Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.

EZEKIEL 21:6KJV
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Ezekiel 21:6 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 21:6 mean?

Ezekiel 21:6 tells Ezekiel to sigh deeply and bitterly in front of the people, showing visible distress and pain. This act is meant to be a sign to the people of Israel, warning them of coming trouble and judgment.

God is speaking directly to Ezekiel, calling him "son of man" and instructing him to express grief so strongly that it looks like his body is breaking from sorrow. The setting is a time when Jerusalem faces great danger, and Ezekiel’s public display of anguish is meant to get the people’s attention and make them realize the seriousness of what is about to happen.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 21:6

  • "Sigh" (אָנַח, 'anach'): This word means to groan or sigh deeply, often from pain or grief. Here, it is repeated for emphasis, showing the depth of Ezekiel’s sorrow.
  • "Breaking" (שֶׁבֶר, shever): This word means breaking or shattering, here used with "loins" to describe a gut-wrenching, physical kind of grief, not just an emotional one.
  • "Loins" (מָתְנַיִם, motnayim): In Hebrew thought, the loins are the seat of strength and deep emotion. Sighing with the breaking of the loins suggests overwhelming distress that affects the whole person.
  • "Bitterness" (מָרָה, marah): This word means bitterness or intense sorrow, highlighting the emotional pain Ezekiel is to show.

Why Ezekiel 21:6 matters

  • The verse makes clear that Ezekiel’s actions are not just for show; his visible pain is meant to communicate God’s message in a way words alone might not.
  • By commanding Ezekiel to "sigh before their eyes," God is using a living illustration to warn the people, making the coming judgment feel real and urgent.
  • Understanding the physical and emotional depth of Ezekiel’s sighing helps readers grasp how serious and devastating the coming events will be for Israel.

Where else these words appear

“breaking” Hebrew H7670 · used in 2 verses

  • Jeremiah 17:18 Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.

“Sigh” Hebrew H584 · used in 11 verses

  • Exodus 2:23 And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
  • Lamentations 1:4 The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.
  • Lamentations 1:21 They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me.

“loins” Hebrew H4975 · used in 45 verses

  • Genesis 37:34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
  • Nehemiah 4:18 For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.
  • Jeremiah 13:11 For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.