Ezekiel 39:26 · Bible study
Ezekiel 39:26 Commentary: Shame and Security in Restoration
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Does restored Israel forget its shame or bear it? A textual variant and its meaning for hope, humility, and God’s mercy.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God restores Israel, dealing with their shame and trespass, allowing them to dwell securely.
- Key words: Shame, trespass, dwell securely, no fear.
- Main debate: Is the verb “forget” or “bear”? The reading changes whether shame is removed or carried in humility.
- Theological theme: Restoration involves both complete forgiveness and a transformed response to past failure.
- Best use: Exploring the depth of God’s mercy and the proper posture of the forgiven community.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
They will forget their disgrace and all the treachery they committed against Me, when they dwell securely in their land, with no one to frighten them.
WEB World English Bible 2000
They will forget their shame and all their trespasses by which they have trespassed against me, when they dwell securely in their land. No one will make them afraid
KJV King James Version 1769
After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And they shall bear their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they shall dwell securely in their land, and none shall make them afraid;
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And they have forgotten their shame, And all their trespass that they trespassed against Me, In their dwelling on their land confidently and none troubling.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
and they shall bear their confusion, and all their unfaithfulness in which they have acted unfaithfully against me, when they shall dwell safely in their land, and none shall make them afraid;
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And they shall bear their confusion, and all the transgressions wherewith they have transgressed against me, when they shall dwell in their land securely fearing no man:
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y ellos sentirán su vergüenza, y toda su rebelión con que prevaricaron contra mí, cuando habitaren en su tierra seguramente, y no habrá quien los espante;
Quando eles tiverem levado sobre si sua vergonha, e toda sua rebeldia com que se rebelaram contra mim, quando habitarem seguros em sua terra, e não houver quem os espante;
Alors ils oublieront leur opprobre,
Sie aber werden ihre Schmach und alle ihre Sünde, damit sie sich an mir versündigt haben, tragen, wenn sie nun sicher in ihrem Lande wohnen, daß sie niemand schrecke,
Als zij hun schande zullen gedragen hebben, en al hun overtreding, met dewelke zij tegen Mij hebben overtreden, toen zij in hun land zeker woonden, en er niemand was, die hen verschrikte.
Ed essi avran finito di portare il loro obbrobrio e la pena di tutte le infedeltà che hanno commesse contro di me, quando dimoreranno al sicuro nel loro paese, e non vi sarà più alcun che li spaventi;
Gdy odniosą pohańbienie swoje i wszystko przestępstwo swoje, którem wystąpili przeciwko mnie, gdy bezpiecznie mieszkali w ziemi swojej, a nie był, ktoby ich trwożył;
И почувствуют они бесчестие свое и все беззакония свои, какие делали предо Мною, когда будут жить на земле своей безопасно, и никто не будет устрашать их,
他們在 本地 安然 居住，無人 驚嚇，是我將他們 從 萬民 中領回，從仇敵 之地 召來。我在許多 國的民 眼前，在他們身上 顯為聖的時候，他們要擔當 自己的羞辱 和干犯 我 的一切 罪。
And they will be conscious of their shame and of all the wrong which they have done against me, when they are living in their land with no sense of danger and with no one to be a cause of fear to them;
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Ezekiel 39:26 describes the climax of Israel’s restoration after exile. The verse sits within a promise that follows the judgment on Gog: God will bring his people back, they will dwell securely, and their relationship with him will be mended. But a significant disagreement runs through the commentaries. The Hebrew text can be read either as “they shall bear their shame” or “they shall forget their shame. ” The Cambridge Bible notes that the word for “bear” is written defectively; a small change turns it into “forget. ” Matthew Henry takes the verse as part of the concluding mercy, emphasizing that God’s people will be restored. Gill cites Jewish interpreters Jarchi and Kimchi, who see the people carrying a sense of shame even after restoration, a humility born of grace. The two readings point to different pictures of the restored life: either the past is entirely wiped away, or it remains as a humble memory that deepens gratitude. Either way, the verse affirms that God’s mercy is the decisive force in Israel’s future, and shame is no longer a barrier to fellowship.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: High
Main views:
- Forget shame (complete obliteration): Supported by some Hebrew manuscripts and versions; the logic of new covenant forgiveness (Jeremiah 31:34); the power of God’s Spirit to remove the memory of sin.
- Bear shame (penitent remembrance): Supported by other manuscripts and the Septuagint; Ezekiel’s own emphasis on remembering past sin in humility (Ezekiel 16:61–63); the idea that shame adds depth to gratitude.
What is clear: God will gather Israel from exile, they will dwell securely in their land with no one to frighten them, and their relationship with God will be restored in a way that addresses their shame and trespass.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Textual reading: “forget” vs “bear” | Both readings have ancient support in manuscripts and versions. | Some traditions prefer “forget” (WEB, BSB) as reflecting complete pardon; others prefer “bear” (KJV, ASV) to emphasize penitent remembrance. Which is original is unresolved. |
| Nature of shame after restoration | Shame is a reality in the restored community. It is not ignored. | Catholics and some Protestants read the “bear shame” translation as a healthy sorrow for sin that endures without condemnation. Others see “forget shame” as the full removal of guilt’s memory, pointing to a new covenant experience (Jeremiah 31:34). |
| Timing of the promise | The verse describes a future restoration after exile, when Israel dwells securely in their land. | Is this fulfilled in the post-exilic return (Ezra/Nehemiah), or does it point to a future eschatological restoration? Opinions differ across traditions. |
| Role of the Spirit | The outpouring of the Spirit (v.29) is essential for the community’s transformation. | Pentecostal/charismatic traditions see this as directly referring to Pentecost. Others see it as a broader promise of spiritual renewal within the restored land. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Ezekiel 39:26 belongs to the final promise section of the Gog prophecy (chapters 38, 39). The prophet speaks from the early years of the Babylonian exile, a time when Jerusalem’s fall was still recent and the people groaned under judgment. The preceding verses explain that exile happened “for their iniquity” (v.23) and that God hid his face from them. Now the Lord declares he will reverse that judgment: “I will bring back the captives of Jacob and have mercy on the whole house of Israel” (v.25). The promise that they will dwell securely and “no one will make them afraid” echoes the covenant blessings of Leviticus 26:5, 6, where God promised safety and peace for obedience. But Israel had also known security during Solomon’s reign (1 Kings 4:25) and had turned from God in that very prosperity (Deuteronomy 32:15). So this restoration is not a simple return to former blessings. It is a new creation. The pouring out of God’s Spirit (v.29) marks a changed people, not just a changed situation. The phrase “they will bear their shame” or “forget their shame” suggests that the past failure will be dealt with in a way that prevents a repeat. The nations will also see that Israel’s exile was not God’s weakness but his justice (v.23), and their restoration is his holy name vindicated.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note a significant textual variant in the Hebrew. The word is written defectively, allowing it to be read as either “bear” or “forget.” The Cambridge Bible states that a change of a single “tittle” (a small stroke in a letter) yields the meaning “forget.” Ancient translations and manuscripts divide between these readings. The Septuagint supports “bear,” while some Hebrew manuscripts lean toward “forget.” No other significant variants are reported in the consulted commentaries.
Reception History
Jewish exegesis, as represented by Jarchi and Kimchi (cited in Gill’s commentary), saw the verse as describing the restored people carrying a sense of shame in humility, acknowledging their past. Christian commentators from the Reformation onward have engaged the tension. Matthew Henry read it as part of God’s mercy that allows his people to live in safety. The Cambridge Bible (1880) presented both possibilities as fruitful, noting that each yields a “beautiful” picture. In the wider tradition, the verse has been used to explore whether Christians should remember past sins after forgiveness. Some hymnody speaks of sins “blotted out” and remembered no more; other tradition holds that a humble awareness of past failure deepens gratitude. The verse remains a touchstone for discussions about shame, memory, and grace in the restored community.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- The problem remembered, Shame and trespass are not ignored. The verse confronts the reality of past failure.
- The promise given, God restores his people to secure dwelling, free from fear. This is covenant faithfulness.
- The puzzle of shame, Will they forget their shame or bear it? Both possibilities teach something about the depth of God’s mercy and the posture of the forgiven.
Five-Point Outline
- Captivity for sin is openly acknowledged (v.23, 24).
- God acts to restore his people and vindicate his name (v.25).
- Restored Israel dwells securely, with no one to frighten them.
- Shame and trespass are addressed, either forgotten or borne in humble memory.
- God pours out his Spirit and will not hide his face again (v.29).
Illustration Hooks
- A person who wronged a friend and is forgiven but still feels the weight of shame. The friend says, “I will never bring it up again.” Is that forgetting or bearing?
- A community rebuilding after a collective failure. Some members want to move on and never speak of it. Others want to tell the story as a caution and a testimony of grace.
- A child returns home after running away. The parent welcomes them without a single reproach. The child cannot forget what they did, but the welcome changes the memory into something bittersweet.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- After God forgives me, should I still feel ashamed of my past?
- Is it healthy to forget the bad things we have done, or should we remember them to stay humble?
- Will there come a time when all shame is gone, even the memory of it?
Leading a Discussion
This verse presents a puzzle: will restored Israel forget their shame or bear it? The answer shapes how we understand forgiveness and repentance. As you read Ezekiel 39:26 in its context (vv.22, 29), notice how God addresses both the past and the future.
Discussion Questions
- What does it mean to “forget your shame”? Is shame a feeling, a status, or something else?
- What does it mean to “bear your shame”? How might that look in a restored people?
- Why might the Hebrew text support both readings? What does this tension tell us about God’s intent?
- Read Leviticus 26:5, 6. How does Ezekiel 39:26 echo that promise? What is different about the context here?
- How does the outpouring of the Spirit (v.29) connect to the way shame is handled?
- How should we think about our own past sins after we have confessed and received forgiveness?
- Does the idea of security without fear (v.26) depend on forgetting the past, or on knowing we are fully known and accepted?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Leviticus 26:5 | Your threshing shall continue until the vintage, and the vintage shall continue until the sowing time. You shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. |
| Leviticus 26:6 | “‘I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and no one will make you afraid. I will remove evil animals out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land. |
| Deuteronomy 28:47 | Because you didn’t serve Yahweh your God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart, by reason of the abundance of all things; |
| Deuteronomy 28:48 | therefore you will serve your enemies whom Yahweh sends against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in lack of all things. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you. |
| Deuteronomy 32:14 | butter from the herd, and milk from the flock, with fat of lambs, rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the finest of the wheat. From the blood of the grape, you drank wine. |
| Deuteronomy 32:15 | But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked. You have grown fat. You have grown thick. You have become sleek. Then he abandoned God who made him, and rejected the Rock of his salvation. |
| I Kings 4:25 | Judah and Israel lived safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon. |
| Psalms 99:8 | You answered them, Yahweh our God. You are a God who forgave them, although you took vengeance for their doings. |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
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What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
After that they have borne their shame - After they shall have borne the punishment due to a line of conduct which is their shame and reproach, viz. idolatry.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentator presents two possible meanings for the phrase "bear their shame." The redeemed people may feel an inward sense of unworthiness caused by God's undeserved goodness, adding depth to their gladness. Alternatively, the assurance that the Lord is their God may completely wipe out the memory of past shame.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes observe that the people's shame and transgression occurred while they dwelt safely and without fear. Their sin was not driven by necessity but by complacency during a period of peace and security. The commentator highlights that their rebellion against God took place precisely in times of apparent safety.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill focuses on the shame Israel bears as a direct consequence of rejecting the Messiah while they dwelt securely in their own land. He notes that their repentance will be deepened as they remember they had peace and liberty yet still rejected Christ, His doctrine, and salvation by Him.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB reads bearing shame as more than punishment. It also means coming to a genuine sense of guilt and feeling ashamed of it. The outward consequence and inward repentance are joined together in one process.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch see a twofold revelation in the judgment on Gog: Israel learns God is its God forever, while the nations realize Israel's exile was punishment for unfaithfulness, not divine weakness. God's subsequent restoration and outpouring of the Spirit prove He will never hide His face from His people again.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry concludes that God will use Israel's restoration to correct the nations' misunderstanding: Israel suffered not because God was weak, but because of their own sin. The final promise—never again to hide His face—rests entirely on God's poured-out Spirit, making this the seal on all earlier prophecies of captivity and return.