Ezekiel 28:20-24 Meaning: When God Removes the Pricking Brier
20Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
21“Son of man, set your face toward Sidon, and prophesy against it,
22and say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Behold, I am against you, Sidon. I will be glorified among you. Then they will know that I am Yahweh, when I have executed judgments in her, and am sanctified in her.
23For I will send pestilence into her, and blood into her streets. The wounded will fall within her, with the sword on her on every side. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.
24“‘“There will no longer be a pricking brier to the house of Israel, nor a hurting thorn of any that are around them that scorned them. Then they will know that I am the Lord Yahweh.”
20Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
21Son of man, set thy face against Zidon, and prophesy against it,
22And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Zidon; and I will be glorified in the midst of thee: and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her.
23For I will send into her pestilence, and blood into her streets; and the wounded shall be judged in the midst of her by the sword upon her on every side; and they shall know that I am the Lord.
24And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel, nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them, that despised them; and they shall know that I am the Lord God.
20And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
21Son of man, set thy face toward Sidon, and prophesy against it,
22and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I am against thee, O Sidon; and I will be glorified in the midst of thee; and they shall know that I am Jehovah, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her.
23For I will send pestilence into her, and blood into her streets; and the wounded shall fall in the midst of her, with the sword upon her on every side; and they shall know that I am Jehovah.
24And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel, nor a hurting thorn of any that are round about them, that did despite unto them; and they shall know that I am the Lord Jehovah.
20And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying,
21`Son of man, set thy face unto Zidon, and prophesy concerning it;
22and thou hast said: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Lo, I am against thee, O Zidon, And I have been honoured in thy midst, And they have known that I am Jehovah, In My doing in her judgments, And I have been sanctified in her.
23And I have sent into her pestilence, And blood into her out-places, The wounded hath been judged in her midst, By the sword upon her round about, And they have known that I am Jehovah.
24And there is no more to the house of Israel A pricking brier, and paining thorn, Of all round about them--despising them, And they have known that I am the Lord Jehovah.
20And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
21Son of man, set thy face towards Zidon, and prophesy against it,
22and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I am against thee, Zidon, and I will be glorified in the midst of thee; and they shall know that I [am] Jehovah, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be hallowed in her.
23And I will send into her the pestilence, and blood in her streets; and the wounded shall fall in the midst of her, by the sword upon her on every side: and they shall know that I [am] Jehovah.
24And there shall be no more a wounding sting for the house of Israel, nor any grieving thorn, among all that were round about them, that despised them: and they shall know that I [am] the Lord Jehovah.
Meaning in one sentence
Why does Ezekiel include a separate prophecy against Sidon after Tyre?
Context
This short oracle against Sidon comes right after the long prophecy against Tyre (chapters 26, 28). Sidon was the older Phoenician city, the mother of Tyre, and had its own long history of idolatry that infected Israel. You may recall Jezebel, the daughter of Sidon’s king, who brought Baal worship into the northern kingdom. That connection is no coincidence.
Ezekiel is delivering a series of judgments on the nations surrounding Israel. Sidon gets singled out because its sin was not just political opposition but spiritual seduction. The prophecy has three movements: judgment on Sidon itself, then a promise that no more “pricking brier” will trouble Israel, and finally a vision of restored security for God’s people. The brier and thorn metaphors are vivid, they picture constant irritation, bitterness, and temptation. God is saying that season is ending.
Key Words
Two images carry the weight of this passage: pricking brier and hurting thorn. Commentators note that the word behind “pricking” suggests something that causes bitterness, the same Hebrew root appears in Leviticus for a “fretting” leprous spot. A brier doesn’t kill you; it just scratches and annoys, day after day. That is what the surrounding nations had become for Israel: a constant source of irritation and a lure into sin.
The second phrase, “that scorned them” (or “despised them”), adds the sting of contempt. These were not neutral neighbours, they mocked Israel’s suffering and looked down on God’s people.
Then there is the repeated refrain, “I will be glorified” and “I will be sanctified.” These are active, public acts. God’s judgment on Sidon becomes a stage where His holiness is seen. The same words appear in verse 25 when God gathers Israel home. His glory is the point, whether in judgment or mercy.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have read this passage with different emphases. Adam Clarke points directly to Jezebel, daughter of Sidon’s king, as the historical “brier” who seduced Israel into idolatry. Matthew Henry sees God’s glory as the great end, both in the overthrow of Sidon and the safety of Israel. John Gill applies the prophecy to the church’s spiritual enemies, seeing Sidon as a picture of all antichristian powers that harass God’s people. Keil and Delitzsch highlight that Sidon completes a cycle of seven nations in Ezekiel’s judgments, making way for the promise of restoration. None of these readings contradict each other; they simply focus on different layers of the text.
A common misunderstanding
Living This Out
Think about the “thorns” in your life right now. They might be a person whose words constantly sting, a temptation that wears down your resolve, or a situation that sours your faith day after day. This passage promises that God sees those thorns. He has not forgotten. He will deal with them in His time, and He will do it in a way that shows who He is.
This week, instead of trying to pull the thorn out yourself, bring it to God honestly. Ask Him to either remove it or give you the grace to endure until He does. And consider: could you be a thorn to someone else? Ask the Spirit to show you where your words or actions cause bitterness.
Main takeaway: God will remove every thorn that hurts His people, and in doing so, He shows His holiness and glory.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God promised to take away the “pricking briers”, things that hurt His people. He protects us from things that scratch and hurt us. You can tell God about the things that bother you.
For ages 9, 12
In Ezekiel 28, God says there will be no more “pricking brier” or “hurting thorn” for Israel. These are pictures of the bad neighbours who tempted God’s people to sin and made life hard. God judged Sidon and promised to remove every one of those harmful influences so His people could live safely. You can trust God to remove the things in your life that are like thorns, harming you or leading you away from Him.
Questions People Ask
Why does Ezekiel include a separate prophecy against Sidon after Tyre?
Sidon was the mother city of Tyre and a major source of idolatry that corrupted Israel, most famously through Jezebel. Including Sidon completes a cycle of seven nations in Ezekiel’s judgments and shows that God will remove all who vex His people, not just the most prominent enemy.
What does 'pricking brier' mean in Ezekiel 28:24?
It is a metaphor for the surrounding nations that tempted Israel into sin and then became instruments of punishment. The word for 'pricking' means 'causing bitterness,' like a thorn that constantly irritates and wears you down.
How has this prophecy been fulfilled?
Historically, Sidon was destroyed by the Chaldeans after Tyre and later by other conquerors. But many commentators see a larger fulfillment in God’s ultimate removal of all threats to His people, pointing to the future security of Israel under God’s reign.
What does 'I will be sanctified in her' mean?
Through executing judgment on Sidon, God demonstrates His holiness to the nations. His justice shows that He is the holy God who punishes sin, and people will recognize Him as Lord.
How does verse 24 connect to the promise of Israel’s restoration?
The removal of the 'brier' prepares the way for Israel’s safe dwelling. After removing hostile neighbours, God gathers His people back to their land, and they live securely, knowing the Lord.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study