Ezekiel 20 · Verse 17

Ezekiel 20:17

Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.
Ezekiel 20:17, King James Version

Ezekiel 20:17 in other translations

BSBYet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy them or bring them to an end in the wilderness.
WEBNevertheless my eye spared them, and I didn’t destroy them. I didn’t make a full end of them in the wilderness.
ASVNevertheless mine eye spared them, and I destroyed them not, neither did I make a full end of them in the wilderness.
YLTAnd Mine eye hath pity on them--against destroying them, And I have not made of them an end in the wilderness.
DARBYBut mine eye spared them so as not to destroy them, neither did I make a full end of them in the wilderness.
BBEBut still my eye had pity on them and I kept them from destruction and did not put an end to them completely in the waste land.
WebsterNevertheless my eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.

What does Ezekiel 20:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
17. Nevertheless--How marvellous that God should spare such sinners! His everlasting covenant explains it, His long-suffering standing out in striking contrast to their rebellions (Psa 78:38; Jr 30:11).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ezekiel 20:10-26

. The history of Israel in the wilderness is referred to in the new Testament as well as in the Old, for warning. God did great things for them. He gave them the law, and revived the ancient keeping of the sabbath day. Sabbaths are privileges; they are signs of our being his people. If we do the duty of the day, we shall find, to our comfort, it is the Lord that makes us holy, that is, truly happy, here; and…

Read the full comment on Ezekiel 20:10-26 →

Ezekiel 20:17 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַתָּ֧חָסva.Ta.chosand it looked with compassionH2347
עֵינִ֛י'ei.Nieye myH5869
עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם'a.lei.Hemon themH5921
מִֽשַּׁחֲתָ֑םmi.sha.cha.Tamfrom destroying themH7843
וְלֹֽא\־ve.lo'-and notH3808
עָשִׂ֧יתִי'a.Si.tiI madeH6213
אוֹתָ֛ם'o.Tam<obj.> themH853
כָּלָ֖הka.Lahcomplete destructionH3617
בַּמִּדְבָּֽר\׃ba.mid.Barin the wildernessH4057

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ezekiel 20:17

  • Ezekiel 11:13

    And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord God! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?

  • Jeremiah 4:27

    For thus hath the Lord said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.

  • Jeremiah 5:18

    Nevertheless in those days, saith the Lord, I will not make a full end with you.

  • Nehemiah 9:19

    Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.

  • 1 Samuel 24:10

    Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord’s anointed.

  • Ezekiel 7:2

    Also, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord God unto the land of Israel; An end, the end is come upon the four corners of the land.

  • Ezekiel 9:10

    And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.

  • Nahum 1:8-9

    But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies. What do ye imagine against the Lord? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.

  • Ezekiel 8:18

    Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.

  • Psalms 78:37-38

    For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant. But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
mine.
8:18; 9:10; 1Sa 24:10; Ne 9:19; Ps 78:37,38
neither.
7:2; 11:13; Jer 4:27; 5:18; Na 1:8,9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ezekiel 20:16

    Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

  • Ezekiel 20:17

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

  • Ezekiel 20:18

    But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols:

Read all of Ezekiel 20

Ezekiel 20:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Con todo los perdonó mi ojo, no matándolos, ni los consumí en el desierto;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais mon œil eut compassion d’eux pour ne pas les détruire, et je ne les consumai pas entièrement dans le désert.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Aber mein Auge schonte ihrer, daß ich sie nicht verderbte und ihnen nicht den Garaus machte in der Wüste.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et pepercit oculus meus super eos, ut non interficerem eos: nec consumpsi eos in deserto.