Ezekiel 39:28

Eze 39:28 Then shall they know that I [am] the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there.

Ver. 28. And have left none of them any more there.] Here the Jews triumph and say, When was this promise ever fulfilled? and how, then, can the Messiah be come already? Hereunto it is rightly answered, that this prophecy is to be taken partly literally, and so it was fulfilled at the return of the captives out of Babylon. See Ezr 3:1. Partly spiritually; and so Christ will at the last day raise up every one of his elect, - that Israel indeed, - and gather them to himself; not one of them shall be missing. {a}

{a} Lavat. in loc.

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.

The Jews, having no dominion, settled country, or fixed property to detain them, may return at any time without difficulty (compare Hos 3:4-5).

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 28. And have left none of then any more there.] All that chose had liberty to return; but many remained behind. This promise may therefore refer to a greater restoration, when not a Jew shall be left behind. This, the next verse intimates, will be in the Gospel dispensation.

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

28. Read: And they shall know … in that I caused them … and will gather … and will leave. The words: and I will gather, &c. to the end are wanting in LXX., which also points the first clause differently.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God,.... See Gill on Eze 39:22;

which caused them to be led into captivity among the Heathen; for their sins and transgressions: and so the Targum adds,

"because they sinned before me:''

but I have gathered them into their own land; being now penitent for their sins, and believing in the Messiah: and so the Targum,

"and now, because they are converted, I have gathered them, &c.''

and have left none of them any more there; among the Heathen, or in the land of their enemies; everyone shall be returned to the land of Canaan, be they where they will, as when they came out of Egypt: and this is typical of the salvation of God's elect, or mystical Israel; not one of them shall be lost or perish, but all shall be brought to repentance: this again shows, that this prophecy did not respect the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity; since then many were left behind.

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

There, except such as refused to return. They have entire liberty. This and what follows was not fully accomplished till the propagation of the gospel. God wished all to embrace it; and though Israel has been partly blind, they will enter the Church after the Gentiles, Romans xii. 26. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Know; on fullest experiences, and clearest evidences, see, acknowledge, and publish to each other.

The Lord; the Mighty One, the just Judge, who determineth righteously between men and men, yea, between them and himself.

Their God; who, in covenant with their fathers, hath remembered it for the good of their children, who did assure them, that if they violated his covenant he would punish, and when they repented he would show mercy.

Which caused; who by his own hand raised up enemies against, and then delivered them into the enemies’ hand, so sent them into a sad and long captivity.

But I have gathered them; but now done more for them than when I brought them out of Babylon? whence the two tribes (yet not all of them, for some staid behind) and a few of the house of Israel returned; now the whole of the twelve tribes shall be gathered.

Unto their own land; that country they so dearly loved, somewhat for their fathers’ sake, whose ancient seat it was, but more for the goodness of it, which flowed with milk and honey. Have left none: this recovery it seems shall be much more universal than the former in Zorobabel’s time: as, coining out of Egypt, not a feeble person left behind; so nor here, if the words be to be literally explained.

There; in the land of captivity, the enemies’ country.

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

Vers. 28, 24And the heathen shall know. The special lesson for them should be not so much teaching concerning God"s supremacy over them, or concerning their relation to Israel, as concerning the principles of God"s dealings with Israel. They should learn that if Israel had for a season been abandoned to the sword and driven into exile, it was not because of Jehovah"s inability to protect them, but because of their wickedness which had caused him to hide his face from them an expression which in Ezekiel occurs only here and in ver. 29, though it is found in the Pentateuch (Deu_31:17, Deu_31:18) and in the older prophets (Isa_8:17 Isa_54:8 Isa_57:17 Isa_64:7; Jer_33:5)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Connecting Statement:

Yahweh continues to give Ezekiel a message about what will happen to Israel.

I sent them into captivity ... I will gather them back to their land

At the time when Ezekiel wrote, Israel was still in captivity in Babylon.

I will no longer hide my face from them

Here "no longer hide my face" is an idiom that means Yahweh will not continue to abandon Israel to exile in Babylon. AT: "I will no longer abandon them" (See: Idiom)

when I pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel

Here to give the Spirit abundantly is spoken of as to "pour out" the Spirit. AT: "when I generously give my Spirit to the house of Israel" (See: Metaphor)

the house of Israel

The word "house" is a metonym for the family that lives in the house, in this case the Israelites, the descendants of Jacob over many years. See how you translated this in Ezekiel 3:1. AT: "the Israelites" or "the Israelite people group" (See: Metonymy)

this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration

Yahweh speaks of himself by name to express the certainty of what he is declaring. See how you translated this in Ezekiel 5:11. AT: "this is what the Lord Yahweh has declared" or "this is what I, the Lord Yahweh, have declared" (See: First, Second, or Third Person)

translationWords

Yahweh

God

send

Holy Spirit

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

And I shall no longer leave one of them in exile.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.