Ezekiel 20:25

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 20:25

Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good ,.... Yea, were very bad; not the moral law, and the statutes of it; for that is holy, just, and good, though the killing letter and ministration of condemnation and death to the transgressors of it; indeed those laws were both good and bad to different persons, as Abendana observes; good to those that observed them, but not good to those that transgressed them, the issue of which was death: rather these were the statutes and rites of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 20:25

I gave them also statutes that were not good - What a foolish noise has been made about this verse by critics, believers and infidels! How is it that God can be said "to give a people statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they could not live?" I answer, in their sense of the words, God never gave any such, at any time, to any people. Let any man produce an example of this kind if he can; or show even the fragment of such a law, sanctioned by the Most High! The simple meaning of... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 20:25

Verse 25 Here God announces that he had taken vengeance upon people so hard and obstinate, by permitting them to endure another yoke, since they would not be ruled by the doctrine of the law; for we saw that, when God imposed the law upon the Israelites, they would have been extremely happy, had they only considered how honorable it was to be in covenant with God, who deigned to bind them to himself in mutual fidelity. This was a remarkable honor and privilege, since God not only showed them... 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 20:25

I gave them also statutes that were not good, etc. The words have sometimes been understood as though Ezekiel applied these terms to the Law itself, either as speaking of what St. Paul calls its "weak and beggarly elements" ( Galatians 4:9 ), or as unable to work out the righteousness which it commanded ( Romans 3:20 ), and the language of Hebrews 7:19 and Hebrews 10:1 has been urged in support of this view. One who has studied Ezekiel with any care will not need many words to... 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 20:25-26

Ezekiel 20:25-26. Wherefore I gave them statutes that were not good, &c. This some understand of the ceremonial law, as if it were given purely to be a check and restraint to that perverse people, consisting of numerous rites and observances, many of which had no intrinsic good in them. “But I conceive,” says Lowth, “the statutes here spoken of to be of a different nature from those mentioned Ezekiel 20:11, because they have a quite contrary character given of them; and therefore I take... read more

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