Ezekiel 20:33

Modern

As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, with a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath I will rule over you.

Traditional

As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you:

Literal

As I live—a declaration of the Lord YHWH—if not with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with fury poured out I will rule over you!

Latin

Vivo ego, dicit Dominus Deus, quoniam in manu forti, et in brachio extento, et in furore effuso, regnabo super vos.

Hebrew

English

As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, with a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath I will rule over you.

In the past, Israel rebelled against God. Because of this, God judged them in limited ways. As a result, they were scattered among other nations again.
However, judgment was not the end of the story. Earlier events in Israel’s history showed that God does not forget his promises. God’s own honor required him to keep his covenant with his people, even when they sinned.
Israel could never become like the surrounding nations who worship idols made of wood and stone (Ezekiel 20:32). God had chosen Israel to belong to him. Because of this, he would gather them again.
God said he would bring them into the wilderness, as he did in the first exodus from Egypt. This would be like a new exodus. But this was not only good news.
After the first exodus, an entire generation died in the wilderness because of their sin. In the same way, God would judge this new generation. He would remove those who continued to rebel and refuse to obey him.
Those rebels would not enter the land of Israel. The wilderness among the nations would become their final resting place.

Theme notes and profiles

Jeremiah 21:5
And I Myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm, with anger, fury, and great wrath.
Jeremiah 44:6
Therefore My wrath and anger poured out and burned in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, so that they have become the desolate ruin they are today.
Ezekiel 8:18
Therefore I will respond with wrath. I will not look on them with pity, nor will I spare them. Although they shout loudly in My ears, I will not listen to them.”
Jeremiah 42:18
For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘Just as My anger and wrath were poured out on the residents of Jerusalem, so will My wrath be poured out on you if you go to Egypt. You will become an object of cursing and horror, of vilification and disgrace, and you will never see this place again.’
Daniel 9:11–12
All Israel has transgressed Your law and turned away, refusing to obey Your voice; so the oath and the curse written in the Law of Moses the servant of God has been poured out on us, because we have sinned against You.
Lamentations 2:4
He has bent His bow like an enemy; His right hand is positioned. Like a foe He has killed all who were pleasing to the eye; He has poured out His wrath like fire on the tent of the Daughter of Zion.

LORD: Names or title used to refer to God