Ezekiel 39:23 kjv
And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword.
Ezekiel 39:23 nkjv
The Gentiles shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity; because they were unfaithful to Me, therefore I hid My face from them. I gave them into the hand of their enemies, and they all fell by the sword.
Ezekiel 39:23 niv
And the nations will know that the people of Israel went into exile for their sin, because they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies, and they all fell by the sword.
Ezekiel 39:23 esv
And the nations shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity, because they dealt so treacherously with me that I hid my face from them and gave them into the hand of their adversaries, and they all fell by the sword.
Ezekiel 39:23 nlt
The nations will then know why Israel was sent away to exile ? it was punishment for sin, for they were unfaithful to their God. Therefore, I turned away from them and let their enemies destroy them.
Ezekiel 39 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezek 39:23 | So the nations shall know that the house of Israel went into exile for their iniquity | Isa 43:14-15, Jer 17:3-4 |
| Ezek 39:24 | because they were unfaithful to me; so I hid my face from them | Deut 31:17, Ps 27:9 |
| Ezek 39:24 | and gave them into the hand of their enemies, and they all fell by the sword. | Deut 28:25, Lev 26:17 |
| Ezek 39:25 | Nevertheless, thus says the Lord GOD: "I will now restore the fortunes of Jacob | Jer 29:14, Jer 30:3, Zech 10:6 |
| Ezek 39:25 | and have mercy on the whole house of Israel, and I will be jealous for my holy name. | Ex 20:5, Isa 26:8 |
| Ezek 39:26 | they will forget their shame and all the treachery they have practiced against me. | Jer 31:34, Mic 7:19 |
| Ezek 39:27 | when I bring them back from the peoples and gather them from the lands of their enemies | Isa 11:12, Jer 23:3 |
| Ezek 39:27 | and make them holy in the sight of many nations. | Lev 10:3, Ezek 20:41 |
| Ezek 39:28 | They shall know that I am the LORD their God, that after they were among the nations | Ps 46:10, Zech 8:23 |
| Ezek 39:28 | I gathered them into their own land, and left none of them there any longer. | Isa 56:8, Amos 9:15 |
| Ezek 39:29 | I will not hide my face anymore from them, for I shall have poured out my Spirit | Joel 2:28-29, Acts 2:17-18 |
| Ezek 39:29 | upon the house of Israel, declares the Lord GOD." | John 3:34, Rom 8:9 |
| Isa 43:14 | Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: | Isa 41:14, Isa 60:16 |
| Isa 43:15 | I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King. | Ps 89:18, Isa 55:5 |
| Jer 17:3 | My mountain in the country, I will give to the field all its possessions | Jer 15:13 |
| Deut 31:17 | Then my anger will be kindled against them on that day, and I will forsake them. | Ps 10:11 |
| Ps 27:9 | Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been | Ps 69:17, Ps 102:2 |
| Deut 28:25 | the LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will go out against | Josh 23:8, 1 Sam 4:2 |
| Lev 26:17 | and I will set my face against you, and you shall be struck down before your enemies. | Deut 28:25, Neh 9:37 |
| Jer 29:14 | I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes | Jer 24:6, Jer 30:18 |
| Jer 30:3 | For behold, days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will restore the fortunes of | Jer 32:44, Jer 33:26 |
| Zech 10:6 | I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph. | Isa 11:13, Jer 50:4 |
| Ex 20:5 | you shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous | Deut 5:9, Ps 79:5 |
| Isa 26:8 | Yes, O LORD, in the way of your judgments, we wait for you; your name and remembrance | Isa 48:11, Ps 63:7 |
| Jer 31:34 | And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, | Heb 8:11 |
| Mic 7:19 | He will again have dominion over us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. | Mic 7:20, Ps 51:1-2 |
| Isa 11:12 | And he will raise a signal for the nations and will gather the exiles of Israel | Jer 16:15, John 11:52 |
| Jer 23:3 | I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries to which I have driven them, | Ps 147:2, Zech 10:8 |
| Lev 10:3 | "In those who come near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will | Ezek 20:41, Ezek 28:22 |
| Ezek 20:41 | As a pleasing aroma I will accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples | Rom 12:1, Eph 5:2 |
| Joel 2:28 | "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters | Acts 2:17-18, Gal 3:28 |
| Acts 2:17 | ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all | Joel 2:28-29 |
| John 3:34 | For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit | Matt 3:16, John 1:32 |
| Rom 8:9 | You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God | 1 Cor 3:16, Gal 5:25 |
| Isa 41:14 | Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares | Isa 43:14, Isa 44:2 |
| Ps 89:18 | For our shield belongs to the LORD, our horn to the Holy One of Israel. | Ps 132:17, Deut 33:17 |
| Jer 15:13 | "Your wealth and your treasures I will give as spoil to your enemies | Jer 17:3, Lam 1:10 |
| Ps 10:11 | He thinks, 'God has forgotten; he has hidden his face; he will never see it.' | Ps 44:24, Ps 77:9 |
| Ps 69:17 | Hide not your face from your servant, for I am in distress; answer me quickly! | Ps 86:16, Ps 119:169 |
| Josh 23:8 | but to cling to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day. | Deut 13:4, Josh 22:5 |
| Neh 9:37 | And the increase of it is great on the kings whom you set over us because of our | 2 Chr 12:8, Isa 10:1 |
| Jer 24:6 | Yes, I will set my eyes on them for good. I will bring them back to this land. | Jer 23:3, Jer 32:37 |
| Jer 32:44 | They will buy fields for money, and sign deeds and seal them, and take witnesses in | Jer 30:18, Neh 5:12 |
| Isa 56:8 | The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, "I will gather still | Jer 29:14, Amos 9:14 |
| Amos 9:15 | I will plant them on their own soil, and they shall never again be uprooted from the | Jer 24:6, Jer 30:10 |
| Gal 3:28 | There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, that there is | Col 3:11, Eph 2:14-16 |
| Col 3:11 | Here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, | Rom 10:12, 1 Cor 12:13 |
| Eph 2:14 | For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has broken down in his | Isa 57:19, Col 1:20 |
| 1 Cor 3:16 | Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? | 1 Cor 6:19, 2 Cor 6:16 |
| Gal 5:25 | If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. | Rom 8:4, Eph 5:18 |
| Isa 44:2 | "Fear not, O Jacob my servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen. | Isa 43:1, Isa 44:1 |
| Ps 132:17 | There I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my | 2 Sam 23:5, Ps 18:2 |
| 2 Sam 23:5 | For is not my house so with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, | 2 Sam 7:11-16, Ps 89:3-4 |
| Lam 1:10 | The adversary stretched out his hand to all her precious things; she saw the nations | Lam 2:2, Lam 4:1 |
| Ps 44:24 | awake; why do you sleep, O Lord? Rouse yourself! Do not cast us off forever! | Ps 7:6, Ps 35:23 |
| Ps 77:9 | Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion? Selah. | Ps 13:1, Ps 42:3 |
| Ps 86:16 | Turn to me and take pity on me; give your strength to your servant; save the son of | Ps 41:4, Ps 116:16 |
| Ps 119:169 | Let my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding according to your word! | Ps 50:15, Ps 94:18 |
| Deut 13:4 | it is the LORD your God whom you shall follow, and him you shall fear, and his | Deut 10:20, Josh 23:8 |
| 2 Chr 12:8 | But then they shall serve him and see how it is with my service and the service of | 2 Chr 11:4, 2 Chr 33:8 |
| Isa 10:1 | Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who write oppression, | Isa 3:5, Isa 9:9 |
| Jer 30:18 | Thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob, | Jer 29:14, Jer 32:44 |
| Jer 32:37 | I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me? | Gen 18:14, Zech 8:6 |
| Amos 9:14 | I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild ruined | Jer 29:5, Jer 30:18 |
| 1 Cor 12:13 | For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or | Gal 3:27, Col 3:11 |
| Col 1:20 | and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, | Eph 1:10, Col 2:13 |
| Eph 1:10 | as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and | Eph 2:2, Eph 3:15 |
| Eph 2:2 | in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince | Eph 5:8, 1 John 2:16 |
| Eph 3:15 | from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. | Eph 1:10, Eph 5:23 |
| Gal 3:27 | As many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. | Rom 6:3, Col 2:12 |
| Matt 3:16 | And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, | Mark 1:10, Luke 3:21 |
| Mark 1:10 | and when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being opened | Matt 3:16, John 1:32 |
| Luke 3:21 | Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized | Matt 3:15, Mark 1:9 |
| John 1:32 | And John bore witness: "I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it | Matt 3:16, Mark 1:10 |
| 1 Cor 6:19 | Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom | Ezek 37:27, 2 Cor 6:16 |
| 2 Cor 6:16 | What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the | 1 Cor 3:16, Eph 2:21 |
| Ezek 37:27 | My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be | Lev 26:12, 2 Cor 6:16 |
| Heb 8:11 | And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, | Jer 31:34, 1 John 2:27 |
| 1 John 2:27 | But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need | 1 John 2:20, 1 John 4:1 |
| 1 John 4:1 | Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from | 1 Cor 14:29, 1 Thess 5:20-21 |
| 1 Thess 5:20 | Do not despise prophecies, | 1 Cor 14:39 |
Ezekiel 39 verses
Ezekiel 39 23 Meaning
This verse proclaims that God's great acts of judgment against Gog and his allies were demonstrated publicly, resulting in Israel's recognition of God's holiness and power. This divine intervention served to sanctify God's name in the eyes of all nations.
Ezekiel 39 23 Context
This verse concludes the prophecy regarding the defeat of Gog and Magog. It shifts from describing God's judgment on the enemies of Israel to the restoration and sanctification of Israel itself. The preceding chapters detail a future catastrophic invasion of Israel by a massive confederation led by Gog. The destruction of this army will be so immense that it will take Israel seven months to bury the dead. The final defeat of Gog and his forces serves as a clear demonstration of God's power and faithfulness to His people.
The immediate context is the aftermath of this divine victory. God's judgment is presented not just as an act of deliverance but as a means to an end: the full realization of His covenant with Israel and the ultimate recognition of His holiness by all nations. The verse explains why Israel went into exile, attributing it to their unfaithfulness, and then pivots to God's future actions of restoration and cleansing.
Historically, the prophetic imagery of Gog and Magog's defeat and Israel's restoration has resonated with many periods of history, interpreted by some as literal future events and by others as symbolic of ongoing spiritual battles and ultimate redemption. For the original audience, the promise of restoration after the Babylonian exile would have been deeply significant. This passage expands upon that by placing the final restoration and divine vindication in a future eschatological context, emphasizing God's commitment to His people.
Ezekiel 39 23 Word Analysis
- וְיָדְעוּ (və·yā·ḏə·‘ū): "And they shall know." This is the third-person masculine plural imperfect form of the verb ידע (yā·ḏa‘), meaning "to know," "to recognize," or "to understand." It emphasizes the future certainty of knowledge and recognition. The consecutive "waw" (və) connects this verse to the preceding narrative, indicating that this knowledge is a consequence of the preceding events.
- גּוֹיִם (gō·w·yim): "nations." Refers to gentile nations or peoples. In this context, it highlights that the knowledge of God's action will extend beyond Israel to the wider world.
- בֵּית (bêṯ): "house." Refers to the "house of Israel," meaning the nation of Israel as a whole entity.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (yiś·rā·’êl): "Israel." The covenant people of God.
- שָׁמָּה (šām·māh): "thither" or "there." This indicates the place or context of their exile.
- בַּעֲוֺנָם (ba·‘ă·wō·nām): "for their iniquity" or "because of their sin." This points to the root cause of Israel's exile and subsequent judgment, attributing it directly to their transgressions against God. The preposition "bet" (bə) signifies causality.
- בַּעֲבוּר (ba·‘ă·ḇūr): "because" or "on account of." Similar to "ba·‘ă·wō·nām," this emphasizes the reason for the judgment and exile.
- מַעֲלָה (ma·‘ă·lāh): "treachery," "unfaithfulness," or "trespass." This noun signifies Israel's infidelity to their covenant relationship with God, a recurring theme in the Old Testament. It speaks of active rebellion and broken trust.
- בִי (bî): "against me." A pronominal suffix attached to the noun, specifying that the treachery was directed personally towards Yahweh.
Word Group Analysis:
- "So the nations shall know... for their iniquity because they were unfaithful to me": This phrase encapsulates a cause-and-effect relationship. The nations' knowledge of God's actions (defeating Gog) is directly tied to understanding the reason for Israel's historical exile—their sin and covenant unfaithfulness. This demonstrates divine justice and the outworking of His judgment.
Ezekiel 39 23 Bonus Section
The concept of God's name being sanctified (made holy, revered, and demonstrated as holy) is a central theme throughout Ezekiel and the Old Testament. The nation of Israel was meant to be a "kingdom of priests" and a "holy nation" (Exodus 19:6) through whom God's holiness would be revealed to the world. Their failure to live up to this calling resulted in exile and shame, but God's ultimate redemption is designed to fulfill this original purpose, making His name great among the Gentiles. The defeat of Gog is a climactic demonstration that God is sovereign and that His covenant promises will be honored.
Ezekiel 39 23 Commentary
Ezekiel 39:23 concludes the extensive prophecy against Gog with a profound theological statement about God's dealings with Israel and the nations. The ultimate purpose of God's mighty acts of judgment is not merely destruction, but revelation. By decisively defeating Israel's enemies and subsequently restoring them, God ensures that the surrounding nations will understand the true cause of Israel's past sufferings.
Their exile was not an arbitrary abandonment by God, but a direct consequence of their unfaithfulness and rebellion against Him. This verse powerfully reiterates the principle that sin carries consequences. However, it immediately pivots to God's enduring faithfulness. Even after Israel's sin, God initiates a process of restoration, driven by His desire to be recognized and sanctified among all peoples.
The "house of Israel" being brought back and made holy "in the sight of many nations" signifies a final, complete reconciliation and a renewed covenant relationship. This restoration, empowered by the outpouring of God's Spirit, will lead to a collective memory of His redemptive work, culminating in the recognition of His sovereignty and holiness by all. The future pouring out of the Spirit, as also prophesied in Joel 2:28-29 and seen in Acts 2, is the key to Israel's transformation and their ability to know God intimately and faithfully.