Ezekiel 20:9

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

But I acted for the sake of my name, to keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations among whom they lived and where I had made myself known to them by bringing them out of Egypt.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וָאַ֙עַשׂ֙ לְמַ֣עַן שְׁמִ֔י לְבִלְתִּ֥י הֵחֵ֛ל לְעֵינֵ֥י הַגּוֹיִ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־הֵ֣מָּה בְתוֹכָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר נוֹדַ֤עְתִּי אֲלֵיהֶם֙ לְעֵ֣ינֵיהֶ֔ם לְהוֹצִיאָ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

Transliteration

And-wāʾaʿaś for-sake-of šĕmî lĕbiltî hēḥēl before-eyes-of the-gôyim which-they bĕtôkām, which nôdaʿtî to-them before-ʿênêhem lĕhôṣîʾām from-ʾereṣ miṣrāyim.

Grammar Details

• *wāʾaʿaś*: waw-consecutive with qal imperfect, 1st singular - and I acted
• *šĕmî*: noun, masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix - my name
• *lĕbiltî*: preposition with negative particle - so as not to
• *hēḥēl*: verb, niphal infinitive construct - to be profaned/defiled
• *gôyim*: noun, masculine plural with definite article - nations
• *bĕtôkām*: preposition with noun, masculine singular construct and 3rd masculine plural suffix - in their midst
• *nôdaʿtî*: verb, niphal perfect, 1st singular - I made myself known
• *ʿênêhem*: noun, feminine dual with 3rd masculine plural suffix - their eyes
• *lĕhôṣîʾām*: preposition with hiphil infinitive construct and 3rd masculine plural suffix - to bring them out
• *ʾereṣ*: noun, feminine singular construct - land of
• *miṣrāyim*: proper noun - Egypt

Word Meanings

• *wāʾaʿaś* *lĕmaʿan* *šĕmî*: and I acted for the sake of my name (idiom for protecting reputation)
• *lĕbiltî* *hēḥēl*: so as not to be profaned/so it would not be defiled
• *nôdaʿtî*: I made myself known/I revealed myself

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  But I acted for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them, in bringing them out of the land of Egypt.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  But I wrought{H6213} for my name's{H8034} sake, that it should not be profaned{H2490} in the sight{H5869} of the nations,{H1471} among{H8432} which they were, in whose sight{H5869} I made myself known{H3045} unto them, in bringing them forth{H3318} out of the land{H776} of Egypt.{H4714}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  But I wrought{H6213}{(H8799)} for my name's{H8034} sake, that it should not be polluted{H2490}{(H8736)} before{H5869} the heathen{H1471}, among{H8432} whom they were, in whose sight{H5869} I made myself known{H3045}{(H8738)} unto them, in bringing them forth{H3318}{(H8687)} out of the land{H776} of Egypt{H4714}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  But I wolde not do it, for my names sake: that it shulde not be vnhalowed before the Heithen, amonge whom they dwelt, and amonge whom I shewed my self vnto them, that I wolde bringe them out of the londe of Egipte.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  But I had respect to my Name, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whome they were, & in whose sight I made my selfe knowen vnto them in bringing them forth of the land of Egypt.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And I wrought for my names sake that it shoulde not be polluted before the heathen among whom they were, to whom I was manifestly knowen, in bryngyng them foorth of the lande of Egypt.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they [were], in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  But I worked for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, among which they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And I do `it' for My name's sake, Not to pollute `it' before the eyes of the nations, In whose midst they `are', Before whose eyes I became known to them, To bring them out from the land of Egypt.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, among which they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, among which they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And I was acting for the honour of my name, so that it might not be made unclean before the eyes of the nations among whom they were, and before whose eyes I gave them knowledge of myself, by taking them out of the land of Egypt.

• World English Bible (2000)

  But I worked for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, among which they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  I acted for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be profaned before the nations among whom they lived, before whom I revealed myself by bringing them out of the land of Egypt.

Referenced Verses

• Ezek 20:14 : 14 But I acted for the sake of my name, to keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.
• Ezek 20:22 : 22 But I withdrew my hand and acted for the sake of my name, to keep it from being profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out.
• Ezek 39:7 : 7 'I will make my holy name known among my people Israel, and I will no longer allow my holy name to be profaned. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.'
• Ezek 36:21-22 : 21 But I had concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they had gone. 22 Therefore, say to the house of Israel: 'This is what the Lord GOD says: It is not for your sake that I am about to act, house of Israel, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone.
• Exod 32:12 : 12 Why should the Egyptians say, 'He brought them out with evil intent, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth'? Turn from your burning anger and relent concerning this disaster against your people.
• Num 14:13-25 : 13 But Moses said to the LORD, "The Egyptians will hear about it! By your power you brought these people up from among them. 14 They will tell the inhabitants of this land about it. They have already heard that you, LORD, are among these people, that you, LORD, have been seen face to face, that your cloud stays over them, and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. 15 If you put all these people to death as one man, the nations who have heard about your fame will say, 16 'The LORD was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath, so he slaughtered them in the wilderness.' 17 Now may the Lord's strength be displayed, just as you have declared: 18 'The LORD is slow to anger, abundant in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and rebellion; yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers' iniquity upon the children to the third and fourth generation.' 19 Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven them from Egypt until now. 20 The LORD replied, 'I have forgiven them, as you asked.' 21 Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the LORD fills the whole earth, 22 none of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times, 23 not one of them will see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has spurned me will see it. 24 But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and has followed me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it. 25 The Amalekites and Canaanites are dwelling in the valley. Tomorrow, turn around and set out toward the wilderness along the way of the Red Sea.
• Deut 9:28 : 28 Otherwise, the land from which you brought us out will say, "The LORD was not able to bring them into the land he promised them, and because he hated them, he brought them out to kill them in the wilderness."
• Deut 32:26-27 : 26 I said I would scatter them and erase their memory from mankind, 27 but I feared the provocation of the enemy, lest their adversaries misunderstand and say, 'Our own hand has triumphed; it was not the LORD who did all this.'
• Josh 2:10 : 10 We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed.
• Josh 7:9 : 9 The Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of this and surround us. They will cut off our name from the earth. And then, what will you do for your great name?
• Josh 9:9-9 : 9 They answered him, “Your servants have come from a very distant land because of the name of the LORD your God. For we have heard of His fame and all He did in Egypt, 10 and all He did to the two Amorite kings beyond the Jordan—to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth.
• 1 Sam 4:8 : 8 Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every kind of plague in the wilderness.
• 1 Sam 12:22 : 22 For the LORD will not abandon His people for the sake of His great name, because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people.