Ezekiel 36:17-28

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 36:16-24

When God promised the poor captives a glorious return, in due time, to their own land, it was a great discouragement to their hopes that they were unworthy, utterly unworthy, of such a favour; therefore, to remove that discouragement, God here shows them that he would do it for them purely for his own name's sake, that he might be glorified in them and by them, that he might manifest and magnify his mercy and goodness, that attribute which of all others is most his glory. And, the restoration... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 36:25-38

The people of God might be discouraged in their hopes of a restoration by the sense not only of their unworthiness of such a favour (which was answered, in the Ezek. 36:1-24, with this, that God, in doing it, would have an eye to his own glory, not to their worthiness), but of their unfitness for such a favour, being still corrupt and sinful; and that is answered in these verses, with a promise that God would by his grace prepare and qualify them for the mercy and then bestow it on them. And... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 36:17

Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land ,.... The land of Canaan, which the Lord their God gave unto them; a land abounding with all good things, where they dwelt in great ease, plenty, and prosperity; and which also was a holy land, peculiarly chosen of God for his worship and service: they defiled it by their own way and by their doings : by their sinful ways and evil works: sin is of a defiling nature; it defiles the bodies and souls of men; it defiles their own,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 36:18

Wherefore I poured my fury on them ,.... Like a mighty flood that carries all before it, in just retaliation for the blood they had shed upon the land ; the innocent blood, as the Targum; the blood of righteous men, that opposed and reproved them for their sinful ways; the blood of the prophets, that were sent to warn them of them; and especially the blood of the Son of God; for this prophecy reaches further than to the times of the Babylonish captivity: and for their idols wherewith... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 36:19

And I scattered them among the Heathen ,.... First by the Chaldeans, in the various provinces of Babylon; and next by the Romans, in the various parts of the world; and in this condition they now are: and they were dispersed through the countries ; or blown about as chaff, stubble, or any such like thing, is by the wind: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them ; condemned and punished them as their evil ways and wicked works deserved, according to the rules... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 36:20

And when they entered unto the Heathen, whither they went ,.... When the Jews went into the Heathen countries, whither they were carried captive, either by the Chaldeans, or by the Romans: they profaned my holy name ; by their irreligion and immorality; by their violation of both tables of the law; by their wicked lives and conversations, whereby they gave the enemy an occasion to reproach them, their religion, and their God, Romans 2:24 , when they said to them, these are the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 36:21

But I had pity for my holy name ,.... Had pity on the Jews for his name's sake, and not theirs; or he had a tender concern for his own honour and glory: which the house of Israel had profaned among the Heathen, whither they went ; and therefore was resolved to take a method for the glorifying of it, and that in a way of special grace and mercy to his people; See Gill on Ezekiel 36:20 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 36:22

Therefore say unto the house of Israel ,.... This is an order to the prophet, the son of man, Ezekiel 36:17 , thus saith the Lord God, I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel ; what he hereafter promises to do for them, both with respect to things temporal and spiritual; which he did, not on account of any deserts or worthiness in them; for they had none, having done nothing to merit his favour, but, on the contrary, everything to provoke the eyes of his glory: but for my... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 36:23

And I will sanctify my great name ,.... The same with his holy name; for his greatness lies in his holiness; which name he sanctifies when he clears it from all charges and imputations; when he makes it appear to be holy and himself to be glorious in holiness; when he vindicates the honour of his name, not in a way of punishment, as he justly might, but in a way of grace and mercy; he sanctifies his name when he proclaims it, a God gracious and merciful; for it was in this way and manner he... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 36:24

For I will take you from among the Heathen ,.... The Chaldeans and other nations, among whom they were carried captive; and the Papists, among whom many of them now are, often called Heathens and Gentiles in Scripture: this will be fully completed at the time of the Jews' conversion in the latter day: the phrase fitly expresses the act of divine grace, in taking his people from among the world by the effectual calling: and gather you out of all countries ; to himself, and to his Son, and... read more

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