Ezekiel 22:16
And thou shalt take thine inheritance in thyself in the sight of the heathen, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.
Original Language Analysis
וְנִחַ֥לְתְּ
And thou shalt take thine inheritance
H2490
וְנִחַ֥לְתְּ
And thou shalt take thine inheritance
Strong's:
H2490
Word #:
1 of 8
properly, to bore, i.e., (by implication) to wound, to dissolve; figuratively, to profane (a person, place or thing), to break (one's word), to begin
לְעֵינֵ֣י
in thyself in the sight
H5869
לְעֵינֵ֣י
in thyself in the sight
Strong's:
H5869
Word #:
3 of 8
an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
גוֹיִ֑ם
of the heathen
H1471
גוֹיִ֑ם
of the heathen
Strong's:
H1471
Word #:
4 of 8
a foreign nation; hence, a gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts
וְיָדַ֖עַתְּ
and thou shalt know
H3045
וְיָדַ֖עַתְּ
and thou shalt know
Strong's:
H3045
Word #:
5 of 8
to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including o
Cross References
Ezekiel 6:7And the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.Psalms 83:18That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.Ezekiel 7:24Wherefore I will bring the worst of the heathen, and they shall possess their houses: I will also make the pomp of the strong to cease; and their holy places shall be defiled.
Historical Context
When Babylon razed Jerusalem in 586 BC and paraded captives before surrounding nations, Israel's shame was public and complete. The nations who had trusted in Jerusalem's invincibility (Jeremiah 7:4) witnessed her fall. Yet this humiliation also demonstrated Yahweh's justice and power—He, not Babylon's gods, controlled Israel's fate. This prepared for eventual restoration when nations would recognize Yahweh's sovereignty (Ezekiel 36-37).
Questions for Reflection
- How does experiencing consequences of sin lead to deeper knowledge of God's character?
- What does it mean to 'know that I am the LORD' beyond intellectual assent?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
And thou shalt take thine inheritance in thyself in the sight of the heathen—this difficult phrase ve'nechalti bakh le'einei goyim (וְנִחַלְתְּ בָּךְ לְעֵינֵי גוֹיִם) literally means "you will be profaned in yourself before the nations" or "you will take your inheritance in yourself." The ESV renders it: "you shall be profaned by your own doing in the sight of the nations." Jerusalem's public humiliation would demonstrate that her defilement came from within, not external forces.
And thou shalt know that I am the LORD. This refrain (ve'yada'at ki ani YHWH, וְיָדַעַתְּ כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה) appears over 70 times in Ezekiel. The verb yada (יָדַע) means experiential knowledge, not mere information. Through judgment, Jerusalem would know Yahweh's sovereignty and holiness. This 'knowing' was the purpose of both judgment and redemption—recognition of God's unique deity and covenant faithfulness.