Ezekiel Chapter 20
1 In the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, some of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the LORD, and sat before me.
2 The LORD's word came to me, saying,
3 "Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them, 'The Lord GOD says: "Is it to enquire of me that you have come? As I live," says the Lord GOD, "I will not be enquired of by you." '
4 "Will you judge them, son of man? Will you judge them? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers.
5 Tell them, 'The Lord GOD says: "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 the LORD your God;'
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.
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 the LORD your God.'
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.
9 But I worked for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, amongst which they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them, in bringing them out of the land of Egypt.
10 So I caused them to go out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness.
11 I gave them my statutes, and showed them my ordinances, which if a man does, he will live in them.
12 Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.
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.
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.
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;
16 because they rejected my ordinances, and didn't walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.
17 Nevertheless my eye spared them, and I didn't destroy them. I didn't make a full end of them in the wilderness.
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.
19 I am the LORD your God. Walk in my statutes, keep my ordinances, and do them.
20 Make my Sabbaths holy. They shall be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.'
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.
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.
23 Moreover I swore to them in the wilderness, that I would scatter them amongst the nations, and disperse them through the countries;
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.
25 Moreover also I gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances in which they should not live.
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 the LORD." '
27 "Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and tell them, 'The Lord GOD says: "Moreover, in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.
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.
29 Then I said to them, 'What does the high place where you go mean?' So its name is called Bamah to this day." '
30 "Therefore tell the house of Israel, 'The Lord GOD says: "Do you pollute yourselves in the way of your fathers? Do you play the prostitute after their abominations?
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 enquired of by you, house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you!
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.'
33 As I live, says the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, I will be king over you.
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.
35 I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgement with you face to face.
36 Just as I entered into judgement with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgement with you," says the Lord GOD.
37 "I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.
38 I will purge out from amongst 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 the LORD."
39 " 'As for you, house of Israel, the Lord GOD says: "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.
40 For in my holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel," says the Lord GOD, "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.
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.
42 You will know that I am the LORD when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the country which I swore to give to your fathers.
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.
44 You will know that I am the LORD, 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 GOD.' "
45 The LORD's word came to me, saying,
46 "Son of man, set your face towards the south, and preach towards the south, and prophesy against the forest of the field in the South.
47 Tell the forest of the South, 'Hear the LORD's word: The Lord GOD says, "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 burnt by it.
48 All flesh will see that I, the LORD, have kindled it. It will not be quenched." ' "
49 Then I said, "Ah Lord GOD! They say of me, 'Isn't he a speaker of parables?' "
Footnotes
- Verse 29 (Bamah)
- "Bamah" means "High Place".
Version: World English Bible
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Ezekiel Chapter 20 Guide
In this final section of the prophecies dealing with reprobation, the prophet in a series of messages set forth the righteousness thereof. In the seventh year of the reign of Jehoiachin, that is four years before the fall of Jerusalem, certain elders of Israel went down to Ezekiel to inquire of the Lord.
The prophet was commissioned to declare to them that God would not be inquired of by them, and at the same time he was charged to make known to them the righteousness of the judgment falling on them. This he did, first by reviewing the past history of Israel. Israel had been delivered from Egypt and charged to put away all its abominations. They had rebelled, and had been punished. All this God had wrought for His name's sake, and in the interests of the nations. In the wilderness He gave them His statutes and showed them His judgments. There again they rebelled against Him, and He visited them with punishment. This also He wrought for His name's sake and in the interest of the nations. Their children He spared in the wilderness, and charged them to take warning by the failure of their fathers, urging them to walk in His statutes. Again the children rebelled against Him, and He punished them, and all this He wrought for His name's sake, and in the interests of the nations.
The prophet then passed to an examination of the more recent history. He first described how their fathers, having been brought into the land, had sinned in turning to its idolatries. This sin of the fathers had been repeated by the sons. Therefore the Lord would not be inquired of them. Having thus made clear to the elders that God would not be inquired of, he proceeded to announce the program of Jehovah concerning them. He would establish the fact of His Kingship over them by gathering them to the wilderness. What was meant by the wilderness the prophet then explained as he described their passing under the rod, and the process of purging them of those in their midst who were in rebellion against Him. The result of this wilderness process would be ultimately the restoration of Israel, and the sanctification of Jehovah in them in the sight of all the nations. Israel would have new understanding of Jehovah, and come to know that the perpetual reason for His operation was the glory of His name, and not merely punishing them for their evil ways, that is to say, the punishment of Jehovah was never merely vindictive, but always a process moving toward the realization of His original intention of good to the nations of the earth.
After the delivery of this message to the elders of Israel the prophet was commissioned to set his face toward the south and prophesy against its forest. The burden of the message was announcing that an unquenchable fire, kindled by Jehovah, would utterly destroy it. The parabolic nature of this charge perplexed the prophet, and he complained to Jehovah that the people said of him that he was a speaker of parables.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Ezekiel Chapter 20 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- The elders of Israel are reminded of the idolatry in Egypt. -- (1-9)
- In the wilderness. -- (10-26)
- In Canaan. -- (27-32)
- God promises to pardon and restore them. -- (33-44)
- Prophecy against Jerusalem. -- (45-49)
Verses 1-9
Those hearts are wretchedly hardened which ask God leave to go on in sin, and that even when suffering for it; see Ezek. 20:32. God is justly angry with those who are resolved to go on still in their trespasses. Cause the people to know the evil deeds of their fathers, that they may see how righteous it was with God to cut them off.
Verses 10-26
The history of Israel in the wilderness is referred to in the new Testament as well as in the Old, for warning. God did great things for them. He gave them the law, and revived the ancient keeping of the sabbath day. Sabbaths are privileges; they are signs of our being his people. If we do the duty of the day, we shall find, to our comfort, it is the Lord that makes us holy, that is, truly happy, here; and prepares us to be happy, that is, perfectly holy, hereafter. The Israelites rebelled, and were left to the judgments they brought upon themselves. God sometimes makes sin to be its own punishment, yet he is not the Author of sin: there needs no more to make men miserable, than to give them up to their own evil desires and passions.
Verses 27-32
The Jews persisted in rebellion after they settled in the land of Canaan. And these elders seem to have thought of uniting with the heathen. We make nothing by our profession if it be but a profession. There is nothing got by sinful compliances; and the carnal projects of hypocrites will stand them in no stead.
Verses 33-44
The wicked Israelites, notwithstanding they follow the sinful ways of other nations, shall not mingle with them in their prosperity, but shall be separated from them for destruction. There is no shaking off God's dominion; and those who will not yield to the power of his grace, shall sink under the power of his wrath. But not one of God's jewels shall be lost in the lumber of this world. He will bring the jews to the land of Israel again; and will give them true repentance. They will be overcome with his kindness: the more we know of God's holiness, the more we see the hateful nature of sin. Those who remain unaffected amidst means of grace, and would live without Christ, like the world around them, may be sure it is the way to destruction.
Verses 45-49
Judah and Jerusalem had been full of people, as a forest of trees, but empty of fruit. God's word prophesies against those who bring not forth the fruits of righteousness. When He will ruin a nation, who or what can save it? The plainest truths were as parables to the people. It is common for those who will not be wrought upon by the word, to blame it.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.