Ezekiel 11:16
in Ezekiel 11Therefore declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries to which they have gone.’
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Whereas I have removed them far off among the nations, and whereas I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them a sanctuary for a little while in the countries where they are come.
KJV
Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord God; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come.
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This verse in Ezekiel 11
Commentary
4 notes on this verseYet will I be to them as a little sanctuary - Though thus exiled from their own land, yet not forgotten by their God. While in their captivity, I will dispense many blessings to them; and I will restore them to their own land, Eze 11:17, from which they shall put away all idolatry, Eze 11:18.
This site's exposition
Again the word of the Lord came unto me
on Ezekiel 11:14-16
Those still in Jerusalem have written off the exiles already gone, telling Ezekiel's own brethren and kindred, get you far from the Lord, as though the land itself and not the Lord's presence were the mark of his favor. The Lord answers that claim directly, though he has scattered them far among the nations, he will be to them a little sanctuary in the very countries where they have come. Gill and Fairbairn both take the phrase as a promise of God's presence detached from any building, the Lord himself standing in for the temple the exiles no longer have access to. The remnant left behind mistakes possession of Jerusalem's ground for possession of God, while the exiles who have lost the ground keep the greater thing.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Scattered - Dispersed them in many countries which are under the king of Babylon: yet they are dear to me. A little sanctuary - A little one in opposition to that great temple at Jerusalem. To him they shall flee, and in him they shall be safe, as he was that took hold on the horns of the altar.
They shall there see God's power and his glory, as they used to see them in the sanctuary; they shall have the tokens of God's presence with them, and his grace in their hearts shall sanctify their prayers and praises, as well as ever the altar sanctified the gift, so that they shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Your brethren, your brethren The exile of Samaria and the exile of Jeconiah.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לָכֵ֣ן | lakhen | <to> therefore | H3651 → | 771 times |
| אֱמֹ֗ר | ʾemor | say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| כֹּֽה־ | koh- | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| אָמַר֮ | ʾamar | he says | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֲדֹנָ֣י | ʾadonai | [the] Lord | H136 → | 440 times |
| יְהוִה֒ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3069 → | 306 times |
| כִּ֤י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הִרְחַקְתִּים֙ | hirchaktim | I have removed far away them | H7368 → | 57 times |
| בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם | bagoyim | among the nations | H1471 → | 561 times |
| וְכִ֥י | vekhi | and that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הֲפִֽיצוֹתִ֖ים | hafitzotim | I have scattered them | H6327 → | 67 times |
| בָּאֲרָצ֑וֹת | baaratzot | among the lands | H776 → | 2504 times |
| וָאֱהִ֤י | vaehi | and I have become | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לָהֶם֙ | lahem | for them | ||
| לְמִקְדָּ֣שׁ | lemikdash | <into> a sanctuary | H4720 → | 75 times |
| מְעַ֔ט | meat | a little | H4592 → | 101 times |
| בָּאֲרָצ֖וֹת | baaratzot | in the lands | H776 → | 2504 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | where | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בָּ֥אוּ | bau | they have gone | H935 → | 2568 times |
| שָֽׁם׃ ס | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
לָכֵ֣ן<to> therefore
lakhenH3651 →771 times
אֱמֹ֗רsay
ʾemorH559 →5305 times
כֹּֽה־thus
koh-H3541 →577 times
אָמַר֮he says
ʾamarH559 →5305 times
אֲדֹנָ֣י[the] Lord
ʾadonaiH136 →440 times
יְהוִה֒Yahweh
yahwehH3069 →306 times
כִּ֤יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
הִרְחַקְתִּים֙I have removed far away them
hirchaktimH7368 →57 times
בַּגּוֹיִ֔םamong the nations
bagoyimH1471 →561 times
וְכִ֥יand that
vekhiH3588 →4482 times
הֲפִֽיצוֹתִ֖יםI have scattered them
hafitzotimH6327 →67 times
בָּאֲרָצ֑וֹתamong the lands
baaratzotH776 →2504 times
וָאֱהִ֤יand I have become
vaehiH1961 →3559 times
לָהֶם֙for them
lahem
לְמִקְדָּ֣שׁ<into> a sanctuary
lemikdashH4720 →75 times
מְעַ֔טa little
meatH4592 →101 times
בָּאֲרָצ֖וֹתin the lands
baaratzotH776 →2504 times
אֲשֶׁר־where
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
בָּ֥אוּthey have gone
bauH935 →2568 times
שָֽׁם׃ סthere
shamH8033 →834 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 31:20You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the schemes of men. You conceal them in Your shelter from accusing tongues.
it leads to
- Psalms 27:5
For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; He will conceal me under the cover of His tent; He will set me high upon a rock.
- Psalms 32:7
You are my hiding place. You protect me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah
- Psalms 91:1–4
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
- Job 5:21
You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, and will not fear havoc when it comes.
- Psalms 27:5
Through
Psalms 90:1Lord, You have been our dwelling place through all generations.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 33:27
The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He drives out the enemy before you, giving the command, ‘Destroy him!’
- Psalms 71:3
Be my rock of refuge, where I can always go. Give the command to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress.
- 1 John 4:16
And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
- Deuteronomy 33:27
Through
Isaiah 8:14And He will be a sanctuary—but to both houses of Israel a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, to the dwellers of Jerusalem a trap and a snare.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 2:8
and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word—and to this they were appointed.
- 1 Peter 2:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
On this chapter
About Ezekiel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Patrick Fairbairn, An Exposition of Ezekiel.