Judgment to the Corners

The oracle of judgment in Ezekiel 14:12-23 is structured as a fourfold judgment: sword, famine, beasts, plague (v. 21). The descriptions of judgment are laid out in four paragraphs that use repetitive, stereotyped language. Throughout, Yahweh says that even the intercession of Noah, Daniel, and Job could not rescue Judah from destruction. Their righteousness would rescue them individually, but no one else: No ark with 8 persons. In the first and last paragraphs, these three righteous men are explicitly named

The sequence is organized this way:

A. If I bring famine, Noah, Daniel, and Job couldn’t deliver, vv. 13-14.

B. If I cause wild beasts to invade the land, these three men could not deliver sons or daughters, vv. 15-16.

B’. If I bring a sword, these three could not deliver sons or daughters, vv. 17-18.

A’. If I send plague, Noah, Daniel, and Job could not deliver sons or daughters, vv. 19-20.

The first and last sections are connected by the explicit naming of the three intercessors. The B/B’ are connected conceptually, insofar as invading beasts are parallel to invading armies.

In addition to the overall fourfold structure of this oracle, several of the individual paragraphs are structured by fours. The threat of famine involves: a) Yahweh stretches out His hand; b) He breaks the staff of bread; c) He sends famine; d) He cuts off man and beast. Beasts likewise bring a fourfold judgment: They a) pass through the land and b) depopulate it, so that it c) becomes desolate and d) no one passes through. Four judgments, some of which are themselves fourfold. Ezekiel announces a judgment that stretches to the four corners of the land.

Yet, the ultimate point of the oracle is to offer hope. Nothing will save Judah from fourfold devastation, yet Yahweh will ensure that some will escape. Noah, Daniel, and Job cannot save sons and daughters, but Yahweh does (v. 22). Out of the ruin of Judah, Yahweh will raise a new, fresh Judah.