Ezekiel 20:16

16 because they rejected my case laws, didn't follow my regulations, and degraded my sabbaths. They had their hearts set on their idols.

Ezekiel 20:16 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 20:16

Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my
statutes, but polluted my sabbaths
Which were just causes of divine resentment and anger; (See Gill on Ezekiel 20:13); for their heart went after their idols;
which they had served in Egypt; and that led them off from the true worship and service of God; no man can serve two masters; if he holds to the one, and his heart is towards him, he will despise the other; and yet these idols were no other, as the word signifies, than dunghill gods, as in ( Ezekiel 20:16 ) ; and such are all worldly things, in comparison of God, that the heart of man is going after.

Ezekiel 20:16 In-Context

14 But instead, I acted for the sake of my name so that it wouldn't be degraded in the sight of the nations who saw me lead them out of Egypt.

15 So in the desert I swore another solemn pledge, that I wouldn't bring them to the land that I had given to them, a land full of milk and honey, a land more splendid than any other,

16 because they rejected my case laws, didn't follow my regulations, and degraded my sabbaths. They had their hearts set on their idols.

17 But I had too much compassion to destroy them, so I didn't put an end to them in the desert.

18 In the desert, I said to their children, Don't follow your parents' regulations or observe their case laws or become defiled by their idols.