Ezekiel 11:19

And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

And I will give {H5414} them one {H259} heart {H3820}, and I will put {H5414} a new {H2319} spirit {H7307} within {H7130} you; and I will take {H5493} the stony {H68} heart {H3820} out of their flesh {H1320}, and will give {H5414} them an heart {H3820} of flesh {H1320}:

and I will give them unity of heart. "I will put a new spirit among you." I will remove from their bodies the hearts of stone and give them hearts of flesh;

And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh,

And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh;

Ezekiel 11:19 offers a profound prophetic promise of spiritual transformation and renewal from God to His people. This verse is part of a vision given to the prophet Ezekiel during the Babylonian exile, a time of great despair and judgment for Israel. Amidst the pronouncements of judgment, God interjects a powerful message of hope and future restoration, highlighting His sovereign power to change the human heart.

Context

The book of Ezekiel primarily addresses the sins of Judah that led to their exile, including idolatry and unfaithfulness. Chapters 10 and 11 describe the departure of God's glory from the Temple, symbolizing the spiritual desolation caused by Israel's rebellion. However, immediately following this grim depiction, God delivers a promise of gathering the remnant and renewing them. This verse specifically focuses on the internal, spiritual change necessary for true restoration, indicating that the problem was not just external behavior but a hardened heart.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Initiative: The repeated phrase "I will" emphasizes that this transformation is entirely God's work. It is not something humanity can achieve on its own but is a gracious gift from the Almighty.
  • Radical Transformation: The core promise is a complete spiritual overhaul. God pledges to replace a "stony heart," which is unresponsive and rebellious, with a "heart of flesh," capable of feeling, responding, and obeying Him.
  • The Gift of a New Spirit: Alongside the new heart, God promises to "put a new spirit within you." This points to a divine enablement for obedience and a renewed relationship with God, often understood as the work of the Holy Spirit. This promise is echoed powerfully later in Ezekiel 36:26-27, where the Spirit's role in empowering obedience is made explicit.
  • Unity and Obedience: The phrase "one heart" suggests a future unity among God's people, aligned in their devotion and obedience to Him, in contrast to the fractured and rebellious hearts of the past.

Linguistic Insights

The contrast between the "stony heart" (Hebrew: lev ha'even) and the "heart of flesh" (Hebrew: lev basar) is central to this verse's meaning. A stony heart signifies insensitivity, stubbornness, and an inability to respond to God's commands or His love. It's a heart hardened by sin and unbelief. Conversely, a heart of flesh denotes receptivity, tenderness, and responsiveness to divine instruction. It is a heart that can be moved, can feel remorse, and can genuinely love and obey God. The "new spirit" (Hebrew: ruach chadashah) implies a fresh, divine infusion that empowers this internal change, leading to a life aligned with God's will.

Related Scriptures

This prophecy in Ezekiel is a foundational Old Testament promise that anticipates the New Covenant, where God's law would be written on the hearts of His people, not just on tablets of stone. The themes of spiritual regeneration and the indwelling Spirit are central to New Testament theology, particularly in passages such as John 3:5-8 concerning being born of the Spirit, and 2 Corinthians 5:17, which speaks of becoming a "new creation" in Christ.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 11:19 offers immense hope for believers today. It underscores that true spiritual change begins internally, with God's transformative work in our hearts. If we feel spiritually hardened, unresponsive, or distant from God, this verse reminds us that God desires to perform a divine heart transplant. It encourages prayer for a "heart of flesh" that is sensitive to His voice and willing to obey. This promise also highlights the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in enabling us to live lives of faith and obedience, empowering us to walk in God's ways and fulfill His purposes.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Ezekiel 36:26

    A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

  • Ezekiel 36:27

    And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do [them].

  • Jeremiah 31:33

    But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

  • Psalms 51:10

    Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

  • Jeremiah 32:39

    And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:

  • Jeremiah 32:40

    And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.

  • Jeremiah 24:7

    And I will give them an heart to know me, that I [am] the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.

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