Ezekiel 36:16-29

16 Then the word of the LORD came to me saying,
17 "Son of man, when the house of Israel was living in their own land, they 1defiled it by their ways and their deeds; their way before Me was like 2the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity.
18 "Therefore I 3poured out My wrath on them for the blood which they had shed on the land, because they had defiled it with their idols.
19 "Also I 4scattered them among the nations and they were dispersed throughout the lands. 5According to their ways and their deeds I judged them.
20 "When they came to the nations where * they went, they 6profaned My holy name, because it was said of them, 'These are the 7people of the LORD; yet they have come out of His land.'
21 "But I had concern for My 8holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where * they went.

Israel to Be Renewed for His Name's Sake

22 "Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "It is 9not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where * you went.
23 "I will 10vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the 11nations will know that I am the LORD," declares the Lord GOD, "when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight.
24 "For I will 12take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land.
25 "Then I will 13sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your 14filthiness and from all your 15idols.
26 "Moreover, I will give you a 16new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the 17heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
27 "I will 18put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.
28 "You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be 19My people, and I will be your God.
29 "Moreover, I will save you from all your uncleanness; and I will call for the grain and multiply it, and I 20will not bring a famine on 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 20

  • 1. Jeremiah 2:7
  • 2. Leviticus 15:19
  • 3. 2 Chronicles 34:21, 25; Lamentations 2:4; Lamentations 4:11; Ezekiel 22:20, 22
  • 4. Deuteronomy 28:64; Ezekiel 5:12; Ezekiel 22:15; Amos 9:9
  • 5. Ezekiel 24:14; Ezekiel 39:24; Romans 2:6
  • 6. Isaiah 52:5; Ezekiel 12:16; Romans 2:24
  • 7. Jeremiah 33:24
  • 8. Psalms 74:18; Isaiah 48:9; Ezekiel 20:44
  • 9. Deuteronomy 7:7, 8; Deuteronomy 9:5, 6; Ezekiel 36:32
  • 10. Isaiah 5:16; Ezekiel 20:41; Ezekiel 38:23; Ezekiel 39:7, 25
  • 11. Psalms 102:15; Psalms 126:2
  • 12. Isaiah 43:5, 6; Ezekiel 34:13; Ezekiel 37:21
  • 13. Numbers 19:17-19; Psalms 51:7; Titus 3:5, 6; Hebrews 9:13, 19; Hebrews 10:22
  • 14. Isaiah 4:4; Zechariah 13:1
  • 15. Isaiah 2:18, 20; Hosea 14:3, 8
  • 16. Psalms 51:10; Ezekiel 11:19; Ezekiel 18:31; John 3:3, 5; 2 Corinthians 5:17
  • 17. Ezekiel 11:19; Zechariah 7:12
  • 18. Isaiah 44:3; Isaiah 59:21; Ezekiel 37:14; Ezekiel 39:29; Joel 2:28, 29
  • 19. Ezekiel 14:11; Ezekiel 37:23, 27
  • 20. Ezekiel 34:27, 29; Hosea 2:21-23

Footnotes 2

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