Ezekiel 20:15
in Ezekiel 20Moreover, with an uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land that I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands—
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Moreover also I sware unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;
KJV
Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;
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This verse in Ezekiel 20
Commentary
5 notes on this verseI lifted up my hand - Their provocations in the wilderness were so great, that I vowed never to bring them into the promised land. I did not consume them, but I disinherited them. See the note on Eze 20:5 (note).
This site's exposition
I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness
on Ezekiel 20:15-17
The Lord swears with the same lifted hand that this generation would not enter the land, the oath fulfilled in the wilderness deaths Numbers records. Their idolatry is named plainly, for their heart went after their idols, the verdict behind the exclusion rather than the wandering alone.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 15) Therefore I lifted up my hand against them in the wilderness, to not bring them into the land that I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the most excellent of all lands, because they had rejected my judgments and had not walked in my commandments, and had violated my sabbaths. After idols their heart went, and my eye spared them so as not to kill them, nor did I consume them in the wilderness.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Note, The bias of the mind towards the world and the flesh, the money and the belly (those two great objects of spiritual idolatry), is the root of bitterness from which springs all disobedience to the divine law. The heart that goes after those idols despises God's judgments.
Yet also I lifted up mine hand unto them in the wilderness,.... Swore unto them, as in Eze 20:5; that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them; by promise to their fathers, and to them.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְגַם־ | vegam- | and also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| אֲנִ֗י | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| נָשָׂ֧אתִי | nasati | I lifted up | H5375 → | 656 times |
| יָדִ֛י | yadi | hand my | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| לָהֶ֖ם | lahem | to them | ||
| בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר | bamidbar | in the wilderness | H4057 → | 270 times |
| לְבִלְתִּי֩ | levilti | to not | H1115 → | 112 times |
| הָבִ֨יא | havi' | to bring | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אוֹתָ֜ם | ʾotam | <obj.> them | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | into | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הָאָ֣רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| נָתַ֗תִּי | natati | I had given | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| זָבַ֤ת | zavat | flowing of | H2100 → | |
| חָלָב֙ | chalav | milk | H2461 → | 44 times |
| וּדְבַ֔שׁ | udevash | and honey | H1706 → | 54 times |
| צְבִ֥י | tzevi | [is] beauty | H6643 → | 33 times |
| הִ֖יא | hi' | it | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| לְכָל־ | lekhol | to all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָאֲרָצֽוֹת׃ | haaratzot | the lands | H776 → | 2504 times |
וְגַם־and also
vegam-H1571 →769 times
אֲנִ֗יI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
נָשָׂ֧אתִיI lifted up
nasatiH5375 →656 times
יָדִ֛יhand my
yadiH3027 →1618 times
לָהֶ֖םto them
lahem
בַּמִּדְבָּ֑רin the wilderness
bamidbarH4057 →270 times
לְבִלְתִּי֩to not
leviltiH1115 →112 times
הָבִ֨יאto bring
havi'H935 →2568 times
אוֹתָ֜ם<obj.> them
ʾotamH853 →10935 times
אֶל־into
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הָאָ֣רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
נָתַ֗תִּיI had given
natatiH5414 →2011 times
זָבַ֤תflowing of
zavatH2100 →
חָלָב֙milk
chalavH2461 →44 times
וּדְבַ֔שׁand honey
udevashH1706 →54 times
צְבִ֥י[is] beauty
tzeviH6643 →33 times
הִ֖יאit
hi'H1931 →1879 times
לְכָל־to all
lekholH3605 →5413 times
הָאֲרָצֽוֹת׃the lands
haaratzotH776 →2504 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 95:11So I swore on oath in My anger, “They shall never enter My rest.”
it leads to
- Hebrews 4:3
Now we who have believed enter that rest. As for the others, it is just as God has said: “So I swore on oath in My anger, ‘They shall never enter My rest.’” And…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Hebrews 3:11
So I swore on oath in My anger, ‘They shall never enter My rest.’”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Hebrews 4:5
And again, as He says in the passage above: “They shall never enter My rest.”
- Numbers 14:23
not one will ever see the land that I swore to give their fathers. None of those who have treated Me with contempt will see it.
- Hebrews 3:18
And to whom did He swear that they would never enter His rest? Was it not to those who disobeyed?
- Hebrews 4:3
Through
Hebrews 3:11So I swore on oath in My anger, ‘They shall never enter My rest.’”
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 1:34–35
When the LORD heard your words, He grew angry and swore an oath, saying,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Deuteronomy 1:34–35
Through
Psalms 106:26So He raised His hand and swore to cast them down in the wilderness,
it leads to
- Numbers 14:28–35
So tell them: As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I will do to you exactly as I heard you say.
- Numbers 14:28–35
Through
Ezekiel 20:23However, with an uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the lands.
it leads to
- Leviticus 26:33
But I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out a sword after you as your land becomes desolate and your cities are laid waste.
- Leviticus 26:33
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
About Ezekiel

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
