Bible Strands
Ezekiel 20:8
But they rebelled against Me and refused to listen. None of them cast away the abominations before their eyes, and they did not forsake the idols of Egypt. So I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and vent My anger against them in the land of Egypt.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — God addresses Israel regarding their historical rebellion during the Exodus period, immediately after commanding them to abandon Egyptian idols. He declares His decision to execute judgment in Egypt before revealing His restraint for the sake of His reputation.
The words — וַ/יַּמְרוּ (va/i.yam.ru-) translates as "and they rebelled," and שִׁקּוּצֵ֤י (shi.ku.Tzei) denotes "detestable things." These terms anchor the verse's declaration of deliberate defiance and idolatrous attachment.
The thread — This pattern of rebellion and poured-out wrath recurs in Isaiah 63:10 and Ezekiel 5:13, where divine anger is vented against disobedience. Ezekiel 7:8 reinforces the immediate execution of judgment, while Ezekiel 20:9 shows the same wrath ultimately restrained to protect God's name.
Why it lands — The text states that idolatry triggers certain judgment, while the surrounding context clarifies that God's actions are governed by His commitment to His own reputation. It asks the reader to observe how divine wrath operates within the bounds of covenant faithfulness.
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
King James Version
But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 63:10 But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit. So He turned and became their enemy, and He Himself fought against them.
- Ezekiel 5:13 And when My anger is spent and I have vented My wrath against them, I will be appeased. And when I have spent My wrath on them, they will know that I, the LORD, in My zeal have spoken.
- Ezekiel 7:8 Very soon I will pour out My wrath upon you and vent My anger against you; I will judge you according to your ways and repay you for all your abominations.
- Ezekiel 20:7 And I said to them: ‘Each of you must throw away the abominations before his eyes, and you must not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’
- 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.
- Exodus 32:4 He took the gold from their hands, and with an engraving tool he fashioned it into a molten calf. And they said, “These, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”
- Deuteronomy 9:7 Remember this, and never forget how you provoked the LORD your God in the wilderness. From the day you left the land of Egypt until you reached this place, you have been rebelling against the LORD.
- 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.
- Nehemiah 9:26 But they were disobedient and rebelled against You; they flung Your law behind their backs. They killed Your prophets, who had admonished them to return to You. They committed terrible blasphemies.