Ezekiel 20:39
“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)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This verse contains a profound, almost sarcastic permission from God: "Go, serve your idols." He's not actually endorsing their idolatry, but rather giving them over to the consequence of their persistent refusal to listen to Him. It’s a chilling moment where God allows them to fully embrace the path they’ve chosen, stating they will "no more profane my holy name" with their hollow worship.
Ezekiel is confronting the elders of Israel about their persistent idolatry, recalling their history of rebellion and God’s repeated acts of faithfulness. God is declaring that since they refuse to listen to Him and insist on serving their idols, He will give them up to their chosen fate. This culminates in a declaration that they will no longer profane His holy name with their mixed worship.
Imagine God, frustrated and hurt, telling a wayward people to just go ahead and do what they want. It sounds harsh, but there's a profound, sorrowful logic behind it.
In Ezekiel 20:39, God doesn't give Israel permission to worship idols. Instead, He uses biting irony. He's saying, 'You refuse to listen to Me, so fine. Go ahead and serve the gods you’ve chosen. But know this: you can't have it both ways.'
This isn't a genuine allowance, but a powerful expression of divine disappointment and a final, stark warning. It highlights their stubborn rebellion and the futility of their mixed worship. God is essentially saying, 'If you're going to reject Me, do it fully, but don't dare drag My name into your deceitful practices.'
Why would God be so concerned about Israel 'profaning' His name? It goes to the very heart of who He is and how His people are meant to represent Him.
The second half of Ezekiel 20:39 delivers a clear command: 'but my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts and your idols.' God's holiness is central to His being. To profane His name means to treat it with contempt, to make it common, or to associate it with that which is unholy.
For Israel, this meant they couldn't offer sacrifices and gifts to God while simultaneously worshipping idols. This hypocrisy was a deep insult. They were using their religious practices as a cloak for their idolatry, making it seem as though God approved of their mixed devotion. God declares He will no longer tolerate this blending of the sacred and the profane; His name is too holy to be dragged into such deceit.
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 delivers this message to the exiles in Babylon, a generation after the northern kingdom fell and after the initial deportations of Judah. The irony is stark: God sarcastically tells them to go serve the idols they chose, highlighting their stubborn rejection of Him, while also pointing to a future where their true service will be accepted.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Assyrian Exile
The northern Kingdom of Israel (the ten tribes) is conquered by the Assyrian Empire, and many of its people are deported, never to return as a distinct entity. This marks a significant judgment for widespread idolatry and unfaithfulness to God.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and deports a select group of Israelites, including young nobles like Daniel, to Babylon. This is the beginning of the Babylonian exile for Judah.
597 BC— this verse
Second Deportation to Babylon
After a brief revolt, Nebuchadnezzar deports more of Judah's population, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon. This event sets the stage for Ezekiel's prophetic ministry in exile.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar, destroy Jerusalem and its magnificent Temple, the center of Israel's worship. The remaining population is largely exiled to Babylon, marking the devastation of the Promised Land.
This passage presents a similar choice: 'choose this day whom you will serve.' Joshua challenges Israel to be decisive, echoing Ezekiel's ironic 'go serve your idols' by highlighting the consequences of choosing wrongly.
Romans 1:21-23Paul describes a similar spiritual trajectory where people 'exchanged the truth about God for a lie' and served created things rather than the Creator. This shows the universal human tendency Ezekiel addresses, leading to God giving people over to their desires.
Hosea 4:17This verse speaks of Ephraim (the northern kingdom) being 'joined to idols,' a spiritual adultery that mirrors Israel's behavior in Ezekiel. It highlights the deep entanglement with idolatry that God laments and seeks to separate from.
Isaiah 43:22-24This passage powerfully contrasts Israel's burdensome, fruitless worship with their obligation to God. It underscores the 'profaning of God's holy name' mentioned in Ezekiel by showing how their offerings and incense were not desired because their hearts were far from Him.
Hebrews 12:15-17The author warns against 'a root of bitterness' and 'a sexually immoral and godless generation,' akin to Israel's persistent idolatry. Esau's example illustrates how a person can forfeit a sacred inheritance through a single, godless choice, much like Israel risked losing God's favor through their persistent sin.
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…
This verse contains a profound, almost sarcastic permission from God: "Go, serve your idols." He's not actually endorsing their idolatry, but rather giving them over to the consequence of their persistent refusal to listen to Him. It’s a chilling moment where God allows them to fully embrace the path they’ve chosen, stating they will "no more profane my holy name" with their hollow worship.
Ezekiel is confronting the elders of Israel about their persistent idolatry, recalling their history of rebellion and God’s repeated acts of faithfulness. God is declaring that since they refuse to listen to Him and insist on serving their idols, He will give them up to their chosen fate. This culminates in a declaration that they will no longer profane His holy name with their mixed worship.
Ezekiel is confronting the elders of Israel about their persistent idolatry, recalling their history of rebellion and God’s repeated acts of faithfulness. God is declaring that since they refuse to listen to Him and insist on serving their idols, He will give them up to their chosen fate. This culminates in a declaration that they will no longer profane His holy name with their mixed worship.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Ezekiel 20:39 is available in the Sola app.
c. 571 BC
Ezekiel's Prophecies Conclude
The last dated prophecy in Ezekiel occurs around this time, after the fall of Jerusalem. The prophet continues to deliver messages of judgment and future hope to the exiles in Babylon.
"“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." — This verse contains a profound, almost sarcastic permission from God: "Go, serve your idols." He's not actually endorsing their idolatry, but rather giving them over to the consequence of their persi…
