Ezekiel 24 · Verse 16

Ezekiel 24:16

Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.
Ezekiel 24:16, King James Version

Ezekiel 24:16 in other translations

BSB“Son of man, behold, I am about to take away the desire of your eyes with a fatal blow. But you must not mourn or weep or let your tears flow.
WEB“Son of man, behold, I will take away from you the desire of your eyes with one stroke; yet you shall neither mourn nor weep, neither shall your tears run down.
ASVSon of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet thou shalt neither mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.
YLT‘Son of man, lo, I am taking from thee the desire of thine eyes by a stroke, and thou dost not mourn, nor weep, nor let thy tear come.
DARBYSon of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke; yet thou shalt not mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.
BBESon of man, see, I am taking away the desire of your eyes by disease: but let there be no sorrow or weeping or drops running from your eyes.
WebsterSon of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thy eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.

What does Ezekiel 24:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
16. desire of ... eyes--his wife: representing the sanctuary (Eze 24:21) in which the Jews so much gloried. The energy and subordination of Ezekiel's whole life to his prophetic office is strikingly displayed in this narrative of his wife's death. It is the only memorable event of his personal history which he records, and this only in reference to his soul-absorbing work. His natural tenderness is shown by that graphic touch, "the desire of thine eyes." What amazing subjection, then, of his individual feeling to his prophetic duty is manifested in the simple statement (Eze 24:18), "So I spake ... in the morning; and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded." stroke--a sudden visitation. The suddenness of it enhances the self-control of Ezekiel in so entirely merging individual feeling, which must have been especially acute under such trying circumstances, in the higher claims of duty to God.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 Behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes - Here is an intimation that the stroke he was to suffer was to be above all grief; that it would be so great as to prevent the relief of tears. Curae leves loquuntur, graviores silent, is a well-accredited maxim in such cases. Superficial griefs affect the more easily moved passions; great ones affect the soul itself, in its powers of reasoning, reflecting, comparing, recollecting, etc., when the sufferer feels all the weight of wo. Neither shall thy tears run down - Τουτο γαρ ιδιον των οφθαλμων εν τοις μεγαλοις κακοις· εν μεν γαρ ταις μετριαις συμφοραις αφθονως τα δακρυα καταρῥει, - εν δε τοις ὑπερβαλλουσι δεινοις φευγει και τα δακρυα και προδιδωσι και τους αφθαλμους· Achill. Tat. lib. 3. c. 11. For this is the case with the eyes in great calamities: in light misfortunes tears flow freely, but in heavy afflictions tears fly away, and betray the eyes.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ezekiel 24:15-27

Though mourning for the dead is a duty, yet it must be kept under by religion and right reason: we must not sorrow as men that have no hope. Believers must not copy the language and expressions of those who know not God. The people asked the meaning of the sign. God takes from them all that was dearest to them. And as Ezekiel wept not for his affliction, so neither should they weep for theirs. Blessed be God, we…

Read the full comment on Ezekiel 24:15-27 →

Ezekiel 24:16 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

בֶּן\־ben-O son ofH1121
אָדָ֕ם'a.DamhumankindH120
הִנְנִ֨יhi.Nihere IH2005
לֹקֵ֧חַlo.Ke.ach[am] about to takeH3947
מִמְּךָ֛mi.me.Khafrom youH4480
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
מַחְמַ֥דmach.Mad[the] desire ofH4261
עֵינֶ֖יךָ'ei.Nei.khaeyes yourH5869
בְּמַגֵּפָ֑הbe.ma.ge.Fahwith a blowH4046
וְלֹ֤אve.Lo'and notH3808
תִסְפֹּד֙tis.Podyou must lamentH5594
וְלֹ֣אve.Lo'and notH3808
תִבְכֶּ֔הtiv.Kehyou must weepH1058
וְל֥וֹאve.Lo'and notH3808
תָב֖וֹאta.Vo'it will comeH935
דִּמְעָתֶֽךָ\׃dim.'a.Te.khatear[s] yourH1832

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ezekiel 24:16

  • Jeremiah 22:10

    Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him: but weep sore for him that goeth away: for he shall return no more, nor see his native country.

  • Jeremiah 13:17

    But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock is carried away captive.

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:13

    But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

  • Ezekiel 24:18

    So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.

  • Song of Solomon 7:10

    I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me.

  • Ezekiel 24:21-25

    Speak unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth; and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left shall fall by the sword. And ye shall do as I have done: ye shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men. And your tires shall be upon your heads, and your shoes upon your feet: ye shall not mourn nor weep; but ye shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourn one toward another. Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign: according to all that he hath done shall ye do: and when this cometh, ye shall know that I am the Lord God. …

  • Jeremiah 16:5

    For thus saith the Lord, Enter not into the house of mourning, neither go to lament nor bemoan them: for I have taken away my peace from this people, saith the Lord, even lovingkindness and mercies.

  • Job 36:18

    Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.

  • Jeremiah 9:1

    Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

  • Lamentations 2:18

    Their heart cried unto the Lord, O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night: give thyself no rest; let not the apple of thine eye cease.

  • Jeremiah 9:18

    And let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters.

  • Leviticus 10:2-3

    And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the desire.
18,21,25; Pr 5:19; So 7:10
with a.
Job 36:18
yet.
21-24; Le 10:2,3; Jer 22:10,18; 1Th 4:13
thy tears.
Jer 9:1,18; 13:17; La 2:18
run. Heb. go.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ezekiel 24:15

    Also the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

  • Ezekiel 24:16

    Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.

  • Ezekiel 24:17

    Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men.

Read all of Ezekiel 24

Ezekiel 24:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Hijo del hombre, he aquí que yo te quito de golpe el deseo de tus ojos: no endeches, ni llores, ni corran tus lágrimas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Fils d’homme, voici, je vais t’ôter, par une plaie, le désir de tes yeux; et tu ne mèneras pas deuil, et tu ne pleureras pas, et tes larmes ne couleront pas.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Menschensohn, siehe, ich nehme die Lust deiner Augen von dir weg durch einen Schlag; und du sollst nicht klagen und nicht weinen, und keine Träne soll dir kommen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Fili hominis, ecce ego tollo a te desiderabile oculorum tuorum in plaga: et non planges, neque plorabis, neque fluent lacrimæ tuæ.