Ezekiel 36:31 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 36:31 mean?

Ezekiel 36:31 says that the people will remember how they acted wrongly in the past and feel deep regret and even disgust with themselves because of their sins and detestable actions. This verse describes a moment of honest self-reflection and sorrow over previous wrongdoing.

In this verse, God is speaking through Ezekiel to the people of Israel, describing what will happen after God restores them to their land and blesses them. The verse shows that real change involves not just outward blessing but also an inward recognition of past failures. The people will not take God’s kindness for granted; instead, they will look back on their “evil ways” and feel genuine remorse for their “iniquities” and “abominations.”

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 36:31

• “Remember” (זָכַר, zakhar H2142) means to recall or bring to mind. Here, it emphasizes that the people will actively think about their past actions, not just forget them once things improve.
• “Lothe” (קוּץ, quts H6962) means to feel a strong sense of disgust or revulsion. The verse says the people will feel this way about themselves, showing how deeply their regret will go.
• “Iniquities” (עָוֹן, avon H5771) and “abominations” (תּוֹעֵבָה, to'evah H8441) are strong words for serious moral failures and things that are especially offensive. Their use here highlights the seriousness of what the people are remembering and regretting.

Why Ezekiel 36:31 matters

• This verse clarifies that God’s restoration is meant to lead to humility and honest self-examination, not pride or self-satisfaction.
• Ezekiel 36:31 helps explain that true repentance involves not just feeling sorry for consequences, but actually being grieved by the wrong itself.
• In the wider context, this moment of regret comes after God’s promise to give the people a new heart and spirit (see earlier in Ezekiel 36), showing that real inner change is part of God’s plan for restoration.