Ezekiel 20:16 kjv
Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.
Ezekiel 20:16 nkjv
because they despised My judgments and did not walk in My statutes, but profaned My Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.
Ezekiel 20:16 niv
because they rejected my laws and did not follow my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths. For their hearts were devoted to their idols.
Ezekiel 20:16 esv
because they rejected my rules and did not walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.
Ezekiel 20:16 nlt
For they had rejected my regulations, refused to follow my decrees, and violated my Sabbath days. Their hearts were given to their idols.
Ezekiel 20 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 26:14-15 | "But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments... you shall break my covenant," | Disobeying statutes leads to covenant breach. |
| Num 14:11 | "How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me," | Rejection of God's authority in wilderness. |
| Deut 4:2 | "You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD" | Warning against changing God's commands. |
| Deut 6:17-18 | "You shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies and his statutes, which he..." | Importance of diligent obedience to statutes. |
| Deut 29:18 | "that there may not be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit, someone whose heart turns away today from" | Heart turning away to idolatry. |
| Neh 9:26 | "Nevertheless, they were disobedient and rebelled against you and cast your law behind their back and killed your..." | General rebellion and rejection of God's law. |
| Psa 78:10-11 | "They did not keep God's covenant, but refused to walk according to his law. They forgot his works..." | Refused to walk in law, forgot God. |
| Psa 81:11-12 | "But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn heart" | Stubborn heart following its own desires. |
| Psa 106:36-38 | "They served their idols, which became a snare to them... They poured out innocent blood..." | Direct service of idols. |
| Isa 1:4 | "Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers... they have forsaken the LORD..." | Nation that has forsaken the Lord. |
| Isa 44:20 | "He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself..." | Deluded heart leads to idolatry. |
| Jer 2:13 | "for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns" | Forsaking God for futile alternatives. |
| Jer 3:9 | "She profaned the land, committing adultery with stone and tree." | Spiritual adultery through idolatry. |
| Jer 17:21-22 | "Thus says the LORD: Take care for the sake of your lives, and do not carry a burden on the Sabbath day... or profane" | Warning against Sabbath desecration. |
| Eze 18:2-4 | "As I live, declares the Lord GOD, you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel... The soul who sins shall die." | Individual responsibility for sin, not past generations. |
| Hos 4:6 | "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you..." | Rejecting divine instruction (knowledge). |
| Mal 2:9 | "So I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you have not kept my ways but have shown..." | Not keeping God's ways (statutes). |
| Matt 6:24 | "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other... You cannot serve God and money." | Divided allegiance, spiritual idolatry. |
| Rom 2:23-24 | "You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. For, as it is written, 'The name of God is blasphemed'" | Dishonoring God by breaking His law. |
| Rom 8:7 | "For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot." | Hostility to God's law due to sinful nature. |
| Heb 3:10 | "Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, 'They always go astray in their heart; they have not known" | Wilderness generation's straying heart. |
| Heb 4:7 | "...today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." | Warning against hardening the heart to God's voice. |
| Col 3:5 | "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness," | Covetousness is explicitly called idolatry. |
Ezekiel 20 verses
Ezekiel 20 16 Meaning
Ezekiel 20:16 outlines the core reasons for God's righteous judgment against the generation in the wilderness: their deliberate and profound rebellion. The verse reveals a progression from external acts of disobedience—explicitly rejecting divine laws and failing to live according to them—to the profanation of His holy Sabbaths. Fundamentally, these actions stemmed from an inward turning of their "heart" away from God, actively pursuing and serving detestable "idols" instead of Him. This verse demonstrates that God's judgment was not arbitrary but a direct consequence of Israel's persistent unfaithfulness and idolatry, justifying the subsequent discipline and eventual exile.
Ezekiel 20 16 Context
Ezekiel chapter 20 is a pivotal message delivered to the elders of Israel during their Babylonian exile, who came to inquire of the Lord. Instead of a direct answer, God provides a comprehensive historical review of Israel's persistent rebellion, beginning from their time in Egypt through their journey in the wilderness, and into the promised land, leading up to the current exile. Verse 16 specifically falls within God's recount of His dealings with the wilderness generation, explaining why, despite His gracious provision and laws, He had to bring judgment upon them. This passage serves to justify God's actions and expose Israel's consistent unfaithfulness as the true cause of their suffering, dismantling any notion that they were innocent victims.
Ezekiel 20 16 Word analysis
- because (יַעַן - ya'an): This conjunction establishes a clear causal link, indicating that the actions described are the direct reason for God's preceding declaration of judgment (e.g., v. 13-15 where God decided not to destroy them utterly but to scatter them).
- they rejected (מָאַסוּ - ma'asu): A strong Hebrew verb signifying not merely a passive disregard but an active scorn, disdain, or loathing. It implies a deliberate and contemptuous refusal to obey or respect God's commands.
- my ordinances (מִשְׁפָּטַי - mishpatim): These refer to God's just decrees, judgments, and legal precedents that governed Israel's societal, ethical, and moral life, reflecting His righteous character and standards.
- and did not walk (לֹא־הָלְכוּ - lo halaku): "Walk" (הָלַךְ - halak) is a common biblical metaphor for one's lifestyle, conduct, or manner of living. Thus, "did not walk" signifies a failure in practical obedience, a disregard for divine instruction in daily life.
- in my statutes (חֻקּוֹתַי - huqqotai): These are divine enactments, firm and appointed laws or decrees that specifically define God's will and mark Israel as a people set apart, particularly regarding ritual and ethical distinctiveness.
- and profaned (וַיְחַלְּלוּ - wayeḥallelū): This verb means "to defile," "to make common," or "to pollute." It refers to taking something consecrated and treating it as ordinary or unholy, stripping it of its sacred character.
- my Sabbaths (שַׁבְּתוֹתַי - shabbotai): The plural form emphasizes repeated violations. The Sabbath was not just a day of rest but a specific sign of the covenant between God and Israel (Exo 31:13), symbolizing their unique relationship and God's sanctifying presence among them. Its profanation was a profound act of covenant breaking.
- for (כִּי - kī): This conjunction introduces the deeper, underlying reason or ultimate explanation for the preceding actions of disobedience.
- their heart (לִבָּם - libbam): In Hebrew thought, the "heart" represents the entirety of the inner person: intellect, emotion, will, and conscience. It signifies the core being and the seat of all decision-making and affection.
- went after (הָלַךְ אַחֲרֵי - halak aḥarei): An idiom signifying to follow, pursue, or be devoted to. It indicates a willing submission and allegiance.
- their idols (גִּלּוּלֵיהֶם - gillulim): A distinctly derogatory term predominantly used by Ezekiel. It translates to "dung-gods," "detestable things," or "pellets," emphasizing God's utter revulsion and contempt for these foreign deities.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "because they rejected my ordinances and did not walk in my statutes": This phrase highlights two facets of Israel's rebellion. "Rejected my ordinances" speaks to an internal disavowal, a disdain for the principles and justice God established. "Did not walk in my statutes" describes the external manifestation of this rejection – a failure to embody God's prescribed way of life in their daily conduct, moving beyond mere intellectual disagreement to practical disobedience.
- "and profaned my Sabbaths": The specific mention of Sabbaths emphasizes the severity of their sin. The Sabbath was a non-negotiable sign of the covenant (Exo 31:13). Its desecration was not just breaking a law but actively assaulting God's unique ownership over their time and spiritual life, signifying a profound break in their relationship with Him.
- "for their heart went after their idols": This concluding phrase unveils the ultimate, underlying cause for all their outward rebellion. The rejection of God's laws and the profanation of His Sabbaths were symptoms of a deeper spiritual problem: a divided heart that had fundamentally turned its allegiance away from Yahweh and toward false gods. The use of "gillulim" vividly expresses God's disgust for these abominable objects of their affection.
Ezekiel 20 16 Bonus section
Ezekiel 20:16 illustrates a key aspect of covenant theology: the mutual obligations between God and His people. God's provision of "ordinances" and "statutes" was an act of grace, a blueprint for a life of blessing, and a means for Israel to demonstrate their exclusive covenant loyalty. Their "rejection" and failure to "walk" in these were a direct breach of this sacred covenant. The specific mention of "my Sabbaths" (Exo 31:13) underscores their theological significance beyond mere ritual. The Sabbath was a divinely instituted sign, marking Israel's separation and sanctification unto the Lord. To profane it was to deny their identity as God's chosen people and to disrespect the Holy One who had set them apart. The emphasis on "their heart" reveals that God demands genuine, internal devotion, not just external compliance. This verse highlights that spiritual idolatry, or serving anything other than God with ultimate affection, is the root cause of practical disobedience and covenant breaking. It warns that true fidelity to God begins in the heart.
Ezekiel 20 16 Commentary
Ezekiel 20:16 pinpoints the theological rationale behind God's judgment on Israel: their comprehensive spiritual rebellion stemmed from an idolatrous heart. This verse shows a progression: starting with an internal rejection of God's core laws (His "ordinances"), which led to outward failure in living according to His specific instructions (His "statutes"). This fundamental defiance climaxed in the profaning of His "Sabbaths," which were crucial markers of the unique covenant relationship and His sanctifying presence. The phrase "for their heart went after their idols" reveals the deepest root of this unfaithfulness; their outward actions were merely expressions of a deeper, internal turning away from God. God’s discipline was not capricious, but a righteous response to a people whose core devotion was to detestable "idols" rather than to Him. This provides a clear framework: true obedience flows from a devoted heart, while outward rebellion is a symptom of a heart straying after other allegiances.