“Says Yahweh God!
‘Surely as I live,
Because you have defiled
My sanctuary
With all your detestable things,
With all your abominations,
Therefore I will cut you down.
My eye will not spare.
I will have no pity.
One third of you
Shall die
Of pestilence,
Or be consumed
By famine among you.
One third of you
Shall fall
By the sword
Around you.
One third of you,
I will scatter
To every wind.
I will unsheathe
The sword
After them.”
The God Yahweh was mad at the people of Jerusalem. They had defiled his sanctuary. They had brought in all those detestable abominations into the Temple. Thus Yahweh was not going to spare them, but cut them down. He was not going to show any pity. Using language similar to Jeremiah, there were three main options for dying. However, Ezekiel was more precise. One third of them would die from pestilence or famine. Another third would fall by the sword. The final third would be scattered to the winds in every direction. Yahweh was going to let his sword loose on them.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 