ezekiel 19 and 20

Read Ezekiel 19 and 20 at Bible Gateway.

Hebrew paragraph divisions

Eze 19:1-9 {p} Lamentation for the kings of Israel: Jehoahaz (Shallum), Jehoiakim, Jeconiah, and Zedekiah
Eze 19:10-14 {p} The vine of Israel plucked up in fury, with no branch left for a ruling scepter
Eze 20:1 {s} In the 7th year, 5th month, 10th day, elders of Israel came to inquire of YHVH
Eze 20:2-26 {s} The abominations of the fathers: refusal to walk in YHVH’s commandments
Eze 20:27-29 {s} The blasphemy of the fathers, and their unfaithfulness to YHVH
Eze 20:30-31a {s} Defiling yourselves by your idolatry with the abominations of the fathers
Eze 20:31b-44 {p} The restoration of Israel under the rule of YHVH, for His name’s sake
Eze 20:45-49 {p} Prophecy against the South: unquenchable fire kindled by YHVH

Ezekiel 20:1-44 {sx4+p} reverse parallelism

The two central axis’ of the central C pairs – an exhortation to walk in YHVH’s statutes and keep His Sabbaths – likewise pair. But look at the 2A pair:

The house of Israel was in exile already when this word came to Ezekiel. Their desire for themselves was to be like the Gentiles of the nations, serving wood and stone (vs. 32). This is why they were scattered to the peoples and to the countries of the Gentiles.

But the Lord’s prophecy over them – with no mention of their initial repentance or returning to seek YHVH – is that He will gather them from the peoples and the countries where they have been scattered, and bring them into the wilderness of the peoples – just like He brought their fathers into the wilderness when He brought them out of Egypt (vs. 33-35). There He will plead His case with them face to face.

Face is Strong’s H6440, paniym, a concrete noun meaning, “face:”

The face, also the presence of one through the sense of being in the face of.

Dr. Jeff Benner, The Ancient Hebrew Lexicon

It is from Strong’s H6437 פנה panah, a primitive root meaning, “to turn oneself,” that is, to turn the face toward. The ancient pictographs are pey + nun + hey.

pey פ, ף = the mouth, thus open, blow, scatter, edge
nun נ, ן = the seed, thus continue, heir, son
hey ה = man with upraised arms, thus look, reveal, wonder, worship, breath

The story is to open (pey) the seed (nun), meaning the root is going down; so the face bowed down (pey + nun) in worship (hey), thus a man turning his face to YHVH is to seek Him or to worship Him. YHVH turning His face to man is to cause His presence to descend to him and receive his worship.

Thus YHVH will receive Israel’s worship, and He will bring them into the bond of the covenant, purging from them those who transgress against Him, which is, to rebel against His commandments (vs. 37-38).

Now this pleading and this purging takes place in the wilderness of the peoples. After the rebels are purged, then He will bring them into the land He promised to give their fathers:

“For on My holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel, says YHVH God, all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, shall serve Me.” Eze 20:40

And He will accept our service as a sweet aroma, the same phrase used in Leviticus describing the acceptable sacrifice!