Ezekiel 20:11

THE MESSAGE

"‘I gave them laws for living, showed them how to live well and obediently before me. I also gave them my weekly holy rest days, my "Sabbaths," a kind of signpost erected between me and them to show them that I, God , am in the business of making them holy.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then I gave them my statutes and explained my ordinances to them—the person who does them will live by them.

Hebrew Names Version
I gave them my statutes, and shown them my ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live in them.

King James Version
And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.

English Standard Version
I gave them my statutes and made known to them my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live.

New American Standard Bible
"I gave them My statutes and informed them of My ordinances, which, if a person follows them, then he will live by them.

New Century Version
I gave them my rules and told them about my laws, by which people will live if they obey them.

Amplified Bible
"I gave them My statutes and explained My ordinances to them, which, if a man keeps, he will live.

World English Bible
I gave them my statutes, and shown them my ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live in them.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And I gaue them my statutes, and declared my iudgements vnto them, which if a man doe, he shall liue in them.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"I gave them My statutes and informed them of My ordinances, by which, if a man observes them, he will live.

Legacy Standard Bible
I gave them My statutes and made them know My judgments, which, if a man does them, he will live by them.

Berean Standard Bible
And I gave them My statutes and made known to them My ordinances-for the man who does these things will live by them.

Contemporary English Version
I gave them my laws and teachings, so they would know how to live right.

Complete Jewish Bible
I gave them my laws and showed them my rulings; if a person obeys them, he will have life through them.

Darby Translation
And I gave them my statutes, and made known unto them mine ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live by them.

Easy-to-Read Version
Then I gave them my laws and told them all my rules. All those who obey them will live.

George Lamsa Translation
And I gave them my commandments and showed them my judgments, which if a man do he shall live by them.

Good News Translation
I gave them my commands and taught them my laws, which bring life to anyone who obeys them.

Lexham English Bible
and I gave my statutes to them, and my regulations I made known to them, which, if a person does them, then he will live by them.

Literal Translation
And I gave them My statutes, and I made them know My judgments, which if a man does them, he will even live by them.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I gaue them my commaundementes, & shewed the my lawes: which who so kepeth shal lyue in them.

American Standard Version
And I gave them my statutes, and showed them mine ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live in them.

Bible in Basic English
And I gave them my rules and made clear to them my orders, which, if a man keeps them, will be life to him.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And I gave them My statutes, and taught them Mine ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live by them.

King James Version (1611)
And I gaue them my statutes, and shewed them my iudgements, which if a man doe, he shall euen liue in them.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
I gaue them my statutes, and shewed them my iudgementes: which whoso doeth, shall lyue in them.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And I gave them my commandments, and made known to them mine ordinances, all which if a man shall do, he shall even live in them.

English Revised Version
And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall live in them.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and Y yaf to hem my comaundementis, and Y schewide to hem my doomes, which a man schal do, and lyue in tho.

Update Bible Version
And I gave them my statutes, and showed them my ordinances, which if man does, he shall live in them.

Webster's Bible Translation
And I gave them my statutes, and showed them my judgments, which [if] a man doeth, he shall even live in them.

New English Translation
I gave them my statutes and revealed my regulations to them. The one who carries them out will live by them!

New King James Version
And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, 'which, if a man does, he shall live by them.' Leviticus 18:5">[fn]

New Living Translation
There I gave them my decrees and regulations so they could find life by keeping them.

New Life Bible
I gave them My Laws and made known to them My Words, which bring life to anyone who obeys them.

New Revised Standard
I gave them my statutes and showed them my ordinances, by whose observance everyone shall live.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then gave I unto them my statutes, And my regulations, caused I them to know,- By the which the man that doeth them shall live.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I gave them my statutes, and I shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall live in them.

Revised Standard Version
I gave them my statutes and showed them my ordinances, by whose observance man shall live.

Young's Literal Translation
And I give to them My statutes, And my judgments I caused them to know, Which the man who doth -- liveth by them.

Contextual Overview

¹¹"‘I gave them laws for living, showed them how to live well and obediently before me. I also gave them my weekly holy rest days, my "Sabbaths," a kind of signpost erected between me and them to show them that I, God , am in the business of making them holy. ¹³"‘But Israel rebelled against me in the desert. They didn't follow my statutes. They despised my laws for living well and obediently in the ways I had set out. And they totally desecrated my holy Sabbaths. I seriously considered unleashing my anger on them right there in the desert. But I thought better of it and acted out of who I was, not by what I felt, so that I might be honored and not blasphemed by the nations who had seen me bring them out. But I did lift my hand in a solemn oath there in the desert and promise them that I would not bring them into the country flowing with milk and honey that I had chosen for them, that jewel among all lands. I canceled my promise because they despised my laws for living obediently, wouldn't follow my statutes, and went ahead and desecrated my holy Sabbaths. They preferred living by their no-god idols. But I didn't go all the way: I didn't wipe them out, didn't finish them off in the desert. ¹⁸"‘Then I addressed myself to their children in the desert: "Don't do what your parents did. Don't take up their practices. Don't make yourselves filthy with their no-god idols. I myself am God , your God: Keep my statutes and live by my laws. Keep my Sabbaths as holy rest days, signposts between me and you, signaling that I am God , your God." ²¹"‘But the children also rebelled against me. They neither followed my statutes nor kept my laws for living upright and well. And they desecrated my Sabbaths. I seriously considered dumping my anger on them, right there in the desert. But I thought better of it and acted out of who I was, not by what I felt, so that I might be honored and not blasphemed by the nations who had seen me bring them out. ²³"‘But I did lift my hand in solemn oath there in the desert, and swore that I would scatter them all over the world, disperse them every which way because they didn't keep my laws nor live by my statutes. They desecrated my Sabbaths and remained addicted to the no-god idols of their parents. Since they were determined to live bad lives, I myself gave them statutes that could not produce goodness and laws that did not produce life. I abandoned them. Filthy in the gutter, they perversely sacrificed their firstborn children in the fire. The very horror should have shocked them into recognizing that I am God .'

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I gave: Deuteronomy 4:8, Nehemiah 9:13, Nehemiah 9:14, Psalms 147:19, Psalms 147:20, Romans 3:2

showed them: Heb. made them to know

which: Ezekiel 20:13, Ezekiel 20:21, Leviticus 18:5, Deuteronomy 20:15, Deuteronomy 20:16, Luke 10:28, Romans 10:5, Galatians 3:12

Reciprocal: Exodus 21:1 - the judgments Deuteronomy 4:1 - that ye may Deuteronomy 5:31 - General Deuteronomy 6:25 - General Nehemiah 9:6 - thou hast Nehemiah 9:29 - which Ezekiel 18:9 - he shall Ezekiel 33:15 - walk Hosea 8:12 - written Matthew 19:17 - but Mark 12:1 - and set Romans 2:13 - For not Romans 7:10 - General Romans 9:4 - the giving

Cross-References

Genesis 20:1
Abraham traveled from there south to the Negev and settled down between Kadesh and Shur. While he was camping in Gerar, Abraham said of his wife Sarah, "She's my sister." So Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent for Sarah and took her. But God came to Abimelech in a dream that night and told him, "You're as good as dead—that woman you took, she's a married woman." Now Abimelech had not yet slept with her, hadn't so much as touched her. He said, "Master, would you kill an innocent man? Didn't he tell me, ‘She's my sister'? And didn't she herself say, ‘He's my brother'? I had no idea I was doing anything wrong when I did this." God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know your intentions were pure, that's why I kept you from sinning against me; I was the one who kept you from going to bed with her. So now give the man's wife back to him. He's a prophet and will pray for you—pray for your life. If you don't give her back, know that it's certain death both for you and everyone in your family." Abimelech was up first thing in the morning. He called all his house servants together and told them the whole story. They were shocked. Then Abimelech called in Abraham and said, "What have you done to us? What have I ever done to you that you would bring on me and my kingdom this huge offense? What you've done to me ought never to have been done." Abimelech went on to Abraham, "Whatever were you thinking of when you did this thing?" Abraham said, "I just assumed that there was no fear of God in this place and that they'd kill me to get my wife. Besides, the truth is that she is my half sister; she's my father's daughter but not my mother's. When God sent me out as a wanderer from my father's home, I told her, ‘Do me a favor; wherever we go, tell people that I'm your brother.'" Then Abimelech gave Sarah back to Abraham, and along with her sent sheep and cattle and servants, both male and female. He said, "My land is open to you; live wherever you wish." And to Sarah he said, "I've given your brother a thousand pieces of silver—that clears you of even a shadow of suspicion before the eyes of the world. You're vindicated." Then Abraham prayed to God and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his maidservants, and they started having babies again. For God had shut down every womb in Abimelech's household on account of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

Genesis 20:4
Now Abimelech had not yet slept with her, hadn't so much as touched her. He said, "Master, would you kill an innocent man? Didn't he tell me, ‘She's my sister'? And didn't she herself say, ‘He's my brother'? I had no idea I was doing anything wrong when I did this."

Genesis 22:12
"Don't lay a hand on that boy! Don't touch him! Now I know how fearlessly you fear God; you didn't hesitate to place your son, your dear son, on the altar for me."

Genesis 26:7
The men of the place questioned him about his wife. He said, "She's my sister." He was afraid to say "She's my wife." He was thinking, "These men might kill me to get Rebekah, she's so beautiful."

Genesis 42:18
On the third day, Joseph spoke to them. "Do this and you'll live. I'm a God-fearing man. If you're as honest as you say you are, one of your brothers will stay here in jail while the rest of you take the food back to your hungry families. But you have to bring your youngest brother back to me, confirming the truth of your speech—and not one of you will die." They agreed.

Job 1:1
Job was a man who lived in Uz. He was honest inside and out, a man of his word, who was totally devoted to God and hated evil with a passion. He had seven sons and three daughters. He was also very wealthy—seven thousand head of sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred teams of oxen, five hundred donkeys, and a huge staff of servants—the most influential man in all the East!

Psalms 14:4
Don't they know anything, all these impostors? Don't they know they can't get away with this— Treating people like a fast-food meal over which they're too busy to pray?

Proverbs 1:7
Start with God —the first step in learning is bowing down to God ; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning.

Proverbs 16:6
Guilt is banished through love and truth; Fear-of- God deflects evil.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I gave them my statutes,.... The precepts of his law, the law on Mount Sinai, of which there were not the like among other nations; nor were they given unto them, but were a special gift unto Israel, and greatly to be valued, Deuteronomy 4:8;

and showed them judgments: the nature, use, and excellency of the the necessity and advantage of observing them: the same as before, called "statutes", because appointed, fixed, and certain, being of inviolable and lasting obligation; and "judgments", being according to strict justice and equity: these, though they were originally written on man's heart, yet so obliterated by sin that there was need not only of their being afresh written and published, but of their being taught and made known; or of pointing out the use of them, and obligation to them:

which [if] a man do, he shall live in them; or "by them" g; in the land of Canaan, enjoying all the blessings of a long and happy life: reference seems to be had to Leviticus 18:5. The Targum adds,

"in eternal life;''

but eternal life is not to be obtained by the works of the law, since no man can perfectly obey or fulfil it, but is the pure gift of the grace of God.

g בהם "per ea", Junius Tremellius, Polanus, Piscator "propter ea", Pagninus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The probation in the wilderness. The promise was forfeited by those to whom it was first conditionally made, but was renewed to their children.

Ezekiel 20:11

The “statutes” were given on Mount Sinai, and repeated by Moses before his death (Exodus 20:1 ff; Deuteronomy 4:8).

In them - Or, through them: and in Ezekiel 20:13.

Ezekiel 20:12

See Exodus 31:13. The Sabbath was a sign of a special people, commemorative of the work of creation, and hallowed to the honor of Yahweh, the covenant-God. As man honored God by keeping the Sabbath holy, so by the Sabbath, God “sanctified” Israel and marked them as a holy people. Therefore to profane the Sabbath was to abjure their Divine Governor.

Ezekiel 20:13

My sabbaths they greatly polluted - Not by actual non-observance of the sabbatical rest in the wilderness, but in failing to make the day holy in deed as well as in name by earnest worship and true heart service.

Ezekiel 20:18

The book of Deuteronomy contains the address to “the children” of those who perished in the wilderness. The whole history of Israel was a repetition of this course. The covenant was made with one generation, broken by them, and then renewed to the next.

Ezekiel 20:25

The “judgments whereby they should not live” are those spoken of in Ezekiel 20:18, and are contrasted with the judgments in Ezekiel 20:13, Ezekiel 20:21, laws other than divine, to which God gives up those whom He afflicts with judicial blindness, because they have willfully closed their eyes, Psalms 81:12; Romans 1:24.

Ezekiel 20:26

To pass through - The word also means to “set apart,” as the firstborn to the Lord Exodus 13:12. They were bidden to “set apart” their firstborn males to the Lord. They “caused them to pass through the fire” to Moloch. An instance of their perversion of God’s laws.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 20:11. I gave them my statutes — I showed them what they should do in order to be safe, comfortable, wise, and happy; and what they should avoid in order to be uninjured in body, mind, and possessions. Had they attended to these things, they should have lived by them. They would have been holy, healthy, and happy.