Ezekiel 20:39

³⁷ I will make you pass under the rod and will bring you into the bond of the covenant.

³⁸ And I will purge you of those who rebel and transgress against Me. I will bring them out of the land in which they dwell, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

And as for you, O house of Israel, this is what the Lord GOD says: Go and serve your idols, every one of you. But afterward, you will surely listen to Me, and you will no longer defile My holy name with your gifts and idols.

⁴⁰ For on My holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Lord GOD, there the whole house of Israel, all of them, will serve Me in the land. There I will accept them and will require your offerings and choice gifts, along with all your holy sacrifices.

⁴¹ When I bring you from the peoples and gather you from the lands to which you have been scattered, I will accept you as a pleasing aroma. And I will show My holiness through you in the sight of the nations.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: And as for you, O house of Israel, this is what the Lord GOD says: Go and serve your idols, every one of you. But afterward, you will surely listen to Me, and you will no longer defile My holy name with your gifts and idols.
KJV: 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.
WEB: “‘As for you, house of Israel, the Lord GOD says: “Go, everyone serve his idols, and hereafter also, if you will not listen to me; but you shall no more profane my holy name with your gifts and with your idols.
ASV: As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Go ye, serve every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me; but my holy name shall ye no more profane with your gifts, and with your idols.
DARBY: As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Go ye, serve every one his idols henceforth also, if none of you will hearken unto me; but profane my holy name no more with your gifts and with your idols.
BLB: And you⁺, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord YHWH: Let [each] man go [and] serve his idols, and afterward, if you⁺ are not listening to Me; and the name of My holiness you⁺ will profane no more with your⁺ gifts and with your⁺ idols!

ÅB: Og dere, Israels hus! Så sier Herren, Israels Gud: Gå avsted, dyrk hver sine motbydelige avguder! Men siden skal dere sannelig høre på meg og ikke mere vanhellige mitt hellige navn ved deres gaver og ved deres motbydelige avguder.
OTB: "Når det gjelder dere, Israels hus, så sier Herren Gud: Gå, tjen hver av dere deres avguder; men senere vil dere sikkert lytte til meg, og mitt hellige navn vil dere ikke lenger vanhellige med deres gaver og avguder.
B1930: Og I, Israels hus! Så sier Herren, Israels Gud: Gå avsted, dyrk hver sine motbydelige avguder! Men siden skal I sannelig høre på mig og ikke mere vanhellige mitt hellige navn ved eders gaver og ved eders motbydelige avguder.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Ezekiel 20:25–26
I also gave them over to statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not live.
Read in context
Isaiah 1:13–15
Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me— your New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations. I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly.
Read in context
Judges 10:14
Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you in your time of trouble.”
Read in context
Ezekiel 43:7
and He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place for the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the Israelites forever. The house of Israel will never again defile My holy name—neither they nor their kings—by their prostitution and by the funeral offerings for their kings at their deaths.
Read in context
Hosea 4:17
Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone!
Read in context
Jeremiah 44:25–26
This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: As for you and your wives, you have spoken with your mouths and fulfilled with your hands your words: ‘We will surely perform our vows that we have made to burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and to pour out drink offerings to her.’ Go ahead, then, do what you have promised! Keep your vows!
Read in context
Proverbs 21:27
The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable— how much more so when brought with ill intent!
Read in context
Revelation 3:15–16
I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other!
Read in context