Ezekiel 20:22

22 But I turned away mine hand, and I did this for my name, that it were not defouled before heathen men, from which I casted them out before the eyes of those. (But I turned away my hand, and I did this for the sake of my name, so that it was not defiled before the heathen, from whom I brought them out before their eyes.)

Ezekiel 20:22 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 20:22

Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand
When it was stretched out against them, as in the above instance, and did not utterly consume them. The Targum is,

``and I turned away the stroke of my might:''

and wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted in the
sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth.
(See Gill on Ezekiel 20:9) and (See Gill on Ezekiel 20:14).

Ezekiel 20:22 In-Context

20 And hallow ye my sabbaths, that it be a sign betwixt me and you, and that it be known, that I am your Lord God. (And make ye holy my sabbaths, so that it be a sign between me and you, and so that it be known, that I am the Lord your God.)

21 And the sons stirred me to wrath, and went not in my commandments, and kept not my dooms, that they did those, which when a man hath done, he shall live in those, and they defouled my sabbaths. And I menaced to them that I would shed out my strong vengeance on them, and [ful]fill my wrath in them in the desert. (But they stirred me to anger, and went not in my commandments, and kept not, or obeyed not, my laws, so that they did them, which when a person hath done them, he shall live in them, and they defiled my sabbaths. And I threatened them that I would pour out my strong vengeance upon them, and fulfill my anger against them in the wilderness.)

22 But I turned away mine hand, and I did this for my name, that it were not defouled before heathen men, from which I casted them out before the eyes of those. (But I turned away my hand, and I did this for the sake of my name, so that it was not defiled before the heathen, from whom I brought them out before their eyes.)

23 Again I raised (up) mine hand against them in (the) wilderness, that I should scatter them into (the) nations, and winnow them into (other) lands;

24 for that that they had not done my dooms, and had reproved my commandments, and had defouled my sabbaths, and their eyes had been (longing) after the idols of their fathers. (because they had not followed my laws, and had rejected my commandments, and had defiled my sabbaths, and their eyes had been longing after their forefathers? idols.)