Ezekiel 20:36

Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD.

Like as I pleaded {H8199} with your fathers {H1} in the wilderness {H4057} of the land {H776} of Egypt {H4714}, so will I plead {H8199} with you, saith {H5002} the Lord {H136} GOD {H3069}.

Just as I judged your ancestors in the desert of the land of Egypt, so will I judge you,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the Lord GOD.

Like as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I enter into judgment with you, saith the Lord Jehovah.

Commentary

Ezekiel 20:36 is a powerful declaration from the Lord GOD, drawing a direct parallel between His past dealings with the rebellious Israelites in the wilderness after the Exodus and His future actions towards the exiles in Ezekiel's time. This verse emphasizes God's consistent character and His unwavering commitment to justice and purification.

Context

Chapter 20 of Ezekiel is a lengthy historical recounting of Israel's persistent rebellion and idolatry from the time they were in Egypt, through the wilderness, and into the Promised Land. Despite God's faithfulness and deliverance, the people continually provoked Him. The "pleading" mentioned in verse 36 refers to God's judicial contention or judgment against them. Just prior to this verse, in Ezekiel 20:35, God declares He will bring them into "the wilderness of the peoples" (the nations where they were exiled) to deal with them there, much like He did with their ancestors in the literal wilderness after leaving Egypt.

Key Themes

  • Divine Consistency: God operates with unchanging principles. His way of dealing with sin and rebellion is consistent across generations. What He did with the fathers, He will do with the children.
  • Judgment and Purification: The "pleading" signifies a judicial process, a bringing to account. This judgment is not merely punitive but also purificatory, designed to separate the rebellious from those who genuinely seek Him. This process mirrors the forty years in the wilderness, where the disobedient generation perished, and a new generation entered the Promised Land (see Numbers 14:29).
  • Recurrence of History: The verse highlights a pattern of rebellion and divine response that repeats in Israel's history, underscoring the importance of learning from past mistakes.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word translated "pleaded" in the King James Version is shaphat (ืฉึธืืคึทื˜). While it can mean "to judge" or "to govern," in this context, it carries the strong connotation of "to contend with," "to argue a case against," or "to enter into controversy with." It's a legal term implying a divine lawsuit against His people for their unfaithfulness, leading to a verdict and consequential action, rather than just gentle persuasion.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 20:36 serves as a powerful reminder that God is just and consistent in His dealings with humanity. For believers today, it implies that God will hold us accountable for our actions and spiritual walk, just as He did with ancient Israel. His discipline, though sometimes severe, is ultimately for our good and purification, aiming to bring us into a deeper, more obedient relationship with Him. We are called to learn from the history of God's people and respond to His call for holiness, recognizing that His character remains unchanging throughout the ages.

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Cross-References

  • 1 Corinthians 10:5 (4 votes)

    But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

  • 1 Corinthians 10:10 (4 votes)

    Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

  • Numbers 11:1 (4 votes)

    ยถ And [when] the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard [it]; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed [them that were] in the uttermost parts of the camp.

  • Numbers 11:35 (4 votes)

    [And] the people journeyed from Kibrothhattaavah unto Hazeroth; and abode at Hazeroth.

  • Ezekiel 20:21 (3 votes)

    Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which [if] a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.

  • Ezekiel 20:13 (3 votes)

    But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which [if] a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.

  • Numbers 16:1 (2 votes)

    ยถ Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took [men]: