Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, July 29th, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

New Life Version

Ezekiel 20:16

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.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Sabbath;   Sin;   Wicked (People);   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Idolatry;   Sabbath, the;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Repentance;   Sabbath;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Priest;   Sabbath;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ezekiel;   Sabbath;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ezekiel;   Feasts;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Lead;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Sabbath;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Hafṭarah;   Holiness;  

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 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

10 So I led them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the desert. 11 I gave them My Laws and made known to them My Words, which bring life to anyone who obeys them. 12 I gave them My Days of Rest to be something special to see between Me and them, so they would know that I am the Lord Who makes them holy. 13 But the people of Israel turned against Me in the desert. They did not obey My Laws, and they turned away from My Words which bring life to anyone who obeys them. They made My Days of Rest very sinful. Then I said that I would be angry with them in the desert and destroy them. 14 But I acted for the good of My name. I did what would keep My name clean in the eyes of the nations who saw Me bring them out of Egypt. 15 So I promised them in the desert that I would not bring them into the land I had given them, the land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands. 16 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. 17 Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy them. I did not make an end of them in the desert. 18 "And I said to their children in the desert, ‘Do not keep the laws of your fathers, or follow their ways, or make yourselves sinful with their false gods. 19 I am the Lord your God. Keep My Laws and obey My Words.

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
But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said, "See, you are a dead man because of the woman you have taken. For she is already married."
Genesis 20:5
Did the man not tell me, ‘She is my sister'? And she, even she herself said, ‘He is my brother.' I have done this with a heart of honor and with hands that are not guilty."
Genesis 20:6
Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that you have done this with a heart of honor. And I kept you from sinning against Me. I did not let you touch her.
Genesis 20:8
So Abimelech got up early in the morning. He called all his servants and told them all these things. And the men were very much afraid.
Genesis 20:9
Then Abimelech called Abraham and said, "What have you done to us? What wrong have I done to you, that made you bring a great sin upon me and my nation? You have done to me what should not have been done."
Genesis 24:65
and said to Abraham's servant, "Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?" Abraham's servant said, "He is my boss." So she took a cloth and covered her face.
Genesis 26:11
So Abimelech told all the people, "Whoever touches this man or his wife will be put to death."
Proverbs 12:1
Whoever loves strong teaching loves much learning, but he who hates strong words is foolish.
Proverbs 25:12
A wise man speaking strong words to a listening ear is like a piece of gold for the ear and a beautiful object of fine gold.
Proverbs 27:5
Sharp words spoken in the open are better than love that is hidden.

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.


 
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