Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version “Therefore say to the Israelites: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Will you defile yourselves the way your ancestors did and lust after their vile images? New Living Translation “Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign LORD: Do you plan to pollute yourselves just as your ancestors did? Do you intend to keep prostituting yourselves by worshiping vile images? English Standard Version “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers and go whoring after their detestable things? Berean Standard Bible Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: Will you defile yourselves the way your fathers did, prostituting yourselves with their abominations? Berean Literal Bible Therefore say to the house of Israel, thus says the Lord YHWH: In the way of your⁺ fathers will you⁺ be defiling yourselves and prostituting yourselves after their abominations? King James Bible Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations? New King James Version Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Are you defiling yourselves in the manner of your fathers, and committing harlotry according to their abominations? New American Standard Bible Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: “Will you defile yourselves in the way of your fathers and adulterously pursue their detestable things? NASB 1995 “Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers and play the harlot after their detestable things? NASB 1977 “Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers and play the harlot after their detestable things? Legacy Standard Bible Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Will you defile yourselves in the way of your fathers and play the harlot after their detestable things? Amplified Bible Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Will you [exiles] defile yourselves in the same manner as your fathers? And will you prostitute yourselves before their loathsome and heinous things? Berean Annotated Bible Therefore tell the house of Israel (he wrestles with God) that this is what the Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH} says: Will you⁺ defile yourselves the way your⁺ fathers did, prostituting yourselves with their abominations? Christian Standard Bible “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: Are you defiling yourselves the way your ancestors did, and prostituting yourselves with their abhorrent things? Holman Christian Standard Bible Therefore say to the house of Israel: This is what the Lord GOD says: Are you defiling yourselves the way your fathers did, and prostituting yourselves with their detestable things? American Standard Version Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Do ye pollute yourselves after the manner of your fathers? and play ye the harlot after their abominations? Contemporary English Version Then ask the Israelites why they are following the example of their wicked ancestors English Revised Version Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD: Do ye pollute yourselves after the manner of your fathers? and go ye a whoring after their abominations? GOD'S WORD® Translation "Tell the nation of Israel, 'This is what the Almighty LORD says: Will you dishonor yourselves the way your ancestors did? Will you chase their detestable idols like a prostitute? Good News Translation Now tell the Israelites what I am saying: Why must you commit the same sins your ancestors did and go running after their idols? International Standard Version "Therefore you are to say to Israel's house, 'This is what the Lord GOD says: "Will you defile yourselves like your ancestors did by acting as a prostitute, consistent with their horrible deeds? NET Bible "Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'This is what the sovereign LORD says: Will you defile yourselves like your fathers and engage in prostitution with detestable idols? New Heart English Bible "Therefore tell the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Do you pollute yourselves in the way of your fathers? And do you play the prostitute after their abominations? Webster's Bible Translation Wherefore say to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye lewd deeds after their abominations? Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleTherefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: Will you defile yourselves the way your fathers did, prostituting yourselves with their abominations? World English Bible “Therefore tell the house of Israel, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Do you pollute yourselves in the way of your fathers? Do you play the prostitute after their abominations? Literal Translations Literal Standard Version“Therefore, say to the house of Israel, Thus said Lord YHWH: Are you defiling yourselves in the way of your fathers? And do you go whoring after their detestable things? Berean Literal Bible Therefore say to the house of Israel, thus says the Lord YHWH: In the way of your⁺ fathers will you⁺ be defiling yourselves and prostituting yourselves after their abominations? Young's Literal Translation Therefore, say unto the house of Israel: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: In the way of your fathers are ye defiled? And after their detestable things go a-whoring? Smith's Literal Translation For this, say to the house of Israel, Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Are ye defiled in the way of your fathers? and commit ye fornication after their abominations? Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleWherefore say to the house of Israel: Thus saith the Lord God: Verily, you are defiled in the way of your fathers, and you commit fornication with their abominations. Catholic Public Domain Version Because of this, say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord God: Certainly, you are defiled by the way of your fathers, and you have fornicated after their stumbling blocks. New American Bible Therefore say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord GOD: Will you defile yourselves in the way your ancestors did? Will you lust after their detestable idols? New Revised Standard Version Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your ancestors and go astray after their detestable things? Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleWherefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the LORD God: You have defiled yourselves after the manner of your fathers and you go astray after their idols; Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Because of this, son of man, say to the house of Israel: ‘Thus says THE LORD OF LORDS, if you are defiled in the way of your fathers and you go astray after their idols OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Wherefore say unto the house of Israel: Thus saith the Lord GOD: When ye pollute yourselves after the manner of your fathers, and go after their abominations, Brenton Septuagint Translation Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord, Do ye pollute yourselves with the iniquities of your fathers, and do ye go a-whoring after their abominations, Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Israel's Rebellion in the Land…29So I asked them: ‘What is this high place to which you go?’ (And to this day it is called Bamah.) 30Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: Will you defile yourselves the way your fathers did, prostituting yourselves with their abominations? 31When you offer your gifts, sacrificing your sons in the fire, you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. So should I be consulted by you, O house of Israel? As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be consulted by you!… Cross References Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: Ezekiel 3:17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me. Ezekiel 33:7 As for you, O son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word from My mouth and give them the warning from Me. Jeremiah 1:7 But the LORD told me: “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ For to everyone I send you, you must go, and all that I command you, you must speak. Will you defile yourselves the way your fathers did, Leviticus 18:24-30 Do not defile yourselves by any of these practices, for by all these things the nations I am driving out before you have defiled themselves. / Even the land has become defiled, so I am punishing it for its sin, and the land will vomit out its inhabitants. / But you are to keep My statutes and ordinances, and you must not commit any of these abominations—neither your native-born nor the foreigner who lives among you. … Deuteronomy 9:7-8 Remember this, and never forget how you provoked the LORD your God in the wilderness. From the day you left the land of Egypt until you reached this place, you have been rebelling against the LORD. / At Horeb you provoked the LORD, and He was angry enough to destroy you. Jeremiah 7:25-26 From the day your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have sent you all My servants the prophets again and again. / Yet they would not listen to Me or incline their ear, but they stiffened their necks and did more evil than their fathers. prostituting yourselves with their abominations? Leviticus 17:7 They must no longer offer their sacrifices to the goat demons to which they have prostituted themselves. This will be a permanent statute for them for the generations to come.’ Hosea 4:12-14 My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray and they have played the harlot against their God. / They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is pleasant. And so your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to adultery. / I will not punish your daughters when they prostitute themselves, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. For the men themselves go off with prostitutes and offer sacrifices with shrine prostitutes. So a people without understanding will come to ruin. Jeremiah 3:8-9 She saw that because faithless Israel had committed adultery, I gave her a certificate of divorce and sent her away. Yet that unfaithful sister Judah had no fear and prostituted herself as well. / Indifferent to her own infidelity, Israel had defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees. Jeremiah 44:9-10 Have you forgotten the wickedness of your fathers and of the kings of Judah and their wives, as well as the wickedness that you and your wives committed in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? / To this day they have not humbled themselves or shown reverence, nor have they followed My instruction or the statutes that I set before you and your fathers. 2 Kings 17:7-17 All this happened because the people of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They had worshiped other gods / and walked in the customs of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites, as well as in the practices introduced by the kings of Israel. / The Israelites secretly did things against the LORD their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city, they built high places in all their cities. … Isaiah 57:5-8 who burn with lust among the oaks, under every luxuriant tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks? / Your portion is among the smooth stones of the valley; indeed, they are your lot. Even to them you have poured out a drink offering and offered a grain offering. Should I relent because of these? / On a high and lofty hill you have made your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifices. … Psalm 106:35-39 but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs. / They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them. / They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. … Deuteronomy 32:16-17 They provoked His jealousy with foreign gods; they enraged Him with abominations. / They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to gods they had not known, to newly arrived gods, which your fathers did not fear. 1 Corinthians 10:20-21 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons. / You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot partake in the table of the Lord and the table of demons too. 2 Corinthians 6:16-17 What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” / “Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” Treasury of Scripture Why say to the house of Israel, Thus said the Lord GOD; Are you polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit you prostitution after their abominations? Are ye Numbers 32:14 And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers' stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel. Judges 2:19 And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way. Jeremiah 7:26 Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers. Jump to Previous Abominations Astray A-Whoring Cause Children Commit Deeds Defile Defiled Detestable Disgusting Fathers Fornication Harlot House Israel Lewd Making Manner Play Pollute Polluted Prostitute Sovereign Unclean Untrue Wherefore Whoredom Works YourselvesJump to Next Abominations Astray A-Whoring Cause Children Commit Deeds Defile Defiled Detestable Disgusting Fathers Fornication Harlot House Israel Lewd Making Manner Play Pollute Polluted Prostitute Sovereign Unclean Untrue Wherefore Whoredom Works YourselvesEzekiel 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 Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: This phrase establishes the authority of the message. The "house of Israel" refers to the collective people of Israel, emphasizing their identity as God's chosen nation. The phrase "the Lord GOD" underscores the divine origin of the message, indicating that it is not merely a human opinion but a directive from Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. This introduction is typical of prophetic literature, where the prophet acts as a mouthpiece for God, delivering His words to the people. Will you defile yourselves the way your fathers did, prostituting yourselves with their abominations? Persons / Places / Events 1. EzekielA prophet during the Babylonian exile, tasked with delivering God's messages to the Israelites. 2. House of Israel Refers to the collective people of Israel, who are being addressed by God through Ezekiel. 3. God (Yahweh) The sovereign Lord who speaks through Ezekiel, calling His people to account for their actions. 4. Fathers/Ancestors The previous generations of Israelites who engaged in idolatry and disobedience. 5. Abominations Refers to the idolatrous practices and sins that the Israelites' ancestors committed, which were detestable to God. Teaching Points The Danger of IdolatryIdolatry is not just the worship of physical idols but can also be anything that takes the place of God in our lives. We must examine our hearts for modern-day idols. Learning from the Past The history of Israel serves as a warning. We should learn from their mistakes and strive to remain faithful to God. God's Call to Repentance God continually calls His people to turn away from sin and return to Him. Repentance is a crucial step in restoring our relationship with God. Generational Influence The actions of one generation can impact the next. We must be mindful of the legacy we leave for future generations. Faithfulness in Worship True worship involves a heart fully devoted to God, free from the contamination of worldly practices and beliefs. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Ezekiel 20:30?2. How does Ezekiel 20:30 challenge us to examine our own idolatry today? 3. What lessons can we learn from Israel's disobedience in Ezekiel 20:30? 4. How does Ezekiel 20:30 connect with the First Commandment in Exodus 20:3? 5. In what ways can we avoid the "detestable practices" mentioned in Ezekiel 20:30? 6. How can Ezekiel 20:30 inspire us to pursue holiness in our lives? 7. What does Ezekiel 20:30 reveal about Israel's historical idolatry? 8. How does Ezekiel 20:30 challenge modern believers' faithfulness to God? 9. What is the significance of "defiling yourselves" in Ezekiel 20:30? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Ezekiel 20? 11. Historically and archaeologically, is there evidence to support the repeated cycles of rebellion and divine judgment described throughout Ezekiel 20? 12. 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? 13. What are the 'not good' statutes in Ezekiel 20:25? 14. What does spreading your garment over someone signify? What Does Ezekiel 20:30 Mean Therefore tell the house of IsraelEzekiel is commanded to address the whole covenant community, not a select few. The word “therefore” links this verse to the long review of Israel’s repeated rebellions in the earlier part of the chapter (Ezekiel 20:5-29). God wants the current generation to see itself in that history and to make a choice. Like Ezekiel 2:3-7, the prophet’s task is to stand before a stubborn audience and speak anyway. Jeremiah faced a similar charge (Jeremiah 7:1-3), and centuries later Paul reminded Jewish hearers of their unique accountability to the law they claimed to know (Romans 2:17-24). that this is what the Lord GOD says: The message carries divine authority; Ezekiel is merely the mouthpiece (Ezekiel 3:17). The personal name “YHWH” joined with “Adonai” underlines absolute sovereignty. Whenever a prophet uses this formula, the hearers must decide whether to obey or rebel—there is no neutral ground (Deuteronomy 18:18-19; Isaiah 1:2). God’s word, not human opinion, sets the terms of the relationship (Ezekiel 36:22-23). Will you defile yourselves the way your fathers did, The Lord exposes a tragic pattern: each generation tends to replay the sins of the last (Psalm 106:6; Ezekiel 18:2-4). Defilement here speaks of ceremonial and moral uncleanness—anything that disqualifies a person from God’s presence (Leviticus 18:24-30). • God’s question is rhetorical; He already knows the path they are on (Judges 2:10-13). • Yet the form of a question invites repentance, echoing His plea in Isaiah 1:18. • The contrast between “your fathers” and “you” shows personal responsibility; they cannot hide behind ancestry (2 Chronicles 30:7; Ezekiel 14:13-14). prostituting yourselves with their abominations? Idolatry is pictured as spiritual adultery. The people were meant to be exclusively devoted to the Lord, but they “sold” themselves to false gods (Ezekiel 16:15-17; Hosea 4:12-13). • “Prostituting” highlights the willful, covenant-breaking nature of idolatry, not mere error. • “Abominations” refers to the detestable rites tied to those idols—child sacrifice, sexual rituals, and other practices God hates (Exodus 34:15-16; 1 Corinthians 10:7, 14). • The phrase recalls earlier warnings in Ezekiel 6:9: “How I was crushed by their adulterous hearts.” The imagery drives home the personal grief God feels over His people’s unfaithfulness. summary Ezekiel 20:30 confronts Israel with a stark question: Will you keep repeating the sins of your ancestors, or will you break the cycle and return to the Lord? Speaking with divine authority, the prophet exposes ongoing defilement and compares idolatry to marital unfaithfulness. The verse calls every generation to personal repentance, reminding us that God desires exclusive, wholehearted devotion and stands ready to receive all who abandon the “abominations” of false worship. (30) Are ye polluted?--This and the two following verses constitute the fifth and concluding portion of this historical review, and relate to the then existing generation. The questions asked answer themselves, and yet in the following verse are answered for the sake of emphasis. They bring home to Ezekiel's own contemporaries the sins which had characterised their race through nearly all the ages of their history, and show the justice of those long-threatened judgments which were now bursting upon them.Verse 30. - Say ye unto the house of Israel, etc. The words are addressed primarily to the elders who had come to consult the prophet (ver. 1), but through them to all their contemporaries and fellow countrymen. They still in heart and even in deed (comp. Isaiah 57:4-6, 11, and Isaiah 65:3, as showing the habits of the exiles) clung to the old idolatries. The question for them was whether they would continue to walk in the ways of their fathers. If so, it was true of them, as of the elders, that the Lent to whom they came would not be inquired of by them.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Thereforeלָכֵ֞ן (lā·ḵên) Adverb Strong's 3651: So -- thus tell אֱמֹ֣ר ׀ (’ĕ·mōr) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say the house בֵּ֣ית (bêṯ) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 1004: A house of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל (yiś·rā·’êl) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc that this is what כֹּ֤ה (kōh) Adverb Strong's 3541: Like this, thus, here, now the Lord אֲדֹנָ֣י (’ă·ḏō·nāy) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 136: The Lord GOD יְהוִ֔ה (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3069: YHWH says: אָמַר֙ (’ā·mar) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say ‘Will you אַתֶּ֣ם (’at·tem) Pronoun - second person masculine plural Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you defile yourselves נִטְמְאִ֑ים (niṭ·mə·’îm) Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural Strong's 2930: To be or become unclean the way הַבְּדֶ֥רֶךְ (hab·bə·ḏe·reḵ) Article, Preposition-b | Noun - common singular construct Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action your fathers did, אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם (’ă·ḇō·w·ṯê·ḵem) Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural Strong's 1: Father prostituting זֹנִֽים׃ (zō·nîm) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural Strong's 2181: To commit adultery, to commit idolatry yourselves אַתֶּ֥ם (’at·tem) Pronoun - second person masculine plural Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you with וְאַחֲרֵ֥י (wə·’a·ḥă·rê) Conjunctive waw | Preposition Strong's 310: The hind or following part their abominations? שִׁקּוּצֵיהֶ֖ם (šiq·qū·ṣê·hem) Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 8251: Disgusting, filthy, idolatrous, an idol Links Ezekiel 20:30 NIVEzekiel 20:30 NLT Ezekiel 20:30 ESV Ezekiel 20:30 NASB Ezekiel 20:30 KJV Ezekiel 20:30 BibleApps.com Ezekiel 20:30 Biblia Paralela Ezekiel 20:30 Chinese Bible Ezekiel 20:30 French Bible Ezekiel 20:30 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Ezekiel 20:30 Therefore tell the house of Israel Thus (Ezek. 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