Ezekiel 7:15 Meaning and Explanation
“The sword is without, and the pestilence and the famine within: he that is in the field shall die with the sword; and he that is in the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Judgment comes from all sides: external enemies, internal disease, and starvation—nowhere is safe.
The Context of Ezekiel 7:15
God depicts multiple modes of judgment reaching Israel everywhere.
What Does Ezekiel 7:15 Mean?
The catalogue of horrors is comprehensive and inescapable. Sword (external military threat), pestilence (disease), and famine (starvation) represent different modes of death. This may reflect the actual conditions of siege warfare that Ezekiel's original audience faced.
The parallel structure shows that position offers no refuge. In the field, the sword; in the city, famine and pestilence. There is no safe haven, no vantage point. Every location and circumstance leads to the same end.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ezekiel 7:15
What does Ezekiel 7:15 mean?
Judgment comes from all sides: external enemies, internal disease, and starvation—nowhere is safe.
What is the context of Ezekiel 7:15?
God depicts multiple modes of judgment reaching Israel everywhere.