Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it.

EZEKIEL 14:22KJV
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Ezekiel 14:22 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 14:22 mean?

Ezekiel 14:22 says that after judgment comes upon Jerusalem, a small group of survivors—both sons and daughters—will be left and brought out, and when others see how these survivors live and what they do, they will find some comfort about the disaster that happened. The verse promises that not everyone will be destroyed; a remnant will remain, and their lives will help others understand and process the tragedy.

In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Ezekiel to the exiles in Babylon, explaining what will happen after Jerusalem faces severe punishment for its unfaithfulness. The mention of a "remnant" means that, despite the destruction, God will allow some people to survive. These survivors will serve as living proof of God's justice and mercy, and their actions will help others come to terms with the suffering Jerusalem endured.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 14:22

  • "Remnant" (פְּלֵיטָה, pĕlētāh): This word means a group that escapes or survives disaster. Its use here highlights that God’s judgment is not total; some people are spared as a sign of hope and continuity.
  • "Comforted" (נָחַם, nācham): This word often means to be consoled or to find relief from grief. The verse suggests that seeing the remnant’s way of life will help others process their sorrow over Jerusalem’s fate.
  • "Way" (דֶּרֶךְ, derek) and "doings" (עֲלִילָה, ʿalilah): These words refer to the survivors’ behavior and actions. The focus is on how the remnant lives after the disaster, which will be meaningful for those observing them.

Why Ezekiel 14:22 matters

  • Ezekiel 14:22 clarifies that God’s judgment is not the end of the story; there is still hope for restoration through those who survive.
  • The verse emphasizes that the survivors’ lives and actions have a purpose—they help others understand God’s justice and find comfort, rather than being left in despair.
  • This verse connects to the larger theme in Ezekiel that God preserves a faithful remnant, even in times of severe judgment, showing both justice and mercy.

Where else these words appear

“doings” Hebrew H5949 · used in 24 verses

  • Deuteronomy 22:14 And give occasions of speech against her, and bring up an evil name upon her, and say, I took this woman, and when I came to her, I found her not a maid:
  • Psalms 77:12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.
  • Ezekiel 20:43 And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.

“remnant” Hebrew H6413 · used in 28 verses

  • Genesis 32:8 And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.
  • 2 Chronicles 20:24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.
  • Isaiah 15:9 For the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood: for I will bring more upon Dimon, lions upon him that escapeth of Moab, and upon the remnant of the land.

“comforted” Hebrew H5162 · used in 100 verses

  • Genesis 5:29 And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed.
  • Job 29:25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.
  • Jeremiah 18:8 If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

“left” Hebrew H3498 · used in 101 verses

  • Genesis 30:36 And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.
  • Joshua 18:2 And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance.
  • 1 Chronicles 6:70 And out of the half tribe of Manasseh; Aner with her suburbs, and Bileam with her suburbs, for the family of the remnant of the sons of Kohath.