Ezekiel 36 · Verse 38

Ezekiel 36:38

As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the Lord.
Ezekiel 36:38, King James Version

Ezekiel 36:38 in other translations

BSBLike the numerous flocks for sacrifices at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so the ruined cities will be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”
WEBAs the flock for sacrifice, as the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed feasts, so the waste cities will be filled with flocks of men. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’”
ASVAs the flock for sacrifice, as the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men; and they shall know that I am Jehovah.
YLTAs a flock of holy ones, as a flock of Jerusalem, In her appointed seasons, So are the waste cities full of flocks of men, And they have known that I am Jehovah!'
DARBYAs the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her set feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am Jehovah.
BBELike sheep for the offerings, like the sheep of Jerusalem at her fixed feasts, so the unpeopled towns will be made full of men: and they will be certain that I am the Lord.
WebsterAs the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the LORD.

What does Ezekiel 36:38 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
38. As the holy flock--the great flock of choice animals for sacrifice, brought up to Jerusalem at the three great yearly festivals, the passover, pentecost, and feast of the tabernacles.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 38 As the holy flock - The Church of Christ, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. The flock of Jerusalem - The Jerusalem that is from above, the city of the living God, the place where his Majesty dwells. As they came in ancient times to the solemn national feasts so shall they come when they have fully returned unto the Lord, and received his salvation by Christ Jesus. I do not ask my reader's pardon for having considered this most beautiful chapter as relating, not to the restoration from the Babylonish captivity, but to the redemption under the new covenant by Jesus Christ. There is no period of the Jewish history from that time until now, to which it can be applied. It must belong to the Gospel dispensation, and if the Jews will still refuse, contradict, and blaspheme, let no Christian have any fellowship with them in their opposition to this Almighty Savior. Let none be indifferent to his salvation; let all plead his promises; and let the messengers of the Churches proclaim to the Christian world a Free, a Full, and a Present Salvation! And may great grace rest upon themselves, and upon all their flocks!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ezekiel 36:25-38

Water is an emblem of the cleansing our polluted souls from sin. But no water can do more than take away the filth of the flesh. Water seems in general the sacramental sign of the sanctifying influences of the Holy Ghost; yet this is always connected with the atoning blood of Christ. When the latter is applied by faith to the conscience, to cleanse it from evil works, the former is always applied to the powers of…

Read the full comment on Ezekiel 36:25-38 →

Ezekiel 36:38 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.

כְּצֹ֣אןke.Tzonlike sheep ofH6629
קָֽדָשִׁ֗יםka.da.Shimholiness<es>H6944
כְּצֹ֤אןke.Tzonlike [the] sheep ofH6629
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ye.ru.sha.LimJerusalemH3389
בְּמ֣וֹעֲדֶ֔יהָbe.Mo.'a.Dei.haat appointed times itsH4150
כֵּ֤ןkensoH3651
תִּהְיֶ֙ינָה֙tih.Yei.nahthey will beH1961
הֶעָרִ֣יםhe.'a.Rimthe citiesH5892
הֶחֳרֵב֔וֹתhe.cho.re.Vot<the> wastedH2720
מְלֵא֖וֹתme.le.'otfullH4392
צֹ֣אןtzonof flock[s] ofH6629
אָדָ֑ם'a.Damhuman[s]H120
וְיָדְע֖וּve.ya.de.'Uand they will knowH3045
כִּֽי\־ki-thatH3588
אֲנִ֥י'a.NiIH589
יְהוָֽה\׃\ \סYah.weh[am] YahwehH3068

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

Cross references for Ezekiel 36:38

  • Acts 2:5-11

    And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? …

  • John 10:16

    And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

  • 1 Kings 8:63

    And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the Lord, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord.

  • 2 Chronicles 35:7-19

    And Josiah gave to the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all for the passover offerings, for all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks: these were of the king’s substance. And his princes gave willingly unto the people, to the priests, and to the Levites: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen. Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethaneel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for passover offerings five thousand small cattle, and five hundred oxen. So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the king’s commandment. …

  • 2 Chronicles 7:8

    Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt.

  • Ezekiel 36:33-35

    Thus saith the Lord God; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded. And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.

  • Jeremiah 31:27-28

    Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast. And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the Lord.

  • Exodus 34:23

    Thrice in the year shall all your men children appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel.

  • Zechariah 8:19-23

    Thus saith the Lord of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord. …

  • 2 Chronicles 30:21-27

    And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the Lord. And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the Lord God of their fathers. And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness. For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves. …

  • Exodus 23:17

    Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord God.

  • Deuteronomy 16:16

    Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty:

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
holy flock. Heb. flock of holy things. as the flock.
Ex 23:17; 34:23; De 16:16; 2Ch 7:8; 30:21-27; 35:7-19; Zec 8:19-23
Ac 2:5-11
the waste.
33-35; 34:31; Jer 30:19; 31:27,28; Joh 10:16; Re 7:4-9

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

Context

  • Ezekiel 36:37

    Thus saith the Lord God; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock.

  • Ezekiel 36:38

    As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the Lord.

Read all of Ezekiel 36

Ezekiel 36:38 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Como las ovejas santas, como las ovejas de Jerusalem en sus solemnidades, así las ciudades desiertas serán llenas de rebaños de hombres; y sabrán que yo soy Jehová.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Comme un troupeau saint, comme un troupeau de Jérusalem dans ses fêtes solennelles, ainsi les villes ruinées seront remplies de troupeaux d’hommes; et ils sauront que je suis l’ Éternel.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wie eine geheiligte Herde, wie die Herde Jerusalems an seinen Festen, also werden die verödeten Städte voll Menschenherden sein. Und sie werden wissen, daß ich Jehova bin.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		ut gregem sanctum, ut gregem Jerusalem in solemnitatibus ejus: sic erunt civitates desertæ, plenæ gregibus hominum: et scient quia ego Dominus.