Ezekiel 11:18 kjv
And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence.
Ezekiel 11:18 nkjv
And they will go there, and they will take away all its detestable things and all its abominations from there.
Ezekiel 11:18 niv
"They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols.
Ezekiel 11:18 esv
And when they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations.
Ezekiel 11:18 nlt
"When the people return to their homeland, they will remove every trace of their vile images and detestable idols.
Ezekiel 11 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 11:19 | And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh: | Direct Fulfillment of the Promise |
| Jeremiah 31:31-34 | Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah: Not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their master, declares the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. | Promise of a New Covenant with internal transformation |
| Jeremiah 32:39 | I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever for the good of them and their children after them. | Unifying heart and way for perpetual fear of God |
| Deuteronomy 30:6 | Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. | Divine circumcision of the heart for loving God |
| Psalm 51:10 | Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. | David's plea for a new and right spirit |
| Isaiah 44:3 | For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants: | Prophetic outpouring of the Spirit and blessing |
| Isaiah 59:21 | And as for me, this is my covenant with them, says the LORD: My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your offspring's offspring, says the LORD, from this day and forevermore. | Covenant through God's enduring Spirit and Word |
| Ezekiel 36:25-27 | I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. | Similar prophecy of cleansing and a new heart/spirit |
| John 3:3-8 | Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wants, and you hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” | Spiritual regeneration through the Spirit (being born again) |
| Romans 2:28-29 | For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is that circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. | True circumcision of the heart by the Spirit |
| Romans 8:4 | so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. | Fulfillment of the law by walking according to the Spirit |
| 2 Corinthians 5:17 | Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. | Being a new creation in Christ |
| Galatians 5:22-23 | But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. | Manifestation of a transformed life by the Spirit |
| Titus 3:5 | he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, | Salvation through renewal of the Holy Spirit |
| Philippians 2:13 | for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. | God's work within believers for His pleasure |
| Hebrews 8:10 | For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. | Reiterates the New Covenant promise of God's law in the heart |
| Acts 2:17 | “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams, | Fulfillment of prophetic outpouring of the Spirit in the last days |
| Acts 13:22 | and when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he bore witness and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my own heart, who will do all my will.’ | David as an example of a man after God's own heart |
| Matthew 5:8 | “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. | The blessing of a pure heart |
Ezekiel 11 verses
Ezekiel 11 18 Meaning
This verse signifies God's promise to restore His people by giving them a new heart and a new spirit, moving them away from their hard, stony hearts towards obedience and genuine relationship with Him. It represents a radical internal transformation, empowering them to walk in His statutes and keep His judgments.
Ezekiel 11 18 Context
Ezekiel chapter 11 takes place while the prophet is in exile in Babylon. He is given a vision where he sees the elders of Israel sitting in their homes in Jerusalem, thinking their evil thoughts and plotting their ways, presuming their city and security are safe. God confronts Ezekiel with their corrupt leadership and the people's idolatry, leading to a prophecy of judgment against those who remain in Jerusalem and will die there. However, the chapter pivots to a promise of hope and restoration for the scattered exiles. This verse, Ezekiel 11:18, is a crucial part of that restoration message, highlighting God's intention to bring about a profound internal change in His people after their chastisement, enabling them to truly return to Him.
Ezekiel 11 18 Word Analysis
- וְנָתַתִּי (və-nā-tattî): "And I will give". From the root נָתַן (nā-tán), meaning to give, grant, or put. This is a future perfect tense, indicating a definitive act of God.
- לָהֶם (lā-hêm): "to them". Refers to the people of Israel who will be gathered from the nations.
- לֵב (lêḇ): "one heart". From the Hebrew word for heart (לֵב, lev). It signifies the inner person—mind, will, and emotions. "One heart" implies unity, singular devotion, and undivided loyalty to God, contrasting with their previous divided hearts and idols.
- וְרוּחַ (wə-rû·aḥ): "and spirit". From רוּחַ (rû·aḥ), meaning spirit, wind, or breath. Here, it refers to the internal disposition and renewed disposition empowered by God.
- חָדָשׁ (ḥā·ḏāš): "new". Means new, fresh, or renewed. It indicates a qualitative change, not just something recent.
- תּוֹךְ (tōḵ): "within". Denotes inside or amidst.
- כֶּם (kem): "you". Plural masculine pronoun, referring to the gathered people of Israel.
- וַהֲסִרֹתִי (wa-hă·sî·rō·ṯî): "And I will remove". From the root סוּר (sûr), meaning to turn aside, remove, or take away.
- לֵב (lêḇ): "heart". Again, the core of a person's being.
- הָאֶבֶן (hā·’ê·ḇen): "the stone". From אֶבֶן (’ê·ḇen), meaning stone. Refers to a hard, lifeless, unfeeling heart.
- מִתּוֹךְ (mit-tōḵ): "from out of". A compound preposition indicating origin or source of removal.
- בְּשָׂרָם (bə·śā·rām): "their flesh". From בָּשָׂר (bā·śā·r), meaning flesh. Indicates the physical, earthly aspect of their being. Removing the stone heart from their flesh emphasizes the transformation of their entire person, both inner and outward disposition, making them receptive.
- וּנְתַתִּי (wə-nə·tattî): "and will give". Another instance of the verb "to give."
- לָב (lāḇ): "heart". The soft, responsive heart of flesh. The contrast with "heart of stone" is significant—implying receptivity, tenderness, and responsiveness to God.
- בָּשָׂר (bā·śā·r): "flesh". Implies a natural, responsive human heart that can feel and respond to God.
Words/Phrases Group Analysis:
- "one heart... new spirit within you": This pair emphasizes a unified and renewed inner life, moving away from fragmentation and towards God-centeredness. It signifies the Spirit's work of unifying their affections and desires.
- "remove the heart of stone... give them a heart of flesh": This stark contrast illustrates the radical nature of the transformation. A heart of stone is dead, stubborn, and unresponsive, like idolatry or willful disobedience. A heart of flesh is living, tender, and susceptible to God's influence, leading to true obedience.
- "put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes": The inner transformation (new heart and spirit) is directly linked to the capacity and willingness to obey God's commands. It's not just a feeling, but a practical ability empowered by God's indwelling presence.
Ezekiel 11 18 Bonus Section
The concept of the heart as the seat of personality, will, and emotion is central in Hebrew thought. A "hard heart" is repeatedly condemned in the Old Testament (Exodus 7:13, Deuteronomy 9:24). This promise represents God's ultimate solution to human sinfulness—a divine re-creation of the inner person. This future restoration is often linked with the regathering of Israel from exile and the coming of the Messiah, in whom this new covenant and internal transformation are definitively realized. The New Testament frequently echoes this theme, portraying believers as having received a new heart and spirit through Christ's sacrifice and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit.
Ezekiel 11 18 Commentary
This verse is a cornerstone prophecy of the New Covenant. Unlike the Mosaic Covenant, which relied on external law and human effort (often failing), this prophecy points to an internal transformation. God Himself will initiate and perform the change, implanting His law into their very being. The "stony heart" represents stubbornness, resistance to God's will, and spiritual deadness, a condition prevalent among Israel at the time. The "heart of flesh" signifies a renewed heart that is responsive, obedient, and alive to God. This promise is fulfilled through the indwelling Holy Spirit in believers, enabling them to love God and His commandments from the inside out. This internal change makes true righteousness and a lasting relationship with God possible, fulfilling the deepest longing for authentic devotion.