Ezekiel 20:5
“Tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “In the day when I chose Israel, and swore to the offspring of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I swore to them, saying, ‘I am Yahweh your God;’”
What does Ezekiel 20:5 mean?
God is reminding Israel of the moment He first bound Himself to them, back when they were slaves in Egypt and had every reason to believe He'd forgotten them. By swearing an oath to their ancestors and revealing Himself directly, He was saying, "You belong to me, and I will be your God." This wasn't a casual promise but a solemn commitment made in their darkest hour, which gives it weight that echoes through generations. Even when Israel later turned away from Him, this foundational "I am Yahweh your God" remained true and formed the basis of everything God would do for them.