The Meaning of Ezekiel 22:25 Explained

Ezekiel 22:25

KJV: There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof.

YLT: A conspiracy of its prophets is in its midst, as a roaring lion tearing prey; The soul they have devoured, Wealth and glory they have taken, Its widows have multiplied in its midst.

Darby: There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst of her like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they devour souls; they take away treasure and precious things; they increase her widows in the midst of her;

ASV: There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey: they have devoured souls; they take treasure and precious things; they have made her widows many in the midst thereof.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[There is] a conspiracy  of her prophets  in the midst  thereof, like a roaring  lion  ravening  the prey;  they have devoured  souls;  they have taken  the treasure  and precious things;  they have made her many  widows  in the midst  thereof. 

What does Ezekiel 22:25 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord proceeded to indict three categories of leaders in Judah (cf. Zephaniah 3:3-4). False prophets had conspired to take advantage of the people like a wild lion tears its prey. Some translations have "princes" instead of "prophets," following the Septuagint, but the Hebrew word is nebi"eyha, "her prophets." Evidently the change was made to distinguish four groups of leaders rather than repeating reference to the prophets ( Ezekiel 22:28) and because princes were in position to practice the sins mentioned. These leaders had eaten up people"s lives and had stolen their possessions. They had even been responsible for the deaths of many men and for many women becoming widows. They probably slew the men by assuring them that if they went into battle against the Babylonians they would succeed, and following this advice the men died in battle leaving many widows in the land. Jeremiah , on the other hand, had counseled submission to the Babylonians.

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 22

1  A catalogue of sins in Jerusalem, and the dispersion of the Jews in consequence
17  God will burn them as dross in his furnace
23  The general corruption of prophets, priests, princes, and the people

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 22:25 mean?

The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a lion roaring tearing the prey people they have devoured treasure and precious things they have taken widows they have made many in her midst
קֶ֤שֶׁר נְבִיאֶ֙יהָ֙ בְּתוֹכָ֔הּ כַּאֲרִ֥י שׁוֹאֵ֖ג טֹ֣רֵֽף טָ֑רֶף נֶ֣פֶשׁ אָכָ֗לוּ חֹ֤סֶן וִיקָר֙ יִקָּ֔חוּ אַלְמְנוֹתֶ֖יהָ הִרְבּ֥וּ בְתוֹכָֽהּ

קֶ֤שֶׁר  The  conspiracy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֶשֶׁר  
Sense: conspiracy, treason, (unlawful) alliance.
נְבִיאֶ֙יהָ֙  of  her  prophets 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
בְּתוֹכָ֔הּ  in  her  midst 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
כַּאֲרִ֥י  is  like  a  lion 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲרִי 
Sense: lion.
שׁוֹאֵ֖ג  roaring 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאַג  
Sense: (Qal) to roar.
טֹ֣רֵֽף  tearing 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: טָרַף  
Sense: to tear, rend, pluck.
טָ֑רֶף  the  prey 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: טֶרֶף  
Sense: prey, food, leaf.
נֶ֣פֶשׁ  people 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
אָכָ֗לוּ  they  have  devoured 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
חֹ֤סֶן  treasure 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹסֶן  
Sense: riches, treasure, wealth.
וִיקָר֙  and  precious  things 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְקָר  
Sense: price, value, preciousness, honour, splendour, pomp.
יִקָּ֔חוּ  they  have  taken 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
אַלְמְנוֹתֶ֖יהָ  widows 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: אַלְמָנָה  
Sense: widow.
הִרְבּ֥וּ  they  have  made  many 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: הַרְבָּה 
Sense: be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous.
בְתוֹכָֽהּ  in  her  midst 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.