Wherefore I gave them also statutes [that were] not good, and judgments whereby they should not live;
Wherefore I gave {H5414} them also statutes {H2706} that were not good {H2896}, and judgments {H4941} whereby they should not live {H2421};
I also gave them laws which did them no good and rulings by which they did not live;
I also gave them over to statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not live.
Moreover also I gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances wherein they should not live;
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Psalms 81:12
So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: [and] they walked in their own counsels. -
Ezekiel 20:39
As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD; Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter [also], if ye will not hearken unto me: but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols. -
Isaiah 66:4
I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose [that] in which I delighted not. -
Deuteronomy 28:36
The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone. -
Deuteronomy 4:27
And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you. -
Deuteronomy 4:28
And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. -
Ezekiel 14:9
And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.
Ezekiel 20:25 KJV Commentary
Context of Ezekiel 20:25
Ezekiel chapter 20 is a profound historical recounting of Israel's persistent rebellion against God, spanning from their time in Egypt through their wilderness wanderings and into the Promised Land. The prophet Ezekiel addresses the elders of Israel, who come to inquire of the Lord. However, God, through Ezekiel, refuses to be consulted by them due to their ongoing idolatry and hardened hearts. Instead, He meticulously details their history of defiling His Sabbaths, rejecting His good statutes, and embracing pagan practices. Verse 25 emerges as part of God's explanation of His escalating judgment. Having given Israel His righteous and life-giving laws, which they repeatedly spurned, God describes a phase of judgment where He allowed them to experience the destructive consequences of their own choices, often leading to practices that were harmful and antithetical to life.
Key Themes and Messages
Linguistic Insights
The expression "statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live" is a powerful and often misinterpreted Hebrew idiom. It does not signify that God literally gave Israel evil or harmful laws. Rather, it is a rhetorical device emphasizing the severity of their judgment. Because Israel refused to obey God's truly good and life-giving laws, which were intended to bring blessing and prosperity (Deuteronomy 30:19), God, in His righteous judgment, allowed them to fall into or be enslaved by practices that were indeed "not good" and ultimately led to spiritual and physical death. This included adopting pagan rituals, such as child sacrifice, which were abhorrent to God and antithetical to true life. It signifies a divine withdrawal, where God permitted their self-chosen path of disobedience to lead to its natural, destructive conclusion, contrasting sharply with His original, perfect Law that brings life and blessing.
Practical Application
Ezekiel 20:25 serves as a solemn reminder for all generations. It underscores the profound consequences of rejecting God's truth and embracing sin. When individuals or societies persistently turn away from divine wisdom and choose their own paths, they risk being "given over" to their own destructive desires and the natural consequences that inevitably follow. This verse calls us to:
This passage reinforces the timeless truth that true freedom and abundant life are found in walking in obedience to God's good and perfect will.