Ezekiel 20:16

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
because they rejected my ordinances, profaned my Sabbaths, and did not follow my statutes. For their hearts went after their idols.

Hebrew Names Version
because they rejected my ordinances, and didn't walk in my statutes, and profaned my Shabbatot: for their heart went after their idols.

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

English Standard Version
because they rejected my rules and did not walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.

New American Standard Bible
because they rejected My ordinances, and as for My statutes, they did not walk in them; they also profaned My Sabbaths, because their heart continually followed their idols.

New Century Version
This was because they rejected my laws and did not follow my rules. They dishonored my Sabbaths and wanted to worship their idols.

Amplified Bible
because they rejected My ordinances, and as for My statutes, they did not walk in them; they even profaned My Sabbaths, for their heart continually went after their [worthless] idols.

World English Bible
because they rejected my ordinances, and didn't walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Because they cast away my iudgments, and walked not in my statutes, but haue polluted my Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idoles.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
because they rejected My ordinances, and as for My statutes, they did not walk in them; they even profaned My sabbaths, for their heart continually went after their idols.

Legacy Standard Bible
because they rejected My judgments, and as for My statutes, they did not walk in them; they even profaned My sabbaths, for their heart continually walked after their idols.

Berean Standard Bible
because they kept rejecting My ordinances, profaning My Sabbaths, and refusing to walk in My statutes. For their hearts continually went after their idols.

Contemporary English Version
I said this because they had not only ignored my laws and teachings, but had disgraced my Sabbath and worshiped idols.

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

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

Easy-to-Read Version
"‘The people of Israel refused to obey my rules or to follow my laws. They treated my days of rest as if they were not important. They did all these things because their hearts belonged to their filthy idols.

George Lamsa Translation
Because they despised my judgments and polluted my sabbaths exceedingly; for their hearts went after their idols.

Good News Translation
I made the vow because they had rejected my commands, broken my laws, and profaned the Sabbath—they preferred to worship their idols.

Lexham English Bible
because they despised my judgments, and they did not walk in my statutes, and my Sabbaths they profaned, for their heart was going after their idols.

Literal Translation
because they despised My judgments, and they did not walk in My statutes, and they profaned My sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
& yt because they refused my lawes, & walked not in my comaundemetes, but had vnhalowed my Sabbathes, for their herte was gone after their Idols.

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

Bible in Basic English
Because they were turned away from my orders, and were not guided by my rules, and had no respect for my Sabbaths: for their hearts went after their images.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
because they rejected Mine ordinances, and walked not in My statutes, and profaned My sabbaths--for their heart went after their idols.

King James Version (1611)
Because they despised my iudgements, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idoles.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And that because they cast away my iudgementes and walked not in my statutes: but haue defiled my Sabbathes: for their heart was gone after their idols.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
because they rejected mine ordinances, and walked not in my commandments, but profaned my sabbaths, and went after the imaginations of their hearts.

English Revised Version
because they rejected my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, and profaned my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For thei castiden awei my domes, and yeden not in my comaundementis, and thei defouliden my sabatis; for the herte of hem yede after idols.

Update Bible Version
because they rejected my ordinances, and didn't walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

Webster's Bible Translation
Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but profaned my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

New English Translation
I did this because they rejected my regulations, did not follow my statutes, and desecrated my Sabbaths; for their hearts followed their idols.

New King James Version
because they despised My judgments and did not walk in My statutes, but profaned My Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.

New Living Translation
For they had rejected my regulations, refused to follow my decrees, and violated my Sabbath days. Their hearts were given to their idols.

New Life Bible
This was because they turned away from My Laws and did not obey My Words. They did not keep My Days of Rest holy, for they followed after their false gods with all their heart.

New Revised Standard
because they rejected my ordinances and did not observe my statutes, and profaned my sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Because my regulations, they had rejected. And as for my statutes, they had not walked therein, My sabbaths also, had they profaned; or after their manufactured gods, their heart had been going.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Because they cast off my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, and violated my sabbaths: for their heart went after idols.

Revised Standard Version
because they rejected my ordinances and did not walk in my statutes, and profaned my sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.

Young's Literal Translation
Because against My judgments they did kick, And in My statutes they have not walked, And My sabbaths they have polluted, For after their idols their heart is going.

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

they: Ezekiel 20:13, Ezekiel 20:14

for their: They still had a hankering after the idolatries they had learned in Egypt, to which they added new idols, which they had seen in countries through which they had travelled, as those of the Midianites, Amorites, etc. Ezekiel 20:8, Ezekiel 14:3, Ezekiel 14:4, Ezekiel 23:8, Exodus 32:1-8, Numbers 15:39, Numbers 25:2, Amos 5:25, Amos 5:26, Acts 7:39-43

Reciprocal: Exodus 16:28 - General Exodus 31:14 - keep Proverbs 13:13 - despiseth Jeremiah 7:24 - they Jeremiah 17:23 - they obeyed Ezekiel 11:12 - General Ezekiel 20:24 - they had Amos 2:4 - because

Cross-References

Genesis 20:3
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."

Genesis 20:6
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."

Genesis 20:8
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."

Genesis 26:11
Then Abimelech gave orders to his people: "Anyone who so much as lays a hand on this man or his wife dies."

Proverbs 12:1
If you love learning, you love the discipline that goes with it— how shortsighted to refuse correction!

Proverbs 27:5
A spoken reprimand is better than approval that's never expressed.

Revelation 3:19
"The people I love, I call to account—prod and correct and guide so that they'll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God!

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths,.... Which were just causes of divine resentment and anger; :-;

for their heart went after their idols; which they had served in Egypt; and that led them off from the true worship and service of God; no man can serve two masters; if he holds to the one, and his heart is towards him, he will despise the other; and yet these idols were no other, as the word signifies, than dunghill gods, as in Ezekiel 20:16; and such are all worldly things, in comparison of God, that the heart of man is going after.

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.