Ezekiel 20:15

Eze 20:15 Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given [them], flowing with milk and honey, which [is] the glory of all lands;

Ver. 15. Yet also I lifted up mine hand.] Here we have an epitome of Exodus and Numbers.

Flowing with milk and honey.] See on Eze 20:6. If it be not so fertile and desirable now, it is for the Jews’ inexpiable guilt in crucifying the Lord of glory. The like befell Sodom - once as the garden of God, now a dead sea, where nothing can live.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I swore against them (Psa 95:11; Psa 106:26) that I would not permit the generation that came out of Egypt to enter Canaan.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 15. I lifted up my hand] Their provocations in the wilderness were so great, that I vowed never to bring them into the promised land. I did not consume them, but I disinherited them. See Clarke on Eze 20:5.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

God here shows that his threats were ineffectual, even when he inflicted severe punishment, yet the people were not broken down and subdued: and this is a sign of a most perverse disposition. The foolish are at length corrected with rods, but when those who are chastised become worse instead of repenting, they betray their desperate character. God therefore here signifies that the Israelites were of an abandoned disposition, because there were no means of bringing them back to good conduct. At first he enticed them by his mercy, then gave them the law, and added a sacrament, as we have seen; but this proved wholly useless: what remained then, except to terrify them partly by threats and partly by punishments? He tried both, for he threatened them when they sinned, without any advantage: then he showed them in reality that theirs was no vain terror, since all those died in the desert who had refused to go forward when he called them into the land of Canaan. (Numbers 32:10.) Since, they were not bent by those signs of God’s wrath, their contumacy appears so great, that they ought to perish a hundred times over. I also, says he, raised my hand; he doubtless means that he swore, as we gather from Moses and from the Psalms, I swore in my wrath if they should enter into my rest. (Psalm 95:11.) He says then that he raised his hand; we have explained whence the simile is taken, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them. Here God emphatically shows how formidable that punishment was, as it deprived them of that sure heritage which he had bestowed on them: for before they were born they were lords of the land of Canaan — since four hundred years before it was promised to Abraham in their name. Since they cast themselves off from this inheritance, they plainly displayed their slothfulness: I had given them an inheritance, says he, for they compelled me to swear: I swore that they should not reach it. He adds, a land flowing with milk and honey, desired by all nations. By these words he enlarges upon the people’s ingratitude, since they despised no mean benefit, but a land in which they might dwell happily. For God had so enriched it with his gifts, that they might have been as it were in paradise. Since then such fertility did not attract them to obey God, hence it appears, that they were in every way refractory. It afterwards follows —

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(15) I would not bring them into the land.—Num_14:28-29. In consequence of their rebellion and want of faith, all the men above twenty years old when they came out of Egypt were doomed by the Divine oath to perish in the wilderness. Yet He did not utterly take His mercy from them, but promised that their children should be brought into the land, as is set forth in Eze_20:17.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Yet also I lifted up mine hand unto them in the wilderness,.... Swore unto them, as in Eze 20:5;

that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them; by promise to their fathers, and to them. This is to be understood of the generation that came out of Egypt, that received the ill report the spies made, and murmured against the Lord; wherefore he swore in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest; or he would not bring them into the land of Canaan, save Caleb and Joshua; and accordingly none else entered but them, though their posterity did; and so both his oath to them, that they should not enter, and his oath to Abraham, that he would give to his seed the land, had their accomplishment, Num 14:23; a land

flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands; See Gill on Eze 20:6.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Yet also; moreover also, as the same particles are rendered, Eze 20:12.

I lifted up my hand unto them; see Eze 20:5; sware in his wrath against them, Psa 95:11.

In the wilderness of Paran, where the Israelites pitched and abode in several parts of it many days, during which time they lust for flesh, Num 11:4,5, and murmur against the Lord, Moses, and the two faithful spies, who had searched out the land: here it was they would make them a captain and return to Egypt, Num 14:4.

That I would not bring them, & c: so it is recorded, Num 14:11,12,22,23,28-32; so all the murmuring, disobedient, unbelieving generation was excluded, and their children were brought in; which, well noted, reconcileth the seeming contrariety between the oaths of God.

Them; those rebellious and murmuring ones.

Given them; promised to the seed of Abraham, but not confined to that generation; the promise was made good, though to the next generation.

Flowing with milk and honey: see Eze 20:6.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

I lifted up my hand - I swear. Them - So all the murmuring, disobedient, unbelieving generation was excluded, and their children were brought in.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

General Information:

Yahweh continues giving Ezekiel his message to the elders of Israel.

I myself also raised my hand to swear an oath

Here "raised my hand" is a symbolic action that shows he will truly do what he has sworn to do. See how you translated this in Ezekiel 20:5. AT: "I myself also solemnly swore an oath" (See: Symbolic Action)

to them

"to the house of Israel"

a land flowing with milk and honey

"a land where plenty of milk and honey flowed." Yahweh speaks of the land being good for animals and plants as if the milk and honey from those animals and plants were flowing through the land. See how you translated this in Ezekiel 20:6. AT: "a land that was excellent for raising livestock and growing crops" (See: Metaphor and Metonymy)

the most beautiful ornament among all the lands

The lands in which people live are spoken of as if they are jewelry or other things that are pleasant to look at. See how you translated this in Ezekiel 20:6. AT: "the most beautiful of all lands" (See: Metaphor)

did not walk in my statutes

Yahweh speaks of obeying his statutes as if they were a path along which a person walks. AT: "did not obey my statutes" (See: Metaphor)

their hearts walked after their idols

Here the word "heart" represents the person's thoughts and emotions. Yahweh speaks of being dedicated to idols as if a person's heart walked after them. AT: "they were dedicated to worshiping their idols" (See: Metonymy and Metaphor)

my eye spared them

Here the word "eye" represents Yahweh. AT: "I spared them" (See: Synecdoche)

translationWords

oath

heart

false god

compassion

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.