Ezekiel 20

Israel's History of Rebellion Ezekiel 20:4–10

⁴Verse 4. “Will you judge them, son of man? Will you judge them? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers. ⁵Verse 5. Tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “In the day when I chose Israel, and swore to the offspring of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I swore to them, saying, ‘I am Yahweh your God;’ ⁶Verse 6. in that day I swore to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands.

⁷Verse 7. I said to them, ‘Each of you throw away the abominations of his eyes. Don’t defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.’ ⁸Verse 8. “‘“But they rebelled against me, and would not listen to me. They didn’t all throw away the abominations of their eyes. They also didn’t forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the middle of the land of Egypt. ⁹Verse 9. But I worked for my name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, among which they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them, in bringing them out of the land of Egypt.

¹⁰Verse 10. So I caused them to go out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness.

God's Laws and Rejection Ezekiel 20:11–15

¹¹Verse 11. I gave them my statutes, and showed them my ordinances, which if a man does, he will live in them. ¹²Verse 12. Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am Yahweh who sanctifies them. ¹³Verse 13. “‘“But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They didn’t walk in my statutes, and they rejected my ordinances, which if a man keeps, he shall live in them. They greatly profaned my Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them in the wilderness, to consume them.

¹⁴Verse 14. But I worked for my name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them out. ¹⁵Verse 15. Moreover also I swore to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;

Consequences of Idolatry Ezekiel 20:16–24

¹⁶Verse 16. because they rejected my ordinances, and didn’t walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols. ¹⁷Verse 17. Nevertheless my eye spared them, and I didn’t destroy them. I didn’t make a full end of them in the wilderness. ¹⁸Verse 18. I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Don’t walk in the statutes of your fathers. Don’t observe their ordinances or defile yourselves with their idols. ¹⁹Verse 19. I am Yahweh your God. Walk in my statutes, keep my ordinances, and do them. ²⁰Verse 20. Make my Sabbaths holy. They shall be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am Yahweh your God.’

²¹Verse 21. “‘“But the children rebelled against me. They didn’t walk in my statutes, and didn’t keep my ordinances to do them, which if a man does, he shall live in them. They profaned my Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness. ²²Verse 22. Nevertheless I withdrew my hand, and worked for my name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them out. ²³Verse 23. Moreover I swore to them in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the nations, and disperse them through the countries;

²⁴Verse 24. because they had not executed my ordinances, but had rejected my statutes, and had profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols.

Statutes and Polluted Gifts Ezekiel 20:25–32

²⁵Verse 25. Moreover also I gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances in which they should not live. ²⁶Verse 26. I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused all that opens the womb to pass through the fire, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am Yahweh.”’ ²⁷Verse 27. “Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Moreover, in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me. ²⁸Verse 28. For when I had brought them into the land which I swore to give to them, then they saw every high hill, and every thick tree, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering. There they also made their pleasant aroma, and there they poured out their drink offerings.

²⁹Verse 29. Then I said to them, ‘What does the high place where you go mean?’ So its name is called Bamah to this day.”’ ³⁰Verse 30. “Therefore tell the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Do you pollute yourselves in the way of your fathers? Do you play the prostitute after their abominations? ³¹Verse 31. When you offer your gifts, when you make your sons pass through the fire, do you pollute yourselves with all your idols to this day? Should I be inquired of by you, house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I will not be inquired of by you!

³²Verse 32. “‘“That which comes into your mind will not be at all, in that you say, ‘We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.’

Divine Judgment and Gathering Ezekiel 20:33–39

³³Verse 33. As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, surely with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, I will be king over you. ³⁴Verse 34. I will bring you out from the peoples, and will gather you out of the countries in which you are scattered with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out. ³⁵Verse 35. I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. ³⁶Verse 36. Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I enter into judgment with you,” says the Lord Yahweh.

³⁷Verse 37. “I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. ³⁸Verse 38. I will purge out from among you the rebels and those who disobey me. I will bring them out of the land where they live, but they shall not enter into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.” ³⁹Verse 39. “‘As for you, house of Israel, thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Go, everyone serve his idols, and hereafter also, if you will not listen to me; but you shall no more profane my holy name with your gifts and with your idols.

Restoration and Future Hope Ezekiel 20:40–49

⁴⁰Verse 40. For in my holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel,” says the Lord Yahweh, “there all the house of Israel, all of them, shall serve me in the land. There I will accept them, and there I will require your offerings and the first fruits of your offerings, with all your holy things. ⁴¹Verse 41. I will accept you as a pleasant aroma when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries in which you have been scattered. I will be sanctified in you in the sight of the nations. ⁴²Verse 42. You will know that I am Yahweh when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the country which I swore to give to your fathers.

⁴³Verse 43. There you will remember your ways, and all your deeds in which you have polluted yourselves. Then you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that you have committed. ⁴⁴Verse 44. You will know that I am Yahweh, when I have dealt with you for my name’s sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, you house of Israel,” says the Lord Yahweh.’” ⁴⁵Verse 45. Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, ⁴⁶Verse 46. “Son of man, set your face toward the south, and preach toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the field in the South.

⁴⁷Verse 47. Tell the forest of the South, ‘Hear Yahweh’s word: Thus says the Lord Yahweh, “Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it will devour every green tree in you, and every dry tree. The burning flame will not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north will be burned by it. ⁴⁸Verse 48. All flesh will see that I, Yahweh, have kindled it. It will not be quenched.”’” ⁴⁹Verse 49. Then I said, “Ah Lord Yahweh! They say of me, ‘Isn’t he a speaker of parables?’”