Ezekiel 5:16-17

5:16 I will shoot against them deadly, ¹  destructive ²  arrows of famine, ³  which I will shoot to destroy you. ⁴  I will prolong a famine on you and will remove the bread supply. ⁵  5:17 I will send famine and wild beasts against you and they will take your children from you. ⁶  Plague and bloodshed will overwhelm you, ⁷  and I will bring a sword against you. I, the Lord, have spoken!”

[5:16]  ¹ tn The Hebrew word carries the basic idea of “bad, displeasing, injurious,” but when used of weapons has the nuance “deadly” (see Ps 144:10).

[5:16]  ² tn Heb “which are/were to destroy.”

[5:16]  ³ tn The language of this verse may have been influenced by Deut 32:23.

[5:16]  ⁴ tn Or “which were to destroy those whom I will send to destroy you” (cf. NASB).

[5:16]  ⁵ tn Heb, “break the staff of bread.” The bread supply is compared to a staff that one uses for support. See 4:16, as well as the covenant curse in Lev 26:26.

[5:17]  ⁶ tn Heb “will bereave you.”

[5:17]  ⁷ tn Heb “will pass through you.” This threat recalls the warning of Lev 26:22, 25 and Deut 32:24-25.