Ezekiel 14:11

That the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord GOD.

That the house {H1004} of Israel {H3478} may go no more astray {H8582} from me {H310}, neither be polluted {H2930} any more with all their transgressions {H6588}; but that they may be my people {H5971}, and I may be their God {H430}, saith {H5002} the Lord {H136} GOD {H3069}.

so that the house of Isra'el will no longer wander away from me or defile themselves with all their crimes; rather, they will be my people and I will be their God,' says Adonai ELOHIM."

in order that the house of Israel may no longer stray from Me and no longer defile themselves with all their transgressions. Then they will be My people and I will be their God, declares the Lord GOD.’”

that the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither defile themselves any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord Jehovah.

Ezekiel 14:11 is a pivotal verse that reveals the merciful and redemptive purpose behind God's severe judgments on Israel. After detailing the consequences for idolatry and spiritual deception, the Lord declares His ultimate intention: not destruction, but purification and restoration of His covenant relationship with His people.

Context

This verse follows a stern warning from the Lord through the prophet Ezekiel to the elders of Israel who had come to inquire of Him, but who had "set up their idols in their heart" (Ezekiel 14:3). God's judgments, including famine, wild beasts, sword, and pestilence, are presented in the preceding verses as a necessary consequence of their deep-seated idolatry and apostasy. However, verse 11 clarifies that these divine actions are not an end in themselves but a means to a greater, redemptive end: to bring Israel back into a right relationship with Him. It underscores that even in judgment, God's ultimate desire is restoration, not annihilation, for the "house of Israel" in Babylonian exile.

Key Themes

  • Divine Restoration and Purification: The core message is God's unwavering desire to cleanse His people from their spiritual defilement. The phrase "go no more astray" signifies a longing for genuine repentance and a return to faithfulness, while "neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions" highlights the need for spiritual cleansing.
  • The Covenant Relationship: The concluding phrase, "but that they may be my people, and I may be their God," is a foundational promise of the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants, reiterated throughout Scripture. It expresses God's deepest desire for an intimate, exclusive, and obedient relationship with His chosen nation. This formula finds its ultimate expression in the new covenant promised in Jeremiah and fulfilled in Christ, culminating in the eternal state described in Revelation 21:3.
  • Consequences of Sin: The verse implicitly acknowledges the severe impact of sin ("transgressions") which causes people to "go astray" and become "polluted," breaking fellowship with a holy God.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "polluted" is tameh (טָמֵא), which carries a strong connotation of ritual impurity and moral defilement. It suggests that sin not only violates God's law but also renders one unclean and unfit for His presence. The desire for Israel to "go no more astray" uses the verb ta'u (תָּעוּ), meaning to wander, err, or deviate, often implying a moral or spiritual deviation from the right path, much like a lost sheep (Psalm 119:176).

Practical Application

Ezekiel 14:11 offers timeless truths for believers today. God's heart remains set on relationship and purity. Even when facing difficult consequences for our disobedience or straying, we can be assured that God's ultimate purpose is redemptive. He desires us to turn from sin, be cleansed from our transgressions, and live as His people, experiencing the full blessing of His presence. This verse serves as a powerful reminder of God's grace and His persistent call to repentance, emphasizing that true freedom comes from living in right relationship with Him, free from the pollution of sin.

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 37:23

    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.

  • Ezekiel 48:11

    [It shall be] for the priests that are sanctified of the sons of Zadok; which have kept my charge, which went not astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray.

  • Ezekiel 44:10

    ¶ And the Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, which went astray away from me after their idols; they shall even bear their iniquity.

  • 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.

  • Revelation 21:7

    He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

  • Ezekiel 39:22

    So the house of Israel shall know that I [am] the LORD their God from that day and forward.

  • Ezekiel 44:15

    But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD:

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