What Does Ezekiel 39:25 Mean in the King James?
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name;
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The restoration here is a return out of captivity, while mercy carries the texture of womb-deep compassion for the whole house.
THE MEANING
Now, captivity is not the final condition: Jacob is brought back, and compassion reaches the whole house of Israel. The LORD’s fierce zeal for his set-apart name binds restoration to the nature carried in that name. The verse holds return and compassion together as the present shape of divine faithfulness.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It dissolves the claim that captivity is Israel’s final identity: the verse names return and compassion as what follows.
THE ROOT
אָשִׁיב
ashiv
GROWS FROM
שוב
shuv
Turn, return, turn back; restore by bringing back.
“bring again” in this verse is ashiv. The Hebrew pairs אָשִׁיב (ashiv, “I will return or restore”) with שְׁבוּת (shevut, “captivity or fortunes”), so the sound of return echoes beside captivity. The verb comes from שׁוּב (shuv, “turn or return”): restoration moves a people back from displacement rather than making them anew.
ALSO GROWS
shav: Returned; turned back.
שָׁב
This form makes the turning back inside “bring again” audible.
teshuvah: Return; turning.
תְּשׁוּבָה
This branch shows the root can name a turning back, giving restoration the direction of return.
וְרִחַמְתִּי
verichamti
GROWS FROM
רחם
racham
Show tender compassion; have mercy.
“have mercy” in this verse is verichamti. The root רָחַם (racham, “show compassion”) connects רַחֲמִים (rachamim, “compassion”) with רֶחֶם (rechem, “womb”). The KJV’s “mercy” therefore holds more than pardon: it evokes protective, life-bearing tenderness, here extended to the whole house.
ALSO GROWS
rechem: Womb.
רֶחֶם
This branch gives compassion the image of protective, life-bearing care.
rachamim: Compassion; mercies.
רַחֲמִים
This branch names the tenderness that the verse extends to the whole house of Israel.
THE PATTERN
Restoration turns captivity into belonging by gathering people back under compassion.
That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.THE THREAD
Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD.Jeremiah’s “have mercy” also comes from רָחַם (racham, “show compassion”), and the verse gives that compassion an inward, visceral voice. Ezekiel extends the same root’s care from Ephraim to the whole house of Israel.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us