Ezekiel 20 21

Ezekiel 20:21 kjv

Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.

Ezekiel 20:21 nkjv

"Notwithstanding, the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, and were not careful to observe My judgments, 'which, if a man does, he shall live by them'; but they profaned My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the wilderness.

Ezekiel 20:21 niv

"?'But the children rebelled against me: They did not follow my decrees, they were not careful to keep my laws, of which I said, "The person who obeys them will live by them," and they desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in the wilderness.

Ezekiel 20:21 esv

But the children rebelled against me. They did not walk in my statutes and were not careful to obey my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live; they profaned my Sabbaths. "Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the wilderness.

Ezekiel 20:21 nlt

"But their children, too, rebelled against me. They refused to keep my decrees and follow my regulations, even though obedience would have given them life. And they also violated my Sabbath days. So again I threatened to pour out my fury on them in the wilderness.

Ezekiel 20 verses

Ezekiel 20 21 Meaning

Ezekiel 20:21 presents a lament concerning the second generation of Israelites in the wilderness who, like their fathers, turned away from God. It describes their active rebellion against divine commands, their refusal to obey God's statutes and judgments, which were given as a path to life. Specifically, they deeply dishonored the Sabbaths, a foundational sign of their covenant with God. This persistent disobedience led God to determine, in His righteous anger, to unleash His wrath upon them and bring His judgment to its full completion right there in the wilderness. The verse highlights humanity's recurring sinfulness and God's consistent response of judgment when His holy laws are deliberately rejected.

Ezekiel 20 21 Context

Ezekiel 20 opens with a group of Israelite elders coming to the prophet, seeking a word from the Lord. Instead of answering their inquiry directly, God instructs Ezekiel to declare judgment against them. The entire chapter serves as a stark historical recounting of Israel's persistent rebellion against God, from their time in Egypt through the wilderness, leading up to the prophet's contemporary audience, the exiles in Babylon. God chronicles His attempts to bless and guide Israel, contrasted sharply with their repeated rejection of His laws, especially the profaning of His Sabbaths, at every turn.

Verse 21 specifically focuses on the generation born and raised in the wilderness after the exodus. They had witnessed the miraculous deliverance from Egypt and the initial judgments on their rebellious parents, and they were given the law anew. However, rather than learning from the past, this "second generation" followed the same rebellious path, particularly in their desecration of the Sabbath, a vital symbol of their unique relationship with God. This persistent cycle of sin and divine forbearance (for His Name's sake) culminates in God's declaration that His wrath would be poured out upon them in the very place of their transgression—the wilderness—foreshadowing the coming exile for Ezekiel's generation as a similar act of divine judgment.

Ezekiel 20 21 Word analysis

• But: (waw conjunctive w ו) Introduces a sharp contrast with God's previous intentions and acts of grace toward them, emphasizing the shift in narrative to human responsibility. It highlights the continued rejection despite God's covenant promises.
• the children: (benê בְּנֵי) Refers to the second generation in the wilderness, the offspring of those who came out of Egypt. It indicates not just physical descendants, but those who inherit a spiritual condition, distinct yet similarly prone to rebellion.
• rebelled: (mārədū מָרְד֖וּ) A strong verb signifying open defiance, insurrection, and active resistance against God's authority. It implies a conscious and intentional turning away from an acknowledged Lord.
• against Me: (bî בִּ֣י) Underscores the personal nature of their rebellion, directly aimed at God, making it a severe affront. It's a betrayal of their covenant relationship.
• they did not walk: (lōʾ-hālkū לֹֽא־הָלְכ֣וּ) Denotes a failure of practical obedience. "To walk" is a common Hebrew idiom for conducting one's life according to specific principles. It means they did not order their lives in alignment with God's commands.
• in My statutes: (bəḥuqōtayi בְחֻקֹּתַ֗י) Refers to God's divinely decreed laws and ordinances, established with divine authority and typically considered fixed or engraved. These were non-negotiable standards of living.
• and they did not keep: (wəlōʾ-šāmarū וְלֹ֤א שָֽׁמְרוּ֙) Implies a failure to observe, guard, or uphold God's laws, reflecting both neglect and intentional disregard. It means they did not retain them as vital to their conduct.
• My judgments: (mišpāṭay מִשְׁפָּטַ֥י) Refers to divine legal pronouncements, judicial decisions, and ethical principles that establish justice and right conduct. They are applications of God's righteous character.
• to do them: (laʿaśōwtam לַעֲשׂוֹתָ֔ם) Emphasizes the practical and active nature of obedience required. It's not enough to hear or know; one must perform these actions.
• which if a man does: (ʾăšer yaʿaśeh אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲשֶׂה֩) Reiteration of a fundamental principle from the Torah (Lev 18:5). It highlights the life-giving nature of obedience to God's covenant.
• he shall live by them: (yaḥyeh bāhen יִֽחְיֶה־בָּהֶ֛ן) "Life" here encompasses not just physical existence, but flourishing, well-being, and blessing within the covenant relationship with God. Obedience was the path to true vitality.
• they profaned: (ḥillelū חִלְּל֖וּ) To desecrate, treat as common or unholy something that is sacred. It's a severe offense, removing the specialness God had established.
• My Sabbaths: (šabbətōṭay שַׁבְּתוֹתַ֣י) Plural form, indicating repeated and widespread violation. The Sabbath was a specific and paramount sign of the covenant (Exo 31:13) and a test of Israel's faithfulness. Its profanation represented a profound rejection of their unique relationship with God.
• and My eyes were on them: (watihî ʿēnî ʿălēhem וַתְּהִ֤י עֵינִי֙ עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם) Expresses God's direct, focused attention. In this context, it is an observant gaze leading to judgment, not to protection or blessing.
• to pour out: (lišpōḵ לִשְׁפֹּ֧ךְ) A vivid idiom signifying an outpouring or unleash. It conveys a strong, full, and sometimes sudden release of something, here divine wrath.
• My wrath: (ḥămātî חֲמָתִ֛י) Refers to God's burning anger or fierce indignation. It is a righteous and holy anger, a reaction to sin and rebellion, not an irrational temper.
• on them: (ʿălêhem עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם) Direct object of God's wrath, indicating the specific recipients of the impending judgment.
• and to accomplish: (ūləḵallōwt וּלְכַלּ֤וֹת) To finish, bring to an end, complete. It signifies the finality and completeness of the impending judgment.
• My anger: (ʾapî אַפִּי֙) Similar to wrath, denoting intense divine displeasure, often depicted as a snorting nose. It further emphasizes God's severe and justified displeasure.
• against them: (bāhem בָּהֶ֜ם) Reinforces the targets of the divine anger.
• in the wilderness: (bammidbār בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃) The geographical location where their parents rebelled and suffered judgment. It ties the current generation's fate to the historical consequences of disobedience. It is a place of testing, and for the rebellious, a place of judgment and death.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "But the children rebelled against Me": This phrase emphasizes the persistent nature of Israel's disobedience across generations, actively challenging God's authority. It marks a significant pivot from God's gracious acts to human failure.
• "they did not walk in My statutes, and they did not keep My judgments to do them": This highlights a comprehensive failure in practical, ethical, and legal obedience. It wasn't just ignorance but a refusal to live by the clear divine standards for righteous conduct.
• "which if a man does, he shall live by them": This pivotal legal phrase underscores the covenant's condition: obedience to God's laws brought life, blessings, and well-being. Their rebellion was a direct rejection of this pathway to life.
• "they profaned My Sabbaths": Singling out the Sabbaths emphasizes the severity of their religious offense. Sabbath observance was a critical identifier of Israel and their covenant with Yahweh; its profanation was a blatant act of covenant infidelity.
• "My eyes were on them to pour out My wrath on them and to accomplish My anger against them in the wilderness": This powerful culmination describes God's deliberate and complete resolve to execute judgment. The wilderness serves as a poignant reminder of previous judgment and a stage for the coming retribution. It signifies that God's patience had reached its limit, demanding a decisive act of justice.

Ezekiel 20 21 Bonus section

The repeated motif of "for My name's sake" in Ezekiel 20 is crucial to understanding this verse. Even though the people deserved utter destruction, God frequently held back from complete annihilation not because Israel was worthy, but to prevent His name from being profaned among the nations. This context explains why God’s wrath in verse 21, though severe, did not fully consume them entirely or immediately. Instead, He determined to complete His anger "in the wilderness," implying a measured judgment, consistent with earlier patterns where only the disobedient generation perished before entering the Promised Land. This tension between God's holy wrath and His commitment to His own glorious name showcases His multifaceted character and ultimate sovereignty. The wilderness itself holds symbolic weight—it was meant to be a place of dependence and purification, but became a graveyard for the faithless, and a school for the subsequent generation (Deut 8:2-3). The lingering shadow of that generation's sin and punishment is invoked here to warn the exiles that persistent disobedience leads inevitably to God's determined judgment.

Ezekiel 20 21 Commentary

Ezekiel 20:21 presents a deeply tragic continuation of Israel's rebellion, showcasing a repeating pattern of disobedience even among a new generation. Despite witnessing God's powerful deliverance and receiving His life-giving laws, this second wilderness generation mimicked the apostasy of their fathers, persistently rejecting God's holy standards. The desecration of the Sabbath is highlighted not as an isolated offense, but as a summary act of covenant unfaithfulness. The Sabbath was the explicit sign of God's sanctification of Israel (Exo 31:13), making its profanation a direct attack on their identity as God's chosen people and His holiness. God, therefore, in His righteous character, declared that He would bring His wrath to full execution in the wilderness, the same place of earlier divine judgment, to preserve the honor of His holy name (a theme repeated throughout Ezekiel 20). This underscores the serious consequences of willful and sustained rebellion against a holy God. It illustrates that mere physical deliverance or having God's laws is insufficient without a heart surrendered to obey them. The outcome of divine judgment is a consistent lesson across the narrative of the Old Testament.