Ezekiel 36:19 kjv
And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them.
Ezekiel 36:19 nkjv
So I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed throughout the countries; I judged them according to their ways and their deeds.
Ezekiel 36:19 niv
I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered through the countries; I judged them according to their conduct and their actions.
Ezekiel 36:19 esv
I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries. In accordance with their ways and their deeds I judged them.
Ezekiel 36:19 nlt
I scattered them to many lands to punish them for the evil way they had lived.
Ezekiel 36 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 36:19 | "I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries; I judged them according to their conduct and their actions." | Eze 36:19 |
| Leviticus 26:33 | "I will scatter you among the nations and will draw a sword after you. Your land will be ruined and your cities will lie desolate." | Lev 26:33 (Similar scattering) |
| Deuteronomy 4:27 | "The Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the Lord will drive you." | Deut 4:27 (Scattering foreseen) |
| Deuteronomy 28:64 | "Then the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other..." | Deut 28:64 (Scattering foretold) |
| Jeremiah 29:18 | "I will pursue them with sword, famine and plague. I will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth and will curse them and make them an object of horror and ever, and an object of scorn and ever, among all the nations to which I have driven them." | Jer 29:18 (Scattered and abhorred) |
| Psalms 44:11 | "You gave us up to be devoured like sheep and scattered us among the nations." | Ps 44:11 (Scattering by God) |
| Isaiah 1:4 | "Woe to the sinful nation, a people laden with guilt, offspring of evildoers, children who are corrupt! They have forsaken the Lord; they have scorned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him." | Isa 1:4 (Israel's sin leading to judgment) |
| Romans 2:24 | "As Paul quotes Isaiah, 'God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.'" | Rom 2:24 (Reputation tarnished) |
| Revelation 18:5 | "For her sins have piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities." | Rev 18:5 (God remembers sin) |
| 2 Kings 17:18 | "So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence. None was left but the tribe of Judah alone." | 2 Kin 17:18 (Removal due to sin) |
| Nehemiah 9:33 | "But you were just in all that has happened to us, for you have been faithful; we have been wicked." | Neh 9:33 (Acknowledging God's justice) |
| Psalm 106:41 | "He gave them into the hands of the nations, and their foes ruled over them." | Ps 106:41 (Given to enemies) |
| Hosea 4:6 | "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge." | Hos 4:6 (Consequence of ignorance) |
| Amos 3:2 | "‘Only I have known all the families of the earth; You alone have I chosen from all the families of the earth; Therefore I will punish you for all your wickedness.’" | Amos 3:2 (Special knowledge, special punishment) |
| Isaiah 10:5 | "Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger, in whose hand is the club of my rage!" | Isa 10:5 (Nations used as instruments of judgment) |
| Ezekiel 36:18 | "I poured out my wrath on them because of the blood they shed in the land and because they defiled it with their idols." | Eze 36:18 (Reason for wrath) |
| Isaiah 6:9-10 | "He said, “Go and tell this people, ‘ “ ‘Keep listening, but do not perceive; Keep looking, but do not understand.’ ”" | Isa 6:9-10 (Spiritual blindness) |
| Matthew 13:14-15 | "‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding, ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes..." | Matt 13:14-15 (Fulfillment of Isaiah) |
| John 12:40 | "For Isaiah said, ‘He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn so that I may heal them.’" | John 12:40 (Recounting Isaiah's prophecy) |
| 1 Corinthians 10:20 | "No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be partners with demons." | 1 Cor 10:20 (Worship of false gods is demonic) |
| Isaiah 40:19-20 | "What god is like the Lord our God?... Their gods are silver and gold, the works of human hands." | Isa 40:19-20 (Comparison of God to idols) |
| Jeremiah 10:11 | "Thus you shall say to them, ‘The gods who have not made the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens.’ " | Jer 10:11 (God's power over idols) |
Ezekiel 36 verses
Ezekiel 36 19 Meaning
This verse describes a specific consequence of Israel's scattering among the nations: their gods being accepted and worshipped by their captors. It highlights the shame brought upon Israel because their idols proved powerless to save them, while the nations continued their idolatrous practices.
Ezekiel 36 19 Context
This verse is part of Ezekiel's prophecy addressing the future restoration of Israel. Chapters 36-39 focus on God's judgment upon Israel's enemies and His renewed covenant relationship with His people, the regathering of the scattered nation, and the promise of a new spiritual life. Specifically, chapter 36 contrasts the shame of Israel's past scattering and idolatry with the glory that God will bring to His name through their future restoration. Verse 19 directly addresses the historical scattering and its implications.
Ezekiel 36 19 Word Analysis
- וָאֱפִיצֵם (va'efitsem) - "and I scattered them." This is a Qal perfect, 1st person common singular verb from the root פּוּץ (putz), meaning to scatter, disperse, or spread abroad. It signifies God's active role in the exile.
- בַּגּוֹיִם (bagoyim) - "among the nations." GOY (גּוֹי) refers to a nation or people, often used for gentiles or non-Israelites. The scattering was among these nations.
- וְהִפַצּוּ (ve'hifatsū) - "and they were dispersed." This is a Piel perfect, 3rd person common plural verb from the same root פּוּץ (putz). It indicates the result of being scattered.
- בָּאֲרָצוֹת (ba'aratsot) - "through the countries." ARTZ (אֶרֶץ) means land, earth, or country.
- וַאֲשֶׁפְּטֵם (va'ashpetem) - "and I judged them." This is a Qal perfect, 1st person common singular verb from the root שָׁפַט (shapat), meaning to judge, govern, or administer justice.
- כְּדַרְכָּם (kedarkam) - "according to their conduct." DARKA (דֶּרֶךְ) means way, path, or conduct.
- וּכְמַעַלְלֵיהֶם (ukhma'ale'lehem) - "and their actions." MA'ALAL (מַעֲלָל) refers to an action, deed, or doing, often with a moral implication.
Words-Group Analysis
- "I scattered them among the nations and they were dispersed through the countries": This phrase emphasizes God's sovereign hand in the historical exile of Israel. It wasn't an accidental occurrence but a direct consequence of their sin, carried out by God's decree. The scattering implies not just physical displacement but also a loss of national identity and a separation from God's presence in the promised land.
- "I judged them according to their conduct and their actions": This part highlights the principle of divine justice. God's judgment is not arbitrary; it is proportional to their sinful behavior, their ways, and their deeds. Their idols and their participation in idolatry were central to their disobedience.
Ezekiel 36 19 Bonus Section
The scattering of Israel described here is a fulfillment of prophecies found in the Torah (Leviticus 26, Deuteronomy 28). This exile was not meant to be eternal but served a remedial purpose: to bring them to repentance and to preserve a remnant. The experience of being scattered also served to teach them about the futility of idols, a theme powerfully addressed throughout the prophetic literature. The ultimate fulfillment of God "judging them according to their conduct" in their scattering was experienced through the Babylonian exile and subsequent historical dispersions, all leading to a greater understanding of God's character and their need for Him. The future ingathering and spiritual renewal prophesied in the following verses of Ezekiel 36 points to a future restoration in Christ, where God truly deals with the "conduct and actions" by forgiving sins and giving a new spirit.
Ezekiel 36 19 Commentary
Ezekiel 36:19 reveals a core aspect of God's justice in dealing with His covenant people. Their scattering was not simply an act of punishment, but a consequence of their sinful path, particularly their engagement with idolatry. The scattering meant they were mixed with foreign populations and their gods. The nations who took them captive saw no power in Israel's God to protect them, and likely saw their own idols as more effective. This situation brought reproach upon the name of Yahweh, as the surrounding nations would question the might of Israel's God. This verse is a stark reminder that spiritual unfaithfulness has tangible and shameful consequences, leading to loss of divine favor and a tarnished reputation. However, it also sets the stage for God's future work of restoration, where His name will be hallowed among all nations, precisely because He will gather His people and revive them.