Ezekiel 20:21

21 "But the children rebelled against Me. They did not follow My statutes or carefully keep My ordinances-the person who does them will live by them. They also profaned My Sabbaths. So I considered pouring out My wrath on them and exhausting My anger against them in the wilderness.

Ezekiel 20:21 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 20:21

Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me
After the death of their fathers, when they were come into the plains of Moab, and just going to enter the land; they rebelled against the Lord, and greatly provoked him, by joining themselves to Baalpeor, the idol of Moab, they worshipped, ( Numbers 25:3 ) ; they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them;
they did as their fathers before them; though they saw with their eyes the judgments of God upon them, yet this did not deter them from following their evil ways: which [if] a man do, he shall even live in them;
(See Gill on Ezekiel 20:13); they polluted my sabbaths;
just as their fathers had done, taking no warning by them, and what befell them: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish mine
anger against them in the wilderness;
twenty and four thousand died on account of the idolatry of Baalpeor, ( Numbers 25:9 ) .

Ezekiel 20:21 In-Context

19 I am the Lord your God. Follow My statutes, keep My ordinances, and practice them.

20 Keep My Sabbaths holy, and they will be a sign between Me and you, so you may know that I am the Lord your God.

21 "But the children rebelled against Me. They did not follow My statutes or carefully keep My ordinances-the person who does them will live by them. They also profaned My Sabbaths. So I considered pouring out My wrath on them and exhausting My anger against them in the wilderness.

22 But I withheld My hand and acted because of My name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I brought them out.

23 However, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter them among the countries.