20:1–32 Inspired by another visit from Israel’s elders, Ezekiel recaps Israel’s idolatry, describing a history of almost constant rebellion. His summary focuses on the people’s responsibility for their sin and omits reference to prominent figures like Moses or to non-Israelite enticements to sin. It also emphasizes events outside the promised land, a historical situation that would have new significance for the exiles’ current situation.

20:1 seventh year, in the fifth Calculating from the start of Jehoiachin’s exile (as Ezekiel usually does; see note on Ezek 1:2), this oracle dates to August 15, 591 bc.

the elders of Israel came to consult The elders came seeking divine guidance, acknowledging Ezekiel’s role as Yahweh’s intermediary (see note on 14:1).

20:3 I will surely not allow myself to be consulted by you See 14:3 and note. In ch. 14, Yahweh allowed them to inquire of Him primarily to give them a chance to repent. The time for repentance has passed, and now judgment must be completed.

20:4 Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? Ezekiel judges them by declaring their abominations, advising them of both charge and verdict. Similar phrasing is used in 22:2 and 23:36.

the detestable things of their ancestors Refers to Israel’s past history of idolatry (see 16:2; compare note on 5:9).

20:5 On the day of my choosing Israel Refers to Yahweh’s decision to send Moses to bring them out of Egypt.

I made myself known to them Yahweh revealed Himself to Israel in Egypt first through Moses as His spokesman and then through the plagues.

I am Yahweh your God Compare Exod 20:2.

20:6 flowing with milk and honey See Exod 3:8.

20:7 the detestable things of A reference to idolatry (see note on Ezek 5:11).

you must not make yourselves unclean with the idols of The first commandment forbids Israel to worship any other deity (Exod 20:3).

20:8 did not throw away the detestable things of In the exodus account, Israel accepts Yahweh as God and agrees to the covenant, but they quickly fall into idol worship (see Exod 32–34). Ezekiel’s perspective on events focuses on Israel’s failure to fully accept Yahweh and glosses over their nominal acceptance of rules they never followed.

fully vent my anger against them Ezekiel chronologically moves up Yahweh’s command against idolatry, so that Israel’s history of rebellion begins while they are still in Egypt.

20:9 for the sake of my name Yahweh’s forbearance is based solely on His sovereign choice. Concerned with preserving His reputation, He delays judgment for a time.

20:11 I gave my statutes to them Refers to the law God gave to Israel at Sinai; see Exod 19–20.

20:12 my Sabbaths I gave to them See Exod 20:8–11. A main focus of the Ten Commandments is the Sabbath, because proper Sabbath observance is an acknowledgment of the relationship between Yahweh and the people.

20:13 in the desert the house of Israel rebelled against me Ezekiel’s historical recap follows a similar pattern through several scenes. Yahweh gives a rule, the people rebel, Yahweh wants to destroy them, but He relents.

pour out my rage on them Perhaps an allusion to the incident with the golden calf in Exod 32–34. Could also refer to Israel’s failure to trust Yahweh for the conquest, which led to 40 additional years of wandering (see Num 14:28–30).

20:15 not to bring them into the land In punishment for their rebellion, the first generation could not enter the promised land (see Num 14:28–30).

20:16 their heart was going after their idols Compare Ezek 14:3.

20:17 by not destroying them Usually, Yahweh declares that He will not spare them (see 5:11).

20:21 But the children rebelled against me The pattern continues nearly identically. The first generation rebelled. The second generation had their own opportunity to do what was right, but they failed and rebelled as well.

20:22 But I withheld my hand The hand symbolizes Yahweh’s power to judge and punish.

20:23 scatter them among the nations One of the curses for violating the covenant (see Deut 28:64; Lev 26:33).

20:25 I gave to them rules that were not good The laws and rules were deemed not good in that the people were unable to meet the standard they set. The people’s failure placed them under the condemnation of the law rather than the blessings of the covenant. The verse expresses the people’s experience of the law and the crisis of judgment present in their lives. Compare the different aspects of the blessings and curses of the covenant in Deut 28 and Lev 26; also compare Ezek 14:9.

20:26 sacrificing all of the first offspring of the womb Compare Ezek 20:31. The law required that all firstborn be given to Yahweh—meaning they were consecrated to Him (an acknowledgment that He created them)—but the law also provided for the immediate redemption of firstborn children (see Lev 2:12 and note). If the terms of the law to redeem these children were not followed, this accusation may refer to the practice of child sacrifice, which is opposed in the ot (see Deut 12:31).

20:28 every high hill and every leafy tree An allusion to Israel’s local shrines (see note on Ezek 6:13 and note on Isa 57:7).

they offered their sacrifices, and they presented there The Hebrew word here denotes an animal sacrifice intended to promote communion between the deity and the worshiper.

the provocation of their offering Compare Ezek 8:17; 2 Kgs 23:26. Judah’s idolatry offended God and provoked His anger.

their fragrant incense offering Refers to the belief that the aroma of the sacrifice satisfied the deity. Ezekiel 6:13 accuses the people of also offering this form of worship to their idols. The covenant curses of Lev 26:30–31 depict Yahweh’s refusal to accept these offerings.

their libations Sacrificial rituals involved liquid and grain offerings in addition to animal sacrifice. The liquid was usually wine (see Exod 29:40–41; Num 15:1–10).

20:29 Bamah This name means “high place” and was probably used initially to refer to hilltop shrines, though later “high places” were built on lower ground. The word eventually became a generic term to denote a local religious shrine.

20:30 will you defile yourself and after their vile idols will you prostitute yourselves? Compare Psa 106:39. The prophets regularly compare Israel’s idolatry to the breaking of a marriage covenant (see Ezek 16; compare note on Isa 1:21, and note on Ezek 5:11).

20:31 your children through the fire See note on v. 26. The ot frequently condemns the practice of child sacrifice (see Deut 12:31 and note).

20:33–49 Yahweh promises to restore Israel, gathering the people and bringing them out of foreign lands in a sort of second exodus. The prophet’s reuse of exodus and wilderness imagery applies the primary salvation event of Israel’s past to the anticipated salvation event of Israel’s future. Similar imagery appears throughout the book of Isaiah (see Isa 14; 35; 43).

20:33 a strong hand and with an outstretched arm A clear allusion to the exodus story, this phrase is likely a stock image based on Exod 6:6. Later retellings of Israel’s history use this phrase as a sort of refrain, succinctly emphasizing the great power Yahweh exhibited during the exodus (see Deut 4:34; 5:15; 2 Kgs 17:36).

20:34 I will gather you from the countries The image of Yahweh gathering the exiles is prominent in oracles of restoration (see Isa 43:5; 54:7).

20:35 the desert of the peoples A reference to the Syro-Arabian desert, which was uninhabited but controlled by many different people groups. The implication is that Yahweh is taking His people out of the nations’ sight before He passes judgment (compare Ezek 20:8–11).

face to face An intimate meeting, recalling the way Moses met with Yahweh (Exod 33:11; Deut 34:10). The last time Israel met God face to face was at Sinai (see Deut 5:4).

20:37 I will make you pass under the rod An idiom indicating selection (see Lev 27:32). Those selected will be set apart to accept the obligation of the covenant. Those who are not selected will be punished (see Ezek 20:38).

20:38 into the land of Israel they will not come Entering the land is a privilege for those who keep faith with Yahweh. Compare the false prophets’ punishment by expulsion (13:9) and Moses’ fate in Deut 32:48–52.

20:39 Let each one go serve his idols An ironic and sarcastic statement, similar to those in Amos 4:4 and Jer 44:25.

my holy name you will not profane any longer Implies that Israel was offering Yahweh rituals and religious practices that had been created for Canaanite idols. Worshiping the right God in the wrong way was just as bad as pure idolatry. The ot is clear that worship of Canaanite gods was closely mixed with worship of Yahweh (e.g., 2 Kgs 23:4). This mixture of religions was strongly condemned.

20:40 on my holy mountain Refers to Zion, Yahweh’s holy mountain (see note on Isa 2:2).

20:41 I will accept you as a fragrant incense offering The obedience and devotion of restored Israel is as pleasing to Yahweh as sacrifice.

before the eyes of the nations Yahweh is concerned with His reputation and wants the nations to see and acknowledge His sovereignty and holiness.

20:42 you will know that I am Yahweh The recognition formula emphasizes that Yahweh’s motivation is a desire to make His power known to all.

20:44 for the sake of my name Yahweh didn’t punish them according to what they deserved for their sin. He punished but then saved for the sake of His reputation (see note on Ezek 20:9).

20:45 In the Hebrew text, this verse marks the beginning of ch. 21. The change in subject matter is also marked by Ezekiel’s characteristic phrase, “The word of Yahweh came to me.”

20:46 set your face toward the way of An expression indicating Ezekiel’s act of turning his attention toward his intended audience. Many of the oracles in Ezekiel open with this phrase (e.g., 6:2; 13:17; 21:2; 25:2; 28:21; 29:2; 35:2; 38:2).

the south The Hebrew word used here, teman, was used for the direction south and as a name for a place in Edom, southeast of Judah. It literally means, “that which is on the right.” The south is on the right when facing east. Directions in the Bible use the sea/west as a point of reference. People would stand with the sea at their backs facing east, so south would be on the right.

the Negev The Hebrew word used here, negev (sometimes rendered “Negeb”), can be a term for “south.” Its specific application to the wilderness region known as the Negev is unlikely here, since the Negev was not a forested area. Ezekiel’s oracles of judgment in chs. 6–7 were also directed at geographical or topographical locations that represented the human recipients of judgment.

20:47 I am kindling against you a fire Fire is the agent of destruction against the southern region.

in you every fresh tree A figure of speech called a merism that indicates totality. Here it symbolizes that all vegetation will be consumed by this fire.

20:48 I, Yahweh, I kindled it The power of the fire will reveal its divine origin (see Isa 40:5).

20:49 they are saying about me Ezekiel wonders whether his parables and metaphors are getting through to his audience. Perhaps the people had come to hear him more for the entertainment value of his artistic word-images than for the conviction that should come from hearing God’s message. Their view of him as an entertainer would lessen the gravity of his warnings and neutralize his effectiveness as a watchman (see Ezek 3).