Bible Strands
Ezekiel 39:21
I will display My glory among the nations, and all the nations will see the judgment that I execute and the hand that I lay upon them.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Lord God speaks through the prophet Ezekiel immediately after describing a future battle where He executes judgment on hostile armies. The declaration follows a vision of a divine feast and precedes a promise that Israel will recognize His sovereignty.
The words — כְּבוֹדִי (kevo.di) translates literally as "my glory," and הַגּוֹיִם (ha.go.yim) means "the nations." These terms anchor the verse's focus on God's visible reputation being revealed to all peoples.
The thread — This theme of God manifesting His glory and judgment to the nations appears in Ezekiel 38:23 and Isaiah 37:20, where foreign kingdoms are called to recognize His sovereignty. It also parallels Exodus 9:16, which states God raised Pharaoh up to display His power, not to have defeated rulers demonstrate it.
Why it lands — The text declares that God will publicly execute judgment and lay His hand upon the nations so that all peoples witness it. Readers are asked to acknowledge that divine judgment is a visible revelation of God's character, not a hidden event.
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
And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them.
Cross-references
- Ezekiel 38:23 I will magnify and sanctify Myself, and I will reveal Myself in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.
- Exodus 9:16 But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power to you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
- Isaiah 37:20 And now, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O LORD, are God.”
- Ezekiel 36:23 I will show the holiness of My great name, which has been profaned among the nations—the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Lord GOD, when I show My holiness in you before their eyes.
- Ezekiel 38:16 You will advance against My people Israel like a cloud covering the land. It will happen in the latter days, O Gog, that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me when I show Myself holy in you before their eyes.
- Exodus 7:4 Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay My hand on Egypt, and by mighty acts of judgment I will bring the divisions of My people the Israelites out of the land of Egypt.
- Exodus 8:19 “This is the finger of God,” the magicians said to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.
- Exodus 14:4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will pursue them. But I will gain honor by means of Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.” So this is what the Israelites did.
- 1 Samuel 5:7 And when the men of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not stay here with us, because His hand is heavy upon us and upon our god Dagon.”
- 1 Samuel 5:11 Then the Ekronites called together all the rulers of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel. It must return to its place, so that it will not kill us and our people!” For a deadly confusion had pervaded the city; the hand of God was very heavy upon it.