Ezekiel 7:19
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They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will seem unclean. Their silver and gold cannot save them in the day of the wrath of the LORD. They cannot satisfy their appetites or fill their stomachs with wealth, for it became the stumbling block that brought their iniquity.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
In this chapter the approaching ruin of the land of Israel is most particularly foretold in affecting expressions often repeated, that if possible they might be awakened by repentance to prevent it. The prophet must tell them, I. That it will be a final ruin, a complete utter destruction, which would make an end of them, a miserable end (Eze 7:1-6). II. That it is an approaching ruin, just at the door (Eze 7:7-10). III. That it is an unavoidable ruin, because they had by sin brought it upon themselves (Eze 7:10-15). IV. That their strength and wealth should be no fence against it (Eze 7:16-19). V. That the temple, which they trusted in, should itself be ruined (Eze 7:20-22). VI. That it should be a universal ruin, the sin that brought it having been universal (Eze 7:23-27).
Open source ↗7:19 Even silver and gold, the traditional last resorts in times of crisis, would be unable to save or satisfy their owners. They would dispose of them like worthless trash (literally impurity), something hateful and disgusting that they could not wait to be rid of.
Open source ↗Cross-references
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Riches are worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness brings deliverance from death.
Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the Day of the LORD’s wrath. The whole earth will be consumed by the fire of His jealousy.” For indeed, He will make a sudden end of all who dwell on the earth.
For when any Israelite or any foreigner dwelling in Israel separates himself from Me, sets up idols in his heart, and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face, and then comes to the prophet to inquire of Me, I the LORD will answer him Myself.
What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
In that day men will cast away to the moles and bats their idols of silver and gold— the idols they made to worship.
Because they ministered before their idols and became a stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel, therefore I swore with an uplifted hand concerning them that they would bear the consequences of their iniquity, declares the Lord GOD.
He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile.
Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods.
So you will desecrate your silver-plated idols and your gold-plated images. You will throw them away like menstrual cloths, saying to them, “Be gone!”
And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution to them.