Ezekiel 20:36
Ezekiel 20:36 in Multiple Translations
Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the Lord GOD.
Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD.
Like as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I enter into judgment with you, saith the Lord Jehovah.
As I took up the cause with your fathers in the waste land of the land of Egypt, so will I take up the cause with you says the Lord.
In the same way I judged your forefathers in the Egyptian desert after I'd led them out of Egypt, so I will judge you, declares the Lord God.
Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wildernes of the lande of Egypt, so will I pleade with you, saith the Lord God.
As I was judged with your fathers, In the wilderness of the land of Egypt, So I am judged with you, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.
Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you,” says the Lord GOD.
As I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD.
As I pleaded against your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt; even so will I judge you, saith the Lord God.
I will punish you, like I punished your ancestors in the desert near Egypt.
Berean Amplified Bible — Ezekiel 20:36
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Ezekiel 20:36 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
כַּ/אֲשֶׁ֤ר
נִשְׁפַּ֨טְתִּי֙
אֶת
אֲב֣וֹתֵי/כֶ֔ם
בְּ/מִדְבַּ֖ר
אֶ֣רֶץ
מִצְרָ֑יִם
כֵּ֚ן
אִשָּׁפֵ֣ט
אִתְּ/כֶ֔ם
נְאֻ֖ם
אֲדֹנָ֥/י
יְהוִֽה
כַּ/אֲשֶׁ֤ר
ʼăsher
H834
which
Prep | Rel
נִשְׁפַּ֨טְתִּי֙
shâphaṭ
H8199
to judge
V-Niphal-Perf-1cs
אֶת
ʼêth
H854
with
Prep
אֲב֣וֹתֵי/כֶ֔ם
ʼâb
H1
father
N-mp | Suff
בְּ/מִדְבַּ֖ר
midbâr
H4057
mouth
Prep | N-ms
אֶ֣רֶץ
ʼerets
H776
land
N-cs
מִצְרָ֑יִם
Mitsrayim
H4714
Egypt
N-proper
כֵּ֚ן
kên
H3651
right
Part
אִשָּׁפֵ֣ט
shâphaṭ
H8199
to judge
V-Niphal-Imperf-1cs
אִתְּ/כֶ֔ם
ʼêth
H854
with
Prep | Suff
נְאֻ֖ם
nᵉʼum
H5002
utterance
N-ms
אֲדֹנָ֥/י
ʼĂdônây
H136
Lord
N-mp | Suff
יְהוִֽה
Yᵉhôvih
H3069
YHWH/God
N-proper
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Ezekiel 20:36
כַּ/אֲשֶׁ֤ר
ʼăsher
H834
"which"
Prep | Rel
This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.
Definition: A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when
Usage: Occurs in 4440 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever, when, where ([phrase] -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, [phrase] whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection. See also: Genesis 1:7; Genesis 20:9; Genesis 31:16.
נִשְׁפַּ֨טְתִּי֙
shâphaṭ
H8199
"to judge"
V-Niphal-Perf-1cs
To shaphat means to judge or govern, and can also mean to vindicate or punish. In the Bible, this term is often used to describe God's role as a judge, as well as human judges and rulers.
Definition: 1) to judge, govern, vindicate, punish 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to act as law-giver or judge or governor (of God, man) 1a1a) to rule, govern, judge 1a2) to decide controversy (of God, man) 1a3) to execute judgment 1a3a) discriminating (of man) 1a3b) vindicating 1a3c) condemning and punishing 1a3d) at theophanic advent for final judgment 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to enter into controversy, plead, have controversy together 1b2) to be judged 1c) (Poel) judge, opponent-at-law (participle)
Usage: Occurs in 182 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] avenge, [idiom] that condemn, contend, defend, execute (judgment), (be a) judge(-ment), [idiom] needs, plead, reason, rule. See also: Genesis 16:5; Psalms 9:5; Psalms 2:10.
אֶת
ʼêth
H854
"with"
Prep
This Hebrew preposition means 'with' or 'near', indicating a close relationship or physical proximity. It's used in Genesis 1:26 to describe God's relationship with humanity, and in many other places to show connection or closeness.
Definition: 1) with, near, together with 1a) with, together with 1b) with (of relationship) 1c) near (of place) 1d) with (poss.) 1e) from...with, from (with other prep)
Usage: Occurs in 787 OT verses. KJV: against, among, before, by, for, from, in(-to), (out) of, with. Often with another prepositional prefix. See also: Genesis 4:1; Genesis 42:32; Numbers 1:5.
אֲב֣וֹתֵי/כֶ֔ם
ʼâb
H1
"father"
N-mp | Suff
In Hebrew, this word means father, whether literal or figurative. It is used to describe God as the father of his people, as well as human fathers like Abraham. The word is about a paternal relationship or authority.
Definition: 1) father of an individual 2) of God as father of his people 3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan 4) ancestor 4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person 4b) of people 5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art 6) of producer, generator (fig.) 7) of benevolence and protection (fig.) 8) term of respect and honour 9) ruler or chief (spec.) Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)
Usage: Occurs in 1060 OT verses. KJV: chief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'. See also: Genesis 2:24; Genesis 42:37; Leviticus 19:3.
בְּ/מִדְבַּ֖ר
midbâr
H4057
"mouth"
Prep | N-ms
The wilderness refers to a desert or open field, like the one the Israelites wandered in after leaving Egypt. It can also mean a place of solitude or a region without many people. In the Bible, it is often associated with the journey to the Promised Land.
Definition: 1) mouth 1a) mouth (as organ of speech)
Usage: Occurs in 257 OT verses. KJV: desert, south, speech, wilderness. See also: Genesis 14:6; Joshua 5:4; Psalms 29:8.
אֶ֣רֶץ
ʼerets
H776
"land"
N-cs
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Definition: : soil 1) land, earth 1a) earth 1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part) 1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven) 1a3) earth (inhabitants) 1b) land 1b1) country, territory 1b2) district, region 1b3) tribal territory 1b4) piece of ground 1b5) land of Canaan, Israel 1b6) inhabitants of land 1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world 1b8) city (-state) 1c) ground, surface of the earth 1c1) ground 1c2) soil 1d) (in phrases) 1d1) people of the land 1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance) 1d3) level or plain country 1d4) land of the living 1d5) end(s) of the earth 1e) (almost wholly late in usage) 1e1) lands, countries 1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan
Usage: Occurs in 2190 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world. See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 18:18; Genesis 42:13.
מִצְרָ֑יִם
Mitsrayim
H4714
"Egypt"
N-proper
This word means Egypt, a country in northeastern Africa, and is used in the Bible to describe the land and its people. It appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah, often referring to the Nile River and the Egyptians. Egypt is an important setting for many biblical events.
Definition: § Egypt = "land of the Copts" a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows Egyptians = "double straits" adj 2) the inhabitants or natives of Egypt
Usage: Occurs in 569 OT verses. KJV: Egypt, Egyptians, Mizraim. See also: Genesis 10:6; Exodus 6:13; Exodus 34:18.
כֵּ֚ן
kên
H3651
"right"
Part
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means 'so' or 'thus', often used to show agreement or confirmation, like in the book of Genesis. It can also mean 'rightly' or 'justly', as in doing something the correct way. It appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Definition: adv adj 1) right, just, honest, true, veritable 1a) right, just, honest 1b) correct 1c) true, veritable
Usage: Occurs in 737 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] after that (this, -ward, -wards), as... as, [phrase] (for-) asmuch as yet, [phrase] be (for which) cause, [phrase] following, howbeit, in (the) like (manner, -wise), [idiom] the more, right, (even) so, state, straightway, such (thing), surely, [phrase] there (where) -fore, this, thus, true, well, [idiom] you. See also: Genesis 1:7; Exodus 37:19; Judges 7:17.
אִשָּׁפֵ֣ט
shâphaṭ
H8199
"to judge"
V-Niphal-Imperf-1cs
To shaphat means to judge or govern, and can also mean to vindicate or punish. In the Bible, this term is often used to describe God's role as a judge, as well as human judges and rulers.
Definition: 1) to judge, govern, vindicate, punish 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to act as law-giver or judge or governor (of God, man) 1a1a) to rule, govern, judge 1a2) to decide controversy (of God, man) 1a3) to execute judgment 1a3a) discriminating (of man) 1a3b) vindicating 1a3c) condemning and punishing 1a3d) at theophanic advent for final judgment 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to enter into controversy, plead, have controversy together 1b2) to be judged 1c) (Poel) judge, opponent-at-law (participle)
Usage: Occurs in 182 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] avenge, [idiom] that condemn, contend, defend, execute (judgment), (be a) judge(-ment), [idiom] needs, plead, reason, rule. See also: Genesis 16:5; Psalms 9:5; Psalms 2:10.
אִתְּ/כֶ֔ם
ʼêth
H854
"with"
Prep | Suff
This Hebrew preposition means 'with' or 'near', indicating a close relationship or physical proximity. It's used in Genesis 1:26 to describe God's relationship with humanity, and in many other places to show connection or closeness.
Definition: 1) with, near, together with 1a) with, together with 1b) with (of relationship) 1c) near (of place) 1d) with (poss.) 1e) from...with, from (with other prep)
Usage: Occurs in 787 OT verses. KJV: against, among, before, by, for, from, in(-to), (out) of, with. Often with another prepositional prefix. See also: Genesis 4:1; Genesis 42:32; Numbers 1:5.
נְאֻ֖ם
nᵉʼum
H5002
"utterance"
N-ms
This word refers to an utterance or declaration from God, often through a prophet. It is used in the Bible to describe a revelation or message from God, like in Exodus or Numbers.
Definition: 1) (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet) 1a) utterance, declaration, revelation (of prophet in ecstatic state) 1b) utterance, declaration (elsewhere always preceding divine name)
Usage: Occurs in 358 OT verses. KJV: (hath) said, saith. See also: Genesis 22:16; Jeremiah 22:16; Psalms 36:2.
אֲדֹנָ֥/י
ʼĂdônây
H136
"Lord"
N-mp | Suff
Adonay is a title used to refer to God, spoken in place of Yahweh as a sign of reverence and respect. It is used throughout the Bible to address God or refer to Him in a formal way. Adonay is a term of worship and devotion.
Definition: Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
Usage: Occurs in 430 OT verses. KJV: (my) Lord. See also: Genesis 15:2; Isaiah 3:17; Psalms 2:4.
יְהוִֽה
Yᵉhôvih
H3069
"YHWH/God"
N-proper
YHWH is a name for God, often used in combination with 'Lord'. It is similar to Yehovah, but with different vowels. This name emphasizes God's power and authority.
Definition: 1) Jehovah-used primarily in the combination 'Lord Jehovah' 1a) equal to ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068) but pointed with the vowels of e.lo.him (אֱלֹהִים "God" H0430)
Usage: Occurs in 296 OT verses. KJV: God. See also: Genesis 15:2; Ezekiel 14:21; Psalms 68:21.
Study Notes — Ezekiel 20:36
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Context — Judgment and Restoration
34With a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands to which you have been scattered.
35And I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, where I will enter into judgment with you face to face.
36Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the Lord GOD.
37I will make you pass under the rod and will bring you into the bond of the covenant. 38And I will purge you of those who rebel and transgress against Me. I will bring them out of the land in which they dwell, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Corinthians 10:5–10 | Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness. These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written: “The people sat down to eat and to drink, and got up to indulge in revelry.” We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test Christ, as some of them did, and were killed by snakes. And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel. |
| 2 | Numbers 11:1–35 | Soon the people began to complain about their hardship in the hearing of the LORD, and when He heard them, His anger was kindled, and fire from the LORD blazed among them and consumed the outskirts of the camp. And the people cried out to Moses, and he prayed to the LORD, and the fire died down. So that place was called Taberah, because the fire of the LORD had burned among them. Meanwhile, the rabble among them had a strong craving for other food, and again the Israelites wept and said, “Who will feed us meat? We remember the fish we ate freely in Egypt, along with the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. But now our appetite is gone; there is nothing to see but this manna!” Now the manna resembled coriander seed, and its appearance was like that of gum resin. The people walked around and gathered it, ground it on a handmill or crushed it in a mortar, then boiled it in a cooking pot or shaped it into cakes. It tasted like pastry baked with fine oil. When the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna would fall with it. Then Moses heard the people of family after family weeping at the entrances to their tents, and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly, and Moses was also displeased. So Moses asked the LORD, “Why have You brought this trouble on Your servant? Why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid upon me the burden of all these people? Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth, so that You should tell me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries an infant,’ to the land that You swore to give their fathers? Where can I get meat for all these people? For they keep crying out to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ I cannot carry all these people by myself; it is too burdensome for me. If this is how You are going to treat me, please kill me right now—if I have found favor in Your eyes—and let me not see my own wretchedness.” Then the LORD said to Moses, “Bring Me seventy of the elders of Israel known to you as leaders and officers of the people. Bring them to the Tent of Meeting and have them stand there with you. And I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put that Spirit on them. They will help you bear the burden of the people, so that you do not have to bear it by yourself. And say to the people: Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you will eat meat, because you have cried out in the hearing of the LORD, saying: ‘Who will feed us meat? For we were better off in Egypt!’ Therefore the LORD will give you meat, and you will eat. You will eat it not for one or two days, nor for five or ten or twenty days, but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and makes you nauseous—because you have rejected the LORD, who is among you, and have cried out before Him, saying, ‘Why did we ever leave Egypt?’” But Moses replied, “Here I am among 600,000 men on foot, yet You say, ‘I will give them meat, and they will eat for a month.’ If all our flocks and herds were slaughtered for them, would they have enough? Or if all the fish in the sea were caught for them, would they have enough?” The LORD answered Moses, “Is the LORD’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not My word will come to pass.” So Moses went out and relayed to the people the words of the LORD, and he gathered seventy of the elders of the people and had them stand around the tent. Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and He took some of the Spirit that was on Moses and placed that Spirit on the seventy elders. As the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied—but they never did so again. Two men, however, had remained in the camp—one named Eldad and the other Medad—and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those listed, but they had not gone out to the tent, and they prophesied in the camp. A young man ran and reported to Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” Joshua son of Nun, the attendant to Moses since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!” But Moses replied, “Are you jealous on my account? I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would place His Spirit on them!” Then Moses returned to the camp, along with the elders of Israel. Now a wind sent by the LORD came up, drove in quail from the sea, and brought them near the camp, about two cubits above the surface of the ground, for a day’s journey in every direction around the camp. All that day and night, and all the next day, the people stayed up gathering the quail. No one gathered less than ten homers, and they spread them out all around the camp. But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the LORD burned against the people, and the LORD struck them with a severe plague. So they called that place Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had craved other food. From Kibroth-hattaavah the people moved on to Hazeroth, where they remained for some time. |
| 3 | Ezekiel 20:13 | Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not follow My statutes and they rejected My ordinances—though the man who does these things will live by them—and they utterly profaned My Sabbaths. Then I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and put an end to them in the wilderness. |
| 4 | Ezekiel 20:21 | But the children rebelled against Me. They did not walk in My statutes or carefully observe My ordinances—though the man who does these things will live by them—and they profaned My Sabbaths. So I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and vent My anger against them in the wilderness. |
| 5 | Numbers 25:1–18 | While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab, who also invited them to the sacrifices for their gods. And the people ate and bowed down to these gods. So Israel joined in worshiping Baal of Peor, and the anger of the LORD burned against them. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that His fierce anger may turn away from Israel.” So Moses told the judges of Israel, “Each of you must kill all of his men who have joined in worshiping Baal of Peor.” Just then an Israelite man brought to his family a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and the whole congregation of Israel while they were weeping at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. On seeing this, Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, got up from the assembly, took a spear in his hand, followed the Israelite into his tent, and drove the spear through both of them—through the Israelite and on through the belly of the woman. So the plague against the Israelites was halted, but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned My wrath away from the Israelites; for he was zealous for My sake among them, so that I did not consume the Israelites in My zeal. Declare, therefore, that I am granting him My covenant of peace. It will be a covenant of permanent priesthood for him and his descendants, because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the Israelites.” The name of the Israelite who was slain with the Midianite woman was Zimri son of Salu, the leader of a Simeonite family. And the name of the slain Midianite woman was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur, a tribal chief of a Midianite family. And the LORD said to Moses, “Attack the Midianites and strike them dead. For they assailed you deceitfully when they seduced you in the matter of Peor and their sister Cozbi, the daughter of the Midianite leader, the woman who was killed on the day the plague came because of Peor.” |
| 6 | Numbers 16:1–50 | Now Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath son of Levi, along with some Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—conducted a rebellion against Moses, along with 250 men of Israel renowned as leaders of the congregation and representatives in the assembly. They came together against Moses and Aaron and told them, “You have taken too much upon yourselves! For everyone in the entire congregation is holy, and the LORD is in their midst. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?” When Moses heard this, he fell facedown. Then he said to Korah and all his followers, “Tomorrow morning the LORD will reveal who belongs to Him and who is holy, and He will bring that person near to Himself. The one He chooses, He will bring near to Himself. You, Korah, and all your followers are to do as follows: Take censers, and tomorrow you are to place fire and incense in them in the presence of the LORD. Then the man the LORD chooses will be the one who is holy. It is you sons of Levi who have taken too much upon yourselves!” Moses also said to Korah, “Now listen, you sons of Levi! Is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel and brought you near to Himself to perform the work at the LORD’s tabernacle, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them? He has brought you near, you and all your fellow Levites, but you are seeking the priesthood as well. Therefore, it is you and all your followers who have conspired against the LORD! As for Aaron, who is he that you should grumble against him?” Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come! Is it not enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness? Must you also appoint yourself as ruler over us? Moreover, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you gouge out the eyes of these men? No, we will not come!” Then Moses became very angry and said to the LORD, “Do not regard their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them or mistreated a single one of them.” And Moses said to Korah, “You and all your followers are to appear before the LORD tomorrow—you and they and Aaron. Each man is to take his censer, place incense in it, and present it before the LORD—250 censers. You and Aaron are to present your censers as well.” So each man took his censer, put fire and incense in it, and stood with Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. When Korah had gathered his whole assembly against them at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the glory of the LORD appeared to the whole congregation. And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Separate yourselves from this congregation so that I may consume them in an instant.” But Moses and Aaron fell facedown and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, when one man sins, will You be angry with the whole congregation?” Then the LORD said to Moses, “Tell the congregation to move away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.” So Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. And he warned the congregation, “Move away now from the tents of these wicked men. Do not touch anything that belongs to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins.” So they moved away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Meanwhile, Dathan and Abiram had come out and stood at the entrances to their tents with their wives and children and infants. Then Moses said, “This is how you will know that the LORD has sent me to do all these things, for it was not my own doing: If these men die a natural death, or if they suffer the fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me. But if the LORD brings about something unprecedented, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them and all that belongs to them so that they go down alive into Sheol, then you will know that these men have treated the LORD with contempt.” As soon as Moses had finished saying all this, the ground beneath them split open, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households—all Korah’s men and all their possessions. They went down alive into Sheol with all they owned. The earth closed over them, and they vanished from the assembly. At their cries, all the people of Israel who were around them fled, saying, “The earth may swallow us too!” And fire came forth from the LORD and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Eleazar son of Aaron the priest to remove the censers from the flames and to scatter the coals far away, because the censers are holy. As for the censers of those who sinned at the cost of their own lives, hammer them into sheets to overlay the altar, for these were presented before the LORD, and so have become holy. They will serve as a sign to the Israelites.” So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers brought by those who had been burned up, and he had them hammered out to overlay the altar, just as the LORD commanded him through Moses. This was to be a reminder to the Israelites that no outsider who is not a descendant of Aaron should approach to offer incense before the LORD, lest he become like Korah and his followers. The next day the whole congregation of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the LORD’s people!” But when the congregation gathered against them, Moses and Aaron turned toward the Tent of Meeting, and suddenly the cloud covered it and the glory of the LORD appeared. Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the Tent of Meeting, and the LORD said to Moses, “Get away from this congregation so that I may consume them in an instant.” And Moses and Aaron fell facedown. Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, place fire from the altar in it, and add incense. Go quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, because wrath has come out from the LORD; the plague has begun.” So Aaron took the censer as Moses had ordered and ran into the midst of the assembly. And seeing that the plague had begun among the people, he offered the incense and made atonement for the people. He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague was halted. But those who died from the plague numbered 14,700, in addition to those who had died on account of Korah. Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, since the plague had been halted. |
| 7 | Psalms 106:15–48 | So He granted their request, but sent a wasting disease upon them. In the camp they envied Moses, as well as Aaron, the holy one of the LORD. The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan; it covered the assembly of Abiram. Then fire blazed through their company; flames consumed the wicked. At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped a molten image. They exchanged their Glory for the image of a grass-eating ox. They forgot God their Savior, who did great things in Egypt, wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea. So He said He would destroy them— had not Moses His chosen one stood before Him in the breach to divert His wrath from destroying them. They despised the pleasant land; they did not believe His promise. They grumbled in their tents and did not listen to the voice of the LORD. So He raised His hand and swore to cast them down in the wilderness, to disperse their offspring among the nations and scatter them throughout the lands. They yoked themselves to Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods. So they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds, and a plague broke out among them. But Phinehas stood and intervened, and the plague was restrained. It was credited to him as righteousness for endless generations to come. At the waters of Meribah they angered the LORD, and trouble came to Moses because of them. For they rebelled against His Spirit, and Moses spoke rashly with his lips. They did not destroy the peoples as the LORD had commanded them, but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs. They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. They shed innocent blood— the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood. They defiled themselves by their actions and prostituted themselves by their deeds. So the anger of the LORD burned against His people, and He abhorred His own inheritance. He delivered them into the hand of the nations, and those who hated them ruled over them. Their enemies oppressed them, and subdued them under their hand. Many times He rescued them, but they were bent on rebellion and sank down in their iniquity. Nevertheless He heard their cry; He took note of their distress. And He remembered His covenant with them, and relented by the abundance of His loving devotion. He made them objects of compassion to all who held them captive. Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy name, that we may glory in Your praise. Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, “Amen!” Hallelujah! |
| 8 | Numbers 14:1–45 | Then the whole congregation lifted up their voices and cried out, and that night the people wept. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why is the LORD bringing us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and children will become plunder. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” So they said to one another, “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.” Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown before the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel. Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes and said to the whole congregation of Israel, “The land we passed through and explored is an exceedingly good land. If the LORD delights in us, He will bring us into this land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and He will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the LORD, and do not be afraid of the people of the land, for they will be like bread for us. Their protection has been removed, and the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them!” But the whole congregation threatened to stone Joshua and Caleb. Then the glory of the LORD appeared to all the Israelites at the Tent of Meeting. And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will this people treat Me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in Me, despite all the signs I have performed among them? I will strike them with a plague and destroy them—and I will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they are.” But Moses said to the LORD, “The Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought this people from among them. And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have already heard that You, O LORD, are in the midst of this people, that You, O LORD, have been seen face to face, that Your cloud stands over them, and that You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. If You kill this people as one man, the nations who have heard of Your fame will say, ‘Because the LORD was unable to bring this people into the land He swore to give them, He has slaughtered them in the wilderness.’ So now I pray, may the power of my Lord be magnified, just as You have declared: ‘The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion, forgiving iniquity and transgression. Yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished; He will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon their children to the third and fourth generation.’ Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people, in keeping with the greatness of Your loving devotion, just as You have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.” “I have pardoned them as you requested,” the LORD replied. “Yet as surely as I live and as surely as the whole earth is filled with the glory of the LORD, not one of the men who have seen My glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness—yet have tested Me and disobeyed Me these ten times— not one will ever see the land that I swore to give their fathers. None of those who have treated Me with contempt will see it. But because My servant Caleb has a different spirit and has followed Me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he has entered, and his descendants will inherit it. Now since the Amalekites and Canaanites are living in the valleys, turn back tomorrow and head for the wilderness along the route to the Red Sea. ” Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “How long will this wicked congregation grumble against Me? I have heard the complaints that the Israelites are making against Me. So tell them: As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I will do to you exactly as I heard you say. Your bodies will fall in this wilderness—all who were numbered in the census, everyone twenty years of age or older—because you have grumbled against Me. Surely none of you will enter the land in which I swore to settle you, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. But I will bring your children, whom you said would become plunder, into the land you have rejected—and they will enjoy it. As for you, however, your bodies will fall in this wilderness. Your children will be shepherds in the wilderness for forty years, and they will suffer for your unfaithfulness until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness. In keeping with the forty days you spied out the land, you shall bear your guilt forty years—a year for each day—and you will experience My alienation. I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this entire wicked congregation, which has conspired against Me. They will meet their end in the wilderness, and there they will die.” So the men Moses had sent to spy out the land, who had returned and made the whole congregation grumble against him by bringing out a bad report about the land— those men who had brought out the bad report about the land—were struck down by a plague before the LORD. Of those men who had gone to spy out the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh remained alive. And when Moses relayed these words to all the Israelites, the people mourned bitterly. Early the next morning they got up and went up toward the ridge of the hill country. “We have indeed sinned,” they said, “but we will go to the place the LORD has promised.” But Moses said, “Why are you transgressing the commandment of the LORD? This will not succeed! Do not go up, lest you be struck down by your enemies, because the LORD is not among you. For there the Amalekites and Canaanites will face you, and you will fall by the sword. Because you have turned away from the LORD, He will not be with you.” But they dared to go up to the ridge of the hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the covenant of the LORD moved from the camp. Then the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that part of the hill country came down, attacked them, and routed them all the way to Hormah. |
| 9 | Exodus 32:7–35 | Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go down at once, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. How quickly they have turned aside from the way that I commanded them! They have made for themselves a molten calf and have bowed down to it. They have sacrificed to it and said, ‘These, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.’” The LORD also said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and they are indeed a stiff-necked people. Now leave Me alone, so that My anger may burn against them and consume them. Then I will make you into a great nation.” But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God, saying, “O LORD, why does Your anger burn against Your people, whom You brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians declare, ‘He brought them out with evil intent, to kill them in the mountains and wipe them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce anger and relent from doing harm to Your people. Remember Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, to whom You swore by Your very self when You declared, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give your descendants all this land that I have promised, and it shall be their inheritance forever.’” So the LORD relented from the calamity He had threatened to bring on His people. Then Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back. The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. When Joshua heard the sound of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “The sound of war is in the camp.” But Moses replied: “It is neither the cry of victory nor the cry of defeat; I hear the sound of singing!” As Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, he burned with anger and threw the tablets out of his hands, shattering them at the base of the mountain. Then he took the calf they had made, burned it in the fire, ground it to powder, and scattered the powder over the face of the water. Then he forced the Israelites to drink it. “What did this people do to you,” Moses asked Aaron, “that you have led them into so great a sin?” “Do not be enraged, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know that the people are intent on evil. They told me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him!’ So I said to them, ‘Whoever has gold, let him take it off,’ and they gave it to me. And when I threw it into the fire, out came this calf!” Moses saw that the people were out of control, for Aaron had let them run wild and become a laughingstock to their enemies. So Moses stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the LORD, come to me.” And all the Levites gathered around him. He told them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each of you men is to fasten his sword to his side, go back and forth through the camp from gate to gate, and slay his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.’” The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people fell dead. Afterward, Moses said, “Today you have been ordained for service to the LORD, since each man went against his son and his brother; so the LORD has bestowed a blessing on you this day.” The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. Now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made gods of gold for themselves. Yet now, if You would only forgive their sin.... But if not, please blot me out of the book that You have written.” The LORD replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot out of My book. Now go, lead the people to the place I described. Behold, My angel shall go before you. But on the day I settle accounts, I will punish them for their sin.” And the LORD sent a plague on the people because of what they had done with the calf that Aaron had made. |
Ezekiel 20:36 Summary
Ezekiel 20:36 means that God will judge His people, just like He judged their ancestors in the wilderness of Egypt, to see if they are faithful to Him. This judgment is not to condemn, but to refine and restore them, as seen in Malachi 3:3. God wants His people to depend on Him and trust in His goodness, even in difficult times (Psalm 37:3-7). By surrendering to God's will, we can experience His justice and mercy, and be part of His faithful remnant, as seen in Romans 11:1-6.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the judgment being referred to in Ezekiel 20:36?
The judgment in Ezekiel 20:36 refers to God's evaluation of His people's actions and hearts, similar to the judgment He rendered upon the Israelites in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, as seen in Exodus 32:1-35 and Numbers 14:1-45.
Why does God use the wilderness as a place of judgment?
The wilderness represents a place of testing, refinement, and dependence on God, as seen in Deuteronomy 8:2-5, where God tested the Israelites in the wilderness to know what was in their hearts.
How does this verse relate to the covenant God made with His people?
This verse is connected to the covenant God made with His people, as He will bring them into the bond of the covenant, as stated in Ezekiel 20:37, and will purge those who rebel against Him, as seen in Ezekiel 20:38, to restore a faithful remnant, similar to the promise in Jeremiah 31:31-34.
What can we learn from God's judgment in Ezekiel 20:36?
We can learn that God is a righteous and just Judge, who evaluates our actions and hearts, and that we should strive to live in obedience to Him, as seen in Matthew 25:31-46, where Jesus separates the sheep from the goats based on their actions.
Reflection Questions
- What are some areas in my life where I need to be judged and refined by God, and how can I surrender to His will?
- How can I trust in God's goodness and justice, even when I face difficult circumstances or trials, as seen in Psalm 23:4?
- In what ways can I depend on God's guidance and provision in the 'wilderness' seasons of my life, as seen in Isaiah 43:1-3?
- How can I apply the principles of God's covenant with His people to my own life, and what does it mean to be in a covenant relationship with Him, as seen in 1 Corinthians 11:25?
Gill's Exposition on Ezekiel 20:36
Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt,.... Which was opposite the land of Egypt, near unto it, on the borders of it; and into which the people immediately went,
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ezekiel 20:36
Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD. Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of ... Egypt - (Numbers 14:21-29).
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Ezekiel 20:36
With your fathers, who died there, and never entered Canaan. In the wilderness; which lay on the further side of the Red Sea, over against the land of Egypt, and is from it called, as here, though it be Arabia Deserta; in which, within the space of less than forty years, all the rebellious murmurers died.
Trapp's Commentary on Ezekiel 20:36
Ezekiel 20:36 Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD.Ver. 36. Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness.] Where their carcases fell thick and threefold, till they were all consumed. "Behold we die, we perish, we all perish," said they once to Moses in a pet; "shall we be consumed with dying?"
Cambridge Bible on Ezekiel 20:36
30–44. Jehovah’s regard to his own name will fashion the history of the people to come as it has fashioned the past Having reviewed the past and shewn the elders their own picture in the doings of their fathers, and how the thing which has fashioned the history in the past has been Jehovah’s regard for his own name, the prophet now comes to read to them the history of the future as the same regard of Jehovah to his name will model it. First, Ezekiel 20:30-34. The Lord will not give any answer to such enquirers who follow the ways of their fathers. But they may be assured that their resolution to assimilate themselves to the heathen and become like them worshippers of wood and stone shall not be permitted to have effect. Jehovah will assert his sovereignty over them, and will disentangle them out from among the heathen as he gathered their fathers from among the Egyptians. Secondly, Ezekiel 20:35-40. He will bring them out from the nations into the wilderness of the peoples, as he brought their fathers into the wilderness of Egypt, and will plead with them anew as he pleaded with their fathers in days long ago—and with the same result that the rebels among them shall fall in the wilderness, but the remnant shall again in the mountain height of Israel serve the Lord, who will accept them. Thirdly, Ezekiel 20:41-44. And from this restoration these things shall follow: 1.
Jehovah shall be sanctified, seen to be God and acknowledged by the nations (Ezekiel 20:41). 2. Israel shall know what Jehovah is, when he fulfils his ancient promise to the fathers to give them this land (Ezekiel 20:42). 3. They shall then lay to heart their past doings and lothe themselves (Ezekiel 20:43). And 4. they shall see that not according to their evil has Jehovah dealt with them all through their history and in their restoration, but has wrought for his name’s sake (Ezekiel 20:44).
Sermons on Ezekiel 20:36
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Trying to Please the Lord by Zac Poonen | This sermon emphasizes the importance of aligning our thinking with God's will, focusing on humility, seeking what pleases the Lord, and valuing internal character over external ap |
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Perils of the Victorious Life by George Verwer | In this sermon, the speaker addresses the potential dangers and pitfalls that young people may face in their spiritual journey. He emphasizes the importance of being realistic and |
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Truth and Error - Part 1 - Unity of the Spirit (Compilation) by Compilations | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of unity in worshiping the Lord in spirit and truth. He highlights the need to walk as Jesus walked and to serve one another |
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Day 92, 1 Corinthians 10 by David Servant | David Servant preaches on Paul's fear of being 'disqualified' and forfeiting heaven due to sin, using the Israelites as an example of those who displeased God despite their deliver |
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Matthew 20:20-28.the Request of the Mother and Sons of Zebedee. by Favell Lee Mortimer | Favell Lee Mortimer delves into the story of the sons of Zebedee and their request to sit at the right and left hand of Jesus in His glory, highlighting the natural desire for grea |
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(Gaining God's Approval) 2. Well-Pleasing to the Father by Zac Poonen | Zac Poonen emphasizes the contrast between the Israelites, with whom God was not well-pleased despite witnessing miracles, and Jesus, who was approved by the Father due to His fait |
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1 Corinthians 9:24 by St. John Chrysostom | John Chrysostom preaches about the dangers of covetousness and the importance of prioritizing spiritual wealth over material possessions. He highlights how the pursuit of wealth le |