Ezekiel 7:14

14–18. Fruitlessness of the defence

14. Preparations for the defence are made but there is no courage to face the enemy, for the wrath of God upon them predetermines their defeat.

even to make all ready] Rather: and have made (inf. abs.).

14–27. Picture of the dissolution of the state

(1) Eze_7:14-18. The trumpet shall sound the alarm, but none shall prepare himself for the battle. The sword shall devour without and famine consume within. A paralysing terror shall seize upon all.

(2) Eze_7:19-22. They shall cast their gold and silver into the streets, for it cannot buy wherewith to appease their hunger. Their wealth which was their pride and which they used to further their abominations shall become the prey of the invader.

(3) Eze_7:23-27. The city is full of violence therefore it shall be given over to the worst of the heathen. Perplexity and stupefaction shall seize king and people, priest and prophet alike. They shall know Jehovah when his judgments overtake them.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Eze 7:14 They have blown the trumpet, even to make all ready; but none goeth to the battle: for my wrath [is] upon all the multitude thereof.

Ver. 14. They have blown the trumpet, even to make all ready.] But all to no purpose, since God hath dispirited them (as he did the old Canaanites, the Saxons and Piers in that Victoria Halleluiatica, the Germans against the Hussites in Bohemia, &c.), and struck them with a panic terror, with utter despondency, so that they were feeble and fainthearted, and the strong were become as tow. {Isa 1:31}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7:14 When Israel sounded the trumpet in holy war, the troops would not rally and the enemy would not be terrified, as in the past (see Num 10:9; Josh 6:4-20; Judg 6:34; 7:16-22; Neh 4:18-20).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The Israelites made a brag, but their hearts failed them.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

They have blown the trumpet--rather, "Blow the trumpet," or, "Let them blow the trumpet" to collect soldiers as they will, "to make all ready" for encountering the foe, it will be of no avail; none will have the courage to go to the battle (compare Jer 6:1), [CALVIN].

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 14. They have blown the trumpet] Vain are all the efforts you make to collect and arm the people, and stand on your own defence; for all shall be dispirited, and none go to the battle.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Here the Prophet adds, although the Israelites provide themselves with every aid, and prepare all things for carrying on the war, nay, while they omit nothing for the best fortification, yet when it came to the point, their hopes would be vain, and all the supplies which they prepared for themselves of no avail. However, therefore, they may blow the trumpet, and prepare all things, he says, yet no one goes out to battle The reason must be marked, since God’s indignation was upon the whole multitude of them, that is, because God determined to destroy them all. Now it follows —

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(14) None goeth to the battle.—The last thought is followed up here. The people are so enfeebled by their sins as to have no power against the enemy. Consequently (Eze_7:15) they shall all perish, directly or indirectly, at the hands of their foes.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The sword is without,.... Without the city, where the enemy was besieging; so that those that went without, in order to make their escapes fell into their hands:

and the pestilence and the famine within; within the city; so that such who thought themselves safe in their own houses died by those judgments:

he that is in the field shall die by the sword; by the hands of the Chaldeans:

and he that is in the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him; and he shall die by the hand of God.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

CHAPTER VII.

Ready. He describes the vain attempts of the Jews to make resistance.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The house of Israel have published their resolution for war, and summoned in all fit for arms, if the words be read as here. Or if in the imperative mood, Blow ye, &c., they are a smart irony against the preparations the Jews can possibly make for repelling the enemy, and defending their city.

To make all ready; persons fit for the war and all warlike provisions, a thing necessary in case of invasions, but in their case a vain attempt. There is not a man going to the war, (as the Hebrew,) all are backward in this danger.

My wrath; that displeasure which takes away their prudence and courage, that these men of might sleep, and none finds his hands or weapons, Isa 29:14.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

14. Even to make — Literally, and made.

None goeth to the battle — Here is pictured the “collapse of Judah’s military preparations in the hour of danger.” The soldiers are struck with fear before they have struck a blow. God has deserted them, and his wrath makes cowards of brave men. (Compare Lev_26:6; Deu_28:25; Deu_32:30.)

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They have blown the trumpet. The word for "trumpet" is not found elsewhere, but the corresponding verb is used continually in connection with the trumpet of war, and Ezekiel seems to have coined the corresponding substantive, not, perhaps, without a reminiscence of Jer_6:1. There may possibly be an allusion to the trumpet blowing with which the jubilee year (see ver. 13) was ushered in. The trumpet should sound, not for each man"s return to his own estate, but for the alarm of war. and even then the consciousness of guilt will hinder men from arming themselves for battle. (comp. Lev_26:36; Deu_28:25 Deu_32:30)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They - The house of Israel have summoned in all fit for arms. None - There is not a man going to the war. Wrath - That displeasure which takes away their courage.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

General Information:

These are Yahweh's words about Israel.

They have blown the trumpet

"They have blown the trumpet to call people to fight against the enemy"

my anger is on the entire multitude

"I am angry with the whole multitude." See how you translated this in Ezekiel 7:12.

The sword is on the outside

The word "sword" is a metonym for soldiers who kill people using swords. AT:

the building

the city

while famine and plague will consume those in the city

The word "consume" is a metaphor for "totally destroy." AT: "and most of the people in the city will die from hunger and sickness" (See: Metaphor)

Like doves of the valleys, all of them will moan

Doves make a low-pitched noise that sounds like the sound a person makes when he is in constant pain or deep sadness. AT: "They will all be so sad that they will moan, and the sound will be as if they were a flock of doves" (See: Simile)

translationWords

trumpet

sword

plague

famine

dove

iniquity

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

They sound the shofar When the enemy comes upon them, they prepare themselves for war, but no one will go out to fight.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.