Behold, therefore I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and will deliver thee for a spoil to the heathen; and I will cut thee off from the people, and I will cause thee to perish out of the countries: I will destroy thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.

EZEKIEL 25:7KJV
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Ezekiel 25:7 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 25:7 mean?

Ezekiel 25:7 describes God’s warning of judgment against a nation, saying He will act against them, allow them to be plundered by other peoples, cut them off from among the nations, and cause their destruction so that they will recognize His authority as the LORD. The verse emphasizes that these events are a direct result of God’s intervention.

In Ezekiel 25:7, God is speaking through the prophet Ezekiel to the Ammonites, a neighboring people who had shown hostility toward Israel. The verse is part of a series of oracles where God announces consequences for nations that have acted against His people. The language is strong and final, showing that the coming judgment is both thorough and purposeful, meant to reveal God’s identity and power.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 25:7

  • "Hand" (יָד, yad): This word often symbolizes power or action. Here, God’s “stretching out His hand” means He is actively intervening in judgment, not just allowing events to happen.
  • "Deliver" (נָתַן, natan): This means to give or hand over. God is not just permitting the Ammonites to fall, but is actively giving them over as “spoil” to other nations.
  • "Spoil" (בַּז, baz): This word refers to plunder or loot taken in war. The Ammonites will be treated as property to be taken by others, highlighting the totality of their defeat.
  • "Heathen" (גּוֹי, goy): This word means “nations” or “peoples,” not just “pagans.” It shows that the Ammonites will be handed over to other groups, not just random destruction.
  • "Know" (יָדַע, yada): This word means more than intellectual knowledge; it often implies recognition or acknowledgment. The purpose of judgment is so the Ammonites will truly recognize God’s identity as the LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH).

Why Ezekiel 25:7 matters

  • Ezekiel 25:7 clarifies that God’s actions against the Ammonites are deliberate and not accidental or random events of history.
  • The verse highlights that God’s judgments serve a purpose: to reveal His identity and authority, even to those who oppose Him.
  • This verse connects to the broader section of Ezekiel where God addresses not only Israel but also surrounding nations, showing His sovereignty over all peoples, not just His chosen nation.

Where else these words appear

“spoil” Hebrew H957 · used in 25 verses

  • Numbers 14:3 And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
  • Jeremiah 2:14 Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled?
  • Ezekiel 29:19 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army.

“destroy” Hebrew H8045 · used in 86 verses

  • Genesis 34:30 And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.
  • Deuteronomy 31:3 The LORD thy God, he will go over before thee, and he will destroy these nations from before thee, and thou shalt possess them: and Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as the LORD hath said.
  • Esther 4:8 Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people.