Ezekiel 20 5

Ezekiel 20:5 kjv

And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up mine hand unto them, saying, I am the LORD your God;

Ezekiel 20:5 nkjv

"Say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "On the day when I chose Israel and raised My hand in an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, I raised My hand in an oath to them, saying, 'I am the LORD your God.'

Ezekiel 20:5 niv

and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: On the day I chose Israel, I swore with uplifted hand to the descendants of Jacob and revealed myself to them in Egypt. With uplifted hand I said to them, "I am the LORD your God."

Ezekiel 20:5 esv

and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: On the day when I chose Israel, I swore to the offspring of the house of Jacob, making myself known to them in the land of Egypt; I swore to them, saying, I am the LORD your God.

Ezekiel 20:5 nlt

Give them this message from the Sovereign LORD: When I chose Israel ? when I revealed myself to the descendants of Jacob in Egypt ? I took a solemn oath that I, the LORD, would be their God.

Ezekiel 20 verses

Ezekiel 20 5 Meaning

Ezekiel 20:5 encapsulates God's foundational, unmerited act of electing and covenanting with Israel while they were still in Egypt. It emphasizes His sovereign choice and self-revelation, preceding any obedience from their part. This verse establishes the premise of God's enduring commitment and the historical bedrock of His relationship with His people, even in the face of their consistent rebellion, which forms the core of Ezekiel chapter 20's rebuke.

Ezekiel 20 5 Context

Ezekiel 20 presents a scathing divine indictment against the elders of Israel who sought to inquire of the Lord. The chapter opens with their request to the prophet, which God immediately refuses (v. 3). Instead of providing a fresh oracle, God commands Ezekiel to confront them with the sordid history of Israel's rebellion. This refusal is a polemic against their presumption that they could approach God for guidance while harboring idolatry in their hearts, effectively treating Him like an idol from whom they could extract information.

Verse 5 initiates this historical retrospective, emphasizing that God's covenant with Israel began with His gracious initiative in Egypt, before they had done anything to deserve it. This context highlights God's unyielding faithfulness contrasting sharply with Israel's chronic faithlessness, dating back to their formative period. The entire chapter functions as a reminder of God's past actions and promises, laying bare the profound ingratitude and hypocrisy of the generation addressed by Ezekiel in exile.

Ezekiel 20 5 Word analysis

• and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD:' This formula signifies an authoritative divine utterance, distinguishing prophetic speech from human opinion. The message originates directly from the sovereign Creator, Adonai Yahweh.
• On the day when I chose Israel,
  • "chose": (Hebrew: בָּחַר - bakhar). Implies selection, discernment, or special preference. It denotes a deliberate, sovereign act by God, not based on Israel's merit or number (Deut 7:7). This election is an act of grace and love, setting Israel apart from other nations. Its significance is the initiative rests entirely with God.
  • "Israel": Represents the collective people descended from Jacob. At this early stage in Egypt, they were an enslaved ethnic group, not yet a nation or a fully formed religious entity, highlighting the extraordinary nature of God's unprovoked choice.
• I swore to the offspring of the house of Jacob,
  • "swore": (Hebrew: נִשְׁבַּע - nishba). This term signifies the making of an oath, often by invoking a higher power or by oneself if one is the highest authority. Here, God, being supreme, swears by Himself, emphasizing the unbreakable and immutable nature of His commitment (Heb 6:13). It represents the covenant obligation God willingly placed upon Himself.
  • "offspring of the house of Jacob": This phrase refers to the descendants of the patriarch Jacob, underscoring the genealogical continuity and the foundational covenant made with the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) that predated their sojourn in Egypt. This is a crucial link between ancestral promises and national election.
• making Myself known to them in the land of Egypt
  • "making Myself known": (Hebrew: וָאֵוָּדַע - va'evada). The verb form suggests God's active, intentional revelation of His person and power. It's not passive recognition but an undeniable, self-manifestation. This includes the revelation of His name YHVH (Exo 3:14-15; 6:3) and His mighty acts in judging Egypt. The act of "knowing" implies entering into relationship.
  • "in the land of Egypt": The geographical and historical specificity is vital. This foundational revelation occurred in a land of oppression, bondage, and widespread polytheism, demonstrating God's unique power and faithfulness to rescue His people from pagan darkness.
• and swearing to them, saying, "I am the LORD your God."
  • "swearing to them": Reinforces the solemn, binding nature of the divine commitment. This oath establishes the covenant relationship formally.
  • "I am the LORD your God": (Hebrew: אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - Ani YHVH Eloheichem). This is the quintessential covenant formula, declaring divine ownership and personal relationship.
    • "I am": Emphasizes God's sovereign existence and identity (Exo 3:14).
    • "the LORD": (YHVH, the tetragrammaton). Represents God's personal, covenant name, revealing His active, unchanging, and redemptive nature.
    • "your God": Signifies exclusive ownership and loyalty expected from the covenant people. It is a declaration of the exclusive covenant bond, meaning Israel should worship Him alone and none other. This direct link between deliverance from Egypt and this declaration forms the basis of the Ten Commandments (Exo 20:2).

Ezekiel 20 5 Bonus section

The historical account in Ezekiel 20:5-44 is structured to reveal a repeating pattern: God's grace and initiative are consistently met with Israel's rebellion and idolatry. This opening verse is vital because it establishes the baseline of divine fidelity from which all subsequent infractions are measured. The polemic is direct: the elders, like their forefathers, fail to remember or properly acknowledge God's saving acts, thus seeking counsel from the very God they continually offend. This historical prologue serves to invalidate their right to seek His guidance in their current apostasy, illustrating God's patience tempered by righteous anger and commitment to His covenant.

Ezekiel 20 5 Commentary

Ezekiel 20:5 is a critical summary of Israel's foundational origins, presenting God's unilateral grace as the starting point of their nationhood. In this verse, God recounts His sovereign election of Israel, initiated by a divine oath while they were in Egyptian servitude. This choice was not earned but proceeded from God's intrinsic love and purpose (Deut 7:6-8). His "making Myself known" to them in Egypt signifies a dramatic self-revelation of His power and identity, particularly through His covenant name, YHVH, in stark contrast to the impotent gods of Egypt. The declaration, "I am the LORD your God," establishes the exclusive, covenantal relationship and defines Israel's unique status as God's chosen people, demanding their exclusive worship and obedience. This act in Egypt laid the groundwork for the Law, foreshadowing a relationship built on God's initiative rather than human merit, setting the stage for all subsequent divine interactions with Israel and exposing the depth of their rebellion throughout their history.