Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols [wherewith] they had polluted it:
Wherefore I poured {H8210} my fury {H2534} upon them for the blood {H1818} that they had shed {H8210} upon the land {H776}, and for their idols {H1544} wherewith they had polluted {H2930} it:
Therefore I poured out my fury on them, because of the blood they had shed in the land and because they defiled it with their idols.
So I poured out My wrath upon them because of the blood they had shed on the land, and because they had defiled it with their idols.
Wherefore I poured out my wrath upon them for the blood which they had poured out upon the land, and because they had defiled it with their idols;
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Ezekiel 7:8
Now will I shortly pour out my fury upon thee, and accomplish mine anger upon thee: and I will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations. -
2 Chronicles 34:21
Go, enquire of the LORD for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great [is] the wrath of the LORD that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do after all that is written in this book. -
Lamentations 2:4
He hath bent his bow like an enemy: he stood with his right hand as an adversary, and slew all [that were] pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he poured out his fury like fire. -
Lamentations 4:11
The LORD hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof. -
Jeremiah 44:6
Wherefore my fury and mine anger was poured forth, and was kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted [and] desolate, as at this day. -
Nahum 1:6
Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him. -
Ezekiel 23:37
That they have committed adultery, and blood [is] in their hands, and with their idols have they committed adultery, and have also caused their sons, whom they bare unto me, to pass for them through [the fire], to devour [them].
Context
Ezekiel 36:18 is part of a significant prophetic discourse where God explains the reasons for Israel's exile and subsequent dispersion among the nations. Prior to this chapter, Ezekiel has delivered stern warnings and pronouncements of judgment against Jerusalem and the surrounding nations. Here, the Lord clarifies that His judgment was not arbitrary but a direct consequence of Israel's persistent sin and rebellion against Him. The "fury" poured out signifies a righteous divine response to the profound moral and spiritual defilement of the land and its people, setting the stage for God's later promises of restoration and renewal in the chapter.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The KJV uses "fury" to translate the Hebrew word chemah (חֵמָה), which conveys a strong, burning anger or indignation. In God's context, this is always a righteous and controlled wrath, not an uncontrolled outburst. The term "polluted" comes from the Hebrew root tame (טָמֵא), signifying ritual uncleanness or defilement. This emphasizes that Israel's actions not only broke moral laws but also rendered the land ceremonially impure in God's sight, making it unfit for His presence.
Practical Application
Ezekiel 36:18 serves as a timeless reminder of God's character: He is holy and just, and sin has serious consequences. While we live under the new covenant of grace, this verse highlights several enduring truths: