King James Version
What Does Ezekiel 39:16 Mean?
“And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the land. Hamonah: that is, The multitude”
Context
14
And they shall sever out men of continual employment, passing through the land to bury with the passengers those that remain upon the face of the earth, to cleanse it: after the end of seven months shall they search. men: Heb. men of continuance
15
And the passengers that pass through the land, when any seeth a man's bone, then shall he set up a sign by it, till the buriers have buried it in the valley of Hamongog. set up: Heb. build
16
And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the land. Hamonah: that is, The multitude
17
And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood. unto: Heb. to the fowl of every wing my sacrifice: or, my slaughter
18
Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan. goats: Heb. great goats
Commentary
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers(16) **Shall be Hamonah.—**As a further monument of this great overthrow some city (not more definitely described, but probably yet to be built) shall be called “Multitude.”
**Thus shall they cleanse the land.—**The extremest defilement, according to the Mosaic law, was caused by a dead body or by human bones. From this the land could only be purified by the burial of the last vestige of the host of Gog. In the spiritual contest which this prophecy is designed to set forth under these material figures, this cleansing looks to the purification of the Church from everything “that defileth and is unclean.” (Comp. Ephesians 5:26-27; Revelation 21:27.)
With Ezekiel 39:17 the last part of this remarkable prophecy is introduced. Its representations are not to be considered as subsequent to those of the former part of the chapter, but as depicting the same thing under another figure.
Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of Ezekiel. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
Ezekiel 39:16 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.