Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations and there, face to face, I will execute judgment upon you. New Living Translation I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, and there I will judge you face to face. English Standard Version And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. Berean Standard Bible And I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, where I will enter into judgment with you face to face. King James Bible And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. New King James Version And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will plead My case with you face to face. New American Standard Bible and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. NASB 1995 and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. NASB 1977 and I shall bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I shall enter into judgment with you face to face. Legacy Standard Bible and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. Amplified Bible and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you and contend with you face to face. Christian Standard Bible I will lead you into the wilderness of the peoples and enter into judgment with you there face to face. Holman Christian Standard Bible I will lead you into the wilderness of the peoples and enter into judgment with you there face to face. American Standard Version and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there will I enter into judgment with you face to face. Contemporary English Version and lead you into a desert surrounded by nations. I will meet you there face to face. Then I will pass judgment on you English Revised Version and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there will I plead with you face to face. GOD'S WORD® Translation I will bring you into the desert of the nations. There I will put you on trial face to face. Good News Translation I will bring you into the 'Desert of the Nations,' and there I will condemn you to your face. International Standard Version I'll bring you into the wilderness of the nations. I'll judge you right there, face to face. NET Bible I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. New Heart English Bible and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there will I enter into judgment with you face to face. Webster's Bible Translation And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleAnd I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, where I will enter into judgment with you face to face. World English Bible I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd I have brought you into the wilderness of the peoples, "" And have been judged with you there face to face. Young's Literal Translation And I have brought you in unto the wilderness of the peoples, And have been judged with you there face to face. Smith's Literal Translation And I brought you into the desert of the peoples, and I judged you there face to face. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd I will bring you into the wilderness of people, and there will I plead with you face to face. Catholic Public Domain Version And I will lead you into the desert of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you, face to face. New American Bible I will lead you to the wilderness of the peoples and enter into judgment with you face to face. New Revised Standard Version and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd I will bring you into the wilderness of the Gentiles, and there will I judge you face to face. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And I shall bring you to the wilderness of the Gentiles, and I shall judge you there, face to face OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there will I plead with you face to face. Brenton Septuagint Translation And I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, and will plead with you there face to face. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Judgment and Restoration…34With a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands to which you have been scattered. 35And I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, where I will enter into judgment with you face to face. 36Just 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.… Cross References Hosea 2:14 “Therefore, behold, I will allure her and lead her to the wilderness, and speak to her tenderly. Jeremiah 2:2 “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says: ‘I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown. Isaiah 40:3 A voice of one calling: “Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. Jeremiah 31:2 This is what the LORD says: “The people who survived the sword found favor in the wilderness when Israel went to find rest.” Deuteronomy 8:2 Remember that these forty years the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commandments. Revelation 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place for her to be nourished for 1,260 days. Isaiah 43:19 Behold, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert. Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Revelation 17:3 And the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, where I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. Numbers 14:33-34 Your children will be shepherds in the wilderness for forty years, and they will suffer for your unfaithfulness until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness. / In keeping with the forty days you spied out the land, you shall bear your guilt forty years—a year for each day—and you will experience My alienation. Isaiah 35:1 The wilderness and the dry land will be glad; the desert will rejoice and blossom like a rose. Luke 4:1 Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Revelation 12:14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle to fly from the presence of the serpent to her place in the wilderness, where she was nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. Jeremiah 31:9 They will come with weeping, and by their supplication I will lead them; I will make them walk beside streams of waters, on a level path where they will not stumble. For I am Israel’s Father, and Ephraim is My firstborn.” Isaiah 63:13 who led them through the depths like a horse in the wilderness, so that they did not stumble? Treasury of Scripture And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. I will 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. Ezekiel 19:13 And now she is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty ground. Ezekiel 38:8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. and there Ezekiel 17:20 And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me. Ezekiel 38:22 And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. Jeremiah 2:9,35 Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children's children will I plead… Jump to Previous Cause Desert Enter Execute Face Judged Judgment Nations Peoples Plead Waste WildernessJump to Next Cause Desert Enter Execute Face Judged Judgment Nations Peoples Plead Waste WildernessEzekiel 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 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations This phrase evokes the imagery of the Israelites' journey through the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt. The "wilderness" symbolizes a place of testing and purification. Historically, the wilderness was a place where God dealt with His people directly, providing for them and teaching them reliance on Him. The "wilderness of the nations" suggests a dispersion among foreign lands, indicating a period of exile or separation from the Promised Land. This reflects the Babylonian exile, where the Israelites were scattered among the nations. Theologically, it can also represent the trials and tribulations faced by believers in a world that is not their ultimate home. where I will enter into judgment with you face to face 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 being addressed in this passage, often rebellious and in need of correction. 3. Wilderness of the Nations A metaphorical place representing a period of testing and judgment, reminiscent of the Israelites' journey in the wilderness after the Exodus. 4. Judgment God's righteous evaluation of His people's faithfulness and obedience. 5. Face to Face An intimate and direct encounter with God, emphasizing the seriousness of the judgment. Teaching Points The Wilderness as a Place of Testing and TransformationThe wilderness is not just a place of judgment but also of transformation and preparation for a renewed relationship with God. God's Desire for Intimacy The phrase "face to face" indicates God's desire for a personal and direct relationship with His people, even in judgment. The Seriousness of Sin and Rebellion God's judgment in the wilderness underscores the seriousness of sin and the need for repentance and obedience. Hope in Judgment Even in judgment, there is hope for restoration and renewal, as God’s ultimate goal is to bring His people back to Himself. Reflecting on Our Own Wilderness Experiences Believers today can reflect on their own "wilderness" experiences as times of growth, testing, and preparation for deeper intimacy with God. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Ezekiel 20:35?2. How does Ezekiel 20:35 illustrate God's desire for personal accountability and judgment? 3. What does "wilderness of the nations" symbolize in Ezekiel 20:35? 4. How can we prepare for God's judgment as described in Ezekiel 20:35? 5. How does Ezekiel 20:35 connect to God's covenant promises in the Old Testament? 6. What personal actions can reflect obedience to God's call in Ezekiel 20:35? 7. What does Ezekiel 20:35 mean by "wilderness of the nations"? 8. How does Ezekiel 20:35 relate to God's judgment and mercy? 9. What historical context surrounds Ezekiel 20:35? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Ezekiel 20? 11. What are the key themes in Ezekiel's life story? 12. Why would a just God, as portrayed in Ezekiel 35, enact collective punishment on entire generations of Edom? 13. Why would God forbid Ezekiel from mourning his wife's death (Ezekiel 24:15-18), and how does this command reconcile with the Bible's portrayal of divine compassion? 14. In Ezekiel 29:9-12, the prophecy states that Egypt will be desolate for 40 years; why is there no clear historical record of such a period? What Does Ezekiel 20:35 Mean And I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations• The phrase points to a literal regathering and relocation of Israel outside her land, echoing how the Lord “scattered them among the nations” (Ezekiel 20:23) and will, in the future, gather them again for refining. • “Wilderness” recalls the Exodus, when God led Israel through the desert to form them as His covenant people (Deuteronomy 8:2). In like manner, the nations become a modern-day desert—isolated, uncomfortable, yet purpose-built for spiritual purging. • Hosea 2:14 shows the Lord alluring Israel into the wilderness to speak tenderly; Revelation 12:6 pictures a woman (Israel) sheltered in the wilderness; both underscore God’s faithful preservation during times of trial. • The setting is not punishment for punishment’s sake; it is a staging ground for renewal, just as He preserved the remnant in the exile (Jeremiah 30:11). • By emphasizing “I will bring you,” the verse affirms God’s sovereign initiative. Israel is not lost at random; she is shepherded by the same hand that pledged, “I will restore you” (Jeremiah 32:37). where I will enter into judgment with you face to face • Judgment here is personal and direct, mirroring the way the Lord “contended with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt” (Ezekiel 20:36). This is covenant evaluation, not annihilation. • “Face to face” affirms relational accountability. As Amos 4:12 says, “Prepare to meet your God,” highlighting the inescapability of divine encounter. • Malachi 3:2–3 depicts the Lord as a refiner of silver, sitting close to the fire until He sees His reflection; likewise He will sift Israel until the dross is removed. • The same pattern extends to all humanity: “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10). Yet for Israel, it culminates in national repentance and renewal foretold in Zechariah 12:10 and Romans 11:26. • This face-to-face judgment vindicates God’s holiness and secures the remnant’s wholehearted obedience promised in Ezekiel 36:27. summary Ezekiel 20:35 pictures God personally escorting Israel into a literal, refining wilderness among the nations, just as He once did in the Exodus. There He will deal with His people directly, purging rebellion and preserving a faithful remnant. The verse assures that the covenant-keeping Lord remains sovereign, purposeful, and relational, guiding His people through discipline toward ultimate restoration. (35) Into the wilderness of the people.--As in the past there was a period of probation and discipline in the wilderness, so shall there be in the future. The similarity is insisted upon in Ezekiel 20:36, and the phrase "face to face" is taken from Deuteronomy 5:4, not to show that the Lord will interpose again with the same sensible manifestations, but will plead with them in ways equally adapted, in their more advanced condition, to show them His overruling hand. As this phrase is plainly to be understood according to its sense, and not according to the letter, so it is quite idle to attempt to locate "the wilderness of the people" as any material wilderness, as that of Arabia, or that between Babylonia and Palestine. The phrase must mean that wilderness condition of the people, scattered among the nations, in which the Lord will plead with them as He did with their fathers. This might refer, as some commentators think, to the state of the Jews in our own time, dispersed among all nations; but there is nothing in the connection to indicate so distant a future, and it may quite as well refer to the then approaching condition of the people. Already many thousands of them had been carried captive to Babylon; others (see Jeremiah 10:12; Jeremiah 43:5) had been scattered among all the surrounding nations; the mass of the ten tribes had long before been carried by the king of Assyria to other regions; and the large remnant still left in Judaea, influenced by their own fears, soon afterwards went down to Egypt. In Ezekiel's own life-time, Israel was scattered widely among all the prominent nations of the earth, and thus brought into the "wilderness of the people."Hebrew And I will bringוְהֵבֵאתִ֣י (wə·hê·ḇê·ṯî) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go you אֶתְכֶ֔ם (’eṯ·ḵem) Direct object marker | second person masculine plural Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case into אֶל־ (’el-) Preposition Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to the wilderness מִדְבַּ֖ר (miḏ·bar) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 4057: A pasture, a desert, speech of the nations, הָֽעַמִּ֑ים (hā·‘am·mîm) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock [where] שָׁ֔ם (šām) Adverb Strong's 8033: There, then, thither I will enter into judgment וְנִשְׁפַּטְתִּ֤י (wə·niš·paṭ·tî) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular Strong's 8199: To judge, pronounce sentence, to vindicate, punish, to govern, to litigate with you אִתְּכֶם֙ (’it·tə·ḵem) Preposition | second person masculine plural Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among face פָּנִ֖ים (pā·nîm) Noun - masculine plural Strong's 6440: The face to אֶל־ (’el-) Preposition Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to face. פָּנִֽים׃ (pā·nîm) Noun - masculine plural Strong's 6440: The face Links Ezekiel 20:35 NIVEzekiel 20:35 NLT Ezekiel 20:35 ESV Ezekiel 20:35 NASB Ezekiel 20:35 KJV Ezekiel 20:35 BibleApps.com Ezekiel 20:35 Biblia Paralela Ezekiel 20:35 Chinese Bible Ezekiel 20:35 French Bible Ezekiel 20:35 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Ezekiel 20:35 And I will bring you into (Ezek. Eze Ezk) |
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