Ezekiel 20:38

“And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me, &c.] All men are enemies, and enmity itself, against God; and every sin is an act of hostility and rebellion against him; every transgression and violation of his law is a casting off of allegiance to him, and a trampling upon and despising his legislative power and authority; wherefore rebels and transgressors of his law are put together; the one being explanative of the other. The people of the Jews were always more or less a rebellious people; so they were in the times of Moses, and all the while that he was with them, and were notoriously so in the times of Ezekiel; and therefore are often so described…”

“(Zac 13:9; Zac 14:2). purge out--or, "separate." Hebrew, barothi, forming a designed alliteration with "berith," the covenant; not a promise of grace, but a threat against those Jews who thought they could in exile escape the observation and "rule" of God. land of Israel--Though brought out of the country of their sojourn or exile (Babylon formerly, and the various lands of their exile hereafter) into the literal land of Palestine, even it shall be to them an exile state, "they shall not enter into the land of Israel," that is, the spiritual state of restored favor of God to His covenant people, ,which shall only be given to the remnant to be saved (Zac 13:8-9).”

“God’s future dealings with His people: (1) in judgment Ezekiel 20:32-38; (2) in mercy Ezekiel 20:39-44. Ezekiel 20:32 The inquirers had thought that if Jerusalem were taken, and the whole people became sojourners in a foreign land, they would cease to be a separate nation. In their love for idolatry some may have even desired this. But more probably they thought that this very consequence precluded the possibility of such a catastrophe. God answers that He will not allow them to become as the pagan, but this will only subject them to severer trial and stricter rule. Ezekiel 20:33 The expressions “a mighty hand, stretched out arm” carry back the thoughts to Egyptian bondage Deuteronomy 4:34;…”

“The rebels - The stubborn sinners. Ezekiel 20:39”

“I will purge: Eze 11:21, Eze 34:17, Eze 34:20-22; Num 14:28-30; Amo 9:9, Amo 9:10; Zac 13:8, Zac 13:9; Mal 3:3; Mal 4:1-3; Mat 3:9, Mat 3:10, Mat 3:12, Mat 25:32, Mat 25:33; Rom 9:27-29 they shall: Eze 13:9; Num 14:30; Psa 95:11; Jer 44:14; Co1 10:5; Heb 4:6; Jde 1:5 and ye: Eze 6:7, Eze 15:7, Eze 23:49; Psa 9:16 Ezekiel 20:39”