Now look, I strike My hands together against your unjust gain and against the blood you have shed in your midst.
Parallel translations
- WEB “‘“Behold, therefore I have struck my hand at your dishonest gain which you have made, and at your blood which has been within you.
- KJV Behold, therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee.
- NKJV “Behold, therefore, I beat My fists at the dishonest profit which you have made, and at the bloodshed which has been in your midst.
- NASB “Behold, then, I strike with My hand your profit which you have made and the bloodshed which is among you.
- NLT “But now I clap my hands in indignation over your dishonest gain and bloodshed.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God strikes His hand at Jerusalem's dishonest gain and bloodshed, signaling His firm response to her sins. Her ill-gotten wealth and violence provoke His action.
Overview
The gesture of striking the hands expresses God's indignation and settled resolve to judge. He singles out the city's two chief sins, greed and bloodshed, as the focus of His wrath. The verse assures that God takes notice of injustice and will surely act against it.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Isa 33:15He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity, who refuses gain from extortion, whose hand never takes a bribe, who stops his ears against murderous plots and shuts his eyes tightly against evil—
- Ezek 21:17I too will strike My hands together, and I will satisfy My wrath.’ I, the LORD, have spoken.”
- Ezek 22:27Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey, shedding blood, and destroying lives for dishonest gain.
- Amos 2:6–8This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Israel, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals.
- Ezek 21:14‘So then, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands together. Let the sword strike two times, even three. It is a sword that slays, a sword of great slaughter closing in on every side!
- Mic 2:1–3Woe to those who devise iniquity and plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands.
- 1 Th 4:6and no one should ever violate or exploit his brother in this regard, because the Lord will avenge all such acts, as we have already told you and solemnly warned you.
- Mic 6:10–11Can I forget any longer, O house of the wicked, the treasures of wickedness and the short ephah, which is accursed?
- Num 24:10Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his hands together and said to Balaam, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have persisted in blessing them these three times.
- Jer 5:26–27For among My people are wicked men; they watch like fowlers lying in wait; they set a trap to catch men.
- Amos 8:4–6Hear this, you who trample the needy, who do away with the poor of the land,
- Prov 28:8He who increases his wealth by interest and usury lays it up for one who is kind to the poor.
- Amos 3:10“For they know not how to do right,” declares the LORD. “They store up violence and destruction in their citadels.”
- Jer 7:9–11Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal, and follow other gods that you have not known,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 22:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.