Ezekiel 20 17

Ezekiel 20:17 kjv

Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.

Ezekiel 20:17 nkjv

Nevertheless My eye spared them from destruction. I did not make an end of them in the wilderness.

Ezekiel 20:17 niv

Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy them or put an end to them in the wilderness.

Ezekiel 20:17 esv

Nevertheless, my eye spared them, and I did not destroy them or make a full end of them in the wilderness.

Ezekiel 20:17 nlt

Nevertheless, I took pity on them and held back from destroying them in the wilderness.

Ezekiel 20 verses

Ezekiel 20 17 Meaning

Ezekiel 20:17 states that despite the deep and persistent rebellion of the Israelites in the wilderness, God, in His sovereign compassion, mercifully withheld the full weight of His judgment. He actively chose not to utterly destroy or annihilate them, thereby preserving His covenant people during a period marked by significant apostasy. This act demonstrated God's divine patience and faithfulness, not based on the merit of the Israelites, but rooted in His unchanging character and redemptive purpose.

Ezekiel 20 17 Context

Ezekiel chapter 20 begins with elders of Israel coming to inquire of the Lord through the prophet Ezekiel. However, instead of an answer, they receive a stern recounting of Israel's rebellious history, illustrating that God had just cause to judge them throughout their past. Verse 17 is situated within a historical sermon that meticulously details Israel's chronic disobedience and idolatry from the time they were in Egypt, through their exodus into the wilderness. God enumerates how they rejected His statutes, profaned His Sabbaths, and worshipped idols even while He was delivering them. This specific verse recalls a point in the wilderness wanderings where, despite their immense provocation and deserving judgment, God, out of His intrinsic mercy and commitment to His divine reputation ("for my name's sake"), chose to spare them from complete destruction. While judgment did come (the generation over twenty years old dying in the wilderness), utter annihilation was averted. This forms part of the narrative establishing that Israel's very existence is a testament to God's enduring grace, not their faithfulness.

Ezekiel 20 17 Word analysis

• Nevertheless: (אךְ - ’akh) – This particle functions as a strong contrast, introducing a significant turn from the previously expressed intent of God's wrath and judgment (Ezek 20:13, 16). It highlights a decisive act of divine restraint and mercy overriding deserved punishment.

• my eye spared them: (וַתָּחֹס עֵינִי עֲלֵיהֶם - wattaḥos ‘êynî ‘ălêyhem) –

  • chuwc (חוס - chuwc): "to pity," "to have compassion," "to show mercy." This verb denotes a deep, emotional act of clemency.
  • ‘êynî (עֵינִי - ‘êynî): "my eye." In the Hebrew Bible, "God's eye" often signifies His attentive watchfulness and benevolent regard that prompts compassionate action, implying personal and deliberate intervention.

• from destroying them: (לְהַשְׁמִידָם - ləhašmîdām) –

  • shamad (שמד - shamad): "to annihilate," "to exterminate," "to utterly wipe out." This powerful verb conveys a total, irreversible destruction, underscoring the severity of the judgment that was considered but withheld.

• neither did I make an end of them: (וְלֹא עָשִׂיתִי כָלָה לָהֶם - wəlō’ ‘āśîṯî khālāh lāhem) –

  • kalah (כלה - kalah): "to complete," "to bring to an end," "to consume utterly." This phrase strongly reinforces the prior statement of "destroying," emphasizing the completeness of the potential annihilation. The repetition underscores the miraculous nature of their preservation.

• in the wilderness: (בַּמִּדְבָּר - bammiḏbār) –

  • midbar (מדבר - midbar): "wilderness," "desert." This specific location is highly significant as the stage for Israel's foundational experiences, their testing by God, and tragically, their persistent rebellion and spiritual failures, making God's restraint even more profound.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "Nevertheless my eye spared them... neither did I make an end of them": These twin statements powerfully convey the deliberate and compassionate nature of God's action. His personal gaze (my eye) and direct intervention prevented a complete extermination. This repetition stresses that their continued existence was a miraculous act of divine will, defying the consequences their actions had earned.
  • "from destroying them... in the wilderness": These phrases contextualize God's averted judgment. The "wilderness" highlights the profound period of rebellion, testing, and revelation where God's ultimate justice could have been exercised. His decision not to "destroy" or "make an end" in that specific setting emphasizes His covenant loyalty, distinguishing His character from that of the transient and less merciful gods worshipped by surrounding nations.

Ezekiel 20 17 Bonus section

This verse implicitly illustrates the doctrine of divine restraint and foreshadows the concept of a remnant. Despite widespread and repeated rebellion by the whole "body" of the nation in the wilderness, God chose to maintain the existence of the collective people, even as the disobedient generation faced specific judgments (e.g., not entering the promised land). This distinction between national survival and individual accountability for sin demonstrates a tension between God's immediate justice and His overarching redemptive plan, ensuring a future through which the Messianic line would proceed. The emphasis on God acting "for His name's sake" strongly counters any idea that Israel earned their preservation through merit, effectively polemicizing against contemporary pagan notions where divine favor could be bought or appeased; YHWH's actions are driven by His intrinsic character and self-proclaimed glory, not by human performance.

Ezekiel 20 17 Commentary

Ezekiel 20:17 is a cornerstone verse revealing the depth of God's undeserved mercy and enduring faithfulness amidst profound human apostasy. It highlights a recurring theme in Israel's history: though God's justice consistently demanded severe judgment for their sin, His ultimate covenant love and commitment to His own divine name ("for His name's sake" in Ezek 20:9, 14, 22) intervened. The act of God's "eye sparing them" signifies a compassionate, deliberate, and personal decision to withhold total annihilation from a generation that richly deserved it, choosing preservation over extermination. This foundational act of grace ensured the continuation of the lineage through which His redemptive plan for humanity would ultimately unfold, pointing toward the ultimate fulfillment of His mercy in Christ Jesus. It exemplifies how divine character—mercy, patience, and faithfulness—supersedes human unfaithfulness, providing hope and a path for future repentance and restoration.

Example: Like a nation continually sabotaging its own existence, yet kept from utter collapse by the unwavering commitment of a foundational, benevolent leader, Israel, by their own devices, courted destruction, but was preserved by God's sovereign and compassionate intervention.