Ezekiel 22 9

Ezekiel 22:9

ESV: There are men in you who slander to shed blood, and people in you who eat on the mountains; they commit lewdness in your midst.

KJV: In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood: and in thee they eat upon the mountains: in the midst of thee they commit lewdness.

NIV: In you are slanderers who are bent on shedding blood; in you are those who eat at the mountain shrines and commit lewd acts.

NKJV: In you are men who slander to cause bloodshed; in you are those who eat on the mountains; in your midst they commit lewdness.

NLT: People accuse others falsely and send them to their death. You are filled with idol worshipers and people who do obscene things.

Meaning

Ezekiel 22:9 denounces the pervasive moral decay within Jerusalem, outlining three grave categories of sin contributing to the city's impending judgment. Firstly, it condemns malicious tale-bearing and slander that actively contributes to bloodshed or legal injustice leading to death. Secondly, it highlights the widespread practice of eating sacrificial meals upon mountains, explicitly referring to participation in idolatrous worship and pagan rituals on high places. Thirdly, the verse points to widespread "lewdness" within the city, a term encompassing a broad range of depraved acts, often involving gross sexual immorality and premeditated wickedness, further cementing Jerusalem's deep-seated corruption and defilement.

Cross References

Context

Ezekiel 22 opens with a strong indictment against Jerusalem, metaphorically portrayed as a city defiled by shedding blood and committing abominations (Ez 22:3-5). This chapter serves as a comprehensive "catalogue of sins," detailing the pervasive corruption among all levels of society—princes, priests, prophets, and the people—which directly leads to God's promised judgment and the destruction of Jerusalem. Verse 9 is one specific charge in this litany, highlighting the moral depravity of tale-bearing leading to bloodshed, active participation in idolatry on high places, and rampant sexual immorality and depraved acts. The historical context is pre-exilic Judah, where despite prophetic warnings, the people continued in a deeply apostate state, justifying divine punishment and the Babylonian invasion.

Word analysis

• In thee (בָּךְ - bāḵ): This refers to Jerusalem, emphasizing that these sins are not external threats but deeply embedded within the very fabric of the city and its people. It highlights internal corruption as the cause of ruin.
• men (אֲנָשִׁים - ’ănāšîm): Signifies ordinary individuals, demonstrating that the sin is widespread among the general populace, not limited to specific leaders. It underscores the pervasive nature of the iniquity.
• that carry tales (דְּבָרִים - dᵊḇārîm): Literally "words" or "matters." When combined with the implied action of "going about" or "spreading," it signifies tale-bearers, informers, or slanderers. This isn't merely gossip but malicious accusations intended to harm. This malicious speech could involve perjury in court or inciting mob violence.
• to shed blood (לְשׇׁפְכ֥וּ דָֽם - ləšōfḵū ḏām): This phrase links the act of tale-bearing directly to lethal outcomes. It implies that these tales lead to false accusations, unjust convictions, and even executions, or incite violence resulting in actual bloodshed. It emphasizes the devastating impact of malicious words.
• they eat (אָכְלוּ - ’āḵəlû): Denotes partaking in a meal, specifically in this context, the sacrificial meals associated with pagan worship. This active participation signifies willful abandonment of YHWH for detestable foreign gods.
• upon the mountains (עַל־הֶֽהָרִים - ‘al-hehārim): Refers to the "high places" which were notorious sites for idolatrous worship. These elevated sites were where foreign deities were worshipped with sacrifices and other abominable rites, often involving cultic prostitution. It directly challenges the sanctity of true worship of YHWH.
• in the midst of thee (בְת֣וֹכֵךְ - bəṯōḵēḵ): A powerful repetition reinforcing the concept of deep internal corruption, not just peripheral deviance. The sins are committed in the heart of Jerusalem.
• they commit lewdness (עָשׂ֖וּ זִמָּה - ‘āśû zimmah): "Lewdness" (zimmah) signifies depravity, premeditated wickedness, often specifically referring to sexual immorality, prostitution, and acts that are considered perverse or an abomination within the Israelite legal and moral framework (e.g., incest, bestiality, cultic prostitution). This points to a breakdown of foundational societal and moral norms.

• "men that carry tales to shed blood": This phrase highlights how spoken words, fueled by malice, can have fatal consequences. It speaks to the perversion of justice and the breakdown of community trust, where truth is sacrificed for personal gain or destruction.
• "they eat upon the mountains": This describes the active participation in idolatry, signifying not just a spiritual betrayal but concrete, ritualistic acts of disloyalty to the covenant God. It shows a complete syncretism where foreign practices have supplanted true worship.
• "in the midst of thee they commit lewdness": This collective accusation emphasizes that the abominable sexual and moral depravities were rampant and open, staining the entire community. It points to a profound disregard for God's laws concerning purity and sanctity.

Commentary

Ezekiel 22:9 serves as a potent microcosm of Jerusalem's comprehensive moral and spiritual degradation. It accuses the city of three distinct but interconnected evils: the abuse of speech leading to violence and death, the idolatrous abandonment of YHWH through pagan cultic practices on "high places," and widespread gross immorality. The verse illustrates how the failure to uphold righteousness pervaded all levels of society. The malicious slandering demonstrates a perversion of justice and communal bonds, while eating on mountains represents an open defiance against the exclusive worship of God, aligning with detestable Gentile practices. Finally, the "lewdness" points to the utter collapse of ethical boundaries, highlighting moral perversity that often accompanied pagan worship. These actions are presented as inherent to Jerusalem's nature, not mere external influences, justifying the severity of the impending divine judgment for their persistent rebellion and spiritual prostitution against God.

Bonus section

The concept of "shedding blood" linked with "carrying tales" can also refer to legal murder—using false testimony to secure the death penalty for an innocent person, thus shedding innocent blood through judicial means. This underlines the profound perversion of justice in Jerusalem. The Hebrew term zimmah for "lewdness" is exceptionally strong, implying a pre-planned, heinous act, demonstrating a deliberate turning away from divine law rather than impulsive sin. It indicates deep-seated corruption of the will. The placement of these specific sins within a list that includes other economic oppressions, disregard for parents, and Sabbath breaking in Ezekiel 22 indicates that all these transgressions together formed the complete picture of Judah's covenant unfaithfulness.

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