Ezekiel 6:4
Ezekiel 6:4 in Multiple Translations
Your altars will be demolished and your incense altars will be smashed; and I will cast down your slain before your idols.
And your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken: and I will cast down your slain men before your idols.
And your altars shall become desolate, and your sun-images shall be broken; and I will cast down your slain men before your idols.
And your altars will be made waste, and your sun-images will be broken: and I will have your dead men placed before your images.
Your pagan altars will be torn down, and your incense altars will be smashed to pieces. I will kill your idol worshipers right in front of their idols.
And your altars shalbe desolate, and your images of the sunne shalbe broken: and I will cast downe your slaine men before your idoles.
And desolated have been your altars, And broken your images, And I have caused your wounded to fall before your idols,
Your altars will become desolate, and your incense altars will be broken. I will cast down your slain men before your idols.
And your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken: and I will cast down your slain men before your idols.
And I will throw down your altars, and your idols shall be broken in pieces: and I will cast down your slain before your idols.
They will smash all the altarsfor worshiping idols and the altars for burning incense. And they will killmany Israeli people in front of those idols.
Berean Amplified Bible — Ezekiel 6:4
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Ezekiel 6:4 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וְ/נָשַׁ֨מּוּ֙
מִזְבְּח֣וֹתֵי/כֶ֔ם
וְ/נִשְׁבְּר֖וּ
חַמָּֽנֵי/כֶ֑ם
וְ/הִפַּלְתִּי֙
חַלְלֵי/כֶ֔ם
לִ/פְנֵ֖י
גִּלּוּלֵי/כֶֽם
וְ/נָשַׁ֨מּוּ֙
shâmêm
H8074
be desolate
Conj | V-Niphal-3cp
מִזְבְּח֣וֹתֵי/כֶ֔ם
mizbêach
H4196
altar
N-mp | Suff
וְ/נִשְׁבְּר֖וּ
shâbar
H7665
to break
Conj | V-Niphal-3cp
חַמָּֽנֵי/כֶ֑ם
chammân
H2553
pillar
N-mp | Suff
וְ/הִפַּלְתִּי֙
nâphal
H5307
to fall
Conj | V-Hiphil-1cs
חַלְלֵי/כֶ֔ם
châlâl
H2491
slain
Adj | Suff
לִ/פְנֵ֖י
pânîym
H6440
face
Prep | N-cp
גִּלּוּלֵי/כֶֽם
gillûwl
H1544
idol
N-mp | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Ezekiel 6:4
וְ/נָשַׁ֨מּוּ֙
shâmêm
H8074
"be desolate"
Conj | V-Niphal-3cp
The word 'shamem' means to be desolate or devastated, like a place left empty and destroyed, often used to describe the aftermath of war or disaster.
Definition: : destroyed/deserted 1) to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be desolated, be deflowered, be deserted, be appalled 1a2) to be appalled, be awestruck 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be desolated, be made desolate 1b2) to be appalled 1c) (Polel) 1c1) to be stunned 1c2) appalling, causing horror (participle) 1c2a) horror-causer, appaller (subst) 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to devastate, ravage, make desolated 1d2) to appal, show horror 1e) (Hophal) to lay desolate, be desolated 1f) (Hithpolel) 1f1) to cause to be desolate 1f2) to be appalled, be astounded 1f3) to cause oneself desolation, cause oneself ruin
Usage: Occurs in 80 OT verses. KJV: make amazed, be astonied, (be an) astonish(-ment), (be, bring into, unto, lay, lie, make) desolate(-ion, places), be destitute, destroy (self), (lay, lie, make) waste, wonder. See also: Leviticus 26:22; Jeremiah 50:13; Psalms 40:16.
מִזְבְּח֣וֹתֵי/כֶ֔ם
mizbêach
H4196
"altar"
N-mp | Suff
An altar is a place of sacrifice, where offerings are made to God, as seen in the Bible's description of the tabernacle and temple. It was a central part of Israel's worship. The altar played a key role in the priestly rituals.
Definition: altar
Usage: Occurs in 338 OT verses. KJV: altar. See also: Genesis 8:20; Leviticus 7:2; 1 Kings 2:28.
וְ/נִשְׁבְּר֖וּ
shâbar
H7665
"to break"
Conj | V-Niphal-3cp
This word means to break or shatter something, either physically or emotionally. It can also mean to burst or rupture, and is often used to describe intense violence or destruction. In the Bible, it's translated as break or crush.
Definition: 1) to break, break in pieces 1a) (Qal) 1a1) break, break in or down, rend violently, wreck, crush, quench 1a2) to break, rupture (fig) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be broken, be maimed, be crippled, be wrecked 1b2) to be broken, be crushed (fig) 1c) (Piel) to shatter, break 1d) (Hiphil) to cause to break out, bring to the birth 1e) (Hophal) to be broken, be shattered Aramaic equivalent: te.var (תְּבַר "to break" H8406)
Usage: Occurs in 143 OT verses. KJV: break (down, off, in pieces, up), broken (-hearted), bring to the birth, crush, destroy, hurt, quench, [idiom] quite, tear, view (by mistake for H7663 (שָׂבַר)). See also: Genesis 19:9; Isaiah 27:11; Psalms 3:8.
חַמָּֽנֵי/כֶ֑ם
chammân
H2553
"pillar"
N-mp | Suff
In the Bible, this word refers to an idol or image used in worship, often associated with sun pillars. It appears in books like Ezekiel and Amos, condemning idolatrous practices. The prophets denounced such idols as false gods.
Definition: 1) incense altar, sun-pillar, idol, image 1a) used in idolatrous worship
Usage: Occurs in 8 OT verses. KJV: idol, image. See also: Leviticus 26:30; Isaiah 17:8; Isaiah 27:9.
וְ/הִפַּלְתִּי֙
nâphal
H5307
"to fall"
Conj | V-Hiphil-1cs
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to fall, and it's used in many ways, like falling down, failing, or being defeated. It appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah. God's people often fell away from Him, but He always offered a way back.
Definition: : fall/drop/fail 1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to fall 1a2) to fall (of violent death) 1a3) to fall prostrate, prostrate oneself before 1a4) to fall upon, attack, desert, fall away to, go away to, fall into the hand of 1a5) to fall short, fail, fall out, turn out, result 1a6) to settle, waste away, be offered, be inferior to 1a7) to lie, lie prostrate 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to cause to fall, fell, throw down, knock out, lay prostrate 1b2) to overthrow 1b3) to make the lot fall, assign by lot, apportion by lot 1b4) to let drop, cause to fail (fig.) 1b5) to cause to fall 1c) (Hithpael) 1c1) to throw or prostrate oneself, throw oneself upon 1c2) to lie prostrate, prostrate oneself 1d) (Pilel) to fall
Usage: Occurs in 403 OT verses. KJV: be accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide (by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall (away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have (inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for H6419 (פָּלַל)), lay (along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be ([idiom] hast) lost, lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make to) rot, slay, smite out, [idiom] surely, throw down. See also: Genesis 2:21; 1 Samuel 17:52; Esther 9:3.
חַלְלֵי/כֶ֔ם
châlâl
H2491
"slain"
Adj | Suff
This word describes something or someone that has been profaned or hurt, like in Numbers 35:33. It can also mean to be pierced or wounded, as in physically harmed.
Definition: : killed 1) slain, fatally wounded, pierced 1a) pierced, fatally wounded 1b) slain Also means: cha.lal (חָלָל ": wounded" H2491H)
Usage: Occurs in 85 OT verses. KJV: kill, profane, slain (man), [idiom] slew, (deadly) wounded. See also: Genesis 34:27; Isaiah 66:16; Psalms 69:27.
לִ/פְנֵ֖י
pânîym
H6440
"face"
Prep | N-cp
This word means face or presence, like being in front of someone or something. It's used in many contexts, like in Genesis, Exodus, and Psalms, to describe interactions and relationships.
Definition: : face 1) face 1a) face, faces 1b) presence, person 1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim) 1d) face (of animals) 1e) face, surface (of ground) 1f) as adv of loc/temp 1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before 1g) with prep 1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of
Usage: Occurs in 1891 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, [idiom] him(-self), [phrase] honourable, [phrase] impudent, [phrase] in, it, look(-eth) (-s), [idiom] me, [phrase] meet, [idiom] more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), [idiom] on, open, [phrase] out of, over against, the partial, person, [phrase] please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, [phrase] regard, right forth, [phrase] serve, [idiom] shewbread, sight, state, straight, [phrase] street, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them(-selves), through ([phrase] -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), [phrase] upon, upside ([phrase] down), with(-in, [phrase] -stand), [idiom] ye, [idiom] you. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 43:31; Exodus 30:16.
גִּלּוּלֵי/כֶֽם
gillûwl
H1544
"idol"
N-mp | Suff
This Hebrew word refers to an idol, which is an object worshipped as a god. It literally means a log or a round piece of wood, but it's used to describe false gods and idols in the Bible. It's often used in a negative sense to criticize idol worship.
Definition: idols
Usage: Occurs in 45 OT verses. KJV: idol. See also: Leviticus 26:30; Ezekiel 18:12; Jeremiah 50:2.
Study Notes — Ezekiel 6:4
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Ezekiel 6:4 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Ezekiel 6:4
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ezekiel 6:4
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Ezekiel 6:4
- Trapp's Commentary on Ezekiel 6:4
- Ellicott's Commentary on Ezekiel 6:4
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Ezekiel 6:4
- Cambridge Bible on Ezekiel 6:4
- Barnes' Notes on Ezekiel 6:4
- Whedon's Commentary on Ezekiel 6:4
- Sermons on Ezekiel 6:4
Context — Judgment against Idolatry
2“Son of man, set your face against the mountains of Israel and prophesy against them.
3You are to say: ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD! This is what the Lord GOD says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: I am about to bring a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places.
4Your altars will be demolished and your incense altars will be smashed; and I will cast down your slain before your idols.
5I will lay the corpses of the Israelites before their idols and scatter your bones around your altars. 6Wherever you live, the cities will be laid waste and the high places will be demolished, so that your altars will be laid waste and desecrated, your idols smashed and obliterated, your incense altars cut down, and your works blotted out.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 Chronicles 14:5 | He also removed the high places and incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and under him the kingdom was at peace. |
| 2 | Leviticus 26:30 | I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and heap your lifeless bodies on the lifeless remains of your idols; and My soul will despise you. |
| 3 | 2 Kings 23:14 | He smashed the sacred pillars to pieces, cut down the Asherah poles, and covered the sites with human bones. |
| 4 | 2 Kings 23:16–20 | And as Josiah turned, he saw the tombs there on the hillside, and he sent someone to take the bones out of the tombs, and he burned them on the altar to defile it, according to the word of the LORD proclaimed by the man of God who had foretold these things. Then the king asked, “What is this monument I see?” And the men of the city replied, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and pronounced these things that you have done to the altar of Bethel.” “Let him rest,” said Josiah. “Do not let anyone disturb his bones.” So they left his bones undisturbed, along with those of the prophet who had come from Samaria. Just as Josiah had done at Bethel, so also in the cities of Samaria he removed all the shrines of the high places set up by the kings of Israel who had provoked the LORD to anger. On the altars he slaughtered all the priests of the high places, and he burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem. |
| 5 | Jeremiah 8:1–2 | “At that time,” declares the LORD, “the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of the officials, the bones of the priests, the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the people of Jerusalem will be removed from their graves. They will be exposed to the sun and moon, and to all the host of heaven which they have loved, served, followed, consulted, and worshiped. Their bones will not be gathered up or buried, but will become like dung lying on the ground. |
| 6 | Jeremiah 43:13 | He will demolish the sacred pillars of the temple of the sun in the land of Egypt, and he will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt.’” |
| 7 | Ezekiel 6:5–6 | I will lay the corpses of the Israelites before their idols and scatter your bones around your altars. Wherever you live, the cities will be laid waste and the high places will be demolished, so that your altars will be laid waste and desecrated, your idols smashed and obliterated, your incense altars cut down, and your works blotted out. |
| 8 | 2 Chronicles 34:4–5 | Then in his presence the altars of the Baals were torn down, and he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them. He shattered the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images, crushed them to dust, and scattered them over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. Then he burned the bones of the priests on their altars. So he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. |
| 9 | 1 Kings 13:2 | And he cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD, “O altar, O altar, this is what the LORD says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David, and upon you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense upon you, and human bones will be burned upon you.’” |
| 10 | Ezekiel 6:13 | Then you will know that I am the LORD, when their slain lie among their idols around their altars, on every high hill, on all the mountaintops, and under every green tree and leafy oak—the places where they offered fragrant incense to all their idols. |
Ezekiel 6:4 Summary
In Ezekiel 6:4, God warns the Israelites that their altars and incense altars will be destroyed because they have been used for idol worship. This means that God is serious about being the only God we worship, as He says in Exodus 20:3-5. When we prioritize other things above God, it's like setting up our own altars and incense altars, which can lead to spiritual destruction. We must remember to keep God first in our lives, just like Jesus teaches in Matthew 22:37-38, and avoid anything that might become an idol to us.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the significance of altars and incense altars in Ezekiel 6:4?
Altars and incense altars represent the places where the Israelites worshiped and offered sacrifices to their idols, which is a form of idolatry condemned by God in Deuteronomy 12:3 and Exodus 20:3-5.
Why does God say He will cast down the slain before their idols?
God is emphasizing the futility and shame of idol worship, as seen in Ezekiel 6:4, and highlighting the consequences of trusting in false gods, as warned in Isaiah 42:17 and Psalm 115:8.
Is this verse only applicable to the Israelites in the Old Testament?
While the immediate context of Ezekiel 6:4 is the judgment of Israel, the principles of God's hatred for idolatry and the consequences of sin are timeless and apply to all people, as seen in Romans 1:18-25 and 1 Corinthians 10:14.
How does this verse relate to the concept of spiritual warfare?
Ezekiel 6:4 illustrates the spiritual battle between God and the forces of idolatry, highlighting the importance of worshiping the one true God, as emphasized in Ephesians 6:12 and 2 Corinthians 10:4-5.
Reflection Questions
- What are some modern forms of idolatry that I may be tempted to worship, and how can I prioritize my worship of the one true God?
- In what ways can I apply the warning of Ezekiel 6:4 to my own life, avoiding the temptation to trust in false gods or idols?
- How can I use this verse to reflect on the importance of purity and sincerity in my worship, making sure to avoid any form of idolatry in my life?
- What does this verse teach me about God's character, particularly His hatred for idolatry and His desire for exclusive worship?
Gill's Exposition on Ezekiel 6:4
And your altars shall be desolate,.... Being pulled down; or because the priests and worshippers would now be slain, and there would be none to attend them: and your images shall be broken; the "images of the sun" (b).
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ezekiel 6:4
And your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken: and I will cast down your slain men before your idols.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Ezekiel 6:4
Your altars; God’ s altar was only at Jerusalem, these were their altars. Desolate; no priest to attend, no sacrifice offered, nor a votary come to them. Images; statues, and perhaps the particular images made to the sun, as the Hebrew word including heat may signify. Or the open places on the tops of your houses, where you worshipped the sun, ; and , mentions this piece of idolatry. Broken; either torn down from their places to be carried captives, which was a part of heathen conquerors’ insolence, or torn in pieces in contempt, and to be destroyed. I will cast down; my hand shall guide the pursuing enemy, who shall slay your men before the altars of those idols they worshipped formerly, and to whom, as senseless as the idols, they flee for refuge, as perhaps Sennacherib did, .
Trapp's Commentary on Ezekiel 6:4
Ezekiel 6:4 And your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken: and I will cast down your slain [men] before your idols.Ver. 4. Your images shall be broken down.] Heb., Your sun images, whence also Jupiter Hammon had his name, which Macrobius saith was the same with the sun. See 2 Chronicles 23:5. And I will cast down your slain men.] Cruentatos vulneratos, vel interfectos vestros; such as when wounded, fly to their idols for safety. Before your idols.] Heb., Your dii stercorei, dunghill deities, more loathsome than any excrements. Lib. i. Sat., cap. 23.
Ellicott's Commentary on Ezekiel 6:4
(4) Your images.—The original word indicates, as is shown in the margin, that these were images used in connection with the worship of the sun. The whole verse is taken from Leviticus 26:30. The same woes were there foretold by Moses in the contingency of the people’s disobedience; that contingency had now come to pass, the promised judgments had already begun, and Ezekiel declares that the fulfilment of them was close at hand. Your slain men before your idols.—Their idols should be worshipped no longer by the living, but by the prostrate bodies of their dead worshippers. In this and the following verse a kind of poetic justice is described. There was nothing so utterly defiling under the Mosaic law as the touch of a dead body. (See Numbers 9:6-10; 2 Kings 23:14; 2 Kings 23:16.) The Israelites had defiled the land with idols, now the idols themselves should be defiled with their dead bodies.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Ezekiel 6:4
Verse 4. Your images shall be broken] Literally, your sun images; representations of the sun, which they worshipped. See the margin.
Cambridge Bible on Ezekiel 6:4
4. your images] As marg., sun-images, i.e. symbols of the sun-god, probably in the shape of a pyramid or obelisk. They stood beside the altars. So again Ezekiel 6:6. your idols] The term used is an opprobrious or contemptuous epithet, applied to idols, though its precise meaning is doubtful. Most probably it means block-gods; though others connect it with the word dung (ch. Ezekiel 4:12) and render dung-gods, which is less probable. The term occurs in Ez. nearly 40 times, otherwise Leviticus 26:30; Deuteronomy 29:17; Jeremiah 50:2; 1 Kings 15:12; 1 Kings 21:26; 2 Kings 17:12; 2 Kings 21:11; 2 Kings 21:21; 2 Kings 23:24. These idols were probably of Jehovah for the most part.
Barnes' Notes on Ezekiel 6:4
Images - See the margin and margin reference, and the Ezekiel 8:16 note.
Whedon's Commentary on Ezekiel 6:4
4. Images — Sun images, dedicated to Baal (2 Chronicles 34:4). These were usually pillars or obelisks which were set up close to the altar or in front of the temple doors.
Sermons on Ezekiel 6:4
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
(Through the Bible) Leviticus 16-20 by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the moral decay and corruption in society, particularly in relation to the portrayal of sinful acts in movies. He emphasizes that God's peopl |
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Ten Keys to Total Victory (Key #1 Lay Aside Your Weights!) by Robert Wurtz II | Robert Wurtz II preaches on the first key to total victory, emphasizing the importance of laying aside weights and sins that easily beset us, drawing from Hebrews 12:1. He delves i |
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False Religion and Its Doom. by Horatius Bonar | Horatius Bonar warns against the dangers of false religion, emphasizing that God demands truth and sincerity in worship. He explains that false religion, regardless of its zeal, is |