Ezekiel 6:11 Meaning and Explanation
“Thus saith the Lord GOD; Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say, Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →God commands Ezekiel to use symbolic gestures expressing anguish over Israel's abominations and the three-fold judgment to come.
The Context of Ezekiel 6:11
Ezekiel demonstrates the prophetic message through symbolic physical actions and a verbal pronouncement of lament.
What Does Ezekiel 6:11 Mean?
Smiting the hand and stamping the foot are gestures of emotion—grief, rage, or lamentation. These physical actions, combined with an oral lament (Alas), communicate both the seriousness and the emotional weight of what God declares.
The sword, famine, and pestilence represent the totality of judgment methods. These three are frequently paired in Scripture as God's appointed instruments of destruction, covering military conquest, starvation, and disease.
Ezekiel 6:11 in the Original Language
naka (נָכָה), 'smite' or 'strike' — here used metaphorically for the gesture of striking one's own hand in distress or emphasis.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ezekiel 6:11
What does Ezekiel 6:11 mean?
God commands Ezekiel to use symbolic gestures expressing anguish over Israel's abominations and the three-fold judgment to come.
What is the context of Ezekiel 6:11?
Ezekiel demonstrates the prophetic message through symbolic physical actions and a verbal pronouncement of lament.