Ezekiel 20 8

Ezekiel 20:8 kjv

But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

Ezekiel 20:8 nkjv

But they rebelled against Me and would not obey Me. They did not all cast away the abominations which were before their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said, 'I will pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.'

Ezekiel 20:8 niv

"?'But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me; they did not get rid of the vile images they had set their eyes on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in Egypt.

Ezekiel 20:8 esv

But they rebelled against me and were not willing to listen to me. None of them cast away the detestable things their eyes feasted on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. "Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

Ezekiel 20:8 nlt

"But they rebelled against me and would not listen. They did not get rid of the vile images they were obsessed with, or forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I threatened to pour out my fury on them to satisfy my anger while they were still in Egypt.

Ezekiel 20 verses

Ezekiel 20 8 Meaning

The verse signifies God's disappointment and judgment upon the Israelites for their rebellion. Despite being delivered from Egyptian bondage, they did not fully obey His statutes or uphold His covenant. God "cast them away" (Hebrew: shamamti otam), signifying abandonment and perhaps leading to exile. The action taken by the Israelites in Egypt—defiling themselves with idols and disobeying—prompted God to begin His judgment.

Ezekiel 20 8 Context

Ezekiel 20 is a critical chapter where God reviews the history of Israel's disobedience with Ezekiel. The prophet is commissioned to remind the elders of Israel of their ancestors' continuous rebellion. Verse 8 specifically refers to the Israelites' initial acts of defiance while still in Egypt and immediately after their exodus. God recounts their persistent idolatry and failure to obey His commands, which led to His initial judgment and abandonment of them in the wilderness. The chapter serves as a preamble to explaining the reasons for the current exile of Judah, emphasizing that their sin was not a new phenomenon but a deeply ingrained pattern.

Ezekiel 20 8 Word Analysis

• And (וְ) (vav): A common conjunction linking clauses or ideas, here connecting the people's action to God's reaction.
• they did not (לֹא) (lo): A negative particle indicating absence or negation of action.
• listen (שָׁמְעוּ) (shamo'u): From the root shama, meaning to hear, to listen, to obey. It implies active heeding and submission.
• unto me (אֵלַי) (elai): Preposition "el" (to, towards) with the first person singular suffix ("me").
• so I (וַאֲנִי) (va'ani): Conjunction "vav" followed by the pronoun "ani" (I), emphasizing God's personal response.
• cast them away (שָׁמַמְתִּי אוֹתָם) (shamamti otam): "Shamamti" is from the root shamam, which can mean to be astonished, devastated, desolate, or to put to shame, reject, abhor. The context here suggests a decisive act of rejection and abandonment, setting them apart from His favor. "Otam" is the third person plural direct object suffix ("them").
• in (בְּ) (bə): Preposition indicating location or circumstance.
• the land (אֶרֶץ) (eretz): Earth, land, country. Here, specifically referring to Egypt.
• of Egypt (מִצְרָיִם) (Mitzrayim): Egypt.
• that (אֲשֶׁר) (asher): A relative pronoun introducing a subordinate clause.
• I might (אֶתֵּן) (etten): Future tense, first person singular of nathan, to give. Here, "that I might give them."
• them (לָהֶם) (lahem): Third person plural indirect object pronoun ("to them").
• and I (וַאֲנִי) (va'ani): Conjunction "vav" followed by the pronoun "ani" (I).
• cast them away (שָׁמַמְתִּי אוֹתָם) (shamamti otam): Repeated phrase reinforcing the consequence of their actions.
• word group analysis: The repetition of "I cast them away" highlights the direct causality between Israel's disobedience and God's judgmental action. The use of shama for "listen" and shamam (related root) for "cast away" creates a nuanced semantic link: their failure to hear and obey led to them being put to shame or abandoned.

Ezekiel 20 8 Bonus Section

The historical context emphasizes that the rebellion began not in the wilderness wanderings, but while they were still in Egypt. This suggests a deeply ingrained pattern of paganism and defiance against God from the outset. The repeated phrase "I cast them away" signifies God's righteous response to their continuous "stubbornness of neck" (Deuteronomy 9:7), a theme explored throughout the Old Testament and alluded to in the New Testament's warnings against unbelief and apostasy. This foundational disobedience sets the stage for understanding the full scope of God's judgment later pronounced in Ezekiel.

Ezekiel 20 8 Commentary

This verse underscores God's justice and the gravity of disobedience. Israel’s history is marked by a recurrent cycle of rebellion and divine discipline. Even the foundational event of liberation from Egypt was marred by their impurity and refusal to obey God’s word. This disobedience elicited a strong response from God, not one of indifference, but a decisive act of separation and rejection. The Hebrew verb translated as "cast them away" (shamamti) carries a sense of utter ruin or abandonment, setting them apart to face consequences. It speaks to God’s holiness and His intolerance for willful sin, particularly idolatry, which is seen as a spiritual adultery against Him.