Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version because they rejected my laws and did not follow my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths. For their hearts were devoted to 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. 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. Berean Standard Bible because they kept rejecting My ordinances, refusing to walk in My statutes, and profaning My Sabbaths; for their hearts continually went after their idols. Berean Literal Bible because My ordinances they rejected, and My statutes they did not walk in them, and My Sabbaths they profaned, for their heart was walking after their idols. King James Bible Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after 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 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. NASB 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. NASB 1977 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. 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. Berean Annotated Bible because they kept rejecting My ordinances, refusing to walk in My statutes, and profaning My Sabbaths; for their hearts continually went after their idols. Christian Standard Bible because they rejected my ordinances, profaned my Sabbaths, and did not follow my statutes. For their hearts went after their idols. Holman Christian Standard Bible because they rejected My ordinances, profaned My Sabbaths, and did not follow My statutes. For their hearts went 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. Contemporary English Version I said this because they had not only ignored my laws and teachings, but had disgraced my Sabbath and worshiped idols. 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. GOD'S WORD® Translation They rejected my rules, and they didn't live by my laws. They dishonored the days to worship me, because their hearts chased disgusting 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. International Standard Version because they kept on rejecting my ordinances. They didn't live life consistent with my statutes, they profaned my Sabbaths, and their hearts followed their idols. NET Bible I did this because they rejected my regulations, did not follow my statutes, and desecrated my Sabbaths; for their hearts followed their idols. New Heart 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. 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. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard Biblebecause they kept rejecting My ordinances, refusing to walk in My statutes, and profaning My Sabbaths; for their hearts continually went after their 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. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionBecause they kicked against My judgments, "" And they have not walked in My statutes, "" And they have defiled My Sabbaths, "" For their heart is going after their idols. Berean Literal Bible because My ordinances they rejected, and My statutes they did not walk in them, and My Sabbaths they profaned, for their heart was walking 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. Smith's Literal Translation Because they rejected upon my judgments, and my laws they went not in them, and my Sabbaths they profaned: for their heart went after their blocks. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleBecause they cast off my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, and violated my sabbaths: for their heart went after idols. Catholic Public Domain Version For they cast aside my judgments, and they did not walk in my precepts, and they violated my Sabbaths. For their heart went after idols. New American Bible Their hearts followed after their idols so closely that they did not live by my statutes, but rejected my ordinances and desecrated my sabbaths. New Revised Standard Version because they rejected my ordinances and did not observe my statutes, and profaned my sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleBecause they despised my judgments and polluted my sabbaths exceedingly; for their hearts went after their idols. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Because they rejected my judgments and they have severely defiled my Sabbaths, and their heart goes after their idols OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917because they rejected Mine ordinances, and walked not in My statutes, and profaned My sabbaths--for their heart went after their idols. Brenton Septuagint Translation because they rejected mine ordinances, and walked not in my commandments, but profaned my sabbaths, and went after the imaginations of their hearts. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Israel's Rebellion in Egypt…15Moreover, with an uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land that I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands— 16because they kept rejecting My ordinances, refusing to walk in My statutes, and profaning My Sabbaths; for their hearts continually went after their idols. 17Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy them or bring them to an end in the wilderness.… Cross References because they kept rejecting My ordinances, Leviticus 26:15 and if you reject My statutes, despise My ordinances, and neglect to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant, 2 Kings 17:15 They rejected His statutes and the covenant He had made with their fathers, as well as the decrees He had given them. They pursued worthless idols and became worthless themselves, going after the surrounding nations that the LORD had commanded them not to imitate. Nehemiah 9:26 But they were disobedient and rebelled against You; they flung Your law behind their backs. They killed Your prophets, who had admonished them to return to You. They committed terrible blasphemies. refusing to walk in My statutes, Leviticus 26:3 If you follow My statutes and carefully keep My commandments, Psalm 78:10 They failed to keep God’s covenant and refused to live by His law. Jeremiah 44:23 Because you burned incense and sinned against the LORD and did not obey the voice of the LORD or walk in His instruction, His statutes, and His testimonies, this disaster has befallen you, as you see today.” and profaning My Sabbaths; Nehemiah 13:17-18 Then I rebuked the nobles of Judah and asked, “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day? / Did not your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this disaster on us and on this city? And now you are rekindling His wrath against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!” Isaiah 56:2 Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it and keeps his hand from doing any evil.” Exodus 31:14 Keep the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Anyone who profanes it must surely be put to death. Whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from among his people. for their hearts continually went after their idols. Ezekiel 14:3 “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I consult with them in any way? Ezekiel 14:7 For when any Israelite or any foreigner dwelling in Israel separates himself from Me, sets up idols in his heart, and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face, and then comes to the prophet to inquire of Me, I the LORD will answer him Myself. 1 Kings 11:4 For when Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the LORD his God, as his father David had been. Psalm 78:40-41 How often they disobeyed Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert! / Again and again they tested God and provoked the Holy One of Israel. Numbers 14:22-23 not one of the men who have seen My glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness—yet have tested Me and disobeyed Me these ten times— / not one will ever see the land that I swore to give their fathers. None of those who have treated Me with contempt will see it. Deuteronomy 32:51-52 For at the waters of Meribah-kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin, both of you broke faith with Me among the Israelites by failing to treat Me as holy in their presence. / Although you shall see from a distance the land that I am giving the Israelites, you shall not enter it.” Hebrews 3:16-19 For who were the ones who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? / And with whom was God angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? / And to whom did He swear that they would never enter His rest? Was it not to those who disobeyed? … Treasury of Scripture Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols. they Ezekiel 20:13,14 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… 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. Ezekiel 14:3,4 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 inquired of at all by them? … Ezekiel 23:8 Neither left she her whoredoms brought from Egypt: for in her youth they lay with her, and they bruised the breasts of her virginity, and poured their whoredom upon her. Jump to Previous Continually Decrees Desecrated Despised Devoted Follow Guided Heart Hearts Idols Judgments Kick Laws Orders Ordinances Polluted Profaned Rejected Respect Rules Sabbaths Statutes Turned Walk WalkedJump to Next Continually Decrees Desecrated Despised Devoted Follow Guided Heart Hearts Idols Judgments Kick Laws Orders Ordinances Polluted Profaned Rejected Respect Rules Sabbaths Statutes Turned Walk WalkedEzekiel 20 1. God refuses to be consulted by the elders of Israel4. He shows the story of their rebellions in Egypt 19. in the desert 27. and in the land 33. He promises to gather them by the Gospel 45. Under the name of a forest he shows the destruction of Jerusalem because they kept rejecting My ordinances This phrase highlights the Israelites' persistent disobedience to God's laws. The ordinances refer to the specific commands given by God to His people, which were meant to guide their moral and spiritual conduct. This rejection is a recurring theme in the Old Testament, where Israel often turned away from God's commands, as seen in passages like Judges 2:11-13. The rejection of divine ordinances signifies a deeper spiritual rebellion and a refusal to acknowledge God's authority. refusing to walk in My statutes and profaning My Sabbaths for their hearts continually went after their idols Persons / Places / Events 1. EzekielA prophet during the Babylonian exile, tasked with delivering God's messages to the Israelites. 2. Israelites The people of God who were in rebellion against Him, leading to their exile. 3. Babylonian Exile The period when the Israelites were taken captive by Babylon as a consequence of their disobedience. 4. God's Ordinances and Statutes The laws and commands given by God to guide the Israelites in righteous living. 5. Idolatry The worship of idols, which was a significant sin among the Israelites, leading them away from God. Teaching Points The Importance of ObedienceGod's ordinances and statutes are given for our benefit and protection. Disobedience leads to spiritual and sometimes physical consequences. The Sacredness of the Sabbath Observing the Sabbath is a sign of our covenant with God and a reminder of His creation and redemption. Guarding Our Hearts Against Idolatry Idolatry is not just the worship of physical idols but can be anything that takes precedence over God in our lives. The Consequences of Rebellion The Israelites' exile serves as a warning of the consequences of turning away from God. The Call to Repentance Despite their rebellion, God continually calls His people to return to Him, offering forgiveness and restoration. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Ezekiel 20:16?2. How does Ezekiel 20:16 highlight the consequences of rejecting God's statutes today? 3. What does "profaned My Sabbaths" teach about honoring God's designated holy times? 4. How can we ensure our hearts remain aligned with God's ways, unlike Israel's? 5. Which New Testament teachings reinforce the importance of obeying God's commands? 6. How can we apply Ezekiel 20:16 to maintain faithfulness in our daily lives? 7. Why did God reject the Israelites' behavior in Ezekiel 20:16? 8. How does Ezekiel 20:16 reflect on the importance of Sabbath observance? 9. What does Ezekiel 20:16 reveal about the consequences of disobedience? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Ezekiel 20? 11. Is the Sabbath on Saturday or Sunday? 12. Should we keep the Sabbath? (Exodus 20:8 vs. Colossians 2:16) 13. Ezekiel 20:25 mentions God giving Israel 'statutes that were not good'; how does this align with the concept of a just and unchanging God elsewhere in Scripture? 14. In Ezekiel 20:12-13, the Sabbath is presented as a sign between God and Israel. Why is this sign rarely mentioned in other biblical narratives of the same events? What Does Ezekiel 20:16 Mean Rejecting My ordinancesIsrael’s first failure was to push aside the very commands that defined their covenant identity (Ezekiel 20:16a). From the golden calf incident (Exodus 32:7–8) to the idolatry of the wilderness (Numbers 25:1–3), the nation repeatedly treated God’s decrees as optional. 2 Kings 17:15 says they “rejected His statutes and His covenant,” a pattern Ezekiel now recalls. When God’s law is sidelined, chaos follows—then and now. Refusing to walk in My statutes The issue was not ignorance but stubborn refusal (Jeremiah 7:23-24). Leviticus 26 promised blessing “if you walk in My statutes,” yet the people chose self-rule, leading to exile (2 Chronicles 36:14-17). Ezekiel highlights that obedience is more than mental agreement; it is a way of life (James 1:22). Profaning My Sabbaths The Sabbath was a weekly testimony that Israel belonged to the Lord (Exodus 31:13). Treating it like any other day shouted, “We do not trust God’s provision” (Nehemiah 13:17-18). Earlier in the chapter, Ezekiel 20:13 notes the same offense; repeated mention shows how seriously God values rhythms of rest and worship (Isaiah 58:13-14). Hearts continually went after their idols External lawbreaking flowed from internal idolatry (Ezekiel 14:3). Their hearts “pursued idols,” chasing counterfeit gods that promised control, pleasure, or security (Psalm 106:36). The New Testament echoes the danger: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). Until the heart bows to the Lord alone, obedience remains surface-level and short-lived. summary Ezekiel 20:16 explains why an entire generation forfeited the Promised Land: continual rejection of God’s word, stubborn refusal to live by it, contempt for Sabbath worship, and a heart captivated by idols. The verse warns that true covenant life requires wholehearted allegiance—word, walk, worship, and will—all surrendered to the Lord. Verse 16. - Their heart went after their idols. The words may point generally to the fact that the idolatrous tendencies of the people, though suppressed, were not really eradicated. The history of Baal-peor (Numbers 25:3-9) shows how ready they were to pass into act, and Amos 5:25, 26 implies a tradition of other like acts during the whole period of the wanderings in the wilderness.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew becauseיַ֜עַן (ya·‘an) Adverb Strong's 3282: Heed, purpose, to indicate the reason, cause they kept rejecting מָאָ֗סוּ (mā·’ā·sū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 3988: To spurn, to disappear My ordinances, בְּמִשְׁפָּטַ֣י (bə·miš·pā·ṭay) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular Strong's 4941: A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, style profaning חִלֵּ֑לוּ (ḥil·lê·lū) Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 2490: To bore, to wound, to dissolve, to profane, to break, to begin, to play My Sabbaths, שַׁבְּתוֹתַ֖י (šab·bə·ṯō·w·ṯay) Noun - common plural construct | first person common singular Strong's 7676: Intermission, the Sabbath and refusing לֹא־ (lō-) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no to walk הָלְכ֣וּ (hā·lə·ḵū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk in My statutes. חֻקּוֹתַי֙ (ḥuq·qō·w·ṯay) Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singular Strong's 2708: Something prescribed, an enactment, statute For כִּ֛י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction their hearts לִבָּ֥ם (lib·bām) Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre continually went הֹלֵֽךְ׃ (hō·lêḵ) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk after אַחֲרֵ֥י (’a·ḥă·rê) Preposition Strong's 310: The hind or following part their idols. גִלּוּלֵיהֶ֖ם (ḡil·lū·lê·hem) Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 1544: A log, an idol Links Ezekiel 20:16 NIVEzekiel 20:16 NLT Ezekiel 20:16 ESV Ezekiel 20:16 NASB Ezekiel 20:16 KJV Ezekiel 20:16 BibleApps.com Ezekiel 20:16 Biblia Paralela Ezekiel 20:16 Chinese Bible Ezekiel 20:16 French Bible Ezekiel 20:16 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Ezekiel 20:16 Because they rejected my ordinances and didn't (Ezek. Eze Ezk) |
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