Ezekiel 20:16

Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

Because they despised {H3988} my judgments {H4941}, and walked {H1980} not in my statutes {H2708}, but polluted {H2490} my sabbaths {H7676}: for their heart {H3820} went {H1980} after {H310} their idols {H1544}.

because they had rejected my rulings, did not live by my laws and profaned my shabbats; since their hearts went after their idols.

because they kept rejecting My ordinances, refusing to walk in My statutes, and profaning My Sabbaths; for their hearts continually went after their idols.

because they rejected mine ordinances, and walked not in my statutes, and profaned my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

Commentary

Ezekiel 20:16 is a powerful declaration from God, explaining the root cause of Israel's judgment and subsequent exile. It encapsulates their persistent spiritual rebellion, specifically highlighting their disregard for divine law and devotion to false gods.

Context

This verse is part of a longer discourse in Ezekiel chapter 20, where God recounts the tumultuous history of Israel's relationship with Him, from their time in Egypt through the wilderness and into the Promised Land. The Lord emphasizes a recurring pattern: despite His faithfulness and deliverance, Israel consistently rebelled. This particular verse pinpoints the fundamental reasons for their rejection and the impending judgment of the Babylonian exile, which Ezekiel himself was experiencing. The prophet Ezekiel served during a critical period of Judah's history, delivering messages of judgment and future restoration to the exiles in Babylon.

Key Themes

  • Disobedience to God's Law: The phrase "despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes" underscores Israel's deliberate and repeated failure to adhere to the covenant laws given through Moses. This was not merely ignorance, but an active rejection of divine authority, leading to the consequences outlined in Deuteronomy 28:15 and subsequent verses.
  • Sabbath Desecration: "polluted my sabbaths" points to a specific and significant breach of the covenant. The Sabbath was a crucial sign between God and Israel, signifying their unique relationship and God's sanctifying power (Exodus 31:13). Its desecration symbolized a profound disrespect for God's holiness and His covenant.
  • Idolatry as the Root Cause: The concluding phrase, "for their heart went after their idols," reveals the deep spiritual infidelity underlying all their external acts of disobedience. Their worship of false gods was not just an occasional lapse but a fundamental orientation of their hearts, turning away from the one true God who had chosen them. This spiritual adultery is a pervasive theme throughout the prophetic books, as seen in Jeremiah 2:13.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "despised" (ื ึธืึทืฅ - na'ats) implies utter contempt and scorn, indicating a willful rejection of God's commands rather than a simple oversight. The term "polluted" (ื—ึธืœึทืœ - chalal) means to profane, defile, or make common, highlighting how Israel trivialized something sacred (the Sabbath). Most significantly, "their heart went after their idols" uses the Hebrew phrase libbam halakh aharei gilluleihem, which vividly portrays an active pursuit and devotion of the inner being (the "heart") towards detestable, worthless things (the "idols" - gillulim, a derogatory term often used for pagan deities). This emphasizes the internal, spiritual nature of their rebellion.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 20:16 serves as a timeless warning against spiritual complacency and misplaced devotion. While modern society may not worship physical statues, the principle of idolatry remains relevant. Anything that takes precedence over God in our heartsโ€”whether it be money, career, relationships, entertainment, or selfโ€”can become an "idol" that pollutes our relationship with Him and leads us away from His "judgments" and "statutes." This verse calls believers to examine their hearts, ensuring that their primary devotion is to God alone, and to faithfully observe His commands, recognizing their importance for a life of blessing and true freedom, as articulated in Matthew 6:33.

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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Numbers 15:39

    And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

  • Ezekiel 14:3

    Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?

  • Ezekiel 14:4

    Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;

  • Ezekiel 20:8

    But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

  • Amos 5:25

    Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?

  • Amos 5:26

    But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves.

  • Ezekiel 20:13

    But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which [if] a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.