Ezekiel 20:1-5

Context

Israel’s Rebellion

20:1 In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth of the month,¹ some of the elders² of Israel came to seek³ the Lord, and they sat down in front of me. 20:2 The word of the Lord came to me: 20:3 “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Are you coming to seek me? As surely as I live, I will not allow you to seek me,⁴ declares the sovereign Lord.’ 20:4 “Are you willing to pronounce judgment?⁵ Are you willing to pronounce judgment, son of man? Then confront them with the abominable practices of their fathers, 20:5 and say to them:

“‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: On the day I chose Israel I swore⁶ to the descendants⁷ of the house of Jacob and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt. I swore⁸ to them, “I am the Lord your God.”

[20:1] ¹sn The date would be August 14th, 591 b.c. The seventh year is the seventh year of Jehoiachin’s exile.

[20:1] ²tn Heb “men from the elders.”

[20:1] ³tn See the note at 14:3.

[20:3] ⁴tn Or “I will not reveal myself to you.”

[20:4] ⁷tn Heb “will you judge.” Here the imperfect form of the verb is probably used with a desiderative nuance. Addressed to the prophet, “judge” means to warn of or pronounce God’s impending judgment.

[20:5] ¹⁰tn Heb “I lifted up my hand.”

[20:5] ¹¹tn Heb “seed.”

[20:5] ¹²tn Heb “I lifted up my hand.”