Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version “’You say, “We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone.” But what you have in mind will never happen. New Living Translation “You say, ‘We want to be like the nations all around us, who serve idols of wood and stone.’ But what you have in mind will never happen. English Standard Version “What is in your mind shall never happen—the thought, ‘Let us be like the nations, like the tribes of the countries, and worship wood and stone.’ Berean Standard Bible When you say, ‘Let us be like the nations, like the peoples of the lands, serving wood and stone,’ what you have in mind will never come to pass. Berean Literal Bible And the thing coming up upon your⁺ mind, not at all shall come to pass—that you⁺ say, let us become like the nations, like the tribes of the lands, ministering to wood and stone!’ King James Bible And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone. New King James Version What you have in your mind shall never be, when you say, ‘We will be like the Gentiles, like the families in other countries, serving wood and stone.’ New American Standard Bible And whatever comes into your mind certainly will not come about, when you say: ‘We will be like the nations, like the families of the lands, serving wood and stone.’ NASB 1995 “What comes into your mind will not come about, when you say: ‘We will be like the nations, like the tribes of the lands, serving wood and stone.’ NASB 1977 “And what comes into your mind will not come about, when you say: ‘We will be like the nations, like the tribes of the lands, serving wood and stone.’ Legacy Standard Bible And what comes upon your spirit will not happen, when you say: ‘We will be like the nations, like the families of the lands, to minister to wood and stone.’ Amplified Bible What comes into your mind will never happen, when you say, ‘We will be like the [pagan] nations, like the tribes of the [Gentile] countries, serving [idols made of] wood and stone.’ Berean Annotated Bible When you⁺ say, ‘Let us be like the nations, like the peoples of the lands, serving wood and stone, what you⁺ have in mind {ruachem} will never come to pass. Christian Standard Bible “ ‘When you say, “Let’s be like the nations, like the clans of other countries, serving wood and stone,” what you have in mind will never happen. Holman Christian Standard Bible When you say, ‘Let us be like the nations, like the peoples of other countries, worshiping wood and stone,’ what you have in mind will never happen. American Standard Version and that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, in that ye say, We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone. Contemporary English Version They may think they can be like other nations and get away with worshiping idols made of wood and stone. But that will never happen! English Revised Version and that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all; in that ye say, We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone. GOD'S WORD® Translation What you have in mind will never happen. You think that you want to be like other nations, like the different people in other countries. You want to serve wood and stone. Good News Translation You have made up your minds that you want to be like the other nations, like the people who live in other countries and worship trees and rocks. But that will never be. International Standard Version The thing that you're imagining is never going to happen, since you're thinking, "We'll be like the nations, like the clans of other lands who serve gods made from wood and stone."'" NET Bible "'What you plan will never happen. You say, "We will be like the nations, like the clans of the lands, who serve gods of wood and stone." New Heart English Bible and that which comes into your mind shall not be at all, in that you say, 'We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.' Webster's Bible Translation And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleWhen you say, ‘Let us be like the nations, like the peoples of the lands, serving wood and stone,’ what you have in mind will never come to pass. World English Bible “‘“That which comes into your mind will not be at all, in that you say, ‘We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.’ Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd that which is going up on your mind, "" It is not at all—in that you are saying: We will be as the nations, as the families of the lands, "" To serve wood and stone. Berean Literal Bible And the thing coming up upon your⁺ mind, not at all shall come to pass—that you⁺ say, let us become like the nations, like the tribes of the lands, ministering to wood and stone!’ Young's Literal Translation And that which is going up on your mind, It is not at all -- in that ye are saying: We will be as the nations, as the families of the lands, To serve wood and stone. Smith's Literal Translation And the things were coming up upon your spirit which will not be which ye say, We will be as the nations, as the families of the lands to serve wood and stone. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleNeither shall the thought of your mind come to pass, by which you say: We will be as the Gentiles, and as the families of the earth, to worship stocks and stones. Catholic Public Domain Version And the plan of your mind will not occur, saying: ‘We will be like the Gentiles, and like the families of the earth, so that we worship what is wood and stone.’ New American Bible What has entered your mind shall never happen: You are thinking, “We shall be like the nations, like the peoples of foreign lands, serving wood and stone.” New Revised Standard Version What is in your mind shall never happen—the thought, “Let us be like the nations, like the tribes of the countries, and worship wood and stone.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd that which is in your mind shall not come to pass at all, for you say, We will be like the Gentiles and like the families of the earth, to serve wood and stones. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And that which is in your mind shall not happen, because you say, ‘We shall be like the nations and like the generations of the Earth, and we shall serve trees and stones” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917and that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all; in that ye say: We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone. Brenton Septuagint Translation And it shall not be as ye say, We will be as the nations, and as the tribes of the earth, to worship stocks and stones. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Israel's Rebellion in the Land…31When you offer your gifts, sacrificing your sons in the fire, you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. So should I be consulted by you, O house of Israel? As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be consulted by you! 32When you say, ‘Let us be like the nations, like the peoples of the lands, serving wood and stone,’ what you have in mind will never come to pass. Cross References When you say, ‘Let us be like the nations, 1 Samuel 8:20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to judge us, to go out before us, and to fight our battles.” 1 Samuel 8:5 “Look,” they said, “you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king to judge us like all the other nations.” Deuteronomy 17:14 When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,” like the peoples of the lands, Leviticus 18:3 You must not follow the practices of the land of Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not follow the practices of the land of Canaan, into which I am bringing you. You must not walk in their customs. Deuteronomy 12:30-31 be careful not to be ensnared by their ways after they have been destroyed before you. Do not inquire about their gods, asking, “How do these nations serve their gods? I will do likewise.” / You must not worship the LORD your God in this way, because they practice for their gods every abomination which the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods. Psalm 106:35 but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs. serving wood and stone,’ Deuteronomy 4:28 And there you will serve man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell. Deuteronomy 28:36 The LORD will bring you and the king you appoint to a nation neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you will worship other gods—gods of wood and stone. Jeremiah 10:3-5 For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut down a tree from the forest; it is shaped with a chisel by the hands of a craftsman. / They adorn it with silver and gold and fasten it with hammer and nails, so that it will not totter. / Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, and neither can they do any good.” what you have in mind will never come to pass. Isaiah 8:10 Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; state a proposal, but it will not happen. For God is with us.” Psalm 33:10-11 The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations; He thwarts the devices of the peoples. / The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the purposes of His heart to all generations. Proverbs 19:21 Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail. Jeremiah 44:17-19 Instead, we will do everything we vowed to do: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and offer drink offerings to her, just as we, our fathers, our kings, and our officials did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food and good things, and we saw no disaster. / But from the time we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have been perishing by sword and famine.” / “Moreover,” said the women, “when we burned incense to the Queen of Heaven and poured out drink offerings to her, was it without our husbands’ knowledge that we made sacrificial cakes in her image and poured out drink offerings to her?” Deuteronomy 29:18-20 Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the LORD our God to go and worship the gods of those nations. Make sure there is no root among you that bears such poisonous and bitter fruit, / because when such a person hears the words of this oath, he invokes a blessing on himself, saying, ‘I will have peace, even though I walk in the stubbornness of my own heart.’ This will bring disaster on the watered land as well as the dry. / The LORD will never be willing to forgive him. Instead, His anger and jealousy will burn against that man, and every curse written in this book will fall upon him. The LORD will blot out his name from under heaven Isaiah 30:1-2 “Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD, “to those who carry out a plan that is not Mine, who form an alliance, but against My will, heaping up sin upon sin. / They set out to go down to Egypt without asking My advice, to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection and take refuge in Egypt’s shade. 1 Samuel 8:19-20 Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We must have a king over us. / Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to judge us, to go out before us, and to fight our battles.” Treasury of Scripture And that which comes into your mind shall not be at all, that you say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone. that which Ezekiel 11:5 And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the LORD; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them. Ezekiel 38:10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: Psalm 139:2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. We will 1 Samuel 8:5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. Jeremiah 44:17,29 But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil… Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. to serve Deuteronomy 4:28 And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. Deuteronomy 28:36,64 The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone… Deuteronomy 29:17 And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:) Jump to Previous Countries Families Heathen Lands Mind Minds Nations Peoples Servants Serve Serving Stone Thought Tribes Want Wood World WorshipJump to Next Countries Families Heathen Lands Mind Minds Nations Peoples Servants Serve Serving Stone Thought Tribes Want Wood World WorshipEzekiel 20 1. God refuses to be consulted by the elders of Israel4. He shows the story of their rebellions in Egypt 19. in the desert 27. and in the land 33. He promises to gather them by the Gospel 45. Under the name of a forest he shows the destruction of Jerusalem When you say, ‘Let us be like the nations, This phrase reflects Israel's desire to assimilate with surrounding nations, abandoning their unique identity as God's chosen people. Historically, Israel was set apart to be a holy nation (Exodus 19:5-6), distinct from others who worshipped false gods. The desire to be like other nations often led to idolatry and disobedience, as seen in 1 Samuel 8:5 when Israel demanded a king to be like other nations. like the peoples of the lands, serving wood and stone,’ what you have in mind will never come to pass. Persons / Places / Events 1. EzekielA prophet during the Babylonian exile, tasked with delivering God's messages to the Israelites. 2. Israelites The people of God who are in exile due to their disobedience and idolatry. 3. Babylon The place of exile for the Israelites, representing a land of foreign gods and practices. 4. Nations/Peoples of the Lands Refers to the surrounding pagan nations whose practices the Israelites were tempted to adopt. 5. Idolatry The act of worshiping idols, which is a central issue addressed in this passage. Teaching Points The Danger of ConformityThe Israelites' desire to be like other nations reflects a temptation to conform to worldly standards. Believers today must guard against the allure of cultural assimilation that contradicts God's commands. The Futility of Idolatry Serving "wood and stone" is ultimately futile. Idolatry, in any form, cannot fulfill the deep spiritual needs that only God can satisfy. God's Sovereignty and Faithfulness Despite the Israelites' intentions, God declares that their plans to adopt pagan practices will not succeed. This underscores God's control and His commitment to His covenant people. The Call to Holiness Believers are called to be set apart, living lives that reflect God's holiness rather than the practices of the world. Trust in God's Plan Even when tempted to follow the ways of the world, believers can trust that God's plans are for their ultimate good and His glory. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Ezekiel 20:32?2. How does Ezekiel 20:32 warn against adopting pagan practices and beliefs today? 3. What does Ezekiel 20:32 reveal about God's response to Israel's rebellious desires? 4. How can Ezekiel 20:32 guide Christians in resisting cultural pressures today? 5. Compare Ezekiel 20:32 with Romans 12:2 on conforming to worldly standards. 6. How can we ensure our desires align with God's will, per Ezekiel 20:32? 7. What does Ezekiel 20:32 reveal about God's response to Israel's idolatry? 8. How does Ezekiel 20:32 challenge the concept of free will in religious decisions? 9. Why does God reject Israel's desire to be like other nations in Ezekiel 20:32? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Ezekiel 20? 11. How do claims in Ezekiel 36 about Israel's future prosperity reconcile with other biblical passages that predict ongoing hardship for the same people? 12. How does the promise of eventual restoration in Ezekiel 20:40-44 stand up to skepticism when some prophecies appear to have remained unfulfilled from a historical standpoint? 13. (Revelation 20:7-8) Who are Gog and Magog historically, and why is there no clear archeological evidence of such an end-times battle? 14. Is there any historical or archaeological evidence that Ezekiel 37:12-14 was fulfilled by actual physical resurrections in Israel's past? What Does Ezekiel 20:32 Mean When you sayEzekiel is addressing words already formed in the hearts of the exiles. Their spoken intent reveals a settled determination to turn from the LORD. • In Exodus 32:1 the people “gathered around Aaron” and spoke their impatience. Words exposed idolatrous desires long before the golden calf was cast. • 1 Samuel 8:19-20 records Israel insisting, “No! We must have a king over us.” Again, speech unveiled rebellion. God hears every word and weighs the intent behind it (Psalm 139:4). The phrase reminds us that declared plans are never hidden from Him. Let us be like the nations The craving is conformity, not covenant. Israel was set apart “as His treasured possession out of all the peoples on the face of the earth” (Deuteronomy 7:6), yet they prefer sameness. • 1 Samuel 8:5 shows the identical plea: “Appoint a king to judge us like all the other nations.” • Romans 12:2 warns believers, “Do not be conformed to this world.” Then and now, God’s people face the pull of cultural assimilation. Like the peoples of the lands This line widens the scope: any surrounding populace is preferable to God’s holy calling. • Joshua 23:6-7 commands Israel not to “associate with these nations which remain among you… or bow down to their gods.” • Psalm 106:34-35 laments, “They did not destroy the peoples… but mingled with the nations and adopted their customs.” Desiring neighbor-approval over divine approval always weakens witness and invites discipline. Serving wood and stone Idolatry stands in stark contrast to the living God. Wooden poles and stone pillars were the stock-in-trade of Canaanite worship. • Deuteronomy 4:28 foretells, “There you will serve man-made gods of wood and stone.” • Jeremiah 2:27 rebukes those who “say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’” The lifelessness of the idols underscores the folly: they cannot speak, see, or save. What you have in mind will never come to pass Here God issues an unambiguous veto. Human resolve cannot overturn divine purpose. • Proverbs 19:21: “Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.” • Isaiah 14:24: “Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand.” • Ezekiel 11:17-20 promises that, despite exile, God will gather, cleanse, and give His people “an undivided heart.” Their plan to dissolve the covenant will fail; His plan to restore the covenant will stand. summary Ezekiel 20:32 captures a rebellious declaration and God’s firm rebuttal. Israel longs to erase its distinctiveness, copy surrounding nations, and worship worthless idols. God hears their words, exposes their motives, and flatly denies the possibility. The verse teaches that: • God’s people may drift, but they cannot nullify His covenant. • Conformity to the world invites judgment; conformity to God’s will secures blessing. • Idolatry always promises freedom yet delivers futility. Ultimately, the LORD’s sovereign purpose prevails: He will keep His people, purge their idols, and vindicate His holy name. (32) As the heathen.--The desire to be "like the nations that are round about," had long been a ruling ambition with the Israelites, as shown in their original desire for a king (1Samuel 8:5; 1Samuel 8:20), and this desire, as shown in the text, had been one chief reason for their tendency to idolatry.The second part of this prophecy extends from Ezekiel 20:33 to Ezekiel 20:44, where the chapter closes in the Hebrew, and it would have been better if the same division had been observed in the English, as the fresh prophecy of Ezekiel 20:45-49 is more closely connected with the following chapter. The object of this concluding part of the prophecy is to declare the mingled severity and goodness with which God is about to deal with His people to wean them from their sins, and prepare them to receive His abundant blessing. . . . Verse 32. - That which cometh into your mind, etc. The prophet reads tide secret thoughts of the inquirers. If the temple were destroyed, they thought, then the one restraint on the idolatries they loved would be removed. They would be no longer a separate people, and would be free to adopt the cultus of the heathen among whom they lived. If that was not Jehovah's purpose for them, then there must be no destruction of the temple, no dispersion among the nations. They come to Ezekiel to know which of the two alternatives he, as the prophet of Jehovah, has in store, and his answer is that he is bound to nether. They could not abdicate their high position, and would remain under the burden of its responsibilities. Scattered though they might be among the heathen, yet even there the "mighty hand and the stretched-out arm" (we note the phrases as from Deuteronomy 4:34; Deuteronomy 5:15) would hunt them down, and punish them for their iniquities.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Whenאֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ (’ă·šer) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that you אַתֶּ֣ם (’at·tem) Pronoun - second person masculine plural Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you say: אֹמְרִ֗ים (’ō·mə·rîm) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural Strong's 559: To utter, say “Let us be נִֽהְיֶ֤ה (nih·yeh) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be like the nations, כַגּוֹיִם֙ (ḵag·gō·w·yim) Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 1471: A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts like the peoples כְּמִשְׁפְּח֣וֹת (kə·miš·pə·ḥō·wṯ) Preposition-k | Noun - feminine plural construct Strong's 4940: A family, circle of relatives, a class, a species, sort, a tribe, people of the lands, הָאֲרָצ֔וֹת (hā·’ă·rā·ṣō·wṯ) Article | Noun - feminine plural Strong's 776: Earth, land serving לְשָׁרֵ֖ת (lə·šā·rêṯ) Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct Strong's 8334: To attend as a, menial, worshipper, to contribute to wood עֵ֥ץ (‘êṣ) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 6086: Tree, trees, wood and stone,” וָאָֽבֶן׃ (wā·’ā·ḇen) Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 68: A stone what you have in עַל־ (‘al-) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against mind ר֣וּחֲכֶ֔ם (rū·ḥă·ḵem) Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural Strong's 7307: Wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, a region of the sky, spirit will never לֹ֣א (lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no happen. תִֽהְיֶ֑ה (ṯih·yeh) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be Links Ezekiel 20:32 NIVEzekiel 20:32 NLT Ezekiel 20:32 ESV Ezekiel 20:32 NASB Ezekiel 20:32 KJV Ezekiel 20:32 BibleApps.com Ezekiel 20:32 Biblia Paralela Ezekiel 20:32 Chinese Bible Ezekiel 20:32 French Bible Ezekiel 20:32 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Ezekiel 20:32 And that which comes into your mind (Ezek. Eze Ezk) |
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