Ezekiel 20:5

5 and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: ¹On the day when I chose Israel, ²I swore^[a] to the offspring of the house of Jacob, ³making myself known to them in the land of Egypt; ⁴I swore to them, saying, I am the Lord your God.

Ezekiel 20:5 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 20:5

And say unto them, thus saith the Lord God
Here begins the account of their fathers; of God's unmerited goodness to them, and of their sins and transgressions against him, and how it fared with them: in the day when I chose Israel;
to be his peculiar people, above all people on the face of the earth; when he declared his choice of them, and made it appear that he had chosen them, and distinguished them, by special blessings and favours bestowed on them: and lifted up mine hand to the seed of the house of Jacob;
the posterity of Jacob or Israel, to whom the Lord swore that he would do such and such things for them; of which the lifting up the hand was a token; it is a gesture used in swearing, ( Daniel 12:7 ) ; and so the Targum,

``and I swore unto them by my word:''

and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt:
by his name Jehovah; by the prophets he sent unto them, Moses, Aaron, and Miriam; and by the miracles he wrought among them: when I lifted up mine hand unto them, saying, I [am] the Lord your God:
making promise of it, declaring it unto them, confirming it with an oath; see ( Hebrews 6:17 Hebrews 6:18 ) .

Ezekiel 20:5 In-Context

3 “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God, Is it to inquire of me that you come? As I live, declares the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you.

4 Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Let them know the abominations of their fathers,

5 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.

6 On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands.

7 And I said to them, Cast away the detestable things your eyes feast on, every one of you, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.

Cross References

• 1. 20:5 See Ex. 6:7
• 2. 20:5 ver. 15, 23, 28, 42; ch. 36:7; 47:14; [Gen. 14:22]
• 3. 20:5 [Ex. 3:8; 4:31; 6:2]
• 4. 20:5 ver. 15, 23, 28, 42; ch. 36:7; 47:14; [Gen. 14:22]

Footnotes

• [a] 20:5 Hebrew 'I lifted my hand'; twice in this verse; also verses 6, 15, 23, 28, 42