Ezekiel 20 35

Ezekiel 20:35 kjv

And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.

Ezekiel 20:35 nkjv

And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will plead My case with you face to face.

Ezekiel 20:35 niv

I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations and there, face to face, I will execute judgment upon you.

Ezekiel 20:35 esv

And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face.

Ezekiel 20:35 nlt

I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, and there I will judge you face to face.

Ezekiel 20 verses

Ezekiel 20 35 Meaning

This verse declares Yahweh's decisive and intentional action to gather the rebellious house of Israel, not to the Promised Land directly, but into a spiritual "wilderness of the peoples"—a metaphor for their exile and dispersion among the Gentile nations. There, He will personally and without mediator, conduct a direct judgment or legal proceeding with them. This process signifies a profound, unescapable divine confrontation intended for purification and the distinction of the faithful, rather than outright destruction, as a precursor to eventual restoration.

Ezekiel 20 35 Context

Ezekiel 20 presents a scathing indictment of Israel's relentless history of idolatry and rebellion, beginning from their time in Egypt, continuing through the wilderness wanderings, and into their subsequent life in the land. The chapter is an oracle delivered to the elders of Israel who inquire of the Lord. God explicitly refuses to be consulted by them, listing their persistent disobedience as the reason for His judgment and present exile. He reaffirms His covenant yet declares that He acts not for their sake, but to "redeem His holy name" (Ezek 20:9, 14, 22) which they had profaned among the nations. The verse 35 falls within a section (Ezek 20:33-44) where God outlines a future "second exodus" for Israel, not of liberation directly, but of gathering them into a severe, purifying judgment process among the nations before eventually bringing a remnant back to the land in genuine repentance. Historically, the audience—the exiles in Babylon—would be deeply familiar with the Exodus narrative and the wilderness wanderings, making the imagery of a "wilderness of the peoples" particularly poignant and terrifying, yet holding a latent promise of new beginnings for a purified remnant. This serves as a polemic against any notion that their current suffering was unjust or that God was impotent to intervene; rather, it highlights His sovereignty and justice.

Ezekiel 20 35 Word analysis

• And I will bring (וְהֵבֵאתִי - vəheve'tî): The "וְ" (and/but) connects it to previous verses of divine resolve. "הֵבֵאתִי" (he'be'tî) is a Hiphil perfect 1st person singular verb, emphasizing Yahweh as the active subject, the sole initiator of this action. It implies a forceful, intentional leading, not an accidental wandering.
• you (אֶתְכֶם - etchem): Second person plural, directly addressing the collective "house of Israel" as a covenant entity, responsible for their historical and current actions.
• into the wilderness (אֶל־מִדְבַּר - el-midbar): "אֶל" (el) indicates direction "to/into." "מִדְבַּר" (midbar) signifies a desolate, uncultivated region. It powerfully evokes the forty-year wilderness sojourn after the Exodus. In biblical thought, the wilderness is not merely a place of punishment but a crucible for purification, a place of direct encounter with God, testing, revelation, and where idolatry could be shed (Hos 2:14-15). It's where God proved and provided for His people, yet also where they rebelled and faced judgment.
• of the peoples (הָעַמִּים - ha'ammim): "הָעַמִּים" (ha'ammim) means "the peoples" or "the nations," implying Gentile nations. This is a critical distinction from the first Mosaic wilderness. This new "wilderness" is not an uninhabited desert but a condition of dispersion, exposure, and trial among the Gentile nations, indicating the chaotic and corrupting influence of the foreign world upon the scattered Israelites (Lev 26:33). It is the exile itself, characterized by insecurity, hardship, and distance from the Temple and land.
• and there (וְשָׁם - vəsham): The "וְ" (and/but) continues the divine action. "שָׁם" (sham) specifies the location—this "wilderness of the peoples"—as the exact place where the subsequent judgment will occur.
• I will enter into judgment (וְנִשְׁפַּטְתִּי - vənishpaṭṭî): "נִשְׁפַּטְתִּי" (nishpaṭṭî) is a Niphal perfect 1st person singular from the verb "שָׁפַט" (shafat), meaning "to judge, contend, govern, administer justice." While Niphal can be passive or reflexive, here, in a declarative prophetic context, it signals a strong, deliberate, and direct action by God to conduct a formal, judicial process. It's a "covenant lawsuit" (a "Rib" trial) where God acts as judge and prosecutor against His people for breaching the covenant. It is a righteous reckoning, not arbitrary vengeance.
• with you (אִתְכֶם - itchem): Emphasizes direct confrontation, a personal interaction in the legal proceedings between Yahweh and His people, removing any intermediaries.
• face to face (פָּנִים אֶל־פָּנִים - panim el-panim): An idiomatic phrase meaning direct, unmediated confrontation. In Exod 33:11 and Deut 5:4, it describes the unique intimacy between God and Moses or Israel at Sinai. Here, however, it's repurposed to describe a direct, unescapable judicial encounter. It signifies that Israel's actions and motives will be fully exposed, and God's justice will be undeniably manifest to all. This makes the judgment intensely personal, visible, and comprehensive.

• "wilderness of the peoples": This phrase masterfully contrasts the past and future. The first wilderness experience was one where God provided and taught His laws; this "wilderness of the peoples" signifies the exilic state among foreign nations. It implies a place of moral decay and spiritual danger, but also a sovereignly ordained crucible for refining and spiritual formation. Unlike the barren physical wilderness, this "wilderness" is full of people who lead Israel further astray or, more likely, signify the disorientation and suffering experienced by a dispersed people.
• "I will enter into judgment with you face to face": This powerful pairing highlights the personal and severe nature of the coming divine confrontation. It underscores that God Himself will personally oversee this judgment, stripping away all excuses and pretenses. It evokes the image of a king presiding over a legal case directly, allowing for no escape or intercession. This judgment, though harsh, is fundamentally corrective and for the sake of His covenant and holy name.

Ezekiel 20 35 Bonus section

The concept of the "wilderness of the peoples" marks a significant typological parallel and contrast to the first Exodus wilderness. While the Exodus wilderness separated Israel from Egypt to covenant with Yahweh, this new wilderness finds them dispersed among nations. It symbolizes a period of disorientation and trial intended to purge syncretism and idolatry developed while living in the land and now exacerbated in exile. This divine "trial by wilderness" is a prelude to a future regathering and a new covenant (Ezek 36:24-28; 37:26-27), distinguishing a true remnant who will genuinely seek Yahweh. The "face to face" judgment redefines intimacy with God—from the closeness of a friend (Moses) or covenant partner (Sinai) to the intensity of an unwavering Judge. It emphasizes that no sin or rebellion will escape His direct scrutiny and righteous resolution.

Ezekiel 20 35 Commentary

Ezekiel 20:35 unveils a profound aspect of God's redemptive plan for Israel: a covenant lawsuit, a divine trial set within the dispersion among the nations. God is not merely punishing but actively engaging His people in a legal dispute, bringing them into a metaphorical "wilderness of the peoples" (exile) to refine and restore them. This direct, "face to face" judgment signifies an unmediated, undeniable confrontation where God, as Judge, will separate the righteous from the rebellious, purifying a remnant. This severe process, echoing the trials of the first wilderness sojourn, serves to cleanse Israel from idolatry and rebellion, ensuring that those who remain will truly worship and serve Him, fulfilling His purpose and upholding the sanctity of His Name among the nations. It is a demonstration of His unwavering justice and faithfulness to His covenant, even in His judgment.