And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

EZEKIEL 12:20KJV
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Ezekiel 12:20 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 12:20 mean?

Ezekiel 12:20 says that the cities where people live will be destroyed and the land will become empty and ruined, so that the people will recognize that the LORD is truly God. This verse is a warning of coming devastation as a result of the people's actions, meant to show God's power and identity.

The prophet Ezekiel is speaking to the people of Israel, who are facing judgment because they have turned away from God. In this part of the book, Ezekiel is describing the consequences that will come upon the land and its cities—specifically, that destruction and desolation are certain. The purpose of this devastation is not just punishment, but also to make it unmistakably clear to everyone that the LORD (Yahweh) is the true God.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 12:20

  • "Cities" (עָרִים, ʿārim): This word refers to settled, populated places, emphasizing that even established communities will not be spared from destruction.
  • "Waste" (חָרַב, ḥārav): This word means to be laid waste or ruined, highlighting the complete devastation that will come.
  • "Desolate" (שָׁמֵם, shāmēm): This word often carries the sense of being utterly deserted or uninhabitable, stressing the total emptiness that will result.
  • "Know" (יָדַע, yādaʿ): In Hebrew, this word often means more than just intellectual knowledge; it can mean to recognize deeply or to experience firsthand. Here, it points to the people coming to a real, personal awareness of who the LORD is.
  • "LORD" (יְהוָה, Yahweh): This is the personal name of God in the Hebrew Bible, used here to make clear that it is Israel’s God who is acting and revealing Himself through these events.

Why Ezekiel 12:20 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the destruction is not random or meaningless, but has a purpose: to reveal God’s identity and authority to the people.
  • It connects to the wider message of Ezekiel, where repeated devastation is described as a way for Israel and the nations to "know that I am the LORD."
  • It helps clear up the misunderstanding that God’s judgment is only about anger; here, the goal is ultimately for people to recognize and return to the true God.

Where else these words appear

“waste” Hebrew H2717 · used in 36 verses

  • Genesis 8:13 And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.
  • Isaiah 34:10 It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever.
  • Jeremiah 50:27 Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter: woe unto them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation.

“desolate” Hebrew H8077 · used in 54 verses

  • Exodus 23:29 I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee.
  • Jeremiah 44:6 Wherefore my fury and mine anger was poured forth, and was kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted and desolate, as at this day.
  • Ezekiel 35:3 And say unto it, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O mount Seir, I am against thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make thee most desolate.