The Meaning of Ezekiel 37:23 Explained

Ezekiel 37:23

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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.

Darby: And they shall not defile themselves any more with their idols, or with their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions; and I will save them out of all their dwelling-places wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Ezekiel 37:23 Mean?

Verse Meaning

These Jews would no longer defile themselves with idols, other detestable things, or transgressions of the Lord"s (Mosaic) covenant. The Lord promised to deliver them from the many places where they had gone and sinned and to cleanse them (cf. Jeremiah 31:31-34). Then they would enter into a proper relationship with Him. In the present State of Israel only about5 percent of the population is actively "religious," and Jesus Christ is more firmly rejected there than almost anywhere else. [1]
"This verse addresses the fourth dimension of ancient perceptions of national identity-a healthy relationship between Israel and her patron deity." [2]
Block called these four dimensions ethnic integrity ( Ezekiel 37:21 a), territorial integrity ( Ezekiel 37:21 b), political integrity ( Ezekiel 37:22), and spiritual integrity ( Ezekiel 37:23). [3]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 37:23 mean?

and not they shall defile themselves anymore with their idols and nor with their detestable things and nor with any of their transgressions but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned in and will cleanse them and they shall be My people and I will be their God
וְלֹ֧א יִֽטַמְּא֣וּ ע֗וֹד בְּגִלּֽוּלֵיהֶם֙ וּבְשִׁקּ֣וּצֵיהֶ֔ם וּבְכֹ֖ל פִּשְׁעֵיהֶ֑ם וְהוֹשַׁעְתִּ֣י אֹתָ֗ם מִכֹּ֤ל מוֹשְׁבֹֽתֵיהֶם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטְא֣וּ בָהֶ֔ם וְטִהַרְתִּ֤י אוֹתָם֙ וְהָיוּ־ לִ֣י לְעָ֔ם וַאֲנִ֕י אֶהְיֶ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִֽים

וְלֹ֧א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִֽטַמְּא֣וּ  they  shall  defile  themselves 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: טָמֵא 
Sense: to be unclean, become unclean, become impure.
ע֗וֹד  anymore 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
בְּגִלּֽוּלֵיהֶם֙  with  their  idols 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: גִּלּוּלִים  
Sense: idols.
וּבְשִׁקּ֣וּצֵיהֶ֔ם  and  nor  with  their  detestable  things 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: שִׁקּוּץ  
Sense: detestable thing or idol, abominable thing, abomination, idol, detested thing.
וּבְכֹ֖ל  and  nor  with  any 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
פִּשְׁעֵיהֶ֑ם  of  their  transgressions 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: פֶּשַׁע  
Sense: transgression, rebellion.
וְהוֹשַׁעְתִּ֣י  but  I  will  deliver 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָשַׁע 
Sense: to save, be saved, be delivered.
מִכֹּ֤ל  from  all 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
מוֹשְׁבֹֽתֵיהֶם֙  their  dwelling  places 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מֹושָׁב  
Sense: seat, assembly, dwelling-place, dwelling, dwellers.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  in  which 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
חָטְא֣וּ  they  have  sinned 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: חָטָא 
Sense: to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness.
וְטִהַרְתִּ֤י  and  will  cleanse 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: טָהֵר  
Sense: to be clean, be pure.
וְהָיוּ־  and  they  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לִ֣י  My 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
לְעָ֔ם  people 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
וַאֲנִ֕י  and  I 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אֲנִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
אֶהְיֶ֥ה  will  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לֵאלֹהִֽים  God 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).