Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey, shedding blood, and destroying lives for dishonest gain.
Parallel translations
- WEB Her princes within it are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, that they may get dishonest gain.
- KJV Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.
- NKJV Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain.
- NASB Her leaders within her are like wolves tearing the prey, by shedding blood and destroying lives in order to make dishonest profit.
- NLT Your leaders are like wolves who tear apart their victims. They actually destroy people’s lives for money!
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
The princes act like wolves tearing prey, shedding blood and destroying lives for dishonest gain. The rulers devour those they should protect.
Overview
Like the prophets, the civil leaders are predators, using their power to kill and plunder for profit. Their greed and violence pervert the very purpose of government, which is to do justice. The verse exposes the ruin that follows when those in authority serve themselves rather than God and their people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Ezek 22:13Now look, I strike My hands together against your unjust gain and against the blood you have shed in your midst.
- Isa 1:23Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love bribes and chasing after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, and the plea of the widow never comes before them.
- Ezek 22:6See how every prince of Israel within you has used his power to shed blood.
- Jas 2:6–7But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?
- Mic 3:2–3You hate good and love evil. You tear the skin from my people and strip the flesh from their bones.
- Zeph 3:3Her princes are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves, leaving nothing for the morning.
- Ezek 45:9For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Enough, O princes of Israel! Cease your violence and oppression, and do what is just and right. Stop dispossessing My people, declares the Lord GOD.’
- Hos 7:1–7When I heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim will be exposed, as well as the crimes of Samaria. For they practice deceit and thieves break in; bandits raid in the streets.
- Mic 7:8Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will arise; though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.
- Matt 21:13And He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer.’ But you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”
- Ezek 19:3–6She brought up one of her cubs, and he became a young lion. After learning to tear his prey, he devoured men.
- Jas 5:1–4Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you.
- Mic 3:9–11Now hear this, O leaders of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who despise justice and pervert all that is right,
- Ezek 22:25The conspiracy of the princes in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing its prey. They devour the people, seize the treasures and precious things, and multiply the widows within her.
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 22:27 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.