Ezekiel 23:34
Thou shalt even drink it and suck it out, and thou shalt break the sherds thereof, and pluck off thine own breasts: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
Original Language Analysis
וְשָׁתִ֨ית
Thou shalt even drink
H8354
וְשָׁתִ֨ית
Thou shalt even drink
Strong's:
H8354
Word #:
1 of 14
to imbibe (literally or figuratively)
אוֹתָ֜הּ
H853
אוֹתָ֜הּ
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
2 of 14
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
וּמָצִ֗ית
it and suck it out
H4680
וּמָצִ֗ית
it and suck it out
Strong's:
H4680
Word #:
3 of 14
to suck out; by implication, to drain, to squeeze out
וְאֶת
H853
וְאֶת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
4 of 14
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
תְּגָרֵ֖מִי
and thou shalt break
H1633
תְּגָרֵ֖מִי
and thou shalt break
Strong's:
H1633
Word #:
6 of 14
(causative) to bone, i.e., denude (by extensive, craunch) the bones
וְשָׁדַ֣יִךְ
thine own breasts
H7699
וְשָׁדַ֣יִךְ
thine own breasts
Strong's:
H7699
Word #:
7 of 14
the breast of a woman or animal (as bulging)
כִּ֚י
H3588
כִּ֚י
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
9 of 14
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
דִבַּ֔רְתִּי
for I have spoken
H1696
דִבַּ֔רְתִּי
for I have spoken
Strong's:
H1696
Word #:
11 of 14
perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
Cross References
Psalms 75:8For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.Isaiah 51:17Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.
Historical Context
Jerusalem's siege led to horrific conditions: famine so severe mothers ate their own children (Lamentations 2:20; 4:10), disease, despair, and mass death. Survivors experienced traumatic devastation matching Ezekiel's vivid descriptions. The psychological and spiritual toll matched physical destruction, with self-harming despair among those who witnessed Jerusalem's fall.
Questions for Reflection
- What does the thoroughness of judgment teach about sin's seriousness?
- How does God's spoken word guarantee its own fulfillment?
- What should we learn from the certainty of divine promises, both blessing and curse?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Thou shalt even drink it and suck it out stresses compulsion and thoroughness of judgment. Not a drop remains; the cup must be emptied completely. And thou shalt break the sherds thereof describes smashing the cup in anguish—an act of desperate, impotent rage. And pluck off thine own breasts returns to sexual metaphor with self-mutilation imagery, representing self-inflicted anguish and total despair. For I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD seals the prophecy with divine authority. God's word is performative—it accomplishes what it declares (Isaiah 55:11). When God speaks judgment, its fulfillment is certain. Creation itself obeys His voice; how much more historical events? Divine decree guarantees historical outcome.