Ezekiel 37:23
New International Version
They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

New Living Translation
They will never again pollute themselves with their idols and vile images and rebellion, for I will save them from their sinful apostasy. I will cleanse them. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God.

English Standard Version
They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols and their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions. But I will save them from all the backslidings in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

Berean Standard Bible
They will no longer defile themselves with their idols or detestable images, or with any of their transgressions. I will save them from all their apostasies by which they sinned, and I will cleanse them. Then they will be My people, and I will be their God.

King James Bible
Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

New King James Version
They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God.

New American Standard Bible
They will no longer defile themselves with their idols, or with their detestable things, or with any of their offenses; but I will rescue them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. And they will be My people, and I will be their God.

NASB 1995
“They will no longer defile themselves with their idols, or with their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. And they will be My people, and I will be their God.

NASB 1977
“And they will no longer defile themselves with their idols, or with their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. And they will be My people, and I will be their God.

Legacy Standard Bible
They also will no longer defile themselves with their idols or with their detestable things or with any of their transgressions; but I will save them from all their places of habitation in which they have sinned, and I will cleanse them. And they will be My people, and I will be their God.

Amplified Bible
They will no longer defile themselves with their idols, or with their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions; but I will save them from all their transgressions in which they have sinned, and I will cleanse them. So they will be My people, and I will be their God.

Christian Standard Bible
They will not defile themselves anymore with their idols, their abhorrent things, and all their transgressions. I will save them from all their apostasies by which they sinned, and I will cleanse them. Then they will be my people, and I will be their God.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They will not defile themselves anymore with their idols, their detestable things, and all their transgressions. I will save them from all their apostasies by which they sinned, and I will cleanse them. Then they will be My people, and I will be their God.

American Standard Version
neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will save them out of all their dwelling-places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

Contemporary English Version
They will no longer worship idols and do things that make them unacceptable to me. I will wash away their sin and make them clean, and I will protect them from everything that makes them unclean. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

English Revised Version
neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They will no longer dishonor themselves with their idols, with their detestable things, or with their rebellious acts. I will forgive them for all the times they turned away from me and sinned. I will cleanse them so that they will be my people, and I will be their God.

Good News Translation
They will not defile themselves with disgusting idols any more or corrupt themselves with sin. I will free them from all the ways in which they sin and betray me. I will purify them; they will be my people, and I will be their God.

International Standard Version
They will never again defile themselves with their idols, with other loathsome things, or with any of their sins. Instead, I will deliver them from all of the places where they have sinned, and then I'll cleanse them. They will be my people and I will be their God."'"

Majority Standard Bible
They will no longer defile themselves with their idols or detestable images, or with any of their transgressions. I will save them from all their apostasies by which they sinned, and I will cleanse them. Then they will be My people, and I will be their God.

NET Bible
They will not defile themselves with their idols, their detestable things, and all their rebellious deeds. I will save them from all their unfaithfulness by which they sinned. I will purify them; they will become my people and I will become their God.

New Heart English Bible
neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions. But I will save them out of all their apostasies by which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. Then shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

Webster's Bible Translation
Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling-places, in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

World English Bible
They won’t defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will save them out of all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. So they will be my people, and I will be their God.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Nor are they defiled anymore with their idols, "" And with their abominations, "" And with any of their transgressions, "" And I have saved them out of all their dwellings, "" In which they have sinned, "" And I have cleansed them, "" And they have been to Me for a people, "" And I am to them for God.

Young's Literal Translation
Nor are they defiled any more with their idols, And with their abominations, And with any of their transgressions, And I have saved them out of all their dwellings, In which they have sinned, And I have cleansed them, And they have been to Me for a people, And I -- I am to them for God.

Smith's Literal Translation
And they shall no more be defiled with their blocks and with their abominable things, and in all their transgressions: and I saved them from all their dwellings where they sinned in them, and I cleansed them: and they were to me for a people, and I will be to them for God.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Nor shall they be defiled any more with their idols, nor with their abominations, nor with all their iniquities: and I will save them out of all the places in which they have sinned, and I will cleanse them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they will no longer be defiled by their idols, and by their abominations, and by all their iniquities. And I will save them, out of all the settlements in which they have sinned, and I will cleanse them. And they will be my people, and I will be their God.

New American Bible
No longer shall they defile themselves with their idols, their abominations, and all their transgressions. I will deliver them from all their apostasy through which they sinned. I will cleanse them so that they will be my people, and I will be their God.

New Revised Standard Version
They shall never again defile themselves with their idols and their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions. I will save them from all the apostasies into which they have fallen, and will cleanse them. Then they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Nor shall they defile themselves any more with their idols nor with their abominations nor with all their iniquity; but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them; so they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they shall be defiled no more with their idols and with their abominations and with all their evil, and I shall deliver them from every house of their dwelling in which they had sinned, and I shall cleanse them, and they shall be to me a people, and I shall be God to them
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will save them out of all their dwelling-places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them; so shall they be My people, and I will be their God.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
that they may no more defile themselves with their idols; and I will deliver them from all their transgressions whereby they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be to me a people, and I the Lord will be to them a God.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
One Nation with One King
22I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king will rule over all of them. Then they will no longer be two nations and will never again be divided into two kingdoms. 23They will no longer defile themselves with their idols or detestable images, or with any of their transgressions. I will save them from all their apostasies by which they sinned, and I will cleanse them. Then they will be My people, and I will be their God. 24My servant David will be king over them, and there will be one shepherd for all of them. They will follow My ordinances and keep and observe My statutes.…

Cross References
Jeremiah 31:33
“But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.

Jeremiah 32:38-40
They will be My people, and I will be their God. / I will give them one heart and one way, so that they will always fear Me for their own good and for the good of their children after them. / I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never turn away from doing good to them, and I will put My fear in their hearts, so that they will never turn away from Me.

2 Corinthians 6:16
What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.”

Hebrews 8:10
For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their minds and inscribe them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.

Leviticus 26:12
I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be My people.

Revelation 21:3
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God.

Hosea 14:8
O Ephraim, what have I to do anymore with idols? It is I who answer and watch over him. I am like a flourishing cypress; your fruit comes from Me.

Zechariah 13:2
And on that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, I will erase the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered. I will also remove the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land.

Isaiah 52:11
Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing; come out from it, purify yourselves, you who carry the vessels of the LORD.

1 Peter 2:9-10
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. / Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

1 John 3:9
Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.

Romans 11:26-27
And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove godlessness from Jacob. / And this is My covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

Isaiah 44:22
I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like a mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.

Jeremiah 3:17
At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne of the LORD, and all the nations will be gathered in Jerusalem to honor the name of the LORD. They will no longer follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, / nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. / And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.


Treasury of Scripture

Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

shall they defile

Ezekiel 20:43
And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.

Ezekiel 36:25,29,31
Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you…

Ezekiel 43:7,8
And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places…

but

Ezekiel 36:24,29
For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land…

Leviticus 20:7,8
Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God…

Micah 7:14
Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.

will cleanse

Ephesians 5:26,27
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, …

Hebrews 9:13,14
For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: …

1 John 1:7,9
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin…

they be

Ezekiel 37:27
My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Ezekiel 36:28
And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

Ezekiel 39:22
So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.

Jump to Previous
Backslidings Cleanse Defile Deliver Detestable Dwelling Dwellingplaces Dwelling-Places Hated Idols Images Offenses Places Save Sinned Sins Themselves Transgressions Unclean Vile Wherein
Jump to Next
Backslidings Cleanse Defile Deliver Detestable Dwelling Dwellingplaces Dwelling-Places Hated Idols Images Offenses Places Save Sinned Sins Themselves Transgressions Unclean Vile Wherein
Ezekiel 37
1. By the resurrection of dry bones
11. the dead hope of Israel is revived
15. By the uniting of two sticks
18. is shown the incorporation of Israel into Judah
21. The promises of Christ's kingdom














They will no longer defile themselves with their idols or detestable images
This phrase addresses the Israelites' historical struggle with idolatry, a recurring theme throughout the Old Testament. The worship of idols and detestable images was a significant issue, leading to the nation's downfall and exile. The term "defile" indicates a spiritual impurity that separates the people from God. The promise of no longer defiling themselves suggests a future transformation and purification, aligning with prophecies of a renewed covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34). This transformation is often seen as a type of the sanctification process in the life of a believer, where the Holy Spirit enables a turning away from sin.

or with any of their transgressions
Transgressions refer to the broader category of sins and violations of God's law. Historically, Israel's transgressions included social injustices, neglect of the Sabbath, and failure to uphold the covenant. This phrase emphasizes a comprehensive cleansing from all forms of sin, not just idolatry. It points to a holistic redemption and restoration, which is a theme echoed in the New Testament, where Jesus' sacrifice is seen as atoning for all sins (Hebrews 10:10).

I will save them from all their apostasies by which they sinned
Apostasy, the act of abandoning one's faith, was a critical issue for Israel, leading to their exile. God's promise to save them from apostasies indicates a divine intervention to restore faithfulness. This salvation is not just physical but spiritual, suggesting a future where God will ensure their loyalty. This can be connected to the New Testament promise of eternal security for believers (John 10:28-29), where God preserves His people from falling away.

and I will cleanse them
Cleansing is a significant biblical motif, symbolizing purification from sin. In the Old Testament, ritual cleansing was necessary for worship (Leviticus 16:30). Here, the cleansing is spiritual, indicating a removal of sin's stain. This foreshadows the New Testament concept of being washed by the blood of Christ (1 John 1:7), where believers are made pure and righteous before God.

Then they will be My people, and I will be their God
This covenantal language echoes God's promises to Abraham (Genesis 17:7) and is a central theme throughout Scripture. It signifies a restored relationship between God and His people, characterized by mutual belonging and commitment. This phrase finds its ultimate fulfillment in the New Testament, where believers, both Jew and Gentile, are grafted into God's family through faith in Christ (Romans 9:25-26). It points to the eschatological hope of Revelation 21:3, where God dwells with His people eternally.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet during the Babylonian exile, Ezekiel is the mouthpiece of God, delivering messages of judgment and hope to the Israelites.

2. Israelites
The chosen people of God, who are in exile due to their disobedience and idolatry. This passage speaks to their future restoration and purification.

3. Idols and Detestable Images
Represent the false gods and practices that led the Israelites away from God, causing their spiritual and physical downfall.

4. Apostasies
Refers to the acts of abandoning the faith and covenant with God, which the Israelites committed through idolatry and other sins.

5. Restoration
The event of God bringing His people back to a state of purity and covenant relationship, promising to be their God once again.
Teaching Points
The Danger of Idolatry
Idolatry leads to spiritual defilement and separation from God. Believers must guard against modern forms of idolatry, such as materialism or self-worship.

God's Promise of Cleansing
God promises to cleanse His people from their sins. This is a reminder of the grace available through Jesus Christ, who purifies us from all unrighteousness.

Restoration to Relationship
God's ultimate goal is to restore His people to a right relationship with Him. This involves turning away from sin and embracing His lordship.

Covenant Faithfulness
As God commits to being our God, we are called to be His faithful people, living in obedience and devotion to Him.

Hope in God's Redemption
Even in times of spiritual exile or distance from God, there is hope in His promise to redeem and restore us.(23) Out of all their dwellingplaces.--This expression can hardly refer to their places of exile and temporary sojourn among the heathen, since these were not especially the places where they had sinned. Their sins were rather committed in their own land; the "lands of their captivity" were the places where those sins were punished. "Their dwelling places" is then to be understood of their own land of Canaan, where they had been led into idolatry and all abominations by the heathen dwelling among them; and the promise is that this land shall be purged, that all evil shall be cast out from it, and the people delivered from the temptations by which they had hitherto been overcome.

Verse 23. - The dwelling-places wherein they have sinned, from which Jehovah premises to save them, are in accordance with the views expressed above, not, as Hengstenberg and Hitzig conjecture, the dwelling-places of the exile in which the people then were, but the dwelling-places in Canaan in which they had formerly transgressed, but would in future be preserved from transgressing. The idea is, as Schroder suggests, the localization of transgression which is viewed as proceeding from the dwelling-places in which it is committed; or, according to Plumptre, the conception is that, as their habitations had formerly been contaminated by their detestable things, "the worship of teraphim and such like, if not worse," so Jehovah would save them from that contamination. The proposal to alter the text by the transposition of a letter, converting moshbhothehem, "dwelling-places," into meshubhothehem," defections," as in Jeremiah 3:22 (comp. Ezekiel 36:29), though adopted by some ancient versions and favored by Ewald and Smend, is not necessary.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
They will no
וְלֹ֧א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

longer
ע֗וֹד (‘ō·wḏ)
Adverb
Strong's 5750: Iteration, continuance, again, repeatedly, still, more

defile themselves
יִֽטַמְּא֣וּ (yi·ṭam·mə·’ū)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 2930: To be or become unclean

with their idols
בְּגִלּֽוּלֵיהֶם֙ (bə·ḡil·lū·lê·hem)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 1544: A log, an idol

or detestable images,
וּבְשִׁקּ֣וּצֵיהֶ֔ם (ū·ḇə·šiq·qū·ṣê·hem)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 8251: Disgusting, filthy, idolatrous, an idol

or with any
וּבְכֹ֖ל (ū·ḇə·ḵōl)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

of their transgressions.
פִּשְׁעֵיהֶ֑ם (piš·‘ê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 6588: Transgression

I will deliver
וְהוֹשַׁעְתִּ֣י (wə·hō·wō·ša‘·tî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3467: To be open, wide, free, to be safe, to free, succor

them
אֹתָ֗ם (’ō·ṯām)
Direct object marker | third person masculine plural
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

from all
מִכֹּ֤ל (mik·kōl)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

their apostasies
מוֹשְׁבֹֽתֵיהֶם֙ (mō·wō·šə·ḇō·ṯê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 4186: A seat, assembly, dwelling place, dwelling, dwellers

by which
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

they sinned,
חָטְא֣וּ (ḥā·ṭə·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 2398: To miss, to sin, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, lead astray, condemn

and I will cleanse them.
וְטִהַרְתִּ֤י (wə·ṭi·har·tî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 2891: To be clean or pure

Then they will be
וְהָיוּ־ (wə·hā·yū-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

My people,
לְעָ֔ם (lə·‘ām)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

and I
וַאֲנִ֕י (wa·’ă·nî)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

will be
אֶהְיֶ֥ה (’eh·yeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

their God.
לֵאלֹהִֽים׃ (lê·lō·hîm)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 37:23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 37:22
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