For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things.

EZEKIEL 20:40KJV
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Ezekiel 20:40 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 20:40 mean?

Ezekiel 20:40 describes a future time when all the people of Israel will worship and serve God together on His holy mountain, and their offerings and acts of worship will be accepted by Him. God promises that, in this place, He will welcome their gifts and require their devotion, restoring a true relationship between Himself and the people.

In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Ezekiel to the Israelites, many of whom are in exile because of their unfaithfulness. The "holy mountain" refers to a special place of worship in Israel, often understood as Jerusalem or Mount Zion. The verse looks ahead to a time of restoration, when the whole nation will be gathered in their land and their worship will be pleasing to God again.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 20:40

  • "holy" (קֹדֶשׁ, qodesh): This word means something set apart for God. Here, it emphasizes that the mountain is not just any place, but a sacred space chosen by God for worship.
  • "mountain" (הַר, har) and "height" (מָרוֹם, marom): The repetition of "mountain" and the use of "height" highlight the importance and exalted status of this location. It is meant to be seen as the highest and most significant place for meeting with God.
  • "accept" (רָצָה, ratsah): This word carries the sense of being pleased with or welcoming. God is saying He will once again be pleased to receive the people’s offerings, a reversal from earlier times when their worship was rejected.

Why Ezekiel 20:40 matters

  • Ezekiel 20:40 clarifies that God’s acceptance of worship is not automatic; it is tied to being in the place and relationship He chooses, not just outward rituals.
  • The verse shifts the focus from judgment and exile (earlier in the chapter) to hope and restoration, showing God’s desire to bring His people back to Himself.
  • By emphasizing "all the house of Israel," Ezekiel 20:40 points to a future unity and inclusion, not just for a few but for the whole nation, which would have been a powerful promise to exiles longing for home.

Where else these words appear

“oblations” Hebrew H4864 · used in 14 verses

  • Genesis 43:34 And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.
  • 2 Chronicles 24:6 And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the LORD, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?
  • Jeremiah 6:1 O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.

“firstfruits” Hebrew H7225 · used in 49 verses

  • Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
  • Deuteronomy 33:21 And he provided the first part for himself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the LORD, and his judgments with Israel.
  • Proverbs 17:14 The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.

“height” Hebrew H4791 · used in 52 verses

  • Judges 5:18 Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.
  • Psalms 92:8 But thou, LORD, art most high for evermore.
  • Isaiah 37:23 Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.

“accept” Hebrew H7521 · used in 55 verses

  • Genesis 33:10 And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.
  • 2 Chronicles 36:21 To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.
  • Psalms 149:4 For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.