New Living Translation
Ezekiel 20:5
5Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: When I chose Israel—when I revealed myself to the descendants of Jacob in Egypt—I took a solemn oath that I, the Lord, would be their God.
Ezekiel 20:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up mine hand unto them, saying, I am the Lord your God;
- New International Version (NIV)and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I chose Israel, I swore with uplifted hand to the descendants of Jacob and revealed myself to them in Egypt. With uplifted hand I said to them, “I am the Lord your God.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: On the day when I chose Israel, I swore to the offspring of the house of Jacob, making myself known to them in the land of Egypt; I swore to them, saying, I am the Lord your God.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “On the day when I chose Israel and raised My hand in an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, I raised My hand in an oath to them, saying, ‘I am the Lord your God.’
Context of Ezekiel 20:5
3“Son of man, tell the leaders of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: How dare you come to ask me for a message? As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I will tell you nothing!’ 4“Son of man, bring charges against them and condemn them. Make them realize how detestable the sins of their ancestors really were. Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: When I chose Israel—when I revealed myself to the descendants of Jacob in Egypt—I took a solemn oath that I, the Lord, would be their God. 6I took a solemn oath that day that I would bring them out of Egypt to a land I had discovered and explored for them—a good land, a land flowing with milk and honey, the best of all lands anywhere. 7Then I said to them, ‘Each of you, get rid of the vile images you are so obsessed with. Do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt, for I am the Lord your God.’
Read all of Ezekiel 20Ezekiel 20:5 word by word
וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם כֹּֽה־אָמַר֮ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִה֒ בְּיוֹם֙ בָּחֳרִ֣י בְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וָאֶשָּׂ֣א יָדִ֗י לְזֶ֙רַע֙ בֵּ֣ית יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וָאִוָּדַ֥ע לָהֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וָאֶשָּׂ֨א יָדִ֤י לָהֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אֲנִ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
- Godיְהֹוִהyehôvih · YHWH/GodH3069
- In the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- when I choseבָּחַרbâchar · to chooseH977
- Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- and lifted upנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: vowH5375
- mine handיָדyâd · hand: vowH3027
- unto the seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seed: childrenH2233
- of the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- of Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
- and made myself knownיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- unto them in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- your Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
Cross-references for Ezekiel 20:5
- Exodus 6:6“Therefore, say to the people of Israel: ‘I am the Lord. I will free you from your oppression and will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment.
- Exodus 19:4‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.
- Deuteronomy 4:37Because he loved your ancestors, he chose to bless their descendants, and he personally brought you out of Egypt with a great display of power.
- Deuteronomy 7:6For you are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God. Of all the people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.
- Deuteronomy 14:2You have been set apart as holy to the Lord your God, and he has chosen you from all the nations of the earth to be his own special treasure.
- Psalms 33:12What joy for the nation whose God is the Lord, whose people he has chosen as his inheritance.
- Isaiah 41:8“But as for you, Israel my servant, Jacob my chosen one, descended from Abraham my friend,
- Isaiah 43:10“But you are my witnesses, O Israel!” says the Lord. “You are my servant. You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, and understand that I alone am God. There is no other God— there never has been, and there never will be.
- Isaiah 44:1“But now, listen to me, Jacob my servant, Israel my chosen one.
- Jeremiah 33:24“Have you noticed what people are saying?—‘The Lord chose Judah and Israel and then abandoned them!’ They are sneering and saying that Israel is not worthy to be counted as a nation.
- Mark 13:20In fact, unless the Lord shortens that time of calamity, not a single person will survive. But for the sake of his chosen ones he has shortened those days.
- Ezekiel 20:6I took a solemn oath that day that I would bring them out of Egypt to a land I had discovered and explored for them—a good land, a land flowing with milk and honey, the best of all lands anywhere.
- Exodus 6:8I will bring you into the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will give it to you as your very own possession. I am the Lord!’”
- Ezekiel 20:15But I took a solemn oath against them in the wilderness. I swore I would not bring them into the land I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful place on earth.
- Ezekiel 47:14Otherwise each tribe will receive an equal share. I took a solemn oath and swore that I would give this land to your ancestors, and it will now come to you as your possession.
- Genesis 14:22Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I solemnly swear to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,
Commentaries on Ezekiel 20:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5I chose Israel - They did not choose me for their God, till I had chosen them to be my people. I lifted up mine hand - I bound myself in a covenant to them to continue to be their God, if they should be faithful, and continue to be my people. Among the Jews the juror lifted up his right hand to heaven; which explains Psalm 144:8; : "Their right hand is a right hand of falsehood." This is a form used in England, Scotland, and Ireland.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. 4-26The Lord refused to answer their question. But this did not mean he had nothing to say. Instead, God gave them a different message through Ezekiel. Ezekiel would describe the sinful and detestable actions of their ancestors. He would place these past sins clearly before the people.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5-65-6. The thrice lifting up of God's hand (the sign of His oath, Re 10:5, 6; Ex 6:8, Margin; Nu 14:30; to which passages the form of words here alludes) implies the solemn earnestness of God's purpose of grace to them. made myself known unto them--proving Myself faithful and true by the actual fulfilment of My promises (Ex 4:31; 6:3); revealing Myself as "Jehovah," that is, not that the name was unknown before, but that then first the force of that name…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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries