Ezekiel 20:11 kjv
And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.
Ezekiel 20:11 nkjv
And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, 'which, if a man does, he shall live by them.'
Ezekiel 20:11 niv
I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws, by which the person who obeys them will live.
Ezekiel 20:11 esv
I gave them my statutes and made known to them my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live.
Ezekiel 20:11 nlt
There I gave them my decrees and regulations so they could find life by keeping them.
Ezekiel 20 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 20:11 | ...I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, which if a man do, he shall live in them. | Obedience to God's laws |
| Leviticus 18:5 | You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the LORD. | Condition for life |
| Leviticus 26:3 | If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them, | Blessings for obedience |
| Deuteronomy 4:40 | You shall keep therefore His statutes and His commandments, which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land the LORD your God is giving you for all time. | Prosperity and longevity |
| Deuteronomy 8:1 | "All the commandments which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers. | Entry into the land |
| Nehemiah 9:13 | "You also came down upon Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven; You gave them right-eous judgments and true laws, good statutes and commandments, | Divine origin of laws |
| Psalm 119:77 | Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live! For Your law is my delight. | Law as a source of life |
| Proverbs 3:1-2 | My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; For length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. | Wisdom and life |
| Isaiah 55:3 | Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you— The sure mercies of David. | Listening leads to life |
| Jeremiah 11:4 | which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, 'Obey My voice and do according to all that I command you; so shall you be My people, and I will be your God, | Covenant relationship |
| Luke 10:28 | He said to him, "What is written in the law, Moses said? How do you read it?" | Jesus affirms the Law |
| John 3:16 | "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. | Salvation through belief |
| John 5:39-40 | "You search the Scriptures, because in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me, that you may have life. | Scriptures testify of Christ |
| Romans 2:13 | For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in the presence of God, but the doers of the law who will be justified; | Doing the Law brings justification |
| Romans 7:10 | And the commandment, which was to life, I found to be to death. | Law's purpose and human failure |
| Romans 10:5 | For Moses describes the righteousness which is based on the law, in that the man who does the righteousness based on the law shall live by it. | Righteousness by the Law |
| Galatians 3:12 | Yet the law does not depend on faith; the man who does the deeds of it will live by them. | Doing the Law for life |
| Galatians 3:21 | Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given that could justify, then righteousness would indeed have come by the law. | Law cannot justify |
| 1 John 5:11 | And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. | Life in Christ |
| Revelation 22:14 | Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. | Blessedness in obedience |
Ezekiel 20 verses
Ezekiel 20 11 Meaning
God gave statutes that lead to life. Israel's disobedience meant these statutes were not kept, resulting in their forfeiture of the promised land. This verse highlights the centrality of obedience to God's laws for experiencing life and His blessings.
Ezekiel 20 11 Context
Ezekiel 20 recounts God's historical dealings with Israel, highlighting their repeated disobedience and rebellion from Egypt through their wilderness wanderings and into their exile. This specific verse, Ezekiel 20:11, serves as a foundational statement from God to Ezekiel about the nature of His statutes. God explicitly states that He gave them His ordinances and rules, emphasizing that following them would lead to life. This declaration is made in the context of explaining why Israel deserved judgment, particularly the exile, because they profited nothing from these divine instructions. The verse precedes the recounting of their continuous transgressions against these very laws.
The historical context involves the nation of Israel, newly delivered from slavery in Egypt. God was establishing them as a nation under His covenant. The laws given were not arbitrary rules but a blueprint for a life that would reflect His holiness and lead to prosperity and well-being within the land He was giving them. The surrounding nations practiced various forms of idolatry and immorality, against which God's laws stood in stark contrast.
Ezekiel 20 11 Word Analysis
And (וְ - vaw)
- Conjunction, connects clauses.
I (אֲנִי - ani)
- First person singular pronoun. Emphasizes God's direct action.
gave (נָתַתִּי - natatî)
- Qal perfect, 1st person singular of נָתַן (natan). Meaning "to give." Implies God’s deliberate and active bestowal of the laws.
to (אֹתָם - 'otâm)
- Direct object marker "et" plus 3rd person masculine plural suffix. Refers to Israel.
them (אֹתָם - 'otâm)
- Pronoun for Israel.
My (אֶת־חֻקַּי - et-ḥuqqai)
- Possessive suffix attached to "statutes." Shows divine ownership and authority over the laws.
statutes (חֻקַּי - ḥuqqai)
- Plural of חֹק (ḥoq). Refers to divine ordinances, decrees, regulations. Implies binding and prescribed commands, often carved into stone or tradition.
And (וְ - vaw)
- Conjunction.
I (וַאֲנִי - va'ani)
- Conjunction plus pronoun. "And I".
showed (הִרְאֵיתִם - hir'êtîm)
- Hifil perfect, 1st person singular of רָאָה (ra'ah), meaning "to see," "to show." Implies causing them to perceive, understand, and discern God's will. A deliberate act of revelation.
to (אֹתָם - 'otâm)
- Direct object marker plus 3rd person masculine plural suffix. Refers to Israel.
them (אֹתָם - 'otâm)
- Pronoun for Israel.
My (אֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַי - et-mishpaṭai)
- Possessive suffix attached to "judgments." Indicates God's judgment and decree.
judgments (מִשְׁפָּטַי - mishpaṭai)
- Plural of מִשְׁפָּט (mishpaṭ). Refers to judicial decisions, laws, rights, or judgments. Implies the fairness and righteousness inherent in God’s dealings.
Which (אֲשֶׁר - 'asher)
- Relative pronoun. Refers back to statutes and judgments.
if (אִם - 'im)
- Conditional particle. Introduces a condition.
a (אִישׁ - 'ish)
- Noun. "Man," "person." Can refer to an individual Israelite.
man (אִישׁ - 'ish)
- Man, an individual.
do (יַעֲשֶׂה - ya'aseh)
- Qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular of עָשָׂה ('asah), meaning "to do," "to make." Implies active practice and execution of the commands.
He (אֹתָם - 'otâm)
- Pronoun, likely referring to the "man."
shall live (בָּהֶם - bāhem)
- Preposition "in" (בְּ - bə) plus 3rd person masculine plural pronoun suffix (הֶם - hem). "In them." Implies life as a result of inherent participation and continuation in these laws.
Word Group Analysis:
- "I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments": This pairing of "statutes" (חֹק - ḥoq) and "judgments" (מִשְׁפָּט - mishpaṭ) covers the totality of God's revealed will. "Statutes" refers to divinely mandated practices and ordinances, often distinct from case law. "Judgments" pertains to the principles of justice and the legal pronouncements by which society was to operate. Together, they represent God's comprehensive law designed for His people. The act of "showing" (Hifil of ra'ah) indicates not just outward provision but an imparted understanding.
- "which if a man do, he shall live in them": This clause establishes a direct cause-and-effect relationship between obedience and life. "Do" (יַעֲשֶׂה - ya'aseh) signifies not just a single act, but the habitual practice and walking in these commands. "Live in them" (בָּהֶם - bāhem) implies that life itself was intrinsically connected to the covenant framework established by these laws. It speaks of flourishing, experiencing God’s blessings, and continuing in covenant relationship, as opposed to experiencing the curse of disobedience (death).
Ezekiel 20 11 Bonus Section
The structure of the verse establishes a clear divine mandate and a human responsibility with a corresponding promise. God initiated, giving the laws. Israel was to respond by doing them. The result of this correct response was life. This establishes a covenantal pattern seen throughout Scripture, where God's grace in redemption is met by human faithfulness in obedience. The specific Hebrew words for "statutes" and "judgments" often overlap in meaning but suggest both decreed ordinances and the inherent justice embedded in God's commands. The phrase "live in them" implies a life integrated with the law, a life shaped by divine instruction, not just a life granted temporarily. This verse serves as a severe indictment against Israel, as their subsequent actions showed they did not cherish or live by the very laws that would have preserved them.
Ezekiel 20 11 Commentary
This verse encapsulates a foundational principle of the Mosaic covenant: obedience leads to life and blessing. God presented His statutes and judgments to Israel not as burdensome rules, but as a way to life, prosperity, and continued existence within the promised land and in relationship with Him. The language "if a man do, he shall live in them" echoes the requirements for enduring within the covenant community. This was a conditional promise. It underscores that the nation's ability to thrive was directly tied to their faithfulness in obeying God's revealed will, particularly their rejection of the surrounding nations' pagan practices.
The purpose of these laws was ultimately life—both temporal life and well-being in the land, and a spiritual vitality that characterized those in covenant with the living God. Tragically, Israel’s history, as recounted in Ezekiel, demonstrates a consistent failure to uphold these commands, thereby forfeiting the blessings and inviting the judgments they were meant to avert. The ultimate fulfillment of life through obedience is found in Jesus Christ, who perfectly kept the law and offers eternal life to all who believe in Him, thereby fulfilling the spirit and deeper meaning of God’s commands.