Ezekiel 20 32

Ezekiel 20:32 kjv

And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.

Ezekiel 20:32 nkjv

What you have in your mind shall never be, when you say, 'We will be like the Gentiles, like the families in other countries, serving wood and stone.'

Ezekiel 20:32 niv

"?'You say, "We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone." But what you have in mind will never happen.

Ezekiel 20:32 esv

"What is in your mind shall never happen ? the thought, 'Let us be like the nations, like the tribes of the countries, and worship wood and stone.'

Ezekiel 20:32 nlt

"You say, 'We want to be like the nations all around us, who serve idols of wood and stone.' But what you have in mind will never happen.

Ezekiel 20 verses

Ezekiel 20 32 Meaning

The verse states that God will not be sought by Israel after they have been brought into the land, implying their subsequent actions of idolatry and apostasy will cut them off from seeking Him, and that He will deal with them according to their ways and their abominations.

Ezekiel 20 32 Context

Ezekiel 20 is a dialogue between God and the elders of Israel, addressing their rebellion and apostasy despite God's repeated interventions throughout their history. God recounts His past faithfulness and their persistent disobedience, including their adoption of foreign practices and idolatry. This specific verse, Eze 20:32, comes after God lists their persistent sins, culminating in their desire to be like the surrounding nations. The Lord declares that even though He is bringing them into the land, their intended behavior is not what He desires, and their seeking Him will cease due to their chosen path of corruption. The historical context is the period leading up to and during the Babylonian exile, a consequence of their national sin.

Ezekiel 20 32 Word analysis

• וְאַתֶּם (wəʾattem): "And you" (plural masculine). This emphasizes God's direct address to the people, singling them out as the recipients of this pronouncement.
• אָמַרְתֶּם (ʾāmærtem): "You said" (Qal perfect 2nd person common plural). Indicates a statement made by the people, revealing their present mindset and desire.
• אֶהְיֶה (ʾehyeh): "I will be" (Qal imperfect 1st person common singular of היה - to be). Expresses a future state or identity.
• כַּגּוֹיִם (kaggōyim): "Like the nations" (prefix כְּ - like, + 1971 GÔY - nation, people). This highlights their aspiration to conform to the practices and identity of the surrounding Gentile nations. This was a recurrent theme of divine prohibition (Deut. 12:30).
• כִּבְעַמֵּי (kibʿammê): "Like the tribes" (prefix כְּ - like, + 5971 ʿÁMM - people, tribe). Reinforces the idea of assimilation into the social and cultural fabric of other peoples.
• הָאָרֶץ (hāʾāreṣ): "Of the land" (prefix הַ - the, + 776 ʾĀREṢ - land, earth). Refers specifically to the land of Canaan, their inheritance from God.
• לַעֲבֹד (laʿăḇōḏ): "To serve" (Lamed purpose, + 5647 ʿĀḇAḎ - to serve, work, till). Denotes active engagement and devotion.
• עֵץ (ʿēṣ): "Wood" (Tree, wood, timber). This is a synecdoche for idols or cultic objects made of wood.
• וָאֶבֶן (wāʾaḇen): "And stone". Also refers to idols or objects of worship crafted from stone. Idolatry often involved carved images from wood and stone (Deut. 29:17; Ps. 115:4; Isa. 44:9-12).
• וְלֹא (wəlōʾ): "And not". Introduces a negative clause.
• תִדְרְשֻׁנִי (tiḏrəšûnî): "You will seek me" (Qal imperfect 2nd person common plural, with suffix me). This is a crucial point - God states they will cease to seek Him. The verb "darash" (to seek) implies a sincere and earnest seeking of God for guidance, help, or reconciliation.
• אָנֹכִי (ʾānōḵî): "I" (pronoun). Emphasizes God's active role.
• יְהוָה (YHWH): "The LORD." The covenant name of God, reinforcing His authority and relationship with Israel.
• כִּי (kî): "For, indeed" (conjunction). Introduces the reason for the preceding statement.
• בַּהֲבִיאִי (bahaḇîʾî): "In my bringing" (prefix בְּ - in, with, + Qal infinitive construct 1st person common singular of 1424 HḇY’ - to bring, cause to come, with 3117 Yôḏ - me). God highlights His own action of bringing them into the land.
• אֹתָם (ʾōṯām): "Them" (accusative particle + pronoun). Refers back to the people.
• אֶל־הָאָרֶץ (ʾel-hāʾāreṣ): "To the land" (preposition אֶל - to, + article הַ - the, + 776 ʾĀreṣ - land). Again, the land of their inheritance.
• אֶל־הָאָרֶץ (ʾel-hāʾāreṣ): "To the land". Reinforces the geographical destination.
• אֲשֶׁר (ʾăšer): "Which" (relative pronoun).
• נָשָׂאתִי (nāśāʾtî): "I lifted up" or "I raised" (Qal perfect 1st person common singular of 5375 NŚ’ - to lift, carry, bear, raise). This signifies God's commitment or oath regarding the land. The hand was often lifted in oath or promise.
• אֹתָם (ʾōṯām): "Them" (accusative particle + pronoun).
• וְאֶתְגֹּרָם (wəʾeṯgōrām): "And their anger" or "their heap/pile" or "their contention" (Waw - and, + 8498 ṯōḇ - wrath, anger, or possibly a rarer form of related word for store or heap. Contextually, 'anger' or the consequence of their abominations makes sense. Some scholars connect it to their stubbornness or prideful actions that angered God, leading to their judgement.) The exact root or meaning of this specific form is debated, but it seems to refer to the state of being blameworthy or the consequence of their wrongful actions that draws God's ire.

Ezekiel 20 32 Bonus section

The phrase "I lifted up my hand" (נָשָׂאתִי אֹתָם - NASATI OTAM), referencing God's oath, echoes divine commitments made to Abraham and Moses concerning the land of Canaan. This action of lifting the hand was a gesture of solemn affirmation and sworn promise (Gen 14:22; Ex 6:8). By using this imagery, God underscores His faithfulness while simultaneously pointing out Israel's intention to violate the terms of that covenant. Their desire to be "like the nations" (כַּגּוֹיִם - KAGOYYIM) is particularly damning, as becoming like them would mean embracing their idolatrous practices and therefore rejecting the unique covenantal identity God intended for Israel as His holy nation and a light to the Gentiles.

Ezekiel 20 32 Commentary

This verse contains a solemn declaration by God regarding Israel's future, highlighting a tragic reversal. Despite God's gracious act of bringing them into the promised land—an act tied to His covenant and oath—the people expressed a desire to be like the surrounding nations, even to the point of worshiping idols made of wood and stone. This outward conformity signified a deeper internal rebellion against God's exclusive claims on their worship. Consequently, God pronounces that in their pursuit of this foreign identity and apostasy, they would cease to seek Him. The action of seeking God (darash) signifies a living, active relationship and reliance. Their chosen path of idolatry and assimilation would sever this connection, leading to spiritual abandonment. God states He will "not be sought by you," implying His withdrawal and their subsequent judgment according to their corrupt practices. It's a pronouncement of alienation resulting from a wilful rejection of divine relationship.