But as for Me, I will not look on them with pity, nor will I spare them. I will bring their deeds down upon their own heads.”
Parallel translations
- WEB As for me also, my eye won’t spare, neither will I have pity, but I will bring their way on their head.”
- KJV And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.
- NKJV And as for Me also, My eye will neither spare, nor will I have pity, but I will recompense their deeds on their own head.”
- NASB But as for Me, My eye will have no pity nor will I spare, but I will bring their conduct upon their heads.”
- NLT So I will not spare them or have any pity on them. I will fully repay them for all they have done.”
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 declares He will not spare but will bring their conduct back on their own heads. It affirms the justice of repaying sin with its due consequences.
Overview
The principle that God will "bring their way on their head" expresses retributive justice, sin reaping its proper harvest. The refusal to pity matches the refusal of the people to repent. God's judgment is measured and deserved, not arbitrary. This same justice was poured out on Christ in the sinner's place, so that those in Him are spared the judgment their deeds deserved.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Ezek 7:4I will not look on you with pity, nor will I spare you, but I will punish you for your ways and for the abominations among you. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’
- Isa 65:6Behold, it is written before Me: I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will pay it back into their laps,
- Ezek 11:21But as for those whose hearts pursue detestable things and abominations, I will bring their conduct down upon their own heads, declares the Lord GOD.”
- Ezek 8:18Therefore I will respond with wrath. I will not look on them with pity, nor will I spare them. Although they shout loudly in My ears, I will not listen to them.”
- Hos 9:7The days of punishment have come; the days of retribution have arrived—let Israel know it. The prophet is called a fool, and the inspired man insane, because of the greatness of your iniquity and hostility.
- Ezek 5:11Therefore as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable idols and abominations, I Myself will withdraw My favor; I will not look upon you with pity, nor will I spare you.
- Ezek 9:5And as I listened, He said to the others, “Follow him through the city and start killing; do not show pity or spare anyone!
- Ezek 7:8–9Very soon I will pour out My wrath upon you and vent My anger against you; I will judge you according to your ways and repay you for all your abominations.
- Ezek 22:31So I have poured out My indignation upon them and consumed them with the fire of My fury. I have brought their ways down upon their own heads, declares the Lord GOD.”
- Heb 10:30For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge His people.”
- Deut 32:41when I sharpen My flashing sword, and My hand grasps it in judgment, I will take vengeance on My adversaries and repay those who hate Me.
- Ezek 21:31–32I will pour out My anger upon you; I will breathe the fire of My fury against you; I will hand you over to brutal men, skilled in destruction.
- Joel 3:4Now what do you have against Me, O Tyre, Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you rendering against Me a recompense? If you retaliate against Me, I will swiftly and speedily return your recompense upon your heads.
- 2 Chr 6:23then may You hear from heaven and act. May You judge Your servants, condemning the wicked man by bringing down on his own head what he has done, and justifying the righteous man by rewarding him according to his righteousness.
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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 9:10 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
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