Ezekiel 20:15 kjv
Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;
Ezekiel 20:15 nkjv
So I also raised My hand in an oath to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, 'flowing with milk and honey,' the glory of all lands,
Ezekiel 20:15 niv
Also with uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I had given them?a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands?
Ezekiel 20:15 esv
Moreover, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land that I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands,
Ezekiel 20:15 nlt
But I took a solemn oath against them in the wilderness. I swore I would not bring them into the land I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful place on earth.
Ezekiel 20 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 14:28-30 | "...as I live,' declares the LORD... not one of you... shall enter the land..." | God's oath to exclude that generation. |
| Deut 1:35 | "Not one of these men, this evil generation, shall see the good land..." | Moses reaffirms the exclusion for rebellion. |
| Psa 95:11 | "Therefore I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest.'" | Poetic expression of God's judgment. |
| Heb 3:11, 18-19 | "So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest.'" ... because of unbelief. | NT spiritual application and warning. |
| Exod 3:8 | "I have come down... to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey..." | Initial promise describing the land. |
| Deut 6:3 | "...that it may be well with you and that you may multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey..." | Prosperity contingent on obedience. |
| Deut 8:7-9 | "...a good land, a land of brooks of water... a land of wheat and barley... honey." | Description of the land's richness. |
| Lev 20:24 | "...I will give you a land flowing with milk and honey." | God as the giver of the blessed land. |
| Jer 11:5 | "...that I might establish the oath which I swore... to give them a land flowing with milk and honey..." | God's continued covenant despite failures. |
| Joel 3:18 | "...and all the brooks of Judah shall flow with water..." | Future abundance in eschatological times. |
| Gen 12:7 | "To your offspring I will give this land." | Original promise of land to Abraham. |
| Num 14:22-23 | "Not one of the men... who have put Me to the test... shall see the land..." | God's frustration over their constant testing. |
| Deut 9:7-8 | "Remember... how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness..." | Moses's reminder of their ongoing rebellion. |
| 1 Cor 10:5-10 | "Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness..." | NT warning against similar spiritual failure. |
| Judg 2:1-2 | "I swore to your fathers, and I brought you into the land that I swore to give you." | God's faithfulness to a new generation. |
| Deut 32:49-51 | "Go up this mountain... look at the land of Canaan... because you broke faith..." | Moses denied entry for a transgression too. |
| Psa 106:24-27 | "Then they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe His word..." | Summary of Israel's attitude and consequence. |
| Ezek 20:6 | "I swore to them, to bring them out... into a land flowing with milk and honey..." | Previous promise of bringing them out. |
| Ezek 20:23 | "Also I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations..." | Future oath of dispersion for later sins. |
| Isa 4:2 | "...the fruit of the land shall be the pride and glory of the survivors of Israel." | Messianic era glory of the land. |
| Zech 9:16-17 | "The LORD their God will save them... for they are the stones of a crown, sparkling in His land." | Future restoration in a glorious land. |
| Deut 11:9 | "...that your days may be prolonged in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers to give to them, a land flowing with milk and honey." | Prolonged life tied to occupying the land. |
| Gal 3:17-18 | "...the law, which came 430 years later, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God..." | Distinction between law and promise/oath. |
| Rom 9:6 | "But it is not as though the word of God has failed..." | God's ultimate faithfulness despite human failure. |
Ezekiel 20 verses
Ezekiel 20 15 Meaning
Ezekiel 20:15 states God's solemn declaration to the generation of Israelites who continuously rebelled in the wilderness. Due to their persistent unfaithfulness, God swore an irrevocable oath that He would not allow that specific generation to enter the Promised Land. This land was depicted as exceptionally abundant, "flowing with milk and honey," and "the glory of all lands," underscoring the magnitude of the blessing they forfeited due to their severe disobedience.
Ezekiel 20 15 Context
Ezekiel chapter 20 delivers a harsh condemnation of Israel's long history of rebellion, from Egypt through the wilderness and into the current period, justifying the Babylonian exile. When elders of Israel approach Ezekiel seeking counsel, God refuses their inquiry, instead instructing Ezekiel to recount their ancestors' repeated unfaithfulness. Verse 15 specifically focuses on the pivotal point in the wilderness. Despite God's deliverance from Egypt, provision of statutes, and establishment of the Sabbath, the Israelites defied His laws, worshipped idols, and defiled His Sabbaths (vv. 7-14). Their consistent rebellion provoked God, leading to this solemn declaration that the adult generation who tested Him would be denied entry into the Promised Land. This judgment sealed their fate to wander and die in the wilderness, serving as a severe lesson regarding the consequences of covenant disobedience.
Ezekiel 20 15 Word analysis
- Also (וְגַם֙ - Ve'gam): A conjunctive adverb, marking this judgment as a further, logical consequence in a series of God's responses to their rebellion. It indicates "and also," emphasizing continuity.
- I swore (יָדִ֣י נָשָׂ֗אתִי - Yadi nasati): Literally, "My hand I lifted." This signifies the making of an unbreakable oath by God, an act of divine self-affirmation that guarantees the certainty and irrevocability of the decree.
- to them (לָהֶ֛ם - lahem): Specifically identifies the recipient of the oath as the adult generation who exited Egypt and subsequently engaged in acts of defiance against God.
- in the wilderness (בַּמִּדְבָּ֖ר - ba'midbar): The desolate geographical region where Israel spent 40 years, serving as the setting for their constant testing, proving, and ultimately, their collective failure.
- that I would not bring them (לְבִלְתִּ֣י הָבִיא־אוֹתָ֗ם - l'bilti havi' otam): A strong prohibitive clause, expressing God's firm resolve to prevent their entry. This is a direct judgment of exclusion.
- into the land (אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ - el ha'aretz): Refers to Canaan, the physical territory promised by God to Abraham's descendants as their permanent inheritance and dwelling place.
- which I had given them (אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תִּי לָהֶֽם - asher natati lahem): Highlights the land as a gracious gift, freely provided by God as part of His covenant promise. The pre-existing nature of the gift magnifies the tragedy of their forfeiture.
- flowing with milk and honey (זָבַ֥ת חָלָֽב וּדְבָֽשׁ - zavat chalav u'd'vash): A proverbial phrase denoting a land of extraordinary fertility, abundance, and richness. It promises an idyllic existence far superior to simple subsistence.
- the glory of all lands (צְבִ֣י הִ֔יא לְכָל־הָֽאֲרָצֹֽת - tzevi hi l'chol ha'aratzot): "Tzevi" means beauty, splendor, or glory. This phrase magnifies the superlative nature of the Promised Land, marking it as unique and highly esteemed among all nations. It symbolizes God's special blessing and presence.
Ezekiel 20 15 Bonus section
The pattern of rebellion and divine judgment described in Ezekiel 20, particularly concerning the wilderness generation, served as a theological paradigm for subsequent biblical authors. This specific incident became a cornerstone for New Testament warnings about the dangers of spiritual lethargy and unbelief among believers, as powerfully elaborated in the Book of Hebrews (chapters 3 and 4). The "glory of all lands" refers not only to the physical richness of Canaan but also implies a spiritual glory—that it was the land where God's special presence (Shekinah) would dwell among His chosen people. Being excluded from this land thus carried implications beyond mere geographical displacement; it signified a temporary disruption in their direct experience of God's most tangible blessings and presence. This underscores that true "rest" or blessing is tied to fidelity to God, a concept applicable to all believers in every era.
Ezekiel 20 15 Commentary
Ezekiel 20:15 is a potent verse demonstrating God's holiness and His unyielding justice when faced with persistent rebellion. The "oath" signifies an unchangeable divine decree, showing that while God is patient, there are boundaries to His tolerance for unfaithfulness within a covenant relationship. The severe consequence—denial of entry into a land described in the most lavish terms—underscores the gravity of their disobedience. This land, "flowing with milk and honey" and the "glory of all lands," represented divine favor, abundance, and identity. Its forfeiture highlighted the costly impact of sin, not only on individual lives but also on an entire generation's communal destiny. The verse powerfully teaches that while God's promises are steadfast, their fulfillment for the recipients often depends on their faithful response to His covenant. It serves as an enduring warning that even great promised blessings can be forfeited through unbelief and a hardened heart.