Ezekiel 20:4

4 Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers;

Ezekiel 20:4 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 20:4

Wilt thou judge them, son of man?
&c.] Excuse them, patronise them, defend their cause, and plead for them? surely thou wilt not; or rather, wilt thou not reprove and correct them, judge and condemn them, for their sins and wickedness? this thou oughtest to do: wilt thou judge [them]?
this is repeated, to show the vehemency of the speaker, and the duty of the prophet: cause them to know the abominations of their fathers:
the sins they committed, which were abominable in themselves, and rendered them abominable unto God, and what came upon them for them; by which they would be led to see the abominable evils which they also had been guilty of, in which they had imitated their fathers, and what they had reason to expect in consequence of them.

Ezekiel 20:4 In-Context

2 The word of the LORD came to me, saying,

3 Son of man, speak to the Zakenim of Yisra'el, and tell them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Is it to inquire of me that you have come? As I live, says the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you.

4 Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers;

5 and tell them, Thus says the Lord GOD: In the day when I chose Yisra'el, and swore to the seed of the house of Ya`akov, and made myself known to them in the land of Mitzrayim, when I swore to them, saying, I am the LORD your God;

6 in that day I swore to them, to bring them forth out of the land of Mitzrayim into a land that I had searched out for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands.