As a pleasing aroma I will accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered. And I will manifest my holiness among you in the sight of the nations.
English Standard Version (ESV)
God's acceptance of His people isn't just about their pleasing aroma; it's about Him actively revealing His own holiness through their restoration and gathering. When nations see scattered people brought back and made holy, they will recognize God's power and faithfulness, proving He is truly God.
As a pleasing aroma I will accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered. And I will manifest my holiness among you in the sight of the nations.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After rebuking Israel for their persistent idolatry and disobedience throughout history, God promises a future restoration. He declares He will bring His people back from their exile, gathering them from all the nations where they've been scattered. This act of regathering and acceptance will visibly demonstrate His holiness to the surrounding nations, who have witnessed Israel's disgrace.
Ever wonder how our worship can truly please God? Ezekiel reveals it’s not just about the right rituals, but about the heart behind them.
More Than Just Incense
The imagery of a "pleasing aroma" (or "sweet savor") comes directly from the Old Testament sacrifices. Think of the incense burning in the Temple – its smoke rising was a symbol of worship ascending to God.
God's plan isn't just to bring His people back together, but to use their restoration as a global announcement.
A Divine Display
The verse highlights a powerful two-part action: God's gathering of His scattered people and His subsequent "manifestation of holiness" among them.
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Understand the original words
nihoah · Hebrew Noun
In the Old Testament, this refers to the acceptance of a sacrifice by God, signifying that the offering is pleasing and that atonement has been made. It reflects God's favor and restored relationship with His people.
qodesh · Hebrew Noun
The state of being set apart, divine transcendence, and moral purity. God's holiness represents His separation from all that is common or sinful and is the core of His character.
This prophecy speaks to a future restoration far beyond the return from Babylonian exile. It envisions a complete gathering of a scattered people, accepted by God with genuine worship, leading to a visible demonstration of His holiness to the entire world.
c. 722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, leading to the exile of its people. This marks a significant loss of national identity and divine favor in the eyes of surrounding nations.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Jerusalem and begins deporting segments of the Jewish population, including nobility and skilled workers, to Babylon. This is the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Another wave of exiles is taken to Babylon, including prominent figures like the prophet Ezekiel himself. The people face continued hardship and questioning of God's power.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Babylon destroys Jerusalem and its magnificent Temple, marking the lowest point for the Jewish people. This event deeply challenged their faith and understanding of God's covenant.
539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, paving the way for the return of exiled peoples to their homelands. This event sets the stage for the eventual restoration of Israel.
c. 520 BC
Rebuilding of the Temple
Under the leadership of Zerubbabel and the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, the Jewish exiles begin the difficult task of rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem. This is a crucial step in their national and spiritual restoration.
This passage describes God allowing His people to be humbled in the land of their enemies due to their iniquity, directly contrasting with Ezekiel's promise of acceptance and sanctification upon their restoration.
Isaiah 66:18-19This prophecy speaks of God gathering nations and peoples to witness His glory and judgment, echoing Ezekiel's theme of God being sanctified among the nations through His dealings with His people.
Jeremiah 33:9This verse directly parallels Ezekiel's promise, stating that Jerusalem will bring renown and praise before all nations when God brings back its exiles, making them a testimony of His goodness.
Philippians 4:18This New Testament passage uses the concept of a 'pleasing aroma' and 'acceptable sacrifice' in relation to believers' offerings to God, showing how the Old Testament imagery of sacrifice finds fulfillment in Christ and His followers.
Psalm 114:1-2This psalm poetically describes Israel's exodus from Egypt as a sign of God's power and holiness, linking a divine act of deliverance to the recognition of God's sanctity by surrounding peoples.
gillEzekiel 20:41: "I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen."
I will accept you with your sweet savour,.... Their sins being expiated by the sacrifice of Christ, which is unto God for a sweet smelling savour; and their persons being, clothed with the robe of his righteousness, and the garments of his salvation, all whose garments smell of myr…
cambridgeEzekiel 20:41: "I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen."
41 . you with your sweet savour ] Lit. amidst , or, in sweet savour (i.e. when I smell it) I will accept you. The expression is used literally of the sweet smoke of sacrifice, hardly figuratively of Jehovah’s complaisance. R.V., as a sweet savour, is wholly improbable. be sanctifie…
God's acceptance of His people isn't just about their pleasing aroma; it's about Him actively revealing His own holiness through their restoration and gathering. When nations see scattered people brought back and made holy, they will recognize God's power and faithfulness, proving He is truly God.
After rebuking Israel for their persistent idolatry and disobedience throughout history, God promises a future restoration. He declares He will bring His people back from their exile, gathering them from all the nations where they've been scattered. This act of regathering and acceptance will visibly demonstrate His holiness to the surrounding nations, who have witnessed Israel's disgrace.
After rebuking Israel for their persistent idolatry and disobedience throughout history, God promises a future restoration. He declares He will bring His people back from their exile, gathering them from all the nations where they've been scattered. This act of regathering and acceptance will visibly demonstrate His holiness to the surrounding nations, who have witnessed Israel's disgrace.
"As a pleasing aroma I will accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered. And I will manifest my holiness among you in the sight of the nations." — God's acceptance of His people isn't just about their pleasing aroma; it's about Him actively revealing His own holiness through their restoration and gathering. When nations see scattered people b…
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Last reviewed October 2026