The Meaning of Ezekiel 34:25 Explained

Ezekiel 34:25

KJV: 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.

YLT: And I have made for them a covenant of peace, And caused evil beasts to cease out of the land, And they have dwelt in a wilderness confidently, And they have slept in forests.

Darby: And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause evil beasts to cease out of the land; and they shall dwell in safety in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.

ASV: And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause evil beasts to cease out of the land; and they shall dwell securely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Ezekiel 34:25 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord also promised to make a covenant of peace (i.e, resulting in peace) with Israel (cf. Ezekiel 16:60; Ezekiel 37:26-28; Ezekiel 38:11-13; Ezekiel 39:25-29; Isaiah 54:10). This is probably a reference to the New Covenant that God promised to make with Israel in the future ( Jeremiah 31:31-34).
Some commentators believed that this covenant is not the same as the New Covenant. [1] Alexander believed that the Jews would enter into the covenant of peace when Israel accepts the New Covenant. [2] My view, and that of others, is that the New Covenant was inaugurated at the Cross and now governs all believers. When Israel repents as a nation, she will enter into the benefits of this covenant that God has specified for Israel, including dwelling in peace in her land. [3]
"The word peace [4] is used to describe the harmony that exists when covenant obligations are being fulfilled and the relationship is sound. It is not a negative concept, implying absence of conflict or worry or noise, as we use it, but a thoroughly positive state in which all is functioning well." [5]
The provisions of this covenant that Ezekiel mentioned here included, first, removing threats to the Israelites" safety from the land so they could even live at peace in its formerly dangerous parts, for example, the wilderness and woods (cf. John 10:27-29).

Context Summary

Ezekiel 34:17-31 - "showers Of Blessing"
Though God now often seems to make no difference between the oppressors and the oppressed, the time is fast coming when He will make momentous and lasting distinctions, Matthew 25:32-33. No wrong shall then be unredressed. Note the designation of our Lord as "the One Shepherd," peerless and matchless in dignity and authority. Once He died to save His flock from the wolf, but He is destined to reign forever as their Great Shepherd in the midst of them, Ezekiel 34:24. They shall be everlastingly exempted from hunger, harm, and reproach. Jesus has been raised up from the dead to be our plant of renown. Planted in the grave of death, He has become with His faithful people a Vine, whose shadow covers the hills, and enriches the hearts and lives of men with luscious fruit. And because He lives, we shall live also. His resurrection implies and guarantees our own. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 34

1  A reproof of the shepherds
7  God's judgment against them
11  His providence over his flock
20  The kingdom of Christ

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 34:25 mean?

And I will make with them a covenant of peace and cause to cease beasts wild from the land and they will dwell in the wilderness safely and sleep in the woods
וְכָרַתִּ֤י לָהֶם֙ בְּרִ֣ית שָׁל֔וֹם וְהִשְׁבַּתִּ֥י חַיָּֽה־ רָעָ֖ה מִן־ הָאָ֑רֶץ וְיָשְׁב֤וּ בַמִּדְבָּר֙ לָבֶ֔טַח וְיָשְׁנ֖וּ בַּיְּעָרִֽים

וְכָרַתִּ֤י  And  I  will  make 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
לָהֶם֙  with  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
בְּרִ֣ית  a  covenant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
שָׁל֔וֹם  of  peace 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלֹום  
Sense: completeness, soundness, welfare, peace.
וְהִשְׁבַּתִּ֥י  and  cause  to  cease 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁבַת 
Sense: to cease, desist, rest.
חַיָּֽה־  beasts 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
רָעָ֖ה  wild 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
הָאָ֑רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וְיָשְׁב֤וּ  and  they  will  dwell 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
בַמִּדְבָּר֙  in  the  wilderness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִדְבָּר 
Sense: wilderness.
לָבֶ֔טַח  safely 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֶּטַח  
Sense: security, safety adv.
וְיָשְׁנ֖וּ  and  sleep 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָשֵׁן 
Sense: to sleep, be asleep.
בַּיְּעָרִֽים  in  the  woods 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יַעַר 
Sense: forest, wood, thicket, wooded height.