Ezekiel 36:19-29

19 And I scattered them among the nations, and I dispersed [them] in the countries according to their way, and according to their deeds I judged them.
20 And they came into the nations {to which they went}, and they profaned {my holy name} when they said to them, 'These [are] the people of Yahweh, and from his land they went out.'
21 And I was concerned for {my holy name}, which, the house [of] Israel defiled among the nations {to which they went}.
22 "Therefore thus say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord Yahweh: "{Not for your sake} [am] I about to act, house of Israel, {but} {for my holy name}, which you defiled among the nations {to which you went}.
23 And I will consecrate my great name, which [was] profaned among the nations [and] which you have profaned in the midst of them, and the nations will know that I [am] Yahweh!" ' [a] declaration of the Lord Yahweh, {when I show myself holy} {before} their eyes.
24 " 'And I will take you from the nations, and I will gather you from all of the lands, and I will bring you to your land.
25 And I will sprinkle on you pure water, and you will be clean from all of your uncleanness, and I will cleanse you from all of your idols.
26 And I will give a new heart to you, and a new spirit I will give into your inner parts, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh, and I will give to you a heart of flesh.
27 And I will give my spirit into your inner parts, and I will make [it] [so] that you will go in my rules, and my regulations you will remember, and you will do [them].
28 And you will dwell in the land that I gave to your ancestors, and you will be to me [as] a people, and I will be to you as God.
29 And I will save you from all of your uncleanness, and I will call to the grain, and I will cause it to increase, and I will not bring famine upon you.

Ezekiel 36:19-29 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 36

This chapter is a prophecy concerning the desolations of the land of Israel, and the causes of them; of the return of the people to it, and the fruitfulness of it; and of spiritual blessings bestowed upon them in the latter day. And first, for the comfort of the people of Israel, it is observed that their enemies that insulted them will suffer the vengeance of God's wrath, particularly the Edomites, Eze 36:1-7, that the land of Israel should again become fruitful, its cities rebuilt, men and beasts be multiplied upon it, and be no more liable to destruction, nor bear any more the reproach of the Heathen, Eze 36:8-15, the causes of its desolation and destruction, the sins of its inhabitants, especially bloodshed, idolatry, and profanation of the name of God, Eze 36:16-20, nevertheless the Lord promises to have mercy on them, and return them to their own land, not for their sakes, but for his own name's sake, Eze 36:21-24, then follow promises of spiritual blessings to them: as purification from all sin by the blood of Christ; regeneration by his Spirit and grace; and evangelical obedience as the fruit of that, Eze 36:25-27, and others of a mixed kind, respecting partly temporal and partly spiritual blessings, Eze 36:28-36, for all which it is expected of the Lord that he should be prayed unto for them; particularly their inhabitation in their own land, and the multiplication of them in it, with which the chapter concludes, Eze 36:37,38.

Footnotes 17

  • [a]. Or "went"
  • [b]. Literally "who/which they went there"
  • [c]. Literally "the name of my holiness"
  • [d]. Literally "the name of my holiness"
  • [e]. Literally "which they went there"
  • [f]. Literally "not for the sake of/on behalf of you"
  • [g]. Literally "for it"
  • [h]. Literally "for the name of holiness my"
  • [i]. Literally "which you went there"
  • [j]. Literally "at/in showing/to show self holy my"
  • [k]. Literally "to their eyes"
  • [l]. Or "put/place"
  • [m]. Or "your"
  • [n]. Or "place/put"
  • [o]. Or "walk"
  • [p]. Or "fathers"
  • [q]. Hebrew "to"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.