Ezekiel 36:16-29

Israel’s Restoration Assured

16 Again the word of the LORD came to me:
17 “Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in their own land, they defiled it by their conduct and their actions. Their conduct was like a woman’s monthly uncleanness in my sight.
18 So I poured out my wrath on them because they had shed blood in the land and because they had defiled it with their idols.
19 I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered through the countries; I judged them according to their conduct and their actions.
20 And wherever they went among the nations they profaned my holy name, for it was said of them, ‘These are the LORD’s people, and yet they had to leave his land.’
21 I had concern for my holy name, which the people of Israel profaned among the nations where they had gone.
22 “Therefore say to the Israelites, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone.
23 I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.
24 “ ‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.
25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.
26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
28 Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God.
29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you.

Ezekiel 36:16-29 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.

Cross References 30

  • 1. S Leviticus 5:2; S Leviticus 12:2
  • 2. Psalms 106:37-38; S Jeremiah 2:7
  • 3. S 2 Chronicles 34:21
  • 4. Deuteronomy 28:64
  • 5. Leviticus 18:24-28; S Ezekiel 7:8; S Ezekiel 24:14; Ezekiel 39:24
  • 6. S Leviticus 18:21; S Ezekiel 13:19; Romans 2:24
  • 7. Isaiah 52:5; S Jeremiah 33:24; S Ezekiel 12:16
  • 8. Psalms 74:18; Isaiah 48:9
  • 9. S Isaiah 37:35; S Ezekiel 20:44
  • 10. Romans 2:24*
  • 11. Deuteronomy 9:5-6; Psalms 106:8; S Ezekiel 20:9
  • 12. S Numbers 6:27
  • 13. S Isaiah 37:23
  • 14. S Psalms 46:10
  • 15. S Ezekiel 20:41
  • 16. Psalms 126:2; S Isaiah 5:16; Ezekiel 20:14; Ezekiel 38:23; Ezekiel 39:7,27-28
  • 17. S Isaiah 43:5-6; S Ezekiel 34:13; Ezekiel 37:21
  • 18. S Leviticus 14:7; S Leviticus 16:14-15; Hebrews 9:13; Hebrews 10:22
  • 19. S Psalms 51:2,7
  • 20. S Ezra 6:21
  • 21. Isaiah 2:18; Joel 3:21; Zechariah 3:4; Zechariah 13:2; S Acts 22:16
  • 22. Jeremiah 24:7
  • 23. S Jeremiah 5:3
  • 24. S Psalms 51:10; S Ezekiel 18:31; S 2 Corinthians 3:3; Ezekiel 11:19
  • 25. S Isaiah 44:3; Joel 2:29; John 3:5; Ezekiel 37:14
  • 26. S Ezekiel 18:21
  • 27. Jeremiah 50:20; 1 Thessalonians 4:8
  • 28. Jeremiah 30:22; Jeremiah 31:33
  • 29. S Ezekiel 11:17; S Ezekiel 14:11; Ezekiel 34:24; Ezekiel 37:14,27; Zechariah 8:8
  • 30. Ezekiel 34:29
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