Ezekiel 36:17
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“Son of man, when the people of Israel lived in their land, they defiled it by their own ways and deeds. Their behavior before Me was like the uncleanness of a woman’s impurity.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
We have done with Mount Seir, and left it desolate, and likely to continue so, and must now turn ourselves, with the prophet, to the mountains of Israel, which we find desolate too, but hope before we have done with the chapter to leave in better plight. Here are two distinct prophecies in this chapter: - I. Here is one that seems chiefly to relate to the temporal estate of the Jews, wherein their present deplorable condition is described and the triumphs of their neighbours in it; but it is promised that their grievances shall be all redressed and that in due time they shall be settled again in their own land, in the midst of peace and plenty (Eze 36:1-15). II. Here is another that seems chiefly to concern their spiritual estate, wherein they are reminded of their former sins and God's judgments upon them, to humble them for their sins and under God's mighty hand (Eze 36:16-20). But it is promised, 1. That God would glorify himself in showing mercy to them (Eze 36:21-24). 2. That he would sanctify them, by giving them his grace and fitting them for his service; and this for his own name's sake and in answer to their prayers (Eze 36:25-38).
Open source ↗36:17 Covenant curses had come to Israel because God’s people had defiled . . . their own land by their sinful behavior. • A menstrual cloth became polluted by contact with a woman’s monthly flow of blood. This natural process was not sinful, but it was defiling in the same way that any loss of bodily life-fluids such as blood, sweat (see study note on 44:17-19), or semen made people ceremonially unclean (see Lev 15).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and bounty, but you came and defiled My land, and made My inheritance detestable.
Arise and depart, for this is not your place of rest, because its defilement brings destruction— a grievous destruction!
The earth is defiled by its people; they have transgressed the laws; they have overstepped the decrees and broken the everlasting covenant.
And I will first repay them double their iniquity and their sin, because they have defiled My land with the carcasses of their detestable idols, and they have filled My inheritance with their abominations.”
Indifferent to her own infidelity, Israel had defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees.
Each of us has become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.