Ezekiel 12:16
New International Version
But I will spare a few of them from the sword, famine and plague, so that in the nations where they go they may acknowledge all their detestable practices. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

New Living Translation
But I will spare a few of them from death by war, famine, or disease, so they can confess all their detestable sins to their captors. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

English Standard Version
But I will let a few of them escape from the sword, from famine and pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they go, and may know that I am the LORD.”

Berean Standard Bible
But I will spare a few of them from sword and famine and plague, so that in the nations to which they go, they can recount all their abominations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

King James Bible
But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen whither they come; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

New King James Version
But I will spare a few of their men from the sword, from famine, and from pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the Gentiles wherever they go. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.”

New American Standard Bible
But I will spare a few of them from the sword, the famine, and plague so that they may tell of all their abominations among the nations where they go, and may know that I am the LORD.”

NASB 1995
“But I will spare a few of them from the sword, the famine and the pestilence that they may tell all their abominations among the nations where they go, and may know that I am the LORD.”

NASB 1977
“But I shall spare a few of them from the sword, the famine, and the pestilence that they may tell all their abominations among the nations where they go, and may know that I am the LORD.”

Legacy Standard Bible
But I will spare a few of them from sword, famine, and pestilence that they may recount all their abominations among the nations where they go, and may know that I am Yahweh.”

Amplified Bible
But I will leave a few [survivors] who will escape the sword, the famine, and the virulent disease, that they may confess all their repulsive (idolatrous) acts among the nations where they go, and may know [without any doubt] that I am the LORD.”

Christian Standard Bible
But I will spare a few of them from the sword, famine, and plague, so that among the nations where they go they can tell about all their detestable practices. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But I will spare a few of them from the sword, famine, and plague so they can tell about all their detestable practices among the nations where they go. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.”

American Standard Version
But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the nations whither they come; and they shall know that I am Jehovah.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And I shall spare some men of them, by number, from the sword, and from famine, and from plague, that they may tell of all their abominations among the nations where they went to them, and they shall know that I AM LORD JEHOVAH”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And I will leave of them a few men in number spared from the sword, and from famine, and pestilence; that they may declare all their iniquities among the nations whither they have gone; and they shall know that I am the Lord.

Contemporary English Version
Some of them will survive the war, the starvation, and the deadly diseases. That way, they will be able to tell foreigners how disgusting their sins were, and that it was the LORD who punished them in this way.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I will leave a few men of them from the sword, and from the famine, and from the pestilence: that they may declare all their wicked deeds among the nations whither they shall go: and they shall know that I am the Lord.

English Revised Version
But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the nations whither they come; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
However, I will spare a few of them from wars, famines, and plagues. Wherever they go among the nations, they will realize that everything they did was disgusting. Then they will know that I am the LORD.'"

Good News Translation
I will let a few of them survive the war, the famine, and the diseases, so that there among the nations they will realize how disgusting their actions have been and will acknowledge that I am the LORD."

International Standard Version
"But I'll preserve a few people out of the violent death, famine, and pestilence, so they can recount their detestable practices among the nations when they'll go there. Then they'll know that I am the LORD."

JPS Tanakh 1917
But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the nations whither they come; and they shall know that I am the LORD.'

Literal Standard Version
and I have left of them, a few in number, from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence, so that they recount all their abominations among the nations to where they have come, and they have known that I [am] YHWH.”

Majority Standard Bible
But I will spare a few of them from sword and famine and plague, so that in the nations to which they go, they can recount all their abominations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

New American Bible
But I will let a few of them escape the sword, starvation, and plague, so that they may recount all their abominations among the nations to which they go. Thus they may know that I am the LORD.

NET Bible
But I will let a small number of them survive the sword, famine, and pestilence, so that they can confess all their abominable practices to the nations where they go. Then they will know that I am the LORD."

New Revised Standard Version
But I will let a few of them escape from the sword, from famine and pestilence, so that they may tell of all their abominations among the nations where they go; then they shall know that I am the LORD.

New Heart English Bible
But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they come; and they shall know that I am the LORD."

Webster's Bible Translation
But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen whither they come; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

World English Bible
But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they come. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.’”

Young's Literal Translation
and I have left of them, a few in number, from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence, so that they recount all their abominations among the nations whither they have come, and they have known that I am Jehovah.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Signs of the Coming Captivity
15And they will know that I am the LORD, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them throughout the countries. 16But I will spare a few of them from sword and famine and plague, so that in the nations to which they go, they can recount all their abominations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.” 17Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,…

Cross References
Jeremiah 22:8
And many nations will pass by this city and ask one another, 'Why has the LORD done such a thing to this great city?'

Jeremiah 22:9
Then people will reply, 'Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God and have worshiped and served other gods.'"

Ezekiel 7:15
The sword is outside; plague and famine are within. Those in the country will die by the sword, and those in the city will be devoured by famine and plague.

Ezekiel 12:15
And they will know that I am the LORD, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them throughout the countries.

Ezekiel 12:17
Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

Ezekiel 14:21
For this is what the Lord GOD says: 'How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem My four dire judgments--sword, famine, wild beasts, and plague--in order to cut off from it both man and beast?

Ezekiel 14:22
Yet, behold, some survivors will be left in it--sons and daughters who will be brought out. They will come out to you, and when you see their conduct and actions, you will be comforted regarding the disaster I have brought upon Jerusalem--all that I have brought upon it.


Treasury of Scripture

But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen where they come; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

I will

Ezekiel 6:8-10
Yet will I leave a remnant, that ye may have some that shall escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered through the countries…

Ezekiel 14:22,23
Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it…

Isaiah 1:9
Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

a few men [heb] men of number

Genesis 13:16
And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.

Isaiah 10:19
And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them.

Romans 9:27
Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:

that they

Ezekiel 14:22,23
Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it…

Ezekiel 36:31
Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.

Leviticus 26:40,41
If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; …

and they

Deuteronomy 29:24-28
Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger? …

1 Kings 9:6-9
But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them: …

Jeremiah 22:8,9
And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this great city? …

Jump to Previous
Abominations Acknowledge Clear Confess Declare Detestable Disease Disgusting Escape Famine Few Food Heathen Leave Nations Need Pestilence Plague Practices Recount Small Spare Sword Ways Whither
Jump to Next
Abominations Acknowledge Clear Confess Declare Detestable Disease Disgusting Escape Famine Few Food Heathen Leave Nations Need Pestilence Plague Practices Recount Small Spare Sword Ways Whither
Ezekiel 12
1. Under the type of Ezekiel's removing
8. is shown the captivity of Zedekiah
17. Ezekiel's trembling shows the Jews' desolation
21. The Jews' presumptuous proverb is reproved
26. The speediness of the vision














(16) May declare all their abominations.--This they were to do, that the false impression that God was unable to protect His people might be removed from the minds of the heathen, and the truth that He was punishing them for their sins be made known. They should do it both by word of mouth (as in Jeremiah 22:8-9), and also by their conduct (as in Ezekiel 14:22-23). The word "few" is literally, as shown in the margin, men of number, i.e., men who can easily be numbered or counted; and in the very similar expression in the original for "declare," there is a play upon the word, something like our "count" and "recount."

They shall know, may grammatically refer either to the heathen, or to the Israelites in their dispersion; but the latter is so constantly the refrain of these prophecies (see Ezekiel 12:20, e.g.), that it is also to be understood here.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But I will spare
וְהוֹתַרְתִּ֤י (wə·hō·w·ṯar·tî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3498: To jut over, exceed, to excel, to remain, be left, to leave, cause to abound, preserve

a few
מִסְפָּ֔ר (mis·pār)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4557: A number, definite, indefinite, narration

of them
מֵהֶם֙ (mê·hem)
Preposition-m | Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They

from the sword,
מֵחֶ֖רֶב (mê·ḥe·reḇ)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

famine,
מֵרָעָ֣ב (mê·rā·‘āḇ)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7458: Famine, hunger

and plague,
וּמִדָּ֑בֶר (ū·mid·dā·ḇer)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1698: A pestilence

so that
לְמַ֨עַן (lə·ma·‘an)
Conjunction
Strong's 4616: Purpose -- intent

they can tell
יְסַפְּר֜וּ (yə·sap·pə·rū)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5608: To count, recount, relate

of all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

their abominations
תּוֹעֲבֽוֹתֵיהֶ֗ם (tō·w·‘ă·ḇō·w·ṯê·hem)
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 8441: Something disgusting, an abhorrence, idolatry, an idol

among the nations
בַּגּוֹיִם֙ (bag·gō·w·yim)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1471: A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts

to which
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

they go.
בָּ֣אוּ (bā·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

Then they will know
וְיָדְע֖וּ (wə·yā·ḏə·‘ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3045: To know

that
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

I
אֲנִ֥י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

am the LORD.”
יְהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel


Links
Ezekiel 12:16 NIV
Ezekiel 12:16 NLT
Ezekiel 12:16 ESV
Ezekiel 12:16 NASB
Ezekiel 12:16 KJV

Ezekiel 12:16 BibleApps.com
Ezekiel 12:16 Biblia Paralela
Ezekiel 12:16 Chinese Bible
Ezekiel 12:16 French Bible
Ezekiel 12:16 Catholic Bible

OT Prophets: Ezekiel 12:16 But I will leave a few men (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 12:15
Top of Page
Top of Page