The Meaning of Ezekiel 20:12 Explained

Ezekiel 20:12

KJV: Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.

YLT: And also My sabbaths I have given to them, To be for a sign between Me and them, To know that I am Jehovah their sanctifier.

Darby: And I also gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am Jehovah that hallow them.

ASV: Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am Jehovah that sanctifieth them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Moreover also I gave  them my sabbaths,  to be a sign  between me and them, that they might know  that I [am] the LORD  that sanctify  them. 

What does Ezekiel 20:12 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 20

1  God refuses to be consulted by the elders of Israel
4  He shows the story of their rebellions in Egypt
19  in the desert
27  and in the land
33  He promises to gather them by the Gospel
45  Under the name of a forest he shows the destruction of Jerusalem

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 20:12 mean?

And Moreover also - My Sabbaths I gave them to be a sign between Me and them that they might know that I [am] Yahweh who sanctifies them
וְגַ֤ם אֶת־ שַׁבְּתוֹתַי֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לָהֶ֔ם לִהְי֣וֹת לְא֔וֹת בֵּינִ֖י וּבֵֽינֵיהֶ֑ם לָדַ֕עַת כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה מְקַדְּשָֽׁם

וְגַ֤ם  And  Moreover  also 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שַׁבְּתוֹתַי֙  My  Sabbaths 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, first person common singular
Root: שַׁבָּת  
Sense: Sabbath.
נָתַ֣תִּי  I  gave 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לִהְי֣וֹת  to  be 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לְא֔וֹת  a  sign 
Parse: Preposition, Noun, common singular
Root: אֹות  
Sense: sign, signal.
בֵּינִ֖י  between  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
וּבֵֽינֵיהֶ֑ם  and  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
לָדַ֕עַת  that  they  might  know 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כִּ֛י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
אֲנִ֥י  I  [am] 
Parse: Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אֲנִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מְקַדְּשָֽׁם  who  sanctifies  them 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: קָדַשׁ  
Sense: to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate.