God’s Word Translation
Ezekiel 20:32
32What you have in mind will never happen. You think that you want to be like other nations, like the different people in other countries. You want to serve wood and stone.
Ezekiel 20:32 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.
- New International Version (NIV)“ ‘You say, “We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone.” But what you have in mind will never happen.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"What is in your mind shall never happen—the thought, 'Let us be like the nations, like the tribes of the countries, and worship wood and stone.'
- New King James Version (NKJV)What you have in your mind shall never be, when you say, ‘We will be like the Gentiles, like the families in other countries, serving wood and stone.’
Context of Ezekiel 20:32
30“Tell the nation of Israel, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: Will you dishonor yourselves the way your ancestors did? Will you chase their detestable idols like a prostitute? 31You offer your children as sacrifices by burning them alive. You dishonor yourselves with all your disgusting idols to this day. Should you be allowed to ask me for help, nation of Israel? “ ‘As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, you won’t be allowed to ask me for help. What you have in mind will never happen. You think that you want to be like other nations, like the different people in other countries. You want to serve wood and stone. 33“ ‘As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, I will rule you with a mighty hand and a powerful arm, and I will pour out my fury. 34I will bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries where I have scattered you with my mighty hand and powerful arm. I will pour out my fury.
Read all of Ezekiel 20Ezekiel 20:32 word by word
וְהָֽעֹלָה֙ עַל־ר֣וּחֲכֶ֔ם הָי֖וֹ לֹ֣א תִֽהְיֶ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר׀ אַתֶּ֣ם אֹמְרִ֗ים נִֽהְיֶ֤ה כַגּוֹיִם֙ כְּמִשְׁפְּח֣וֹת הָאֲרָצ֔וֹת לְשָׁרֵ֖ת עֵ֥ץ וָאָֽבֶן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And that which comethעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- into your mindרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
- shall not be at all, that ye sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- We will beהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
- as the heathenגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
- as the familiesמִשְׁפָּחָהmishpâchâh · familyH4940
- of the countriesאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- to serveשָׁרַתshârath · to ministerH8334
- woodעֵץ‛êts · tree: woodH6086
- and stoneאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stoneH68
Cross-references for Ezekiel 20:32
- Ezekiel 11:5The Lord’s Spirit came to me and told me to say, “This is what the Lord says: You are saying these things, nation of Israel. But I know what’s going through your mind.
- Ezekiel 38:10“ ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: At that time ideas will enter your head, and you will make wicked plans.
- Psalms 139:2You alone know when I sit down and when I get up. You read my thoughts from far away.
- Proverbs 19:21Many plans are in the human heart, but the advice of the Lord will endure.
- Lamentations 3:37Who was it who spoke and it came into being? It was the Lord who gave the order.
- 1 Samuel 8:5They told him, “You’re old, and your sons aren’t following your example. Now appoint a king to judge us so that we will be like all the other nations.”
- Jeremiah 44:17We will do everything we said we would do. We will burn incense to the queen of heaven and pour out wine offerings to her as our ancestors, our kings, and our officials did in the cities of Judah and on the streets of Jerusalem. We had plenty to eat then, and we lived comfortably and saw no disaster.
- Romans 12:2Don’t become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants—what is good, pleasing, and perfect.
- Deuteronomy 4:28There you will worship wooden and stone gods made by human hands. These gods can’t see, hear, eat, or smell.
- Deuteronomy 28:36The Lord will lead you and the king you choose to a nation that you and your ancestors never knew. There you will worship gods made of wood and stone.
- Deuteronomy 29:17You saw their disgusting gods and idols made of wood, stone, silver, and gold.
- Isaiah 37:19They have thrown the gods from these countries into fires because these gods aren’t real gods. They’re only wooden and stone statues made by human hands. So the Assyrians have destroyed them.
- Daniel 5:4They drank the wine and praised their gods made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, or stone.
- Revelation 9:20The people who survived these plagues still did not turn to me and change the way they were thinking and acting. If they had, they would have stopped worshiping demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see, hear, or walk.
Commentaries on Ezekiel 20:32
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 32And that which cometh into your mind - Ye wish to be naturalized among idolaters, and make a part of such nations. But this shall not be at all; you shall be preserved as a distinct people. Ye shall not be permitted to mingle yourselves with the people of those countries: even they, idolaters as they are, will despise and reject you. Besides, I will change your place, restore your captivity; yet not in mercy, but in fury poured out; and reserve you for…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 32-44Verses 32-44 God‘s future dealings with His people: (1) in judgment Ezekiel 20:32-38; (2) in mercy Ezekiel 20:39-44. Ezekiel 20:32 The inquirers had thought that if Jerusalem were taken, and the whole people became sojourners in a foreign land, they would cease to be a separate nation. In their love for idolatry some may have even desired this. But more probably they thought that this very consequence precluded the possibility of such a catastrophe. God…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 27-32Verses 27-32 The Jews persisted in rebellion after they settled in the land of Canaan. And these elders seem to have thought of uniting with the heathen. We make nothing by our profession if it be but a profession. There is nothing got by sinful compliances; and the carnal projects of hypocrites will stand them in no stead.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 32-38In the past, Israel rebelled against God. Because of this, God judged them in limited ways. As a result, they were scattered among other nations again. However, judgment was not the end of the story. Earlier events in Israel’s history showed that God does not forget his promises. God’s own honor required him to keep his covenant with his people, even when they sinned. Israel could never become like the surrounding nations who worship idols made of wood…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3232. We will be as the heathen--and so escape the odium to which we are exposed, of having a peculiar God and law of our own. "We shall live on better terms with them by having a similar worship. Besides, we get from God nothing but threats and calamities, whereas the heathen, Chaldeans, &c., get riches and power from their idols." How literally God's words here ("that ... shall not be at all") are fulfilled in the modern Jews! Though the Jews seemed so…Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 20:32
In the dictionaries
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
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