“As for you, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord GOD: Go serve every one of you his idols, now and hereafter, if you will not listen to me; but my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts and your idols.
English Standard Version (ESV)
God's words here aren't just a dismissal, but a cutting sarcasm: He's essentially telling them to go ahead and serve their idols fully, because their current "worship" is already a mockery that profanes His holy name. He's saying their mixed allegiance, where they offer gifts and sacrifices while still clinging to idols, is more offensive than outright abandonment.
“As for you, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord GOD: Go serve every one of you his idols, now and hereafter, if you will not listen to me; but my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts and your idols.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet Ezekiel is addressing the "house of Israel," specifically the elders who have come to him seeking prophecy. God, through Ezekiel, recounts Israel's persistent history of idolatry and disobedience, even after experiencing His deliverance. This verse represents a point of indignant concession where God, seeing their stubborn refusal to listen, ironically tells them to go ahead and serve their idols, but to stop profaning His holy name with their mixed worship.
Imagine God, utterly fed up, telling His people to 'Go ahead, serve your idols!' It sounds like permission, but it's anything but. What's really going on here?
The Lord's command to 'Go ye, serve ye every one his idols' isn't a genuine invitation. It's a heavy dose of divine irony. God isn't approving their idolatry; He's highlighting their stubbornness and expressing His utter exasperation.
Think of it like a parent whose child repeatedly disobeys. The parent might finally say, 'Fine, do whatever you want!' but there's no joy in those words. It's a statement of giving up control because the child refuses to listen. This is God, with profound sadness and righteous anger, allowing Israel to fully embrace the destructive path they've chosen, because they've rejected His loving guidance.
This 'concession' is actually a severe judgment, allowing them to face the full consequences of their chosen ways.
God's people were trying to serve Him AND their idols. Why was this 'half-worship' so offensive to God that it couldn't continue?
The core issue here is the 'profaning' of God's holy name. The Israelites weren't just worshipping idols in secret; they were trying to integrate idol worship into their lives, even bringing 'gifts' and sacrifices that were meant to honor God, but were tainted by their idolatry.
God declares, 'but my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts and your idols.' This means they couldn't pretend to worship Him while simultaneously bowing to other gods. This wasn't just a minor sin; it was a detestable offense that made a mockery of God's holiness and exclusivity.
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It's a powerful reminder that God desires our whole hearts, not a divided allegiance. True worship isn't about the number of rituals or gifts, but the sincerity and exclusivity of our devotion. Trying to blend the sacred with the profane, or God with idols, is an insult that God will not tolerate.
Understand the original words
gillulim · Hebrew Noun
A fundamental act of covenant-breaking involving the turning away from God to false objects of worship; it signifies infidelity and the displacement of the Creator by created things.
shem · Hebrew Noun
The holy and distinct character of God; His reputation, authority, and essence. To profane it is to treat what is sacred as common or to dishonor God’s character before the world.
Ezekiel's message comes at the absolute nadir of Israel's history. The nation has been scattered, their capital destroyed, and their identity fractured. God's words here are spoken with profound irony, acknowledging the depth of their rebellion while holding out the promise of a future where true worship will finally prevail.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Assyrian Exile
The Northern Kingdom of Israel is conquered by the Assyrian Empire, and many of its inhabitants are exiled, marking a significant loss of national identity and religious practice for many Israelites.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and deports a number of its prominent citizens, including Daniel, to Babylon. This event marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Babylon deports more Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon. The exile deepens, and the community faces profound questions about God's faithfulness.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Babylon destroys Jerusalem and its sacred Temple, ending the Davidic monarchy and scattering the remaining population. This is the lowest point for the Judean people, leading to widespread despair.
c. 593-571 BC— this verse
Ezekiel's Ministry in Exile
Ezekiel prophesies to the exiles in Babylon, offering both judgment for their past idolatry and hope for future restoration. His message confronts their spiritual complacency and calls for genuine repentance.
539 BC
Cyrus Permits Return from Exile
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers Babylon and issues a decree allowing exiled peoples, including the Judeans, to return to their homelands and rebuild their temples.
This passage presents a stark choice between serving God or serving idols, echoing Ezekiel's ironic command for Israel to 'go serve every one of you his idols' if they refuse to listen to God.
Jeremiah 7:29-31Jeremiah condemns the people for offering sacrifices and calling on God's name while also practicing idolatry, mirroring Ezekiel's accusation that Israel profanes God's holy name with their gifts and idols.
Romans 1:28Paul describes how those who reject God are 'given up' to their sinful desires, which parallels the sense of God giving Israel over to their chosen idols in Ezekiel's prophecy.
Psalm 95:11The phrase 'they shall not enter my rest' in Psalm 95:11 uses a similar conditional structure ('if they enter') to express a definitive negative outcome, much like Ezekiel's 'if you will not listen to me' implies a predetermined consequence.
barnesEzekiel 20:39: "As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD; Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me: but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols."
Strong irony. Some prefer another rendering: "Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, yet hereafter ye shall surely hearken unto me, and shall no more pollute My Holy Name etc." In this way, this verse is introductory to what follows.
gillEzekiel 20:39: "As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD; Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me: but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols."
As for you, O house of Israel,.... The then present house of Israel, and the elders of it, who were upon the spot with the prophet: go ye, serve ye everyone his idols; or dunghill gods; since they liked not to serve the true God: this is not giving them leave to…
God's words here aren't just a dismissal, but a cutting sarcasm: He's essentially telling them to go ahead and serve their idols fully, because their current "worship" is already a mockery that profanes His holy name. He's saying their mixed allegiance, where they offer gifts and sacrifices while still clinging to idols, is more offensive than outright abandonment.
The prophet Ezekiel is addressing the "house of Israel," specifically the elders who have come to him seeking prophecy. God, through Ezekiel, recounts Israel's persistent history of idolatry and disobedience, even after experiencing His deliverance. This verse represents a point of indignant concession where God, seeing their stubborn refusal to listen, ironically tells them to go ahead and serve their idols, but to stop profaning His holy name with their mixed worship.
The prophet Ezekiel is addressing the "house of Israel," specifically the elders who have come to him seeking prophecy. God, through Ezekiel, recounts Israel's persistent history of idolatry and disobedience, even after experiencing His deliverance. This verse represents a point of indignant concession where God, seeing their stubborn refusal to listen, ironically tells them to go ahead and serve their idols, but to stop profaning His holy name with their mixed worship.
"“As for you, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord GOD: Go serve every one of you his idols, now and hereafter, if you will not listen to me; but my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts and your idols." — God's words here aren't just a dismissal, but a cutting sarcasm: He's essentially telling them to go ahead and serve their idols fully, because their current "worship" is already a mockery that profa…
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Last reviewed October 2026