Ezekiel 36:21 (KJV)

Passage

But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went.

Nearby Context

Ezekiel 36:19 And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them.

Ezekiel 36:20 And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land.

Ezekiel 36:21 But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went.

Ezekiel 36:22 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.

Ezekiel 36:23 And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "pity", "mine", "holy", "name", "house", "israel", "profaned", and "heathen". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "pity" and "mine", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "And when they entered unto the heathen..." into verse 22's "Therefore say unto the house of Israel...", so "pity" and "mine" belong inside that flow. In Ezekiel context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "pity" and "mine" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.