Ezekiel 11:23 · Bible study
Ezekiel 11:23 Commentary: The Staged Departure of God's Glory
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Ezekiel 11:23: Why does God's glory pause on the Mount of Olives? A study of judgment, patience, and hope in exile.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God's glory departs Jerusalem in stages, pausing on the Mount of Olives, a sign of reluctant judgment and patient hope for repentance.
- Key words: 'Glory' (the visible manifest presence of God); 'went up' and 'stood' (deliberate, staged movement; not a single, final exit).
- Main debate: Whether the pause on the mountain primarily signals the execution of judgment (Keil-Delitzsch) or an invitation to repentance (Clarke, Wesley). Many commentators hold both together.
- Theological theme: Divine patience in judgment; the slow withdrawal of God's presence as a call to repent, not an act of abandonment.
- Best use: A preaching passage during seasons of exile or spiritual dryness, it names the pain of distance while holding out hope of return.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And the glory of the LORD rose up from within the city and stood over the mountain east of the city.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Yahweh’s glory went up from the middle of the city, and stood on the mountain which is on the east side of the city.
KJV King James Version 1769
And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And the glory of Jehovah went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And the honour of Jehovah goeth up from off the midst of the city, and standeth on the mountain, that is on the east of the city.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And the glory of Jehovah went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood over the mount that is on the east side of the city.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y la gloria de Jehová se fué de en medio de la ciudad, y paró sobre el monte que está al oriente de la ciudad.
E a glória do SENHOR subiu do meio da cidade, e se pôs sobre o monte que está ao oriente da cidade.
La gloire de l’ Éternel s’ éleva du milieu de la ville, et elle se plaça sur la montagne qui est à l’ orient de la ville.
Und die Herrlichkeit des HERRN erhob sich aus der Stadt und stellte sich auf den Berg, der gegen Morgen vor der Stadt liegt.
En de heerlijkheid des HEEREN rees op van het midden der stad, en stond op den berg, die tegen het oosten der stad is.
E la gloria dell’Eterno s’innalzò di su mezzo alla città, e si fermò sul monte ch’è ad oriente della città.
I odeszła chwała Pańska z pośrodku miasta, a stanęła na górze, która jest na wschód miasta.
И поднялась слава Господа из среды города и остановилась над горою, которая на восток от города.
耶和華 的榮耀 從 城 中 上升，停 在 城 東的 那座山上。
And the glory of the Lord went up from inside the town, and came to rest on the mountain on the east side of the town.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse marks the final stage in a gradual withdrawal of God's glorious presence from Jerusalem. Adam Clarke describes a four-step departure: first the temple, then the gate of the city, then the city itself, and finally the Mount of Olives. Matthew Henry notes that the glory 'removed next to the mountain' after finding no intercessor, while Wesley sees the mountain pause as God waiting 'within call, and ready to return.' Gill records a rabbinic tradition that the Shekinah made ten removals, the last being from the mountain to the wilderness. The consensus is clear: God did not abandon His people abruptly. He withdrew by stages, lingering at each point in reluctant judgment and patient hope for repentance.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Judgment execution: The glory stands on the mount to oversee the city's destruction (Keil-Delitzsch; Jamieson-Fausset-Brown; cross-reference to Zechariah 14:4 for eschatological judgment).
- Waiting for repentance: The glory pauses to give space for the city to turn (Clarke; Wesley; Matthew Henry; rabbinic tradition of a three-year call).
- Typological foreshadowing: The departure prefigures Christ leaving the temple, weeping over Jerusalem, ascending from Olivet, and returning (Barnes; Gill; Acts 1:12; Matthew 23:37; Zechariah 14:4).
What is clear: God's presence departed Jerusalem in stages as a response to persistent sin, yet the pause on the mountain shows judgment was not final – it carried the hope of return.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of the glory's departure | The glory of God gradually left the temple and city as a response to persistent idolatry and injustice, and the departure was not final, it allowed for future return. | Some (Keil-Delitzsch, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) emphasize that the glory stood on the mountain to execute judgment on Jerusalem. Others (Clarke, Wesley, Matthew Henry) stress that God paused to wait for repentance, leaving a door open. |
| Significance of the Mount of Olives | All major commentators identify the mountain as the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and note its connection to judgment and future restoration. | Some (Gill, Barnes) highlight rabbinic traditions of a three-year stay and a human voice calling for repentance. Others (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) focus on the mountain as a vantage point for the coming siege and as the site of Christ's ascension and return. |
| Connection to Christ's ascension and return | Nearly all Protestant commentators see a typological link to Jesus ascending from the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:12) and returning there (Zechariah 14:4). | Some (Barnes, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) draw a direct parallel between God's glory departing and Christ ascending to execute judgment on Jerusalem (AD 70). Others (Keil-Delitzsch) stress that Ezekiel's vision points ultimately to the eschatological return of the Lord, not limited to the first century. |
| The ten removals of the Shekinah | Gill's citation of rabbinic lists is widely acknowledged as a traditional Jewish interpretation of the progressive departure. | Some commentators (Matthew Henry) embrace this tradition as capturing the divine reluctance to leave; others (Keil-Delitzsch) do not engage with it, focusing instead on the biblical narrative alone. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Ezekiel 11:23 sits at the climax of a vision cycle spanning chapters 8, 11, where the prophet witnesses the glory of the God of Israel progressively abandon the temple and city. The vision occurs among exiles in Babylon (Ezekiel 1:1, 3), while Jerusalem still stands and the temple functions, but the city is days away from destruction by Nebuchadnezzar. The glory first leaves the holy of holies to the threshold (Ezekiel 9:3), then moves to the east gate (Ezekiel 10:18, 19), and now from the city to the mountain on the east side, the Mount of Olives.
The Mount of Olives held deep significance. Its eastern slope faced the Kidron Valley and gave a direct view of the temple mount. Ironically, this mountain had been a place of idolatry: Solomon built high places for Chemosh and Molech on its southern spur (1 Kings 11:7), earning it the name 'Mount of Corruption' (2 Kings 23:13). By standing there, God's glory confronted the very site where Israel's apostasy had flourished. Rabbinic tradition, cited by Gill and Barnes, says the Shekinah remained on the mount for three years, calling the people to repentance with a human voice. Whether literal or symbolic, the tradition captures the sense that God's departure was not final yet, He stayed within sight of the city, hoping for change.
The mountain also becomes a hinge between judgment and future hope. Zechariah 14:4 places the Messiah's feet on the Mount of Olives at the final deliverance. From this mountain Jesus wept over Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37), predicted the city's fall (Matthew 24:3), and ascended to heaven (Acts 1:12). Ezekiel's vision of departure sets the stage for a return: Ezekiel 43:2, 4 describes the glory coming back from the east, entering the temple by the east gate.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Ezekiel 11:23. The verse is stable across the Masoretic Text, the Septuagint, and the major English translations compared. Differences in phrasing ('went up from the midst' vs 'rose up from within') reflect translation choices, not manuscript disagreement.
Reception History
Jewish tradition preserved elaborate accounts of the Shekinah's staged departure, with rabbinic sources (cited by Gill) counting ten removals from the mercy seat to the wilderness. The pause on the Mount of Olives was seen as a last opportunity for repentance, lasting three years. Early Christian readers, beginning with the Gospel accounts, identified the mountain with Christ's tears over Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37), his ascension (Acts 1:12), and his promised return (Zechariah 14:4). Reformation and post-Reformation commentators (Matthew Henry, Wesley, Clarke) emphasized the pastoral lesson: God does not leave abruptly but withdraws slowly, giving space for change. Modern readers find in this verse a window into God's heart, a judge who lingers on the hill, unwilling to give up on His people.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God departs gradually, not abruptly. The staged removal from temple to city to mountain shows reluctance. God does not turn away quickly; He gives repeated warnings.
- God pauses for repentance. The Mount of Olives becomes a place of waiting. Wesley calls it 'being within call.' Clarke notes God tarries 'to see if they would repent.' God's judgment is slow because His mercy is better.
- Judgment is not the final word. The eastward departure points to a future return (Ezekiel 43:2). The same mountain becomes the site of Christ's ascension and promised return (Zechariah 14:4). Hope survives exile.
Five-point outline
- The glory leaves the temple (Ezekiel 9:3; 10:4)
- The glory leaves the city (Ezekiel 11:23)
- The glory pauses on the mountain (the Mount of Olives, east of the city)
- The glory later returns from the east (Ezekiel 43:2-4)
- The pattern foreshadows Christ: weeping, ascension, return (Matthew 23:37; Acts 1:12; Zechariah 14:4)
Illustration hooks
- A parent who doesn't leave the front door. A teenager storms off after an argument. The parent stands on the porch, watching, hoping the child will turn back. The departure is only partial; the love stays visible until the last moment.
- A judge postponing the verdict. Before passing sentence, the judge pauses, looks at the defendant, and asks one more time, 'Is there anything you want to say?' The delay is not weakness; it is a last chance to speak.
- An employee clearing out an office in stages. First takes personal photos, then files, then the nameplate. Each trip to the door is a signal. Colleagues know: this person is not coming back, but they are leaving slowly, as if waiting for someone to stop them.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God ever walk away from His people for good? (Point to the staged departure, He does not leave abruptly, and He always leaves a path for return.)
- How can I tell if God is warning me before judgment falls? (Notice the 'stages', conviction, circumstances, a sense of distance. God rarely removes His presence without prior signs.)
- What hope is there after exile? (The mountain departure points east, to Christ's return. Judgment is temporary; restoration is promised.)
Leading a Discussion
Ezekiel sees God's glory leave Jerusalem in stages. Each stop is a standing invitation to repent. This passage confronts us with the seriousness of persistent sin, and the depth of God's patience. As you discuss, hold both truths together: God does not tolerate rebellion, but neither does He abandon without warning.
Discussion questions
- Observation: Where does the glory go in this verse, and what mountain is it standing on?
- Observation: Read Ezekiel 9:3; 10:4,18; 11:1,23. List the locations the glory visits in order. What pattern do you see?
- Interpretation: Why do you think God leaves by stages rather than departing immediately? What does that tell you about His character?
- Interpretation: Wesley says God stood on the mountain 'to be as it were within call, and ready to return.' How does that shape your understanding of God's patience in judgment?
- Interpretation: Read Zechariah 14:4 and Acts 1:12. How do these later passages connect the Mount of Olives to hope and restoration?
- Application: Can you think of a time when you sensed God withdrawing, but not completely? How did He signal His patience?
- Application: If God is 'lingering on the mountain' in your life, what might He be waiting for? What would it look like to turn toward Him?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Ezekiel 8:4 | Behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the appearance that I saw in the plain. |
| Ezekiel 9:3 | The glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub, whereupon it was, to the threshold of the house; and he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn by his side. |
| Ezekiel 10:4 | Yahweh’s glory mounted up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of Yahweh’s glory. |
| Ezekiel 10:18 | Yahweh’s glory went out from over the threshold of the house and stood over the cherubim. |
| Ezekiel 43:2 | Behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth was illuminated with his glory. |
| Ezekiel 43:4 | Yahweh’s glory came into the house by the way of the gate which faces toward the east. |
| Zechariah 14:4 | His feet will stand in that day on the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, making a very great valley. Half of the mountain will move toward the north, and half of it toward the south. |
| Matthew 23:37 | “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not! |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
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What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights the gradual way God withdrew his presence from Jerusalem as a sign of his patience. The glory left the temple first, then paused at the city gate, then moved to the Mount of Olives, and finally ascended to heaven, giving the people every chance to repent.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights the Mount of Olives as the place where Christ wept over Jerusalem, then descended as a Judge to enter the city. He notes that rabbinic tradition held the divine presence had withdrawn to that mountain, calling the people to repent for three years without success.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
And the glorie of the Lord went vp from the middes of the citie, and stoode vpon the moutaine which is towarde the East side of the citie.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights that the glory of the Lord, after leaving the temple, stood reluctantly on the Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem. He connects this as the place where Christ later wept over Jerusalem and from where he ascended, and notes the Rabbinical tradition that this was the third of ten removes of the Shekinah before it finally departed to the wilderness.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB connects the departure of God's glory from the temple to the Mount of Olives as the place of coming judgment, seen later when Jesus ascended from that mountain before sending judgment on Jerusalem. He notes that the same mount will be the scene of Christ's return to deliver His people.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch notes that the glory of God did not simply depart from Jerusalem but paused on the Mount of Olives, the very place where Christ would later ascend. By stopping there, God’s glory remained to execute judgment upon the city, foreshadowing that from that same mountain the Son of God would ascend to bring judgment on the Jews.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
and the glory of the Lord in Ezekiel.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry sees God's glory leaving in stages, pausing on the Mount of Olives. This specific spot was where Israel had set up their idols against God in his temple. God's final stop before departure confronts their corruption directly, because there was no one left to plead for his return.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that the Lord's glory did not leave abruptly; it lingered over the city for a time, waiting for repentance. When it finally departed, it withdrew only to the Mount of Olives, remaining within call and ready to return if the people would finally understand what made for their peace.