Ezekiel – Chapter 22

Old Testament31 Verses

Chapter Summary

Ezekiel 22 opens with the words: "And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:" Across its 31 verses, two threads run through the text: justice and care for the poor and family and covenant relationships. The Church invites us to read this chapter within the whole sweep of salvation history, where every page points toward Christ.

1And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

2And thou son of man, dost thou not judge, dost thou not judge the city of blood?

3And thou shalt shew her all her abominations, and shalt say: Thus saith the Lord God: This is the city that sheddeth blood in the midst of her, that her time may come: and that hath made idols against herself, to defile herself.

4Thou art become guilty in thy blood which thou hast shed: and thou art defiled in thy idols which thou hast made: and thou hast made thy days to draw near, and hast brought on the time of thy years: therefore have I made thee a reproach to the Gentiles, and a mockery to all countries.

5Those that are near, and those that are far from thee, shall triumph over thee: thou filthy one, infamous, great in destruction.

6Behold the princes of Israel, every one hath employed his arm in thee to shed blood.

7They have abused father and mother in thee, they have oppressed the stranger in the midst of thee, they have grieved the fatherless and widow in thee.

8Thou hast despised my sanctuaries, and profaned my sabbaths.

9Slanderers have been in thee to shed blood, and they have eaten upon the mountains in thee, they have committed wickedness in the midst of thee.

10They have discovered the nakedness of their father in thee, they have humbled the uncleanness of the menstruous woman in thee.

11And every one hath committed abomination with his neighbour's wife, and the father in law hath wickedly defiled his daughter in law, the brother hath oppressed his sister the daughter of his father in thee.

12They have taken gifts in thee to shed blood: thou hast taken usury and increase, and hast covetously oppressed thy neighbours: and thou hast forgotten me, saith the Lord God.

13Behold, I have clapped my hands at thy covetousness, which thou hast exercised: and at the blood that hath been shed in the midst of thee.

14Shall thy heart endure, or shall thy hands prevail in the days which I will bring upon thee: I the Lord have spoken, and will do it.

15And I will disperse thee in the nations, and will scatter thee among the countries, and I will put an end to thy uncleanness in thee.

16And I will possess thee in the sight of the Gentiles, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord.

17And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

18Son of man, the house of Israel is become dross to me: all these are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace: they are become the dross of silver.

19Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Because you are all turned into dross, therefore behold I will gather you together in the midst of Jerusalem.

20As they gather silver, and brass, and tin, and iron, and lead in the midst of the furnace: that I may kindle a fire in it to melt it: so will I gather you together in my fury and in my wrath, and will take my rest, and I will melt you down.

21And will gather you together, and will burn you in the fire of my wrath, and you shall be melted in the midst thereof.

22As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall you be in the midst thereof: and you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have poured out my indignation upon you.

23And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

24Son of man, say to her: Thou art a land that is unclean, and not rained upon in the day of wrath.

25There is a conspiracy of prophets in the midst thereof: like a lion that roareth and catcheth the prey, they have devoured souls, they have taken riches and hire, they have made many widows in the midst thereof.

26Her priests have despised my law, and have defiled my sanctuaries: they have put no difference between holy and profane: nor have distinguished between the polluted and the clean: and they have turned away their eyes from my sabbaths, and I was profaned in the midst of them.

27Her princes in the midst of her, are like wolves ravening the prey to shed blood, and to destroy souls, and to run after gains through covetousness.

28And her prophets have daubed them without tempering the mortar, seeing vain things, and divining lies unto them, saying: Thus saith the Lord God: when the Lord hath not spoken.

29The people of the land have used oppression, and committed robbery: they afflicted the needy and poor, and they oppressed the stranger by calumny without judgment.

30And I sought among them for a man that might set up a hedge, and stand in the gap before me in favour of the land, that I might not destroy it: and I found none.

31And I poured out my indignation upon them, in the fire of my wrath I consumed them: I have rendered their way upon their own head, saith the Lord God.

Important Verses in Ezekiel 22

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

Ezekiel 22:1

Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Because you are all turned into dross, therefore behold I will gather you together in the midst of Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 22:19

And her prophets have daubed them without tempering the mortar, seeing vain things, and divining lies unto them, saying: Thus saith the Lord God: when the Lord hath not spoken.

Ezekiel 22:28

And I poured out my indignation upon them, in the fire of my wrath I consumed them: I have rendered their way upon their own head, saith the Lord God.

Ezekiel 22:31

Historical Context

Ezekiel belongs to the Old Testament and was composed for the exiles in Babylon, moved from despair to hope of restoration. Chapter 22 of 48 stands in the central portion of the book, where decisive events or teachings take shape. It is a prophetic oracle addressed to Israel in a moment of covenant crisis or renewal with 31 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. The passage starts with these words: "And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:" It concludes: "And I poured out my indignation upon them, in the fire of my wrath I consumed them: I have rendered their way upon…" In terms of historical background, Ezekiel was deported to Babylon in 597 BC and prophesied among the exiles through astonishing visions: God's throne-chariot, the departure of His glory from the Temple, the valley of dry bones brought to life, and a new… Catholic tradition dates the book to the period described in its introduction: About 593-571 BC, in Babylon.

Who Wrote It

The prophet Ezekiel, priest and exile

When It Was Written

About 593-571 BC, in Babylon

Catholic Commentary

The prophetic discourse in this chapter speaks to a community facing the consequences of its choices before God. A pivotal line is verse 1: "And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:" The passage repeatedly touches on justice and care for the poor.

According to Catholic interpretation, this chapter contributes to the book's portrait of judgment, restoration, and God's glory. Ezekiel's visions inform Catholic understanding of heaven and liturgy (CIC 1137). The Catechism and the liturgy frequently draw on such passages to nourish faith and moral life (CIC 1700).

For Christians today, the chapter's lesson is clear: God defends the poor and the oppressed, and calls His people to act with justice.. The Church invites us to receive this word not as antiquarian information but as living Scripture proclaimed at Mass and prayed in lectio divina.

Main Teachings

  • God defends the poor and the oppressed, and calls His people to act with justice.
  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • Sin has real consequences, but God's judgment always aims at conversion and restoration.

Reflection for Today

When the Church proclaims Ezekiel Chapter 22 at Mass or in the Liturgy of the Hours, she treats this text as the living voice of God.

In the four senses of Scripture—literal, allegorical, moral, and anagogical—the Church finds rich meaning in Ezekiel Chapter 22. At the moral level, repentance and the mercy of God challenges us to examine conscience and amend our lives (CIC 721).

As you continue through Ezekiel, carry this chapter's lesson into your family, parish, and work. Catholic faith is always ecclesial—God speaks to us as members of Christ's Body, not as isolated individuals.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ezekiel Chapter 22 about?

Ezekiel 22 contains 31 verses. It opens with "And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:" and closes with "And I poured out my indignation upon them, in the fire of my wrath I consumed them: I have rendered their way upon…". The book as a whole is prophetic visions and oracles.

What is a key verse in Ezekiel 22?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:" It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who wrote Ezekiel and when?

The prophet Ezekiel, priest and exile. About 593-571 BC, in Babylon.

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