New Living Translation
Ezekiel 20:32
32“You say, ‘We want to be like the nations all around us, who serve idols of wood and stone.’ But what you have in mind will never happen.
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“Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign Lord: Do you plan to pollute yourselves just as your ancestors did? Do you intend to keep prostituting yourselves by worshiping vile images? 31For when you offer gifts to them and give your little children to be burned as sacrifices, you continue to pollute yourselves with idols to this day. Should I allow you to ask for a message from me, O people of Israel? As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I will tell you nothing. “You say, ‘We want to be like the nations all around us, who serve idols of wood and stone.’ But what you have in mind will never happen. 33As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I will rule over you with an iron fist in great anger and with awesome power. 34And in anger I will reach out with my strong hand and powerful arm, and I will bring you back from the lands where you are scattered.
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 11:5Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon me, and he told me to say, “This is what the Lord says to the people of Israel: I know what you are saying, for I know every thought that comes into your minds.
- Ezekiel 38:10“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: At that time evil thoughts will come to your mind, and you will devise a wicked scheme.
- Psalms 139:2You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
- Proverbs 19:21You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.
- Lamentations 3:37Who can command things to happen without the Lord’s permission?
- 1 Samuel 8:5“Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.”
- Jeremiah 44:17We will do whatever we want. We will burn incense and pour out liquid offerings to the Queen of Heaven just as much as we like—just as we, and our ancestors, and our kings and officials have always done in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For in those days we had plenty to eat, and we were well off and had no troubles!
- Romans 12:2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
- Deuteronomy 4:28There, in a foreign land, you will worship idols made from wood and stone—gods that neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell.
- Deuteronomy 28:36“The Lord will exile you and your king to a nation unknown to you and your ancestors. There in exile you will worship gods of wood and stone!
- Deuteronomy 29:17You have seen their detestable practices and their idols made of wood, stone, silver, and gold.
- Isaiah 37:19And they have thrown the gods of these nations into the fire and burned them. But of course the Assyrians could destroy them! They were not gods at all—only idols of wood and stone shaped by human hands.
- Daniel 5:4While they drank from them they praised their idols made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
- Revelation 9:20But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood—idols that can neither see nor hear nor 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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