Ezekiel 21:7 · Bible study
Ezekiel 21:7 Commentary: The Sigh of Certain Judgment
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does the prophet sigh? This study explores the sign-act of Ezekiel, the terror of God's coming judgment, and the certainty of His word.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The prophet's sigh is a sign that the coming judgment of God will cause universal terror and helplessness; the certainty of this judgment is anchored in God's word.
- Key words: sigh (groaning as a sign), tidings (report of invasion), melt (dissolve in fear), feeble (drop powerless), faint (become dull), weak as water (collapse, flow away).
- Main debate: Minimal; some discuss whether the physical descriptions are literal or hyperbole, but most agree they depict total psychological and physical collapse under judgment.
- Moral theme: The sovereignty of God in judgment and the total inability of human beings to resist when He brings calamity.
- Best use: To underscore the seriousness of sin and the certainty of God's word, leading hearers to repentance and trust in God's refuge.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And when they ask, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you are to say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt, and every hand will go limp. Every spirit will faint, and every knee will turn to water.’ Yes, it is coming and it will surely happen, declares the Lord GOD.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
It shall be, when they ask you, ‘Why do you sigh?’ that you shall say, ‘Because of the news, for it comes! Every heart will melt, all hands will be feeble, every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it comes, and it shall be done, says the Lord Yahweh.’”
KJV King James Version 1769
And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord God.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt say, Because of the tidings, for it cometh; and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and it shall be done, saith the Lord Jehovah.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and it hath come to pass, when they say unto thee, For what art thou sighing? that thou hast said: Because of the report, for it is coming, And melted hath every heart, And feeble hath been all hands, And weak is every spirit, And all knees go--waters, Lo, it is coming, yea, it hath been, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore dost thou sigh? that thou shalt say, Because of the tidings, for it cometh; and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall languish, and all knees shall melt into water: behold, it cometh; it is here, saith the Lord Jehovah.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And when they shall say to thee: Why mournest thou? thou shalt say: For that which I hear: because it cometh, and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be made feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and water shall run down every knee: behold it cometh, and it shall be done, saith the Lord God.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y será, que cuando te dijeren: ¿ Por qué gimes tú? dirás: Por la fama que viene; y todo corazón se desleirá, y todas manos se debilitarán, y angustiaráse todo espíritu, y todas rodillas se irán en aguas: he aquí que viene, y hacerse ha, dice el Señor Jehová.
E será que, quando te disserem: Por que tu suspiras? Então dirás: Por causa da notícia que vêm; e todo coração se dissolverá, todas as mãos se enfraquecerão, todo espírito se angustiará, e todos joelhos se desfarão em águas; eis que já vem, e ela se cumprirá, diz o Senhor DEUS
Fils de l’ homme, tourne ta face vers Jérusalem,
Und wenn sie zu dir sagen werden: Warum seufzest du? sollst du sagen: Um des Geschreis willen, das da kommt, vor welchem alle Herzen verzagen, und alle Hände sinken, aller Mut fallen und alle Kniee so ungewiß stehen werden wie Wasser. Siehe, es kommt und wird geschehen, spricht der Herr HERR.
En het zal geschieden, als zij tot u zeggen zullen: Waarom zucht gij, dat gij zeggen zult: Om het gerucht, want het komt! en alle hart zal versmelten, en alle handen zullen verslappen, en alle geest zal inkrimpen, en alle knieen als water henenvlieten; ziet, het komt, en het zal geschieden, spreekt de Heere HEERE.
(H21-12) E quando ti chiederanno: Perché gemi? rispondi: Per la notizia che sta per giungere; ogni cuore si struggerà, tutte le mani diverran fiacche, tutti gli spiriti verranno meno, tutte le ginocchia si scioglieranno in acqua. Ecco, la cosa giunge, ed avverrà! dice il Signore, l’Eterno”.
A gdyć rzeką: Dlaczego wzdychasz? Tedy odpowiesz: Dla wieści, która idzie, na którą się rozpłynie wszelkie serce, i osłabieją wszelkie ręce, i ściśniony będzie wszelki duch, i wszelkie kolano rozpłynie się jako woda; oto idzie, i stanie się, mówi panujący Pan.
И когда скажут тебе: "отчего ты стенаешь?", скажи: "от слуха, что идет", - и растает всякое сердце, и все руки опустятся, и всякий дух изнеможет, и все колени задрожат, как вода. Вот, это придет и сбудется, говорит Господь Бог.
他們問你 說：『 為 何 歎息呢？』你就說：『因為 有風聲、 災禍要來。人心 都 必消化，手 都 發軟， 精神 衰敗， 膝 弱 如水。看哪，這災禍臨近，必然成就。這是主 耶和華 說的。』」
And when they say to you, Why are you making sounds of grief? then say, Because of the news, for it is coming: and every heart will become soft, and all hands will be feeble, and every spirit will be burning low, and all knees will be turned to water: see, it is coming and it will be done, says the Lord.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Ezekiel's sighing is a symbolic action commanded by God (v.6) to provoke the people to ask its meaning. Matthew Henry notes that the prophet had to "sigh before their eyes, with bitterness." Gill emphasizes that the "tidings" are the report of the Chaldean army approaching, and the description of hearts melting, hands feeble, spirits fainting, and knees becoming "weak as water" (cf. Eze 7:17) depicts total paralysis. The Cambridge Bible states that the prophet's agitation is only a symbol of the dismay that shall overtake all. The repetition "Behold, it comes, and it shall be done" underscores certainty, God's word will not return empty. The sigh is not merely personal grief; it is a prophetic sign that embodies the coming terror for the people to see and ask about.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The prophet's sigh is a sign of coming judgment that will bring universal terror and helplessness, and this judgment is certain because God has declared it.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The sigh as a prophetic sign | Christians agree that the sigh was a symbolic act commanded by God to get the people's attention and convey the weight of judgment. | Some commentators emphasize the prophet's personal anguish (Gill, Henry), while others focus on the purely formal, symbolic function (Cambridge). |
| The fourfold description of collapse | All interpret heart, hands, spirit, knees as depicting total human helplessness in the face of judgment. | The degree of literality varies: some read it as hyperbolic idiom, others see it as a realistic account of fear-induced physical symptoms. |
| The scope of 'the tidings' | The primary reference is the Babylonian invasion and fall of Jerusalem. | Some Christian readings extend the 'tidings' to the final judgment at Christ's return, seeing the verse as a type of eschatological terror. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Ezekiel ministered among the exiles in Babylon after 597 BC. Chapter 21 delivers a message of the sword of the Lord, the Babylonian army, that will strike Jerusalem (v.3). The sigh commanded in v.6 is a sign of deep grief, likely performed with physical display ("with breaking of loins"). In ancient Near Eastern culture, public lamentation was a common response to disaster or mourning. The people ask the question, and Ezekiel answers with "the tidings", the news of the coming invasion.
The catalogue of effects (heart, hands, spirit, knees) follows a pattern found in other passages where enemies "melt" at the report of God's acts (Ex 15:15; Josh 2:9). But here it is God's own people who will experience this terror. The phrase "weak as water" (literally "go into water") suggests complete loss of strength, like a soldier unable to stand. The certainty is driven home by the double affirmation: "it cometh, and shall be brought to pass", a formula that echoes the prophetic guarantee (cf. Isa 55:11). The literary context includes the surrounding verses about the sharpened sword (vv.8-11), which reinforces the violent nature of the judgment. The sigh, then, is a living parable: the prophet's brokenness becomes a preview of the nation's collapse.
Textual Notes
The consulted commentaries note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is consistent across manuscripts.
Reception History
Throughout church history, Ezekiel 21:7 has been read as a sobering reminder of the reality of divine judgment. Early and medieval commentators often used it to reinforce the need for repentance. The imagery of melting hearts and weak knees entered Christian iconography and hymnody as symbols of human frailty before God’s power. In Reformed tradition, the verse was cited to emphasize the seriousness of sin and the certainty of God’s word. Modern evangelical preaching has used it to call hearers to consider the coming judgment and the refuge found in Christ.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Sigh as a Sign: God's prophet embodies the grief of judgment. His visible sorrow forces the people to ask “Why?”, and that question opens the door for the message.
- The News that Breaks: The “tidings” are the report of divine judgment, certain, imminent, inescapable. Like a death sentence read aloud, it changes everything.
- The Body's Collapse: Heart, hands, spirit, knees, every part of a person fails. The judgment strips away human strength and courage, leaving everyone helpless before God.
Five-point outline
- A Commanded Sigh (v.6): Ezekiel is told to sigh in public, not to express his own emotion, but to serve as a living object lesson.
- A Question from the People (v.7a): The sigh provokes inquiry. They want to know why the prophet is grieving.
- A News Report (v.7b): The answer points to a coming event, “the tidings”, that will fulfill God's word. The news itself carries power.
- A Fourfold Terror (v.7c): Each part of the body represents a dimension of human ability: will (heart), action (hands), inner life (spirit), stability (knees). All dissolve.
- A Divine Affirmation (v.7d): “Behold, it comes, and it shall be done, says the Lord Yahweh.” The conclusion seals the message with God's own authority.
Illustration hooks
- The effect of a catastrophic news report, a phone call that brings a person to their knees, unable to speak or stand. That physical paralysis mirrors the spiritual reality of encountering God's judgment.
- A medical diagnosis that “stops your world.” The verse pictures what it's like to hear news so devastating that your body reacts before your mind can process it.
- A community in shock after a natural disaster, not the initial impact, but the moment people realize the full scope of loss and feel utterly powerless.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this mean that God wants to terrify us? Or does the terror serve a purpose, to wake us up to the reality of sin and the urgency of repentance?
- Why would the prophet sigh if he was just delivering a message? Doesn't this show that God's messengers should feel the weight of what they proclaim?
- How do we reconcile this picture of judgment with the gospel of grace? Can the same God who sends the sword also provide a refuge?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows us the prophet publicly bearing the weight of God's message. His sigh is both his own grief and a sign to the people. As you read, consider how God uses our responses to communicate His truth.
Discussion questions
- What effect does the prophet's sigh have on the people? Why does he bother to sigh rather than simply speaking the message?
- The phrase “the tidings” (or “the news”) refers to the coming judgment. In what ways does a report of future disaster affect how we live in the present?
- The verse describes four parts of the body failing: heart melts, hands feeble, spirit faints, knees weak as water. What does each represent about human strength and courage?
- How does this description compare with other passages where people “melt” before God (Ex 15:15; Josh 2:9)? What is the common thread?
- God says “it comes, and it shall be done.” Why is this double affirmation important for the people to hear? How does God's certainty address human skepticism or denial?
- How can passages like this shape our understanding of God's holiness and justice? How do we hold this together with His mercy?
- What might it look like for us to “sigh”, to grieve, over the reality of sin and judgment in our own time? Should this be part of our witness?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 15:15 | Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed. Trembling takes hold of the mighty men of Moab. All the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away. |
| Leviticus 26:36 | “‘As for those of you who are left, I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies. The sound of a driven leaf will put them to flight; and they shall flee, as one flees from the sword. They will fall when no one pursues. |
| Deuteronomy 20:8 | The officers shall speak further to the people, and they shall say, “What man is there who is fearful and faint-hearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest his brother’s heart melt as his heart.” |
| Joshua 2:9 | She said to the men, “I know that Yahweh has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. |
| Joshua 2:11 | As soon as we had heard it, our hearts melted, and there wasn’t any more spirit in any man, because of you: for Yahweh your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath. |
| Joshua 5:1 | When all the kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, who were by the sea, heard how Yahweh had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel until we had crossed over, their heart melted, and there was no more spirit in them, because of the children of Israel. |
| II Samuel 17:10 | Even he who is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, will utterly melt; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men. |
| II Kings 21:12 | therefore Yahweh the God of Israel says, ‘Behold, I will bring such evil on Jerusalem and Judah that whoever hears of it, both his ears will tingle. |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the prophet's sighing is a sign to the people, demonstrating the grief and mourning they themselves should display. The weak knees point to the utter helplessness described in the parallel note on Ezekiel 7:17.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
6, 7 . Agitation of the prophet at the tidings of the coming calamity. This agitation of his is only a symbol of the dismay and paralysis that shall overtake all when the calamity comes. On the figures in Eze_21:7 cf. Eze_7:17 .
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights that the prophet's mourning is not vague grief but a direct response to the "bruite" — the report of coming judgment. This news will drain all strength: every heart will melt, hands grow weak, minds faint, and knees give way like water, as the Lord declares it is coming.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that the prophet's sighing is deliberately performed so people will ask why he sighs. The answer is the certain report of the Chaldean army's approaching invasion, which will cause everyone's heart to melt, hands to grow feeble, and knees to become weak as water. This judgment is coming, for the Lord has spoken it.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
The abrupt sentences and mournful repetitions imply violent emotions.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch explain that God's sword of judgment cuts down both righteous and wicked in war, but they insist this does not erase the earlier distinction made in Ezekiel 9. The sword will not return to its scabbard until its work is finished, unlike previous chastisements where God pulled back.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes that when the prophet complained about the people accusing him of speaking in parables, God gave him the key to interpret the figurative language. This shows that God ensures every mouth is stopped and no one is left without excuse, and that those who speak to souls should strive for plainness.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Because - The saddest news you ever heard is coming.