Ezekiel 20:9

Ezekiel 20:9 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (NIV)But for the sake of my name, I brought them out of Egypt. I did it to keep my name from being profaned in the eyes of the nations among whom they lived and in whose sight I had revealed myself to the Israelites.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made myself known to them in bringing them out of the land of Egypt.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles among whom they were, in whose sight I had made Myself known to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt.

Context of Ezekiel 20:9

7Then I said to them, ‘Let every man throw away the detestable things on which he feasts his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.’ 8But they rebelled against Me and were not willing to listen to Me; they did not throw away the detestable things on which they feasted their eyes, nor did they give up the idols of Egypt. “Then I decided to pour out My wrath on them and finish My anger against them in the land of Egypt. But I acted for My Name’s sake, that it would not be profaned in the sight of the [pagan] nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made Myself known to them by bringing them out of the land of Egypt. 10So I made them leave the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. 11I gave them My statutes and explained My ordinances to them, which, if a man keeps, he will live.

Ezekiel 20:9 word by word

וָאַ֙עַשׂ֙ לְמַ֣עַן שְׁמִ֔י לְבִלְתִּ֥י הֵחֵ֛ל לְעֵינֵ֥י הַגּוֹיִ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־הֵ֣מָּה בְתוֹכָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר נוֹדַ֤עְתִּי אֲלֵיהֶם֙ לְעֵ֣ינֵיהֶ֔ם לְהוֹצִיאָ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But I wroughtעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• for my name’sשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
• sake, that it should not be pollutedחָלַלchâlal · to profane/begin: profaneH2490
• beforeעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869
• the heathenגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
• amongתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
• I made myself knownיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• unto them, in bringing them forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: sendH3318
• out of the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714

Cross-references for Ezekiel 20:9

• Ezekiel 20:14But I acted for My Name’s sake, that it would not be profaned in the sight of the [pagan] nations in whose sight I had brought them out [of slavery].
• Ezekiel 36:21But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went.
• Ezekiel 39:7“I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let them profane My holy name anymore; and the nations will know that I am the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.
• Exodus 32:12Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil [intent] their God brought them out to kill them in the mountains and destroy them from the face of the earth’? Turn away from Your burning anger and change Your mind about harming Your people.
• Numbers 14:13But Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought up these people from among them,
• Deuteronomy 9:28so that the [people of the] land from which You brought us will not say, “Because the Lord was not capable of bringing them into the land which He had promised them and because He hated them He has brought them out to the wilderness [in order] to kill them.”
• Deuteronomy 32:26I would have said, “I will cut them to pieces [scattering them far away], I will remove the memory of them from men,”
• Joshua 7:9For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear about it, and will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will You do for Your great name [to keep it from dishonor]?”
• 1 Samuel 12:22The Lord will not abandon His people for His great name’s sake, because the Lord has been pleased to make you a people for Himself.
• Joshua 2:10For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan [on the east], to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed.
• Joshua 9:9They said to him, “Your servants have come from a country that is very far away because of the fame of the Lord your God; for we have heard the news about Him and all [the remarkable things] that He did in Egypt,
• 1 Samuel 4:8Woe to us! Who will rescue us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.

Commentaries on Ezekiel 20:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9But 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.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5-9Verses 5-9 The children of Israel in Egypt were warned to abstain from the idolatry of the pagan. This purpose they lost sight of, yet God spared them and brought them into another state of probation. Ezekiel 20:5 Lifted up mine hand - i. e., sware, because the hand was lifted up in adjuration. Ezekiel 20:8 Idols of Egypt - These incidental notices show the children of Israel in Egypt to have been addicted to idolatry. Compare Joshua 24:14. Ezekiel 20:9 I…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-21Each generation of Israelites rebelled against the Lord. They refused to obey the commandments he gave them. Each time, the Lord warned that he would pour out his fury (his strong anger) on them (Ezekiel 20:8, 13, 21). But he held back his judgment. He did this for the honor of his name. If he had destroyed them, the surrounding nations might have thought he was too weak to bring his people into the promised land.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-98-9. then I said, I will ... But, &c.--that is, (God speaking in condescension to human modes of conception) their spiritual degradation deserved I should destroy them, "but I wrought (namely, the deliverance 'out of ... Egypt') for My name's sake"; not for their merits (a rebuke to their national pride). God's "name" means the sum-total of His perfections. To manifest these, His gratuitous mercy abounding above their sins, yet without wrong to His…Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Egypt
• Egypt, Egyptian
• Defile
• Purge
• God
• Grace
• Leviticus
• Salvation
• profane, profaned

Commentaries on Ezekiel 20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings