Ezekiel 36:21
in Ezekiel 36But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations to which they had gone.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But I had regard for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations, whither they went.
KJV
But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went.
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This verse in Ezekiel 36
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
I had pity for mine holy name--that is, I felt pity for it; God's own name, so dishonored, was the primary object of His pitying concern; then His people, secondarily, through His concern for it [FAIRBAIRN].
This site's exposition
the word of the LORD came to me
on Ezekiel 36:16-21
The word comes again, turning from land to people and tracing the cause of exile: Israel's defilement, the blood shed, and the idols. Their saying, “These are the people of the LORD, yet they had to leave His land”, profaned the name the judgment was meant to vindicate.
This site's exposition
I had concern for My holy name
Had concern translates a Hebrew verb for pity or sparing, the verb of 5:11 and 7:4, where the LORD said He would show no pity. The pity withheld in judgment is now shown to His own name. Mercy begins with God's regard for Himself.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 16 and following) And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, the house of Israel have dwelt (or dwells) in their own land, and they have defiled it with their ways and their idols: according to the uncleanness of a woman in her menstrual impurity, their way has become before me.
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
But I had pity - For these sins I had just cause to cut them off; but I had pity, for the glory of my name: had I destroyed them, the heathen would have concluded against my omnipotence, and my truth.
In pity to that God brought them out from the heathen, because their sins were more scandalous there than they had been in their own land. "Therefore I will gather you out of all countries and bring you into your own land,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
But I had pity for my holy name,.... Had pity on the Jews for his name's sake, and not theirs; or he had a tender concern for his own honour and glory: which the house of Israel had profaned among the Heathen, whither they went; and therefore was resolved to take a method for the glorifying of it, and that in a way of special grace and mercy to his people; See Gill on Eze 36:20.
That he would sanctify them, by giving them his grace and fitting them for his service; and this for his own name's sake and in answer to their prayers,
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
I had pity for mine holy name - Render it: I “had” a pitiful regard to “Mine Holy Name.”
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וָאֶחְמֹ֖ל | vaechmol | and I showed pity | H2550 → | 41 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| שֵׁ֣ם | shem | [the] name of | H8034 → | 864 times |
| קָדְשִׁ֑י | kodshi | holiness my | H6944 → | 469 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֤ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| חִלְּל֙וּהוּ֙ | chileluhu | they had profaned it | H2490 → | 143 times |
| בֵּ֣ית | beit | [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| בַּגּוֹיִ֖ם | bagoyim | among the nations | H1471 → | 561 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | where | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בָּ֥אוּ | bau | they had gone | H935 → | 2568 times |
| שָֽׁמָּה׃ ס | shamah | there towards | H8033 → | 834 times |
וָאֶחְמֹ֖לand I showed pity
vaechmolH2550 →41 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
שֵׁ֣ם[the] name of
shemH8034 →864 times
קָדְשִׁ֑יholiness my
kodshiH6944 →469 times
אֲשֶׁ֤רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
חִלְּל֙וּהוּ֙they had profaned it
chileluhuH2490 →143 times
בֵּ֣ית[the] house of
beitH1004 →2046 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
בַּגּוֹיִ֖םamong the nations
bagoyimH1471 →561 times
אֲשֶׁר־where
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
בָּ֥אוּthey had gone
bauH935 →2568 times
שָֽׁמָּה׃ סthere towards
shamahH8033 →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
Ezekiel 20:22But I withheld My hand and acted for the sake of My name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 20:14
But I acted for the sake of My name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ezekiel 20:9
But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the eyes of the nations among whom they were living, in whose sight I had revealed Myself to…
- Ezekiel 20:14
Through
Isaiah 48:9For the sake of My name I will delay My wrath; for the sake of My praise I will restrain it, so that you will not be cut off.
it leads to
- Psalms 78:38
And yet He was compassionate; He forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them. He often restrained His anger and did not unleash His full wrath.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 79:9
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; deliver us and atone for our sins, for the sake of Your name.
- Isaiah 37:35
‘I will defend this city and save it for My own sake and for the sake of My servant David.’”
- Psalms 143:11
For the sake of Your name, O LORD, revive me. In Your righteousness, bring my soul out of trouble.
- Psalms 78:38
Through
Ezekiel 20:9But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the eyes of the nations among whom they were living, in whose sight I had revealed Myself to…
it leads to
- Ezekiel 39:7
So I will make My holy name known among My people Israel and will no longer allow it to be profaned. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, the Holy One…
- Ezekiel 39:7
Through
Psalms 74:18Remember how the enemy has mocked You, O LORD, how a foolish people has spurned Your name.
it leads to
- Psalms 39:8
Deliver me from all my transgressions; do not make me the reproach of fools.
- Psalms 39:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies15
On this chapter
About Ezekiel
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Ezekiel; Carl Friedrich Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Ezekiel; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.