King James Version

What Does Ezekiel 21:7 Mean?

Ezekiel 21:7 in the King James Version says “And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it co... — study this verse from Ezekiel chapter 21 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord GOD. shall be weak: Heb. shall go into water

Ezekiel 21:7 · KJV


Context

5

That all flesh may know that I the LORD have drawn forth my sword out of his sheath: it shall not return any more.

6

Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.

7

And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord GOD. shall be weak: Heb. shall go into water

8

Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

9

Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished:


Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
'And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord GOD.' When people ask about his sighing, Ezekiel must explain: devastating news is coming. The description—hearts melting, hands feeble, spirits fainting, knees like water—depicts comprehensive terror and helplessness. 'Behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass' emphasizes absolute certainty. No escape, no prevention.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

This describes the response when Jerusalem's fall became known. Ezekiel 33:21-22 records when a fugitive arrived announcing 'The city is smitten.' The news devastated the exiles who still hoped for quick deliverance. Their physical and emotional collapse fulfilled this prophecy exactly.

Reflection Questions

  1. How should certainty of judgment affect our evangelistic urgency?
  2. What does comprehensive human helplessness before divine judgment teach about the need for God's mercy?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 32 words
וְנִֽהְיָ֔תָה1 of 32

and shall be brought to pass

H1961

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

כִּֽי2 of 32
H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

וְאָמַרְתָּ֡3 of 32

And it shall be when they say

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

אֵלֶ֔יךָ4 of 32
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

עַל5 of 32
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

מָ֖ה6 of 32
H4100

properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and

אַתָּ֣ה7 of 32
H859

thou and thee, or (plural) ye and you

נֶאֱנָ֑ח8 of 32

unto thee Wherefore sighest

H584

to sigh

וְאָמַרְתָּ֡9 of 32

And it shall be when they say

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

אֶל10 of 32
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

שְׁמוּעָ֣ה11 of 32

For the tidings

H8052

something heard, i.e., an announcement

כִֽי12 of 32
H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

בָאָה֙13 of 32

because it cometh

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

וְנָמֵ֣ס14 of 32

shall melt

H4549

to liquefy; figuratively, to waste (with disease), to faint (with fatigue, fear or grief)

כָּל15 of 32
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

לֵב֩16 of 32

and every heart

H3820

the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the center of anything

וְרָפ֨וּ17 of 32

shall be feeble

H7503

to slacken (in many applications, literal or figurative)

כָל18 of 32
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

יָדַ֜יִם19 of 32

and all hands

H3027

a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from h3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great v

וְכִהֲתָ֣ה20 of 32

shall faint

H3543

to be weak, i.e., (figuratively) to despond (causatively, rebuke), or (of light, the eye) to grow dull

כָל21 of 32
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

ר֗וּחַ22 of 32

and every spirit

H7307

wind; by resemblance breath, i.e., a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the

וְכָל23 of 32
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

בִּרְכַּ֙יִם֙24 of 32

and all knees

H1290

a knee

תֵּלַ֣כְנָה25 of 32
H1980

to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)