What is the meaning of Ezekiel 14:17?

Or if I bring a sword against that land

God Himself announces that He, not chance or geopolitics, commissions the sword of war. As in Leviticus 26:23-25 and Deuteronomy 32:41-42, the covenant-keeping Lord reserves the right to employ invading armies when His people persist in rebellion (compare Isaiah 10:5-6; Jeremiah 25:8-9). The phrase underscores:

• Divine sovereignty—history unfolds under His direct hand (Proverbs 21:1; Daniel 4:35).

• Literal judgment—real soldiers, real casualties, exactly as foretold (2 Kings 25:1-10).

• Covenant accountability—the “land” promised to Abraham suffers because its inhabitants ignore God’s statutes (Ezekiel 14:12-14).

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and say, ‘Let a sword pass through it,’

When God speaks, events move. His command authorizes the sword to sweep across the territory, leaving no refuge (Ezekiel 21:1-5). Similar wording appears in Numbers 21:23, where Israel “passed through” a hostile land, signifying thorough passage. Revelation 6:4 echoes the motif: peace is removed when the Sovereign decrees it. Key truths:

• God’s word is performative—His utterance guarantees fulfillment (Isaiah 55:11; Psalm 33:9).

• Human schemes cannot halt a divinely ordered incursion (Jeremiah 42:19-22).

• National security ultimately depends on obedience, not alliances (Psalm 127:1).

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so that I cut off from it both man and beast

The objective is total devastation, mirroring the Egyptian plagues where livestock and people alike perished (Exodus 9:6). By including animals, the Lord signals long-term economic ruin—fields lie fallow, herds vanish, hope evaporates (Joel 1:18-20). Zephaniah 1:2-3 uses the same “man and beast” formula to stress completeness. Lessons drawn:

• Sin’s cost is comprehensive; judgment reaches every corner (Galatians 6:7-8).

• God is impartial; neither rank nor species escapes when rebellion persists (Ezekiel 9:6; Romans 2:11).

• The scene foreshadows the final reckoning when Christ separates the faithful from the faithless (Matthew 25:31-33; 2 Peter 3:10-13).

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summary

Ezekiel 14:17 declares that the Lord may unleash literal warfare upon a disobedient land by His spoken command, ensuring the sword sweeps across the territory and eliminates both people and livestock. The verse showcases God’s absolute sovereignty, the certainty of His word, and the thoroughness of His judgment, reminding every generation that true security lies in humble obedience to Him.