Ezekiel 7:11

11. A rod of wickedness Rather, a rod for wickedness. Their own violence (see Ezekiel 7:22; Jeremiah 6:7) has become the rod with which they are scourged. This refers to a little-appreciated historic fact. The history of that era shows that when Jerusalem was quiet and peaceful, Egypt and Babylon hurled their armies at each other, along the Palestinian and Syrian highways, without paying any attention to the Israelitish capital hidden in the hills; but when Jerusalem became proud and boastful and aggressive, and took sides with either party, then her own warlike spirit brought upon her speedily a scourge of punishment. This verse is so mutilated that it is impossible to do more than translate a single word here and there. The general sense points to the complete destruction of the national pride and the carrying away of the tumultuous population of the capital city.