Ezekiel 20:20

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 20:10-26

The history of the struggle between the sins of Israel, by which they endeavoured to ruin themselves, and the mercies of God, by which he endeavoured to save them and make them happy, is here continued: and the instances of that struggle in these verses have reference to what passed between God and them in the wilderness, in which God honoured himself and they shamed themselves. The story of Israel in the wilderness is referred to in the New Testament (1 Cor. 10:1-33; Heb. 3:1-19), as well as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 20:20

And hallow my sabbaths ,.... Or keep them holy, by abstaining from worldly business on them; by observing all the duties of religion, private and public, to be performed on such days: and they shall be a sign between me and you ; of present and future good; See Gill on Ezekiel 20:12 ; that ye may know that I am the Lord your God ; not only acknowledge him to be the Lord their God, by observing his laws, and sanctifying his sabbaths; but also have a larger experience of his grace... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 20:20

Verse 20 What he had said generally concerning the commandments he now applies again to the Sabbath, and not without reason. For, as we said yesterday, God not only wished by that day of rest to exact from the people what was due to him, but he rather commands it for another purpose, namely, that his Sabbaths should be sanctified. But the manner of keeping it holy was formerly explained, since mere rest was insufficient. God was not satisfied by the people’s resting from their occupations, but... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 20:1-32

Unacceptable prayer. The exact date is given as a voucher for truthfulness. The prophet committed to writing at once what had occurred. The people are yet divided by distance—part dwell in Judaea and tart in Chaldea. In a spirit of vain curiosity the eiders of the exiled part approach the prophet to inquire after the destined fortunes and fate of their nation. Had they sought for guidance or help to amend their lives, their prayer had been successful. God does not pander to a spirit of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 20:10-26

God, and Israel in the wilderness. "Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt," etc. The chief teachings of this section of the chapter may be developed under the following heads. I. THE KINDNESS OF GOD IN HIS DEALINGS WITH HIS PEOPLE . This is brought into our notice in four respects. 1 . In the deeds which be wrought for them . "l caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness." Their emancipation... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 20:18-26

The memory of the wilderness of the wanderings. At this point the transition is made from the generation who received the Law at Sinai to the generation which followed, and to whom another probation was afforded. I. THE DIVINE LAW WAS REPUBLISHED . II. THE REBELLION AND IDOLATRY OF THE PEOPLE WERE RENEWED . III. THE MOST FLAGRANT FORMS OF IDOLATROUS PRACTICE WERE ADDED TO WHAT HAD PRECEDED , In Ezekiel 20:26 mention is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 20:20

The sanctity of the sabbath. The sabbath was given to Israel as a day of rest for man and beast ( Exodus 20:8-11 ). But it also had a deeper mystical significance which gave it a peculiar sanctity. It was the sign of Israel, the note by which the chosen people might be marked, the seal of the covenant of Sinai, as circumcision was the seal of the earlier covenant with Abraham. In this particular, of course, the sabbath belonged only to the Jews under the Law, and our neglect of the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ezekiel 20:10-26

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 20:11The “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 20:12See 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... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ezekiel 20:18-24

Ezekiel 20:18-24 . But I said unto their children in the wilderness In the plains of Moab; Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers Imitate not their superstitious usages, nor retain their foolish and wicked customs, but walk in the statutes of your God. This refers to the many pathetical exhortations contained in the book of Deuteronomy, particularly those in chapters twenty-ninth to the thirty-second, which were uttered after that rebellious generation were all consumed, according as... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 20:1-26

Idolatry in the past (20:1-26)Ezekiel records another occasion when the leaders of the exiles came to him with certain questions. God told him not to waste time dealing with their questions (20:1-3). Rather Ezekiel was to deal with the more important issue of the people’s false understanding of God. Since wrong attitudes had been passed on from generation to generation, Ezekiel began to recount Israel’s history from the time the people were in Egypt (4-6). Even in Egypt they had been attracted... read more

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