Ezekiel 22:12
In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord GOD.
Original Language Analysis
לָקַ֗חַתְּ
In thee have they taken
H3947
לָקַ֗חַתְּ
In thee have they taken
Strong's:
H3947
Word #:
2 of 17
to take (in the widest variety of applications)
לְמַ֣עַן
H4616
לְמַ֣עַן
Strong's:
H4616
Word #:
4 of 17
properly, heed, i.e., purpose; used only adverbially, on account of (as a motive or an aim), teleologically, in order that
שְׁפָךְ
to shed
H8210
שְׁפָךְ
to shed
Strong's:
H8210
Word #:
5 of 17
to spill forth (blood, a libation, liquid metal; or even a solid, i.e., to mound up); also (figuratively) to expend (life, soul, complaint, money, etc
דָּ֑ם
blood
H1818
דָּ֑ם
blood
Strong's:
H1818
Word #:
6 of 17
blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice of the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshe
וְתַרְבִּ֣ית
and increase
H8636
וְתַרְבִּ֣ית
and increase
Strong's:
H8636
Word #:
8 of 17
multiplication, i.e., percentage or bonus in addition to principal
לָקַ֗חַתְּ
In thee have they taken
H3947
לָקַ֗חַתְּ
In thee have they taken
Strong's:
H3947
Word #:
9 of 17
to take (in the widest variety of applications)
וַתְּבַצְּעִ֤י
and thou hast greedily gained
H1214
וַתְּבַצְּעִ֤י
and thou hast greedily gained
Strong's:
H1214
Word #:
10 of 17
to break off, i.e., (usually) plunder; figuratively, to finish, or (intransitively) stop
בַּעֹ֔שֶׁק
by extortion
H6233
בַּעֹ֔שֶׁק
by extortion
Strong's:
H6233
Word #:
12 of 17
injury, fraud, (subjectively) distress, (concretely) unjust gain
וְאֹתִ֣י
H853
וְאֹתִ֣י
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
13 of 17
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
שָׁכַ֔חַתְּ
and hast forgotten
H7911
שָׁכַ֔חַתְּ
and hast forgotten
Strong's:
H7911
Word #:
14 of 17
to mislay, i.e., to be oblivious of, from want of memory or attention
Cross References
Deuteronomy 27:25Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.Ezekiel 23:35Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast forgotten me, and cast me behind thy back, therefore bear thou also thy lewdness and thy whoredoms.Psalms 15:5He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.Psalms 106:21They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;Jeremiah 2:32Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.Deuteronomy 16:19Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.Deuteronomy 23:19Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury:Ezekiel 18:13Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.Ezekiel 18:8He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,
Historical Context
These economic crimes plagued late Judean society. Jeremiah condemned similar practices (Jeremiah 22:13-17), and Amos had earlier indicted the northern kingdom for identical violations (Amos 2:6-8). Debt slavery, land seizures, and judicial bribery created a brutal economy contradicting Jubilee principles. Jerusalem's market reflected Canaanite values, not Sinai covenant.
Questions for Reflection
- How is economic exploitation presented as fundamentally theological—'thou hast forgotten me'—rather than merely ethical?
- What does the connection between bribery, usury, and bloodshed reveal about the systemic nature of injustice?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood—shochad laqu'u (שֹׁחַד לָקְחוּ), 'bribes they took,' corrupting justice to enable murder (Deuteronomy 27:25). Thou hast taken usury and increase (neshek ve-tarbit, נֶשֶׁךְ וְתַרְבִּית), two Hebrew terms for interest forbidden between covenant brothers (Leviticus 25:35-37), exploiting vulnerable debtors.
Thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion (vatebats'i re'eki be-oshek, וַתְּבַצְּעִי רֵעֵכִי בְּעֹשֶׁק)—violent profit-taking. The climax: And hast forgotten me, saith the Lord GOD (ve-oti shachakht, וְאֹתִי שָׁכָחַתְּ). Economic injustice isn't merely social failure but theological apostasy—forgetting God who redeemed slaves (Leviticus 25:42, 55).