Ezekiel 20:39 kjv
As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD; Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me: but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols.
Ezekiel 20:39 nkjv
"As for you, O house of Israel," thus says the Lord GOD: "Go, serve every one of you his idols?and hereafter?if you will not obey Me; but profane My holy name no more with your gifts and your idols.
Ezekiel 20:39 niv
"?'As for you, people of Israel, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Go and serve your idols, every one of you! But afterward you will surely listen to me and no longer profane my holy name with your gifts and idols.
Ezekiel 20:39 esv
"As for you, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord GOD: Go serve every one of you his idols, now and hereafter, if you will not listen to me; but my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts and your idols.
Ezekiel 20:39 nlt
"As for you, O people of Israel, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Go right ahead and worship your idols, but sooner or later you will obey me and will stop bringing shame on my holy name by worshiping idols.
Ezekiel 20 39 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 20:41 | I will accept you with your pleasing aroma when I bring you out from the peoples | Ezekiel's prophecy of future restoration |
| Jeremiah 31:31-34 | Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel | New Covenant Promise |
| Isaiah 11:11-12 | Then the Lord will extend his hand a second time to recover the remnant of his people | Gathering of scattered Israel |
| Jeremiah 29:13-14 | You will seek me and find me, when you search for me with all your heart | Promise of seeking and finding God |
| Romans 11:26 | And in this way all Israel will be saved | Gentiles and Israel's salvation |
| Acts 3:21 | Whom heaven must hold until the time of restoration of all things | Christ's heavenly reign until restoration |
| John 4:23-24 | True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such are the ones the Father seeks | Spiritual worship, inward purity |
| Philippians 3:3 | For we are the true circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus | True spiritual circumcision |
| Hebrews 8:8-12 | For he finds fault with them when he says: “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant | The New Covenant is superior |
| Ezekiel 11:17-20 | I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you from the countries and bring you into your own land | God's promise to gather and restore Israel |
| Deuteronomy 30:3 | Then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples | Moses' prophecy of future restoration |
| Amos 9:13-15 | Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when the plowman shall overtake the reaper | Promise of abundant blessing and permanent dwelling |
| Zephaniah 3:19-20 | Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame | God's future cleansing and restoration |
| Hosea 1:10-11 | Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured | Multiplicity of Israel's future restoration |
| Joel 2:28-29 | And afterward I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh | Outpouring of the Spirit on all people |
| Matthew 13:43 | Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father | The righteous shining in the Kingdom |
| 1 Peter 1:15-16 | but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct | Call to holiness |
| 1 John 1:9 | If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness | Forgiveness and cleansing through confession |
| Revelation 21:3-4 | He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God | God dwelling with His people in new creation |
| Revelation 7:9 | After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages | Multitude from all nations in heavenly vision |
Ezekiel 20 verses
Ezekiel 20 39 Meaning
For Israel, the house of Israel, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been dispersed among the nations, in that day the Lord declares that they will be gathered to their own land. They will be purified, becoming a pure nation again. God will judge them according to their past transgressions, removing all their impurities and idols. This signifies a complete cleansing and restoration of the people of Israel to God's favor and their ancestral homeland, ushering in a new covenant relationship.
Ezekiel 20 39 Context
Ezekiel 20 continues God's discourse with the elders of Israel, addressing their unfaithfulness and rebellion. The chapter recounts Israel's history, highlighting their persistent idolatry and disobedience in Egypt, the wilderness, and the promised land. God expresses His anger and frustration but also reiterates His faithfulness and commitment to His covenant. The entire chapter is set against the backdrop of the Babylonian exile, with the exiles in Jerusalem looking to Ezekiel for answers and hope. This particular verse, Ezekiel 20:39, marks a turning point in the chapter, shifting from condemnation to a message of future restoration and cleansing for the faithful remnant of Israel. It offers a beacon of hope amidst their suffering and disappointment, assuring them of God's ultimate redemptive plan.
Ezekiel 20 39 Word Analysis
- "For": Introduces a conclusion or consequence stemming from the previous pronouncements.
- "Israel": Refers to the entire nation of Israel, the people chosen by God.
- "the house of Israel": Emphasizes the familial and covenantal relationship of the people.
- "and for": Continues the enumeration of groups to whom the promise applies.
- "the house of Israel": A repetition reinforcing the national aspect of the restoration.
- "which have been scattered": Describes the dispersion of the people, a consequence of their disobedience and a condition for their future ingathering.
- "among the nations": Identifies the place of their scattering, highlighting their alienation from their land and covenant community.
- "in which you are scattered": Direct address, making the message personal and relevant to the exiles.
- "there": Refers to the location where this purification and gathering will occur, likely the land of Israel.
- "will I": Divine declaration of future action, emphasizing God's initiative in the process.
- "be purified": A key term (Hebrew: dq' -- dāq) indicating thorough cleansing from sin, idolatry, and defilement.
- "by me": Stresses that the purification is God's direct work, not a human endeavor.
- "from": Indicates the source from which they will be cleansed.
- "all": Comprehensiveness of the purification, leaving no trace of uncleanness.
- "your": Possessive pronoun, linking the impurities to the people of Israel.
- "your": Possessive pronoun, linking the idols to the people of Israel.
- "iniquities": Refers to their sins and transgressions, their unrighteous acts.
- "and idols": Specifically names the objects of their false worship and the basis of their spiritual corruption.
Words Group Analysis
- "For Israel, the house of Israel, and for the house of Israel, which have been scattered among the nations": This repeated designation signifies the totality of the chosen people, emphasizing both the collective national identity ("Israel," "house of Israel") and their current state of dispersion due to their sins, reinforcing that God's plan encompasses all His scattered people.
- "in which you are scattered, there will I be purified": This phrase links their geographical dispersion ("scattered among the nations") directly to the locus of their spiritual purification ("there will I be purified"), suggesting that God's purifying work will be manifest in the land of their restoration.
- "by me from all your iniquities and from all your idols": This emphasizes the exclusive divine agency in the cleansing process. "Iniquities" speaks to their moral corruption, while "idols" points to their spiritual rebellion. The word "all" signifies a complete and total removal of all sin and idolatrous attachments.
Ezekiel 20 39 Bonus Section
The concept of "purification" here goes beyond mere ceremonial cleansing; it implies a radical transformation of heart and mind, aligning with the New Testament teaching on spiritual regeneration. The scattered state mentioned is a consistent theme throughout prophetic literature, signaling the consequences of covenantal breaking, yet also serving as a precondition for a more profound ingathering. The thoroughness implied by "all your iniquities and from all your idols" speaks to God's comprehensive salvific work. This verse can be understood as a foundational prophecy anticipating the spiritual cleansing provided by the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who washes away sins and liberates believers from spiritual bondage. The promise echoes in the New Testament's emphasis on the new birth and transformation of believers into a holy people.
Ezekiel 20 39 Commentary
This verse promises a future cleansing and ingathering for Israel. Despite their widespread dispersion and pervasive sins, God declares He will gather them back to their land and thoroughly purify them. This purification involves removing both their moral corruptions ("iniquities") and their forbidden practices of idolatry ("idols"). This future work of God signifies a complete break from their past rebellions and the establishment of a renewed relationship. The mention of being "purified by me" highlights God's active and direct role in this salvific process, pointing towards a supernatural intervention that restores His people to Himself. It foreshadows the spiritual cleansing accomplished through Christ's sacrifice and the new covenant, where believers are cleansed from sin by the Spirit and no longer held captive by idols.