Ezekiel 20:25 kjv
Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live;
Ezekiel 20:25 nkjv
"Therefore I also gave them up to statutes that were not good, and judgments by which they could not live;
Ezekiel 20:25 niv
So I gave them other statutes that were not good and laws through which they could not live;
Ezekiel 20:25 esv
Moreover, I gave them statutes that were not good and rules by which they could not have life,
Ezekiel 20:25 nlt
I gave them over to worthless decrees and regulations that would not lead to life.
Ezekiel 20 25 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Eze 20:4 | "Will you judge them, Son of man? " | God's right to judge |
| Lev 18:5 | "Keep my statutes and my rules... " | Life through obedience |
| Lev 26:40-46 | "If they confess their iniquity... " | Consequences of disobedience |
| Deut 28:15-68 | "But if you do not obey the Lord your God... " | Curses for disobedience |
| Neh 9:13-14 | "You descended on Mount Sinai and spoke to them from heaven... | God's good statutes |
| Ps 119:66 | "Teach me good judgment and knowledge, " | Plea for good instruction |
| Prov 3:1-2 | "My son, do not forget my teaching, " | Value of God's commands |
| Isa 55:8-9 | "For my thoughts are not your thoughts... " | Divine perspective |
| Jer 7:21-24 | "Says the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel. " | Disobedience nullifies sacrifice |
| Jer 32:33-35 | "They have turned their backs to me and not their faces... " | Sin leading to judgment |
| Acts 7:51 | "You stiff-necked people... " | Persistent rebellion |
| Rom 1:24-32 | "Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts... " | Consequences of rejecting God |
| 1 Cor 10:11 | "Now these things occurred as examples for us... " | Lessons from Israel's history |
| Heb 12:1 | "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses..." | Endurance in the face of trial |
| 1 John 3:4 | "Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness... " | Sin is lawlessness |
| Gal 3:21 | "Could the law, then, contribute to the death God promised? No..." | Law and sinlessness |
| Eze 20:7 | "To each one the abominations of his eyes he did not remove," | Idolatry in Egypt |
| Eze 20:8 | "But they rebelled against me and were not willing to listen..." | Rebellion in the wilderness |
| Eze 20:13 | "But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness." | Wilderness rebellion |
| Eze 18:25, 29 | "Is not my way even? Are not your ways uneven?" | God's ways are just |
Ezekiel 20 verses
Ezekiel 20 25 Meaning
This verse states that God gave the Israelites statutes that were not good and by which they could not live. This refers to the consequences and judgments God imposed upon Israel due to their persistent disobedience and rejection of His commands. It highlights God's righteous response to sin.
Ezekiel 20 25 Context
This verse is found within Ezekiel chapter 20, a passage where the prophet confronts the elders of Israel about their past and present apostasy. God recounts Israel's history of disobedience, starting from their time in Egypt, through their wilderness journey, and into their idolatry in Canaan. Ezekiel is emphasizing that the statutes God gave them initially were meant for life, but their persistent rejection of God and adoption of surrounding nations' wicked practices led to a different kind of decree—one of judgment and exile. The "statutes that were not good" are the laws of exile and death, the penalties for breaking the good covenant laws.
Ezekiel 20 25 Word Analysis
- "And I also": Demonstrates a continuation of God's action, directly linked to Israel's past disobedience. It shows God's active response to their sin.
- "gave them": Indicates God's sovereignty and authority in ordaining statutes, even those that lead to negative outcomes as a consequence.
- "statutes": Hebrew: ḥoqîm (חֻקִּים). Plural of ḥōq (חֹק). Refers to a decree, ordinance, regulation, or something prescribed. In the Old Testament, this can refer to divine laws, ritual requirements, or even decrees of kings. Here, it encompasses divine decrees, both those for blessing and those for judgment.
- "that were not good": Hebrew: lô ṭôḇîm (לֹא־טֹבִ֛ים). Literally "not good." This signifies statutes that would not lead to life, prosperity, or covenantal well-being. These are the enactments of judgment, which, while righteous from God's perspective, are detrimental to the disobedient recipients.
- "by which they could not live": Hebrew: ’šər yîḥyu bĕhêm (אֲשֶׁר־לֹא־יִחְיוּ בָהֶם). This phrase reinforces the punitive nature of these decrees. They were not statutes that enabled life or continuation, but rather ones that exposed their sin and led to death or exile. It’s the inverse of the promised life within the covenant for obedience (Lev 18:5).
Words Group Analysis:
- "statutes that were not good": This seemingly paradoxical statement signifies God's righteous justice. While God's original laws were life-giving, the consequences of breaking those laws, enacted as divine decrees or "statutes" of judgment, were not "good" for the people because they led to death, destruction, and exile. They were the penalties for failing to live by the good statutes of the covenant.
Ezekiel 20 25 Bonus Section
This verse speaks to the dual nature of God's law as perceived by different audiences or under different conditions. God's law is inherently good and life-giving (Rom 7:12). However, when that law is violated, it becomes a "statute of death" or judgment for the transgressor, not because the law itself is bad, but because sin has corrupted the one under its purview. This reflects a theological concept seen in other parts of Scripture where God’s judgment manifests as consequences that are destructive to the sinful. It’s God upholding the moral order, where disobedience inevitably leads to ruin.
Ezekiel 20 25 Commentary
Ezekiel 20:25 explains the devastating consequences of persistent disobedience. God gave His people His good laws, intended to secure life and blessing. However, because of their consistent rebellion and embrace of idolatrous practices, God enacted statutes of judgment against them. These were not inherently evil laws originating from God, but rather divinely appointed outcomes of their sin. These punitive measures were not conducive to life or well-being for the covenant-breakers. It underscores the principle that choosing sin over God's commands results in alienation from life. God's justice ensures that rebellion carries its own set of outcomes, which are profoundly negative from the human perspective.