Ezekiel 20:38

And 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.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — The Lord addresses the house of Israel during a covenant review, declaring a coming purification of the community.

The words — בָּרַתִּי (va.ro.Ti) means “I will purge,” and מֹּרְדִים (mo.re.Dim) denotes “those who rebel,” framing the judgment as a deliberate removal of transgressors from their dwelling places.

The thread — This exclusion motif parallels Psalms 95:11, where sworn rebellion bars entry to rest, and Amos 9:9, where shaking the house of Israel among nations functions as a sifting process.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition of divine authority by separating the faithful from the rebellious, requiring the reader to accept that covenant identity depends on obedience, not mere residence.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וּבָרוֹתִ֣יu./va.ro.Tiand/ I will purgeמִכֶּ֗םmi./Kemfrom/ youהַמֹּרְדִ֤יםha./mo.re.Dimthose/ [who] rebel וְהַפּֽוֹשְׁעִים֙ve./ha./po.she.'Imand/ those/ [who] transgressבִּ֔יB/iagainst/ meמֵאֶ֤רֶץme./'E.retzfrom/ [the] land of מְגֽוּרֵיהֶם֙me.gu.rei./Hemsojournings/ their אוֹצִ֣יא'o.Tzi'I will bring out אוֹתָ֔ם'o.Ta/m<obj.>/ them וְאֶל־ve./'el-and/ into אַדְמַ֥ת'ad.Mat[the] land of יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElIsrael לֹ֣אlo'not יָב֑וֹאya.Vo'he will go וִֽידַעְתֶּ֖םvi./da'.Temand/ you will know כִּי־ki-that אֲנִ֥י'a.NiI יְהוָֽה׃Yah.weh[am] Yahweh

King James Version

And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the Lord.

Cross-references

Psalms 95:11 So I swore on oath in My anger, “They shall never enter My rest.”
Ezekiel 13:9 My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and speak lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of My people or be recorded in the register of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.
Amos 9:9 “For surely I will give the command, and I will shake the house of Israel among all the nations as grain is sifted in a sieve; but not a pebble will reach the ground.
Jeremiah 44:14 so that none of the remnant of Judah who have gone to reside in Egypt will escape or survive to return to the land of Judah, where they long to return and live; for none will return except a few fugitives.”
Ezekiel 6:7 The slain will fall among you, and you will know that I am the LORD.
Zechariah 13:8 And in all the land, declares the LORD, two-thirds will be cut off and perish, but a third will be left in it.
Malachi 3:3 And He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will present offerings to the LORD in righteousness.
Malachi 4:1 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble; the day is coming when I will set them ablaze,” says the LORD of Hosts. “Not a root or branch will be left to them.”
Numbers 14:28 So tell them: As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I will do to you exactly as I heard you say.
Psalms 9:16 The LORD is known by the justice He brings; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands. Higgaion Selah