Ezekiel 37:23

They will no longer defile themselves with their idols or detestable images, or with any of their transgressions. I will save them from all their apostasies by which they sinned, and I will cleanse them. Then they will be My people, and I will be their God.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God speaks through Ezekiel to the house of Israel, within the dry-bones vision, between the promise of reunification (v.22) and the appointment of David as king (v.24).

The words — yi.ta.me.'U (יִֽטַמְּא֣וּ), "they will make themselves unclean," is reflexive in sense: the defilement is self-inflicted, and the promise is that it stops. pish.'ei (פִּשְׁעֵי), "transgressions," names the specific object of God's cleansing.

The thread — The covenant formula "they will be My people, and I will be their God" appears in Ezekiel 36:28 and reaches its eschatological form in Revelation 21:3; the cleansing language echoes 1 John 1:9.

Why it lands — The verse assigns every act of restoration to God—saving, cleansing, establishing the covenant—leaving the human side as only the cessation of self-defilement. It asks the reader to stop treating the relationship as something to be earned.

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

וְלֹ֧אve./Lo'and/ not יִֽטַמְּא֣וּyi.ta.me.'Uthey will make themselves unclean ע֗וֹדodagain בְּגִלּֽוּלֵיהֶם֙be./gi.lu.lei./Hemby/ idols/ their וּבְשִׁקּ֣וּצֵיהֶ֔םu./ve./shi.Ku.tzei./Hemand/ by/ abominations/ their וּבְכֹ֖לu./ve./Kholand/ by/ all פִּשְׁעֵיהֶ֑םpish.'ei./Hemtransgressions/ their וְהוֹשַׁעְתִּ֣יve./ho.sha'.Tiand/ I will save אֹתָ֗ם'o.Ta/m<obj.>/ them מִכֹּ֤לmi./Kolfrom/ all מוֹשְׁבֹֽתֵיהֶם֙mo.she.vo.tei./Hemdwelling places/ their אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sherwhich חָטְא֣וּcha.te.'Uthey have sinnedבָהֶ֔םva./Hemin/ themוְטִהַרְתִּ֤יve./ti.har.Tiand/ I will cleanse אוֹתָם֙'o.Ta/m<obj.>/ them וְהָיוּ־ve./ha.yu-and/ they will becomeלִ֣יl/ifor/ meלְעָ֔םle./'Am<into>/ a people וַאֲנִ֕יva./'a.Niand/ I אֶהְיֶ֥ה'eh.YehI will becomeלָהֶ֖םla./Hemfor/ themלֵאלֹהִֽים׃le./lo.Him<into>/ God

King James Version

Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

Cross-references

Revelation 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God.
Ezekiel 36:28 Then you will live in the land that I gave your forefathers; you will be My people, and I will be your God.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Zechariah 13:1 “On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the people of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.
Ephesians 5:26 to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Revelation 21:7 The one who overcomes will inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son.
Hosea 14:8 O Ephraim, what have I to do anymore with idols? It is I who answer and watch over him. I am like a flourishing cypress; your fruit comes from Me.
Genesis 17:7 I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
Leviticus 20:7 Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, because I am the LORD your God.