The Meaning of Ezekiel 11:16 Explained

Ezekiel 11:16

KJV: Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come.

YLT: it is ours, the land hath been given for an inheritance; therefore say: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Because I put them afar off among nations, And because I scattered them through lands, I also am to them for a little sanctuary, In lands whither they have gone in.

Darby: Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Although I have removed them far off among the nations, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries whither they are come.

ASV: Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Whereas I have removed them far off among the nations, and whereas I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them a sanctuary for a little while in the countries where they are come.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Therefore say,  Thus saith  the Lord  GOD;  Although I have cast them far off  among the heathen,  and although I have scattered  them among the countries,  yet will I be to them as a little  sanctuary  in the countries  where they shall come. 

What does Ezekiel 11:16 Mean?

Study Notes

scattered
.
thee Remnant.
Jeremiah 15:11-21 ; Jeremiah 23:3-8 ; Jeremiah 31:7 ; Jeremiah 31:14 ; Isaiah 1:9 ; Ezekiel 6:8 ; Ezekiel 8:11-14 ; Ezekiel 9:4 ; Ezekiel 11:16-21 ; Joel 2:32 ; Amos 5:15 ; Micah 2:12 ; Micah 4:1 ; Micah 5:3 ; Micah 7:18 ; Zephaniah 2:7 ; Zephaniah 3:13 ; Haggai 1:14 ; Zechariah 8:6 ; Malachi 3:16-18 ; Romans 11:5 . (See Scofield " Romans 11:5 ") .
redeem (See Scofield " Isaiah 59:20 ") See Scofield " Exodus 14:30 ".
thee Marg
redeem
thee Remnant.
Jeremiah 15:11-21 ; Jeremiah 23:3-8 ; Jeremiah 31:7 ; Jeremiah 31:14 ; Isaiah 1:9 ; Ezekiel 6:8 ; Ezekiel 8:11-14 ; Ezekiel 9:4 ; Ezekiel 11:16-21 ; Joel 2:32 ; Amos 5:15 ; Micah 2:12 ; Micah 4:1 ; Micah 5:3 ; Micah 7:18 ; Zephaniah 2:7 ; Zephaniah 3:13 ; Haggai 1:14 ; Zechariah 8:6 ; Malachi 3:16-18 ; Romans 11:5 . (See Scofield " Romans 11:5 ") .
redeem (See Scofield " Isaiah 59:20 ") See Scofield " Exodus 14:30 ".
redeem
thee Remnant.
Jeremiah 15:11-21 ; Jeremiah 23:3-8 ; Jeremiah 31:7 ; Jeremiah 31:14 ; Isaiah 1:9 ; Ezekiel 6:8 ; Ezekiel 8:11-14 ; Ezekiel 9:4 ; Ezekiel 11:16-21 ; Joel 2:32 ; Amos 5:15 ; Micah 2:12 ; Micah 4:1 ; Micah 5:3 ; Micah 7:18 ; Zephaniah 2:7 ; Zephaniah 3:13 ; Haggai 1:14 ; Zechariah 8:6 ; Malachi 3:16-18 ; Romans 11:5 . (See Scofield " Romans 11:5 ") .
redeem (See Scofield " Isaiah 59:20 ") See Scofield " Exodus 14:30 ".

Verse Meaning

Ezekiel was to respond to these Jerusalem Jews by saying that though God had driven the exiles from their land He would be with them and would provide a refuge for them in Babylon. He Himself would be a sanctuary for them even though they were far from the temple sanctuary in Jerusalem. Israel"s future did not lie with the Jews still in Jerusalem but with those in Babylon.
"Even in drastic judgment, as in the case of the dispersion of Israel, God provides for His people a place of refuge. This refuge, called here "a little sanctuary [1]," is the LORD Himself (cp. Psalm 90:1; Psalm 91:9; Isaiah 4:6). So with all of God"s own, Gentile as well as Jew, in the midst of deserved judgment there is still a sanctuary of refuge and peace in Him." [2]

Context Summary

Ezekiel 11:5-25 - A New Heart Promised
The Spirit of God led the prophet to the East Gate of the Temple, where the Shekinah had settled, Ezekiel 10:19. There He uttered the divine verdict on the priesthood. They had ridiculed Jeremiah's letter to the captives, among whom Ezekiel lived, Jeremiah 29:5; and had made merry at his comparison between the city and a caldron, Jeremiah 1:13. It was to these scornful men that Ezekiel uttered the scathing denunciations of Ezekiel 11:7-18. The sudden death of Pelatiah, the ringleader of the scorners, gave terrible emphasis to the prophet's words. Ezekiel was told to look for his true kinsmen not among the doomed priesthood, but among his fellow-exiles whom they of Jerusalem despised. Spiritual ties must supersede natural ones, when the two clash. They might be far removed from the outer Temple, but God would be their asylum and sanctuary. What a sweet promise Ezekiel 11:16 provides for those who are compelled to go far from home! They may always meet their dear ones in God. Note the inclusive promise of Ezekiel 11:19 -unity, newness, and sensitiveness to the least touch of the divine nature. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 11

1  The presumption of the princes
4  Their sin and judgment
13  Ezekiel complaining, God shows him his purpose in saving a remnant
22  The glory of God leaves the city
24  Ezekiel is returned to the captivity

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 11:16 mean?

Therefore say thus says the Lord GOD Although I have cast them far off among the Gentiles and although I have scattered them among the countries and yet I shall be for them a sanctuary little in the countries where they have gone there -
לָכֵ֣ן אֱמֹ֗ר כֹּֽה־ אָמַר֮ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִה֒ כִּ֤י הִרְחַקְתִּים֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם וְכִ֥י הֲפִֽיצוֹתִ֖ים בָּאֲרָצ֑וֹת וָאֱהִ֤י לָהֶם֙ לְמִקְדָּ֣שׁ מְעַ֔ט בָּאֲרָצ֖וֹת אֲשֶׁר־ בָּ֥אוּ שָֽׁם ס

אֱמֹ֗ר  say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
כֹּֽה־  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַר֮  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲדֹנָ֣י  the  Lord 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲדֹנָי  
Sense: my lord, lord.
יְהוִה֒  GOD 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.
כִּ֤י  Although 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
הִרְחַקְתִּים֙  I  have  cast  them  far  off 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, first person common singular, third person masculine plural
Root: רָחַק  
Sense: to be or become far, be or become distant, be removed, go far away.
בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם  among  the  Gentiles 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
וְכִ֥י  and  although 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
הֲפִֽיצוֹתִ֖ים  I  have  scattered  them 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, first person common singular, third person masculine plural
Root: פּוּץ 
Sense: to scatter, be dispersed, be scattered.
בָּאֲרָצ֑וֹת  among  the  countries 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וָאֱהִ֤י  and  yet  I  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לָהֶם֙  for  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
לְמִקְדָּ֣שׁ  a  sanctuary 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִקְדָּשׁ  
Sense: sacred place, sanctuary, holy place.
מְעַ֔ט  little 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: מְעַט  
Sense: littleness, few, a little, fewness.
בָּאֲרָצ֖וֹת  in  the  countries 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
אֲשֶׁר־  where 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
בָּ֥אוּ  they  have  gone 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation