New English Translation
Ezekiel 20:9
9I acted for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be profaned before the nations among whom they lived, before whom I revealed myself by bringing them out of the land of Egypt.
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
7I said to them, “Each of you must get rid of the detestable idols you keep before you, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.” 8But they rebelled against me, and refused to listen to me; no one got rid of their detestable idols, nor did they abandon the idols of Egypt. Then I decided to pour out my rage on them and fully vent my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. I acted for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be profaned before the nations among whom they lived, before whom I revealed myself by bringing them out of the land of Egypt. 10“‘So I brought them out of the land of Egypt and led them to the wilderness. 11I gave them my statutes and revealed my regulations to them. The one who carries them out will live by them!
Read all of Ezekiel 20Ezekiel 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 20:14I acted for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be profaned before the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.
- Ezekiel 36:21I was concerned for my holy reputation which the house of Israel profaned among the nations where they went.
- Ezekiel 39:7“‘I will make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; I will not let my holy name be profaned anymore. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.
- Exodus 32:12Why should the Egyptians say, ‘For evil he led them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger, and relent of this evil against your people.
- Numbers 14:13Moses said to the Lord, “When the Egyptians hear it – for you brought up this people by your power from among them –
- Deuteronomy 9:28Otherwise the people of the land from which you brought us will say, “The Lord was unable to bring them to the land he promised them, and because of his hatred for them he has brought them out to kill them in the desert.”
- Deuteronomy 32:26“I said, ‘I want to cut them in pieces. I want to make people forget they ever existed.
- Joshua 7:9When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will turn against us and destroy the very memory of us from the earth. What will you do to protect your great reputation?”
- 1 Samuel 12:22The Lord will not abandon his people because he wants to uphold his great reputation. The Lord was pleased to make you his own people.
- Joshua 2:10For we heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you left Egypt and how you annihilated the two Amorite kings, Sihon and Og, on the other side of the Jordan.
- Joshua 9:9They told him, “Your subjects have come from a very distant land because of the reputation of the Lord your God, for we have heard the news about all he did in Egypt
- 1 Samuel 4:8Too bad for us! Who can deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all sorts of plagues in the desert!
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
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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Commentaries