still jeopardizes witness. Public scandal among God’s people invites ridicule of the gospel. Summary קַלָּסָה captures the sobering reality that persistent rebellion turns God’s people into an object lesson of shame before the watching world. Yet through judgment God vindicates His holiness and, in the larger sweep of redemption, prepares the stage for a grace that silences every mockery forever. Forms and Transliterations וְקַלָּסָ֖ה וקלסה vekallaSah wə·qal·lā·sāh wəqallāsāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezekiel 22:4 HEB: חֶרְפָּה֙ לַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְקַלָּסָ֖ה לְכָל־ הָאֲרָצֽוֹת׃ NAS: to the nations and a mocking to all KJV: unto the heathen, and a mocking to all countries. INT: A reproach to the nations mocking to all the lands 1 Occurrence |
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