See how every prince of Israel within you has used his power to shed blood.
Parallel translations
- WEB “‘“Behold, the princes of Israel, everyone according to his power, have been in you to shed blood.
- KJV Behold, the princes of Israel, every one were in thee to their power to shed blood.
- NKJV “Look, the princes of Israel: each one has used his power to shed blood in you.
- NASB “Behold, the rulers of Israel, each according to his power, have been among you for the purpose of shedding blood.
- NLT “Every leader in Israel who lives within your walls is bent on murder.
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 of Israel have each used their power to shed blood within the city. Leaders abuse their authority for violence.
Overview
The indictment begins with the rulers, who were meant to protect but instead used their strength to murder and oppress. Their abuse of power corrupts the whole society. Scripture holds leaders to account, for those entrusted with authority bear heavier responsibility before God (James 3:1).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- 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 22:27Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey, shedding blood, and destroying lives for dishonest gain.
- Neh 9:34Our kings and leaders and priests and fathers did not obey Your law or listen to Your commandments and warnings that You gave them.
- Zech 3:3Now Joshua was dressed in filthy garments as he stood before the angel.
- Mic 3:1–3Then I said: “Hear now, O leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Should you not know justice?
- Dan 9:8O LORD, we are covered with shame—our kings, our leaders, and our fathers—because we have sinned against You.
- Jer 2:26–27As the thief is ashamed when he is caught, so the house of Israel is disgraced. They, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets
- Mic 2:1Woe 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.
- Jer 32:32because of all the evil the children of Israel and of Judah have done to provoke Me to anger—they, their kings, their officials, their priests and prophets, the men of Judah, and the residents of Jerusalem.
- 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,
- Jer 5:5I will go to the powerful and speak to them. Surely they know the way of the LORD, the justice of their God.” But they too, with one accord, had broken the yoke and torn off the chains.
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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 22:6 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.