Ezekiel 24:12
She hath wearied herself with lies, and her great scum went not forth out of her: her scum shall be in the fire.
Original Language Analysis
הֶלְאָ֑ת
She hath wearied
H3811
הֶלְאָ֑ת
She hath wearied
Strong's:
H3811
Word #:
2 of 9
to tire; (figuratively) to be (or make) disgusted
וְלֹֽא
H3808
וְלֹֽא
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
3 of 9
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
תֵצֵ֤א
went not forth
H3318
תֵצֵ֤א
went not forth
Strong's:
H3318
Word #:
4 of 9
to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim
מִמֶּ֙נָּה֙
H4480
מִמֶּ֙נָּה֙
Strong's:
H4480
Word #:
5 of 9
properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
רַבַּ֣ת
and her great
H7227
רַבַּ֣ת
and her great
Strong's:
H7227
Word #:
6 of 9
abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)
Cross References
Jeremiah 9:5And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.Jeremiah 5:3O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.Jeremiah 51:58Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary.Jeremiah 2:13For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.Habakkuk 2:13Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?
Historical Context
Jerusalem's final years involved constant political deception: false prophets promising peace (Jeremiah 28), secret negotiations with Egypt (Ezekiel 17:15), broken oaths to Babylon (2 Kings 24:20), and self-deception about invulnerability (Jeremiah 7:4, 'The temple of the LORD'). These lies exhausted the nation but didn't save it.
Questions for Reflection
- How do lies exhaust us while failing to deliver promised results?
- What self-deceptions must be burned away rather than reasoned away?
- Why can't moral effort remove what only grace can purge?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
She hath wearied herself with lies shifts from pot to personification—Jerusalem is an exhausted liar. And her great scum went not forth out of her, her scum shall be in the fire declares that despite exhaustive efforts, the corruption remains. Therefore it must be burned out rather than scrubbed out. Moral effort cannot remove what only grace and judgment can purge. The lies refer to false prophecies, political deceptions, and self-deception about their spiritual state. Lies exhaust those who maintain them but don't deliver promised results. Truth liberates; lies enslave and exhaust.