Ezequiel 20:18-28

18 antes dije en el desierto a sus hijos: No andéis en las ordenanzas de vuestros padres, ni guardéis sus leyes, ni os contaminéis con sus ídolos

19 Yo soy el SEÑOR vuestro Dios; andad en mis ordenanzas, y guardad mis derechos, y ponedlos por obra

20 y santificad mis sábados, y sean por señal entre mí y vosotros, para que sepáis que yo soy el SEÑOR vuestro Dios

21 Y los hijos se rebelaron contra mí; no anduvieron en mis ordenanzas, ni guardaron mis derechos para ponerlos por obra, los cuales el hombre que los cumpliere, vivirá por ellos; profanaron mis sábados. Dije entonces que derramaría mi ira sobre ellos, para cumplir mi enojo en ellos en el desierto

22 Mas retraje mi mano, y obré por causa de mi Nombre para que no se infamara a vista de los gentiles, delante de cuyos ojos los saqué

23 Y también les alcé yo mi mano en el desierto, y juré, que los esparciría entre los gentiles, y que los aventaría por las tierras

24 porque no pusieron por obra mis derechos, y desecharon mis ordenanzas, y profanaron mis sábados, y tras los ídolos de sus padres se les fueron sus ojos

25 Por eso yo también les di ordenanzas no buenas, y derechos por los cuales no vivieren

26 y los contaminé en sus ofrendas cuando hacían pasar por el fuego todo primogénito, para que los desolare, a fin de que supieran que yo soy el SEÑOR

27 Por tanto, hijo de hombre, habla a la Casa de Israel, y diles: Así dijo el Señor DIOS: Aun en esto me blasfemaron vuestros padres cuando cometieron contra mí rebelión

28 Porque yo los metí en la tierra sobre la cual había alzado mi mano que les había de dar, y miraron a todo collado alto, y a todo árbol espeso, y allí sacrificaron sus víctimas, y allí presentaron la irritación de sus ofrendas, allí pusieron también el olor de su suavidad, y allí derramaron sus libaciones

Ezequiel 20:18-28 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 20

The prophecy in this chapter is occasioned by some of the elders of Israel coming to inquire of the Lord; when the prophet is bid to tell them that he would not be inquired of by them. The reason of which were their abominations he is ordered to make known unto them, Eze 20:1-4; and then proceeds the narration of them; first of what their fathers committed in Egypt; of God's goodness to them, and their ingratitude; how that though he promised and swore that he would bring them from thence, when he charged them to abstain from the idolatry of that people where they were, nevertheless they did not, for which he threatened them with his wrath to consume them; yet such was his goodness as to spare them, and bring them out of that land, Eze 20:5-9; being brought out of Egypt into the wilderness, the Lord gave them statutes and ordinances to observe, particularly sabbaths, as a sign between him and them, but these they despised and broke; wherefore the Lord threatened to consume them in the wilderness, and not bring them into the land of Canaan; yet such was his kindness and mercy to them, that he did not make an utter end of them in the wilderness, Eze 20:10-17; and whereas he exhorted their posterity not to imitate their parents, but to walk in his statutes and judgments, and observe his sabbaths, yet they would not; which drew out his resentment against them, and he threatened to scatter them among the Heathens; but, for his name's sake, that that might not be polluted among the heathen, he spared them, and did not cut them off, only gave them up to do things very pernicious to them, Eze 20:18-26; and even when they were brought into the land of Canaan, they were guilty of blasphemy against God, and of idolatry on every high hill they saw, Eze 20:27-29; but whereas it might be objected, what is all this to the present generation? it is observed, that they imitated their fathers, and were guilty of the same idolatries, and therefore the Lord would not be inquired of by them, Eze 20:30,31; and threatens to rule them with fury, and plead with them, as he had pleaded with their fathers in the wilderness, Eze 20:32-36; nevertheless he suggests that there would be a remnant among them, when he should have purged the rebels and transgressors from them, that he would deal graciously with in a covenant way; who should serve him in his holy mountain, where he would require and accept their sacrifices, in whom he would be sanctified; and who should know him, and loathe themselves, when made sensible of the distinguishing favours bestowed upon them, Eze 20:37-44; and the chapter is closed with a prophecy dropped against Jerusalem, denouncing utter destruction on it, Eze 20:45-49.

reign, and of the captivity of Jeconiah; from whence the dates of Ezekiel's visions and prophecies are taken, Eze 1:2, 8:1; two years, one month, and five days, after Ezekiel began to prophesy, and eleven months and five days after the preceding prophecy:

\\in the fifth [month], the tenth [day] of the month\\; the month Ab, which answers to our July and August; on this day afterwards Jerusalem was twice destroyed, first by the Chaldeans, and then by the Romans:

\\[that] certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord\\; by the prophet; these were either some of the elders that were carried captive, who came to inquire how long they should continue in this state; or what methods they should use to free themselves from it; or what they should do while they were in it; whether it would be advisable that they should conform to the customs of the Heathens among whom they were; or what would be the case of those that were left in Judea: or else these were sent by Zedekiah to pay the king of Babylon his tax, or to negotiate some affair with him relating to the captives; and who took this opportunity of consulting the Lord by the prophet what methods should be taken to throw off the yoke, and to know what was the mind of God in it; but these things are uncertain, as are also the persons the inquirers; though the Jews say {e} they were Ananias, Azarias, and Misael; which is not probable, since they were good men, whereas these seem to be hypocritical persons:

\\and sat before me\\; with great seriousness and devotion seemingly, waiting for an answer.

{e} Seder Olam Rabba apud Abarbinel in loc.

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