Ezekiel 36:20
in Ezekiel 36And wherever they went among the nations, they profaned My holy name, because it was said of them, ‘These are the people of the LORD, yet they had to leave His land.’
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when they came unto the nations, whither they went, they profaned my holy name; in that men said of them, These are the people of Jehovah, and are gone forth out of his land.
KJV
And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the Lord, and are gone forth out of his land.
⋯
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)
These, &c.--The Israelites gave a handle of reproach to the heathen against God, who would naturally say, These who take usury, oppress, commit adultery, &c., and who, in such an abject plight, are "gone forth" as exiles "out of His land," are specimens of what Jehovah can or will effect, for His people, and show what kind of a God this so-called holy, omnipotent, covenant-keeping God must be!
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
they profaned My holy name
To profane, in the Law, is to treat what is holy as common, as when a sanctuary is entered in uncleanness. The exiles profaned the name twice, by the sins that brought the exile and by the talk their scattering provoked. Ancient peoples judged a god by his land.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
All these sacraments may be possessed by the evil person; but to have charity and be an evil person is not possible. This therefore is the peculiar gift of the Spirit: he is the one and only fountain. To drink of it, God's Spirit calls you: God's Spirit calls you to drink of himself.
If we pursue virtue, let us seek before all to gain for ourselves the approval that comes from God alone, and let us take no account of human praise. If we are lax, we should be afraid and humble our thinking with the thought of that judgment that cannot be bribed. Let us tremble at the approach of that dread day and the thought that our actions provoke blasphemy against God.
(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 Awakening2 voices
Are these those that had statues so righteous whose lives are so unrighteous? Is this the nation that is so much celebrated for a wise and understanding people, and that is said to have God so nigh unto them? Do these belong to that brave, that holy nation, who appear here so vile, so abject?" Thus God sold his people and did not increase his wealth by their price, Ps. xliv.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
And when they entered unto the Heathen, whither they went,....
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
And when they entered unto the heathen - So bad were they, and so deeply fallen, that they profaned the Lord’s name among the heathen; and, on their account, the true God was blasphemed. These, say they, are the people of Jehovah! O what an abominable people are these! and what a being must that God be who can have and own such for his people!
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּב֗וֹא | vaiyavo' | and it came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַגּוֹיִם֙ | hagoyim | the nations | H1471 → | 561 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | where | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בָּ֣אוּ | bau | they went | H935 → | 2568 times |
| שָׁ֔ם | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| וַֽיְחַלְּל֖וּ | vaychalelu | and they profaned | H2490 → | 143 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שֵׁ֣ם | shem | [the] name of | H8034 → | 864 times |
| קָדְשִׁ֑י | kodshi | holiness my | H6944 → | 469 times |
| בֶּאֱמֹ֤ר | beemor | when said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לָהֶם֙ | lahem | of them | ||
| עַם־ | ʾam- | [are] [the] people of | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| יְהוָ֣ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֵ֔לֶּה | ʾeleh | these | H428 → | 746 times |
| וּמֵאַרְצ֖וֹ | umeartzo | and from land his | H776 → | 2504 times |
| יָצָֽאוּ׃ | yatzau | they have come out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
וַיָּב֗וֹאand it came
vaiyavo'H935 →2568 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הַגּוֹיִם֙the nations
hagoyimH1471 →561 times
אֲשֶׁר־where
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
בָּ֣אוּthey went
bauH935 →2568 times
שָׁ֔םthere
shamH8033 →834 times
וַֽיְחַלְּל֖וּand they profaned
vaychaleluH2490 →143 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שֵׁ֣ם[the] name of
shemH8034 →864 times
קָדְשִׁ֑יholiness my
kodshiH6944 →469 times
בֶּאֱמֹ֤רwhen said
beemorH559 →5305 times
לָהֶם֙of them
lahem
עַם־[are] [the] people of
ʾam-H5971 →1873 times
יְהוָ֣הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֵ֔לֶּהthese
ʾelehH428 →746 times
וּמֵאַרְצ֖וֹand from land his
umeartzoH776 →2504 times
יָצָֽאוּ׃they have come out
yatzauH3318 →1067 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
Romans 2:24As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
it leads to
- Ezekiel 36:20–23
And wherever they went among the nations, they profaned My holy name, because it was said of them, ‘These are the people of the LORD, yet they had to leave His land.’
- Isaiah 52:5
And now what have I here? declares the LORD. For My people have been taken without cause; those who rule them taunt, declares the LORD, and My name is blasphemed continually all day long.
- 2 Peter 2:2
Many will follow in their depravity, and because of them the way of truth will be defamed.
- Ezekiel 36:20–23
Through
Isaiah 52:5And now what have I here? declares the LORD. For My people have been taken without cause; those who rule them taunt, declares the LORD, and My name is blasphemed continually all day long.
it leads to
- Romans 2:24
As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
- Romans 2:24
Through
Daniel 3:15Now, if you are ready, as soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the statue I…
it leads to
- Acts 5:29
But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.
- Daniel 3:17
If the God whom we serve exists, then He is able to deliver us from the blazing fiery furnace and from your hand, O king.
- 2 Chronicles 32:15–17
So now, do not let Hezekiah deceive you, and do not let him mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver…
- 2 Kings 18:35
Who among all the gods of these lands has delivered his land from my hand? How then can the LORD deliver Jerusalem from my hand?”
- Acts 5:29
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies15
On this chapter
About Ezekiel
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Augustine of Hippo, HOMILIES ON 1 JOHN 7:6; 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 Chrysostom, BAPTISMAL INSTRUCTIONS 6:10; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Patrick Fairbairn, Ezekiel and the Book of His Prophecy.