Ezekiel 20 34

Ezekiel 20:34 kjv

And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out.

Ezekiel 20:34 nkjv

I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out.

Ezekiel 20:34 niv

I will bring you from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered?with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath.

Ezekiel 20:34 esv

I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out.

Ezekiel 20:34 nlt

And in anger I will reach out with my strong hand and powerful arm, and I will bring you back from the lands where you are scattered.

Ezekiel 20 verses

Ezekiel 20 34 Meaning

This verse prophesies God's decisive and powerful act of gathering the exiled Israelites from among the nations where they had been scattered. This re-gathering is portrayed as a forceful intervention, similar to the Exodus from Egypt, characterized by God's irresistible might. Crucially, it is also executed "with fury poured out," indicating that this divine intervention, while redemptive in its outcome, will be accompanied by God's righteous indignation and judgment, intended for the purification and ultimate restoration of His people rather than a gentle, unqualified homecoming.

Ezekiel 20 34 Context

Ezekiel 20 presents a lengthy and stern rebuke to the elders of Israel who sought a word from the Lord. God recounts Israel's persistent rebellion and idolatry from the time they were in Egypt, through the wilderness, and into the promised land. Despite their repeated unfaithfulness, God chose not to utterly destroy them, lest His name be profaned among the nations. The prophecy highlights Israel's failure to learn from past judgments and their continued practice of detestable things.

Verse 34 emerges within a passage (vv. 33-38) where God declares that He will personally act to rule over His people. He pledges to gather them back from their global dispersion, a restoration not solely motivated by grace but also accompanied by a severe process of judgment and purification, symbolically described as bringing them into the "wilderness of the peoples" (v. 35) to sort out the rebels. Thus, the context emphasizes that the promised return is inextricably linked to God's holy character, demanding rectification of Israel's spiritual adulteries through a process that includes "fury" alongside His saving power.

Ezekiel 20 34 Word analysis

• And I will bring you out:
  • (Hebrew: wehotse'ti 'etkem - וְהוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם) - Signifies direct, divine agency. God, not human effort or political machination, will effect this return.
  • Echoes the first Exodus from Egypt, establishing a parallel to God's foundational act of salvation.
  • Indicates separation, taking them from a former condition or location.
• from the people:
  • (Hebrew: min-ha'ammim - מִן-הָעַמִּים) - Refers to the Gentile nations among whom Israel was scattered.
  • Highlights the distinctiveness of Israel as God's chosen people, requiring their separation from foreign influences and idolatries.
  • Emphasizes their former assimilation and mixture among these foreign cultures.
• and will gather you out:
  • (Hebrew: weqibbatsiti 'etkem - וְקִבַּצְתִּי אֶתְכֶם) - A specific act of collection, reuniting the dispersed.
  • The term implies God acting as a shepherd collecting a scattered flock (cf. Ezek 34:12-13).
  • Connotes restoration and consolidation after dispersion.
• of the countries wherein ye are scattered:
  • (Hebrew: min-ha'aratsot 'asher 'attem nefutsim bahen - מִן-הָאֲרָצוֹת אֲשֶׁר נְפוֹצִים בָּהֶן) - Confirms the wide geographic dispersion of Israel.
  • "Scattered" (nefutsim) signifies a condition of being dispersed or thrown apart, usually as a result of judgment (Lev 26:33; Deut 28:64).
  • Demonstrates God's omnipresence and omnipotence to retrieve His people from any location.
• with a mighty hand:
  • (Hebrew: beyad ḥazaqah - בְּיָד חֲזָקָה) - Symbolizes overwhelming power and irresistible force.
  • A recurring motif linked to God's deliverances, especially the Exodus from Egypt (e.g., Exod 3:19; Deut 4:34).
  • Suggests a forceful, non-negotiable divine act.
• and with a stretched out arm:
  • (Hebrew: uvizroa' netuyah - וּבִזְרֹעַ נְטוּיָה) - Parallel to "mighty hand," reiterating immense divine power.
  • Depicts God in an active posture, reaching out to accomplish His purpose.
  • Reinforces the Exodus imagery and God's powerful intervention in history.
• and with fury poured out:
  • (Hebrew: uvaḥemah shefukhah - וּבַחֵמָה שְׁפוּכָה) - This phrase is pivotal and complex.
  • ḥemah (חֵמָה): Denotes hot displeasure, indignation, or intense anger, but specifically divine, righteous wrath against sin. Not human caprice but a holy response to unholiness.
  • shefukhah (שְׁפוּכָה): Means "poured out" or "emptied," suggesting a complete, unreserved expression.
  • Significance: This fury accompanies the act of gathering, not preceding it or exclusively for the Gentiles. It implies a process of "saving judgment" where God's righteous wrath purges Israel's sinfulness during the process of restoration. It prepares them for a genuine covenant relationship (as explored in Ezek 20:35-38), removing the rebellious elements and idolaters.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And I will bring you out... and will gather you out...": These parallel expressions highlight a twofold divine action: separation (bringing out from) and aggregation (gathering out of). It's an undoing of their scattered state, indicating an intentional act of restoration after divine dispersion due to sin. This action fundamentally reshapes their identity and destiny.
• "with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm...": These paired terms collectively signify God's invincible power and direct, sovereign intervention. This is a foundational covenantal phrase, invoking the historical precedent of the Exodus and guaranteeing the efficacy of God's present and future redemptive acts. The display of such power will be undeniable to both Israel and the nations.
• "and with fury poured out": This phrase dramatically qualifies the preceding expressions of power and gathering. The divine "fury" ensures that the reunion is not a mere return to past rebellion but a thorough spiritual cleansing. This indicates that God's powerful restoration involves confrontation with Israel's ingrained idolatry, necessitating a purging judgment that leads to true repentance and sanctification. It assures that this 'New Exodus' will resolve the issue of their rebellious heart.

Ezekiel 20 34 Bonus section

This verse foreshadows an eschatological gathering of Israel that goes beyond the immediate Babylonian return. The language used, particularly the "mighty hand and stretched out arm," consciously echoes the first Exodus, implying that this future event will be an even more significant, widespread, and definitive act of redemption. The inclusion of "fury poured out" introduces a paradoxical element: God's salvation is simultaneously an act of judgment and purification, highlighting His absolute holiness and His commitment to covenant enforcement. This divine "fury" should not be seen as a fit of uncontrollable rage, but as righteous indignation against sin, leading to a just and necessary spiritual refining of His people before their full restoration and the establishment of a renewed covenant (Ezek 36:26-27). This process aims to root out rebellion and produce a truly devoted people.

Ezekiel 20 34 Commentary

Ezekiel 20:34 stands as a profound declaration of God's sovereign intent to restore Israel. It paints a picture of a forceful, divinely-driven "New Exodus," bringing His scattered people back to their land. Unlike the first Exodus where "mighty hand and stretched out arm" signified deliverance from oppressors to the promised land, here it means being brought out from other peoples. The crucial distinction lies in "fury poured out," emphasizing that this regathering is not simply an act of tender mercy, but an intense, righteous divine judgment directed towards His unholy people within the very process of their salvation. This "fury" will be utilized by God to cleanse, purge, and refine Israel, ensuring that the restored community is one committed to Him alone, having had their rebellion confronted and dealt with through His intense, purifying action. This powerful and decisive gathering, accompanied by judgment, guarantees the fulfillment of God's ultimate purpose for Israel's holiness and His own glory.