The time is come, the day draweth near: let not the buyer rejoice, nor the seller mourn: for wrath is upon all the multitude thereof.

EZEKIEL 7:12KJV
truelightbible.com

What does Ezekiel 7:12 mean?

Ezekiel 7:12 warns that the time of judgment has arrived, so neither buyers nor sellers should expect normal life to continue; both will be affected because God’s anger is coming upon everyone. The verse tells people not to celebrate business gains or grieve business losses, since disaster is about to strike all alike.

The prophet Ezekiel is speaking God’s message to the people of Judah, warning them that the day of reckoning is very close. In this context, everyday activities like buying and selling will lose their meaning because God’s wrath is about to fall on the whole community, disrupting all normal life and business.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 7:12

  • "Time" (עֵת, ‘et): This word often points to a specific, decisive moment. Here, it emphasizes that the long-awaited moment of judgment has finally arrived.
  • "Wrath" (חֵמָה, ḥēmāh): This word means intense anger or fury. Its use here underlines that what is coming is not just hardship, but a direct outpouring of God’s anger on the people.
  • "Multitude" (הָמוֹן, hāmôn): This word refers to a crowd or the whole population. The verse stresses that no one is exempt—God’s wrath will affect everyone, not just a few individuals.

Why Ezekiel 7:12 matters

  • Ezekiel 7:12 makes clear that God’s judgment will disrupt all aspects of life, even ordinary business, showing how total the coming disaster will be.
  • The verse highlights that both buyers and sellers—people on both sides of economic transactions—will suffer alike, removing any sense of security in wealth or business.
  • This verse connects to the larger message of Ezekiel 7, where the prophet describes the end of normal life in Jerusalem because of the people’s persistent wrongdoing.