Ezekiel 20:8-9

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 20:7-10

No special mention of the idols of Egypt occurs in the Pentateuch, but it lies, in the nature of the case, that this was the form of idolatry implied in the second commandment, and the history of the "golden calf" ( Exodus 32:4 ) shows that they had caught the infection of the Mnevis or Apis worship while they sojourned in Egypt. Here apparently the prophet speaks of that sojourn prior to the mission of Moses. In bold anthropomorphic speech he represents Jehovah as half purposing to make an... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ezekiel 20:5-9

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 20:5Lifted up mine hand - i. e., sware, because the hand was lifted up in adjuration.Ezekiel 20:8Idols of Egypt - These incidental notices show the children of Israel in Egypt to have been addicted to idolatry. Compare Joshua 24:14.Ezekiel 20:9I wrought for my name’s sake - Lest it should appear to... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ezekiel 20:7-9

Ezekiel 20:7-9. Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes The idols to which your eyes are lifted up. One of the chief allurements to the worship of images is, that by way of indulgence to men’s imagination, they exhibit a visible object of adoration. This was what the Israelites were so fond of, when they said to Aaron, Make us gods to go before us, Exodus 32:1. And defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt It is generally supposed that the Israelites, while they dwelt in... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 20:1-26

Idolatry in the past (20:1-26)Ezekiel records another occasion when the leaders of the exiles came to him with certain questions. God told him not to waste time dealing with their questions (20:1-3). Rather Ezekiel was to deal with the more important issue of the people’s false understanding of God. Since wrong attitudes had been passed on from generation to generation, Ezekiel began to recount Israel’s history from the time the people were in Egypt (4-6). Even in Egypt they had been attracted... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Ezekiel 20:8

rebelled. See note on Ezekiel 2:5 . pour out My fury , &c. Repeated in or Ezekiel 13:21 , Eze 13:33 , Eze 13:34 . See the Structure, p. 1131. read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Ezekiel 20:9

I wrought , &c. Repeated in no Ezekiel 14:22 , Eze 14:44 . Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 32:12 .Numbers 14:13 , &c.) App-92 . heathen = nations. read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Ezekiel 20:8

Ezekiel 20:8. I said, I will pour out my fury— I thought to pour out, &c. and so Ezekiel 20:13; Ezekiel 20:21. We do not read in the book of Exodus, that the Israelites worshipped the idols of Egypt. It is only collected from that book, that they were idolaters in Egypt, because they were so prone to idolatry in the wilderness, in the very midst of God's miracles. But from the manner in which the prophet here upbraids them, we learn that the history of the Israelites is written very... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Ezekiel 20:9

Ezekiel 20:9. But I wrought for my name's sake— This in other parts of Scripture is assigned as the reason why God did not punish the Israelites as they deserved; namely, because it would turn to the dishonour of the Almighty in the judgment of the heathen world, as if he was not able to make good the gracious promises which he had given them. We see throughout the whole Scripture this jealousy, this zeal in the Lord to preserve the honour of his name, and to put to silence the insults and... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Ezekiel 20:8

8, 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 justice, and so to set forth His glory, was... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Ezekiel 20:1-44

1. The history of Israel’s rebellion and Yahweh’s grace 20:1-44The structure of this passage is quite clear. It consists of a review of Israel’s history with an introduction and a concluding application."The chapter is remarkable in that it shows a uniform moral plane sustained by the nation throughout its history." [Note: Feinberg, p. 108.] Other important themes in this chapter include God’s faithful grace in spite of Israel’s persistent rebelliousness, the repetition of a wilderness... read more

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