Ezekiel 20:16
in Ezekiel 20because they kept rejecting My ordinances, refusing to walk in My statutes, and profaning My Sabbaths; for their hearts continually went after their idols.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
because they rejected mine ordinances, and walked not in my statutes, and profaned my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.
KJV
Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.
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This verse in Ezekiel 20
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The special reason is stated by Moses (Nu 13:32, 33; 14:4) to be that they, through fear arising from the false report of the spies, wished to return to Egypt; the general reasons are stated here which lay at the root of their rejection of God's grace; namely, contempt of God and His laws, and love of idols. their heart--The fault lay in it (Ps 78:37).
This site's exposition
I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness
on Ezekiel 20:15-17
The Lord swears with the same lifted hand that this generation would not enter the land, the oath fulfilled in the wilderness deaths Numbers records. Their idolatry is named plainly, for their heart went after their idols, the verdict behind the exclusion rather than the wandering alone.
This site's exposition
their hearts continually went after their idols
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown set this beside Numbers 14:4, where the people planned to go back to Egypt after the report of the spies. The heart was the cause. Henry calls a heart that goes after idols the root of every rejected ordinance and profaned Sabbath.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Note, The bias of the mind towards the world and the flesh, the money and the belly (those two great objects of spiritual idolatry), is the root of bitterness from which springs all disobedience to the divine law. The heart that goes after those idols despises God's judgments.
Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths,....
The words behind it
16 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יַ֜עַן | yaan | because | H3282 → | 99 times |
| בְּמִשְׁפָּטַ֣י | bemishpatai | <in> judgments my | H4941 → | 422 times |
| מָאָ֗סוּ | maasu | they had rejected | H3988 → | 76 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| חֻקּוֹתַי֙ | chukotai | statutes my | H2708 → | 104 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הָלְכ֣וּ | halekhu | they had walked | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| בָהֶ֔ם | vahem | in them | ||
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שַׁבְּתוֹתַ֖י | shabetotai | sabbaths my | H7676 → | 110 times |
| חִלֵּ֑לוּ | chilelu | they had profaned | H2490 → | 143 times |
| כִּ֛י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אַחֲרֵ֥י | ʾacharei | after | H310 → | 715 times |
| גִלּוּלֵיהֶ֖ם | giluleihem | idols their | H1544 → | 48 times |
| לִבָּ֥ם | libam | heart their | H3820 → | 595 times |
| הֹלֵֽךְ׃ | holekh | [was] walking | H1980 → | 1546 times |
יַ֜עַןbecause
yaanH3282 →99 times
בְּמִשְׁפָּטַ֣י<in> judgments my
bemishpataiH4941 →422 times
מָאָ֗סוּthey had rejected
maasuH3988 →76 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
חֻקּוֹתַי֙statutes my
chukotaiH2708 →104 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
הָלְכ֣וּthey had walked
halekhuH1980 →1546 times
בָהֶ֔םin them
vahem
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
שַׁבְּתוֹתַ֖יsabbaths my
shabetotaiH7676 →110 times
חִלֵּ֑לוּthey had profaned
chileluH2490 →143 times
כִּ֛יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
אַחֲרֵ֥יafter
ʾachareiH310 →715 times
גִלּוּלֵיהֶ֖םidols their
giluleihemH1544 →48 times
לִבָּ֥םheart their
libamH3820 →595 times
הֹלֵֽךְ׃[was] walking
holekhH1980 →1546 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Numbers 15:39These will serve as tassels for you to look at, so that you may remember all the commandments of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by following your own…
it leads to
- Proverbs 28:26
He who trusts in himself is a fool, but one who walks in wisdom will be safe.
- Psalms 73:27
Those far from You will surely perish; You destroy all who are unfaithful to You.
- Psalms 106:39
They defiled themselves by their actions and prostituted themselves by their deeds.
- Ezekiel 6:9
Then in the nations to which they have been carried captive, your survivors will remember Me—how I have been grieved by their adulterous hearts that turned away from Me, and by their eyes that…
- Exodus 13:9
It shall be a sign for you on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the Law of the LORD is to be on your lips. For with a mighty hand the…
- Proverbs 28:26
Through
Ezekiel 20:8But they rebelled against Me and refused to listen. None of them cast away the abominations before their eyes, and they did not forsake the idols of Egypt. So I resolved to pour out…
it leads to
- Isaiah 63:10
But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit. So He turned and became their enemy, and He Himself fought against them.
- Ezekiel 7:8
Very soon I will pour out My wrath upon you and vent My anger against you; I will judge you according to your ways and repay you for all your abominations.
- Ezekiel 20:21
But the children rebelled against Me. They did not walk in My statutes or carefully observe My ordinances—though the man who does these things will live by them—and they profaned My Sabbaths. So I…
- Isaiah 63:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
About Ezekiel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.