Hebrew Word Reference — Ezekiel 34:25
This Hebrew word means to cut or destroy something, but it also has a special meaning related to making a covenant or agreement. In Genesis 15:18, God makes a covenant with Abram, symbolized by cutting animals in half, showing the seriousness of the promise. This word is used to describe important agreements and alliances.
Definition: : cut/fell 1) to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to cut off 1a1a) to cut off a body part, behead 1a2) to cut down 1a3) to hew 1a4) to cut or make a covenant 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be cut off 1b2) to be cut down 1b3) to be chewed 1b4) to be cut off, fail 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to be cut off 1c2) to be cut down 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cut off 1d2) to cut off, destroy 1d3) to cut down, destroy 1d4) to take away 1d5) to permit to perish 1e) (Hophal) cut off
Usage: Occurs in 280 OT verses. KJV: be chewed, be con-(feder-) ate, covenant, cut (down, off), destroy, fail, feller, be freed, hew (down), make a league (covenant), [idiom] lose, perish, [idiom] utterly, [idiom] want. See also: Genesis 9:11; 1 Samuel 24:6; Psalms 12:4.
A covenant is a promise or agreement between people or between God and people, like a treaty or alliance. It is first mentioned in the Bible in Genesis, where God makes a covenant with Abraham. This concept is central to the Bible.
Definition: 1) covenant, alliance, pledge 1a) between men 1a1) treaty, alliance, league (man to man) 1a2) constitution, ordinance (monarch to subjects) 1a3) agreement, pledge (man to man) 1a4) alliance (of friendship) 1a5) alliance (of marriage) 1b) between God and man 1b1) alliance (of friendship) 1b2) covenant (divine ordinance with signs or pledges) 2) (phrases) 2a) covenant making 2b) covenant keeping 2c) covenant violation
Usage: Occurs in 264 OT verses. KJV: confederacy, (con-) feder(-ate), covenant, league. See also: Genesis 6:18; Judges 20:27; Psalms 25:10.
This Hebrew word for peace, shalom, means completeness, wellness, and friendship, and is often used to describe God's relationship with humanity, as seen in the covenant with the Israelites. It encompasses physical and spiritual health, prosperity, and harmony.
Definition: This name means completeness, peace Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
Usage: Occurs in 209 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] do, familiar, [idiom] fare, favour, [phrase] friend, [idiom] great, (good) health, ([idiom] perfect, such as be at) peace(-able, -ably), prosper(-ity, -ous), rest, safe(-ty), salute, welfare, ([idiom] all is, be) well, [idiom] wholly. See also: Genesis 15:15; Esther 2:11; Psalms 4:9.
To keep the Sabbath means to rest and stop working, as commanded by God in the book of Exodus. This Hebrew word is used to describe the act of observing the Sabbath day, and is an important part of Jewish tradition and worship.
Definition: 1) to cease, desist, rest 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to cease 1a2) to rest, desist (from labour) 1b) (Niphal) to cease 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to cease, put an end to 1c2) to exterminate, destroy 1c3) to cause to desist from 1c4) to remove 1c5) to cause to fail
Usage: Occurs in 67 OT verses. KJV: (cause to, let, make to) cease, celebrate, cause (make) to fail, keep (sabbath), suffer to be lacking, leave, put away (down), (make to) rest, rid, still, take away. See also: Genesis 2:2; Isaiah 14:4; Psalms 8:3.
In the Bible, this word means life or being alive. It can refer to physical life, like in Genesis 1:20, or spiritual life, like in Psalm 30:5.
Definition: adj 1) living, alive 1a) green (of vegetation) 1b) flowing, fresh (of water) 1c) lively, active (of man) 1d) reviving (of the springtime) Aramaic equivalent: chay (חַי "living" H2417)
Usage: Occurs in 450 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, [phrase] merry, multitude, [phrase] (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop. See also: Genesis 1:20; Deuteronomy 4:9; 2 Kings 5:16.
Ra means bad or evil, referring to moral or natural harm. It describes adversity, affliction, or distress, and is often used to convey a sense of misery or injury.
Definition: : harmful adj 1) bad, evil 1a) bad, disagreeable, malignant 1b) bad, unpleasant, evil (giving pain, unhappiness, misery) 1c) evil, displeasing 1d) bad (of its kind-land, water, etc) 1e) bad (of value) 1f) worse than, worst (comparison) 1g) sad, unhappy 1h) evil (hurtful) 1i) bad, unkind (vicious in disposition) 1j) bad, evil, wicked (ethically) 1j1) in general, of persons, of thoughts 1j2) deeds, actions
Usage: Occurs in 623 OT verses. KJV: adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, [phrase] displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favouredness), man, thing), [phrase] exceedingly, [idiom] great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), [phrase] mark, mischief(-vous), misery, naught(-ty), noisome, [phrase] not please, sad(-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked(-ly, -ness, one), worse(-st), wretchedness, wrong. (Incl. feminine raaah; as adjective or noun.). See also: Genesis 2:9; Judges 9:57; 2 Kings 21:6.
This Hebrew word means a portion or part of something, and is often used to show the relationship between things, like from or out of something.
Definition: prep 1) from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than 1a) from (expressing separation), off, on the side of 1b) out of 1b1) (with verbs of proceeding, removing, expelling) 1b2) (of material from which something is made) 1b3) (of source or origin) 1c) out of, some of, from (partitively) 1d) from, since, after (of time) 1e) than, more than (in comparison) 1f) from...even to, both...and, either...or 1g) than, more than, too much for (in comparisons) 1h) from, on account of, through, because (with infinitive) conj 2) that Aramaic equivalent: min (מִן־ "from" H4481)
Usage: Occurs in 1094 OT verses. KJV: above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, [idiom] neither, [idiom] nor, (out) of, over, since, [idiom] then, through, [idiom] whether, with. See also: Genesis 2:6; Exodus 16:32; Leviticus 14:26.
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Definition: : soil 1) land, earth 1a) earth 1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part) 1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven) 1a3) earth (inhabitants) 1b) land 1b1) country, territory 1b2) district, region 1b3) tribal territory 1b4) piece of ground 1b5) land of Canaan, Israel 1b6) inhabitants of land 1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world 1b8) city (-state) 1c) ground, surface of the earth 1c1) ground 1c2) soil 1d) (in phrases) 1d1) people of the land 1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance) 1d3) level or plain country 1d4) land of the living 1d5) end(s) of the earth 1e) (almost wholly late in usage) 1e1) lands, countries 1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan
Usage: Occurs in 2190 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world. See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 18:18; Genesis 42:13.
This verb means to sit or dwell, and can also mean to remain or abide. It's used in the Bible to describe people living in a place or staying with someone, like in the book of Genesis.
Definition: 1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to sit, sit down 1a2) to be set 1a3) to remain, stay 1a4) to dwell, have one's abode 1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited 1c) (Piel) to set, place 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to sit 1d2) to cause to abide, set 1d3) to cause to dwell 1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited 1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to) 1e) (Hophal) 1e1) to be inhabited 1e2) to make to dwell Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)
Usage: Occurs in 977 OT verses. KJV: (make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(-tle), (down-) sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry. See also: Genesis 4:16; Leviticus 25:18; Joshua 13:6.
The wilderness refers to a desert or open field, like the one the Israelites wandered in after leaving Egypt. It can also mean a place of solitude or a region without many people. In the Bible, it is often associated with the journey to the Promised Land.
Definition: 1) mouth 1a) mouth (as organ of speech)
Usage: Occurs in 257 OT verses. KJV: desert, south, speech, wilderness. See also: Genesis 14:6; Joshua 5:4; Psalms 29:8.
Security refers to a feeling of safety or refuge, like a place where one can feel protected, as the Bible describes God as a rock or fortress, providing assurance and hope to those who trust in Him.
Definition: 1) security, safety adv 2) securely
Usage: Occurs in 41 OT verses. KJV: assurance, boldly, (without) care(-less), confidence, hope, safe(-ly, -ty), secure, surely. See also: Genesis 34:25; Isaiah 14:30; Psalms 4:9.
Means to sleep or be lazy, it also implies growing old or stale, as seen in the story of David's mighty warriors in 2 Samuel 23:32. It can also mean to die or be in a deep sleep. This word is used to describe a state of inactivity.
Definition: 1) to sleep, be asleep 1a) (Qal) to sleep, go to sleep, be asleep 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to remain a long time, be stored up 1b2) to be festering (of leprosy) 1c) (Piel) to cause to sleep, entice to sleep
Usage: Occurs in 21 OT verses. KJV: old (store), remain long, (make to) sleep. See also: Genesis 2:21; Psalms 4:9; Psalms 3:6.
The Hebrew word Yaar refers to a forest or a copse of bushes, and also to a honeycomb. It is associated with Kiriath-jearim, a place name in the Bible. This word is used to describe natural environments.
Definition: honeycomb Another name of qir.yat ye.a.rim (קִרְיַת יְעָרִים "Kiriath-jearim" H7157)
Usage: Occurs in 59 OT verses. KJV: (honey-) comb, forest, wood. See also: Deuteronomy 19:5; Isaiah 10:18; Psalms 29:9.
Context — The Covenant of Peace
23I will appoint over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them. He will feed them and be their shepherd.
24I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David will be a prince among them. I, the LORD, have spoken.
25I will make with them a covenant of peace and rid the land of wild animals, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the forest.
26I will make them and the places around My hill a blessing. I will send down showers in season—showers of blessing.
27The trees of the field will give their fruit, and the land will yield its produce; My flock will be secure in their land. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bars of their yoke and delivered them from the hands that enslaved them.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) |
| 1 |
Isaiah 11:6–9 |
The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the goat; the calf and young lion and fatling will be together, and a little child will lead them. The cow will graze with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play by the cobra’s den, and the toddler will reach into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the sea is full of water. |
| 2 |
Ezekiel 37:26 |
And I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary among them forever. |
| 3 |
Leviticus 26:6 |
And I will give peace to the land, and you will lie down with nothing to fear. I will rid the land of dangerous animals, and no sword will pass through your land. |
| 4 |
Ezekiel 34:28 |
They will no longer be prey for the nations, and the beasts of the earth will not consume them. They will dwell securely, and no one will frighten them. |
| 5 |
Jeremiah 23:6 |
In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is His name by which He will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness. |
| 6 |
Psalms 4:8 |
I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. |
| 7 |
Isaiah 35:9 |
No lion will be there, and no vicious beast will go up on it. Such will not be found there, but the redeemed will walk upon it. |
| 8 |
Jeremiah 33:16 |
In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely, and this is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness. |
| 9 |
Job 5:22 |
You will laugh at destruction and famine, and need not fear the beasts of the earth. |
| 10 |
Hebrews 13:20 |
Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, |
Ezekiel 34:25 Summary
Ezekiel 34:25 is a promise from God that He will make a covenant of peace with His people, protecting them from harm and allowing them to live without fear, as also seen in Isaiah 41:10. This means that God wants us to feel safe and secure, even in difficult or uncertain circumstances, like the wilderness. He promises to remove the things that might hurt us, just like He promises to send rain in season to make the earth fruitful (Ezekiel 34:26), and ultimately, this covenant of peace is a reminder of God's love and care for us, as seen in John 14:27, where Jesus says, 'Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.'
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the covenant of peace mentioned in Ezekiel 34:25?
The covenant of peace refers to a promise of God's protection and care for His people, as seen in Ezekiel 34:25, and is also reflected in other scriptures such as Isaiah 54:10 and Jeremiah 31:31-34, which speak of God's eternal covenant with His people.
Why does God promise to rid the land of wild animals in Ezekiel 34:25?
God's promise to rid the land of wild animals is a symbol of His power to protect and provide for His people, as seen in Ezekiel 34:25, and is reminiscent of the promise in Leviticus 26:6, where God promises to remove wild beasts from the land as a blessing for obedience.
How does this verse relate to the overall theme of Ezekiel 34?
Ezekiel 34:25 is part of a larger passage that speaks of God's restoration of His people, where He will appoint a shepherd, His servant David, to care for them, as seen in Ezekiel 34:23-24, and this covenant of peace is a key aspect of that restoration, emphasizing God's desire for His people to dwell securely and know His presence.
Is this covenant of peace only for the Israelites, or does it apply to all believers?
While the immediate context of Ezekiel 34:25 refers to God's covenant with the Israelites, the principles of God's peace and protection are applicable to all believers, as seen in Romans 11:25-32 and Galatians 3:28-29, which speak of the unity and inclusivity of God's covenant people in Christ.
Reflection Questions
- What does it mean to 'dwell securely in the wilderness' in my own life, and how can I experience God's peace in the midst of challenges?
- How does the image of sleeping in the forest without fear speak to my own trust in God's protection and care?
- In what ways can I, like the Israelites, look forward to a future where God's presence and peace are fully realized, as hinted at in Ezekiel 34:25?
- What are the 'wild animals' in my own life that God needs to remove in order for me to experience His peace and security?
Gill's Exposition on Ezekiel 34:25
And I will make with them a covenant of peace,...., Such the covenant of grace is, made with Christ from everlasting; in which Jehovah proposed terms of peace, and which Christ undertook to answer,
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ezekiel 34:25
And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Ezekiel 34:25
Will make; renew and confirm to them. A covenant of peace; a covenant of promises, which contain and shall bring peace; in the Hebrew dialect, all good. This, as it refers to the state of this people after their return, comprehends that outward peace and prosperity that God gave them, but it hath a higher and more excellent import, better mercies of this covenant established on better promises, i.e. best, because spiritual and eternal. Evil beasts: during the Babylonish captivity evil beasts had exceedingly increased, through seventy years’ desolation in Judea, but on the replanting and increasing of men these were diminished, and destroyed at last; thus literally. But mystically, under the bondage of Satan, worse beasts destroyed men; these Christ, who turns back that captivity, will destroy. Safely; without danger and without fear: see . In the wilderness; in which both wild and hurtful beasts, and wilder, more hurtful robbers, did haunt. There is somewhat of an hyperbole here; after the temporal redemption from Babylon, they should have such safety as they should account very great after such long and great troubles; in the spiritual redemption they should have greater safety, when, delivered from the hand of enemies, they serve God in holiness before him all their days. In the woods, places where venomous and devouring creatures usually lurk, yet there shall ye venture confidently to sleep, and without much danger.
Trapp's Commentary on Ezekiel 34:25
Ezekiel 34:25 And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.Ver. 25. And I will make with them a covenant of peace.] Pactum pacis, pacis omnimodae And will cause the evil beasts.] That were wont to worry the flock. I will set them safe from Satan and his imps, his instruments, such as was Nero the lion, and bloody Bonner, the Pope’ s slaughter slave here.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Ezekiel 34:25
Verse 25. I will make with them a covenant of peace] The original is emphatic: וכרתי להם ברית שלום vecharatti lahem berith shalom, "And I will cut with them the peace covenant;" that is, a covenant sacrifice, procuring and establishing peace between God and man, and between man and his fellows. I need not tell the reader that the cutting refers to the ancient mode of making covenants. The blood was poured out; the animal was divided from mouth to tail, exactly in two; the divisions placed opposite to each other; the contracting parties entered into the space, going in at each end, and met in the middle, and there took the covenant oath. He is the Prince of peace, and through him come glory to God in the highest, and peace and good will to men upon earth. And will cause the evil beasts to cease] These false and ravenous pastors. Christ purges them out of his Church, and destroys that power by which they lorded it over God's heritage.
Cambridge Bible on Ezekiel 34:25
25. a covenant of peace] a covenant securing everlasting peace and therefore implying the removal of all that would injure or disturb them. In Hosea 2:20 the sense is somewhat different: Jehovah makes a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, that they shall not hurt. In Hos. “beasts” is used literally (cf. Isaiah 11:6), here figuratively, meaning foes, heathen assailants, though the figure of the flock is still maintained (Leviticus 26:6). The “wilderness” is the uncultivated pasture land as distinguished from that under tillage, covered with crops or fruit-trees (Carmel). Even in the “woods,” the parts covered with bush, the haunts of wild beasts, the flock shall sleep safely.
Whedon's Commentary on Ezekiel 34:25
23-31. The Messianic hope of the coming of my servant David — the ideal prince (compare Ezekiel 37:22; Ezekiel 37:24; Psalms 78:70-71; Isaiah 56:3-8; 1 Kings 9:9; 1 Kings 11:4) — who shall shepherd
Sermons on Ezekiel 34:25
| Sermon | Description |
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God's Marriage Proposal
by Erlo Stegen
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In this sermon, the preacher discusses a passage from the Bible in which God speaks to His people. The people had previously made a covenant with God, but it ended in failure and t |
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Then… the Nations Shall Know That He Is Lord.
by Andrew Murray
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Andrew Murray emphasizes that God's judgment is essential for His people to experience salvation and for the nations to recognize Him as Lord. The book of Ezekiel illustrates that |
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Ezekiel 38
by Chuck Smith
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Chuck Smith discusses the prophetic implications of Ezekiel 38, emphasizing the necessary conditions for Israel's restoration as a nation and the significance of the coming war inv |
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The Passing of the Beast
by John Henry Jowett
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John Henry Jowett preaches on the promise of restoration and divine protection in Ezekiel 34:23-31. He emphasizes that under the care of the Good Shepherd, beastly passions will be |
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Jesus Above All
by R.G. Lee
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In this sermon, the speaker reflects on his experience of attending a gathering where they listened to a recording of a singer who had been dead for 30 years. He mentions that duri |
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(Genesis) Genesis 6:17-22
by J. Vernon McGee
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In this sermon, the speaker discusses the story of Noah and the flood from the Bible. He emphasizes that Noah did not have to go out and hunt the animals for the ark, but rather th |
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(Following the Footsteps of Christ) the Mount of Transfiguration
by Willie Mullan
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In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man. He mentions that these concepts can be learned from the |