The Meaning of Ezekiel 20:17 Explained

Ezekiel 20:17

KJV: Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.

YLT: And Mine eye hath pity on them -- against destroying them, And I have not made of them an end in the wilderness.

Darby: But mine eye spared them so as not to destroy them, neither did I make a full end of them in the wilderness.

ASV: Nevertheless mine eye spared them, and I destroyed them not, neither did I make a full end of them in the wilderness.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Nevertheless mine eye  spared  them from destroying  them, neither did I make  an end  of them in the wilderness. 

What does Ezekiel 20:17 Mean?

Verse Meaning

So the Lord spared His people. He did this in response to Moses" intercession for the people (cf. Numbers 14:13-19; Deuteronomy 1:26-40; Psalm 106:23-25).

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 20

1  God refuses to be consulted by the elders of Israel
4  He shows the story of their rebellions in Egypt
19  in the desert
27  and in the land
33  He promises to gather them by the Gospel
45  Under the name of a forest he shows the destruction of Jerusalem

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 20:17 mean?

And nevertheless spared My eye them from destruction and not I did make of them an end in the wilderness
וַתָּ֧חָס עֵינִ֛י עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם מִֽשַּׁחֲתָ֑ם וְלֹֽא־ עָשִׂ֧יתִי אוֹתָ֛ם כָּלָ֖ה בַּמִּדְבָּֽר

וַתָּ֧חָס  And  nevertheless  spared 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: חוּס  
Sense: (Qal) to pity, have compassion, spare, look upon with compassion.
עֵינִ֛י  My  eye 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
מִֽשַּׁחֲתָ֑ם  from  destruction 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁחַת  
Sense: to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay.
וְלֹֽא־  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
עָשִׂ֧יתִי  I  did  make 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
אוֹתָ֛ם  of  them 
Parse: Direct object marker, third person masculine plural
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
כָּלָ֖ה  an  end 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: כָּלָה  
Sense: completion, termination, full end, complete destruction, consumption, annihilation.
בַּמִּדְבָּֽר  in  the  wilderness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִדְבָּר 
Sense: wilderness.