Ezekiel 5:13 Meaning and Explanation
“Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted: and they shall know that I the LORD have spoken it in my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury in them.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →When God's fury is spent on Jerusalem, He will be satisfied, and the people will know His judgment is real.
The Context of Ezekiel 5:13
The passage now addresses the purpose and outcome of judgment: completion of God's justice and the people's knowledge of His authority.
What Does Ezekiel 5:13 Mean?
The language here may seem startling: God says He will be 'comforted' after unleashing His anger. The idea is that God's justice, once executed fully, brings a kind of completion or satisfaction to divine justice. The anger is 'accomplished'—it has its full effect—and then it 'rests,' meaning it ceases. This suggests that judgment, terrible as it is, serves a purpose: it vindicates God's justice and brings closure to the period of forbearance.
The final result is recognition: the people 'shall know that I the LORD have spoken it.' Judgment produces a kind of knowledge—not intellectual agreement, but existential awareness that God is real, His word is true, and His character as a God of justice is vindicated. The phrase 'in my zeal' suggests that God's actions are driven not by cruelty but by passionate commitment to His name and word.
Ezekiel 5:13 in the Original Language
zeal (קִנְאָה, qin'ah) — passionate intensity; the fervent commitment with which God upholds His own holiness and honor.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ezekiel 5:13
What does Ezekiel 5:13 mean?
When God's fury is spent on Jerusalem, He will be satisfied, and the people will know His judgment is real.
What is the context of Ezekiel 5:13?
The passage now addresses the purpose and outcome of judgment: completion of God's justice and the people's knowledge of His authority.