Ezekiel 28:26

The Restoration of Israel · Ezekiel 28:25–26
Read Ezekiel 28

Translations

Modern
And there they will dwell securely, build houses, and plant vineyards. They will dwell securely when I execute judgments against all those around them who treat them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God.’”
Traditional
And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the Lord their God.
Literal
And they will dwell upon it in safety, and they will build houses and plant vineyards, and they will dwell in safety, with My making judgments against all those despising them from around them. And they will know that I am YHWH their God.’”
Latin
…et habitabunt in ea securi, et ædificabunt domos, et plantabunt vineas, et habitabunt confidenter, cum fecero judicia in omnibus qui adversantur eis per circuitum: et scient quia ego Dominus Deus eorum.

Original

Hebrew
English
And there they will dwell securely, build houses, and plant vineyards. They will dwell securely when I execute judgments against all those around them who treat them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God.’”

Notes

The Lord would not show his holiness only by judging nations for their pride, arrogance, and hostility toward his chosen people. He would also bring his people back to Israel. There, they would live safely, build homes, and plant vineyards. These were common signs of covenant blessings in the Old Testament (see Micah 4:4; Zechariah 3:10).

After God punished the neighboring nations and restored his people, they would find peace. The nations would recognize God as the Sovereign Lord through his powerful judgments, and Israel would know him as the Lord their God. This title reflects God's covenant relationship of worship and fellowship with them.

  • This section contains a series of messages of judgment against nearby nations. There are six shorter messages against Judah's immediate neighbors, arranged in a clockwise order, followed by a final message against Egypt (Ezekiel 30–32). Through experiencing God's judgment, the nations would recognize God's control over everything. The nations might be used to carry out God's judgment on his people, but they would not avoid judgment themselves.

  • One of the main purposes of these messages was to show that the negative part of God's promise to Abraham ("I will … curse those who curse you," Genesis 12:3) was still active. No one can harm God's people and avoid consequences, even when God's people are under his judgment.

Theme notes and profiles

Messages Against the Nations

Events

Parallels

Jeremiah 30:1–17

Glossary

Book of Jeremiah Ezekiel, Book of Lord Pride

Topics

Contempt: Towards the Church: Often Punished Houses: (Building of) of Great Prosperity