Ezekiel 20:9
in Ezekiel 20But 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 Israel by bringing them out of the land of Egypt.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But I wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, among which they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.
KJV
But I wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.
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This verse in Ezekiel 20
Commentary
7 notes on this verseBut I wrought for my name’s sake - I bare with them and did not punish them, lest the heathen, who had known my promises made to them, might suppose that I had either broken them through some caprice, or was not able to fulfill them.
This site's exposition
Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes
on Ezekiel 20:7-9
Even inside Egypt, before the Exodus began, Israel is charged to cast away the idols of Egypt, and even there they rebelled. I wrought for my name's sake states the pattern that recurs three times, mercy granted for the sake of the Lord's reputation among the nations.
This site's exposition
for the sake of My name
Clarke names the charge the nations would have made, that the LORD had broken His promises or lacked the power to keep them. Moses pleaded the same ground at Numbers 14:13 to 16. The name was at stake in Egypt.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 9) And I did it for the sake of my name, so that it would not be violated in the presence of the nations among whom they were, and among whom I appeared to them to bring them out of the land of Egypt. What I planned to do, I did it for the sake of justice, not because of the greatness of my mercy, so that my name would not be defiled and it would seem that I could not fulfill what I had promised to Israel.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Now, if he had left them to perish for their wickedness as they deserved, the Egyptians would have reflected upon him for it, and his name would have been polluted, which ought to be sanctified and shall be so. Note, The church is secured, even when it is corrupt, because God will secure his own honour. The Privileges and Sins of Israel.
For my name's sake - For the glory of my mercy and faithfulness.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:85%@v14-16
But I wrought for my name's sake,....
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וָאַ֙עַשׂ֙ | vaaas | and I acted | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לְמַ֣עַן | lemaan | for [the] sake of | H4616 → | 272 times |
| שְׁמִ֔י | shemi | name my | H8034 → | 864 times |
| לְבִלְתִּ֥י | levilti | to not | H1115 → | 112 times |
| הֵחֵ֛ל | hechel | to be profaned | H2490 → | 143 times |
| לְעֵינֵ֥י | leeinei | to [the] eyes of | H5869 → | 887 times |
| הַגּוֹיִ֖ם | hagoyim | the nations | H1471 → | 561 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הֵ֣מָּה | hemah | they | H1992 → | 553 times |
| בְתוֹכָ֑ם | vetokham | [were] in midst of them | H8432 → | 418 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| נוֹדַ֤עְתִּי | noda'ti | I had made myself known | H3045 → | 945 times |
| אֲלֵיהֶם֙ | ʾaleihem | to them | H413 → | 5510 times |
| לְעֵ֣ינֵיהֶ֔ם | leeineihem | to eyes their | H5869 → | 887 times |
| לְהוֹצִיאָ֖ם | lehotziam | by bringing out them | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| מֵאֶ֥רֶץ | meeretz | from [the] land of | H776 → | 2504 times |
| מִצְרָֽיִם׃ | mitzrayim | Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
וָאַ֙עַשׂ֙and I acted
vaaasH6213 →2628 times
לְמַ֣עַןfor [the] sake of
lemaanH4616 →272 times
שְׁמִ֔יname my
shemiH8034 →864 times
לְבִלְתִּ֥יto not
leviltiH1115 →112 times
הֵחֵ֛לto be profaned
hechelH2490 →143 times
לְעֵינֵ֥יto [the] eyes of
leeineiH5869 →887 times
הַגּוֹיִ֖םthe nations
hagoyimH1471 →561 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
הֵ֣מָּהthey
hemahH1992 →553 times
בְתוֹכָ֑ם[were] in midst of them
vetokhamH8432 →418 times
אֲשֶׁ֨רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
נוֹדַ֤עְתִּיI had made myself known
noda'tiH3045 →945 times
אֲלֵיהֶם֙to them
ʾaleihemH413 →5510 times
לְעֵ֣ינֵיהֶ֔םto eyes their
leeineihemH5869 →887 times
לְהוֹצִיאָ֖םby bringing out them
lehotziamH3318 →1067 times
מֵאֶ֥רֶץfrom [the] land of
meeretzH776 →2504 times
מִצְרָֽיִם׃Egypt
mitzrayimH4714 →641 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.
- Jeremiah 14:21
For the sake of Your name do not despise us; do not disgrace Your glorious throne. Remember Your covenant with us; do not break it.
- Isaiah 48:9–11
For 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.
- Ezekiel 20:14
Through
Exodus 32:12Why should the Egyptians declare, ‘He brought them out with evil intent, to kill them in the mountains and wipe them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce anger and relent…
it leads to
- Numbers 14:13–16
But Moses said to the LORD, “The Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought this people from among them.
- Deuteronomy 9:28
Otherwise, those in the land from which You brought us out will say, ‘Because the LORD was not able to bring them into the land He had promised them, and because He hated them,…
- Exodus 32:14
So the LORD relented from the calamity He had threatened to bring on His people.
- Numbers 14:13–16
Through
Ezekiel 39:7So 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…
it leads to
- Ezekiel 38:23
I will magnify and sanctify Myself, and will reveal Myself in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.
- Ezekiel 38:16
You will advance against My people Israel like a cloud covering the land. It will happen in the latter days, O Gog, that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations…
- Ezekiel 38:23
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
About Ezekiel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Patrick Fairbairn, An Exposition of Ezekiel.