Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get 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.
- BSB Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey, shedding blood, and destroying lives for 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 22:13Behold, 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.
- Isa 1:23Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.
- Ezek 22:6Behold, the princes of Israel, every one were in thee to their power to shed blood.
- Jas 2:6–7But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
- Mic 3:2–3Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones;
- Zeph 3:3Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.
- Ezek 45:9Thus saith the Lord GOD; Let it suffice you, O princes of Israel: remove violence and spoil, and execute judgment and justice, take away your exactions from my people, saith the Lord GOD.
- Hos 7:1–7When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.
- Mic 7:8Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.
- Matt 21:13And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
- Ezek 19:3–6And she brought up one of her whelps: it became a young lion, and it learned to catch the prey; it devoured men.
- Jas 5:1–4Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
- Mic 3:9–11Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.
- Ezek 22:25There 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.
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.