Ezekiel 20:16

16 But they turned their backs on my laws. They did not follow my rules. They misused my Sabbaths. Their hearts were committed to worshiping the statues of their gods.

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 I wanted my name to be honored. I kept it from being treated as if it were not holy. I did not want that to happen in front of the nations. They had seen me bring Israel out of Egypt.

15 " ' "I also raised my hand and took an oath in the desert. I told my people I would not bring them into the land I had given them. It had plenty of milk and honey. It was the most beautiful land of all.

16 But they turned their backs on my laws. They did not follow my rules. They misused my Sabbaths. Their hearts were committed to worshiping the statues of their gods.

17 " ' "Then I felt sorry for them. So I did not destroy them. I did not put an end to them in the desert.

18 I spoke to their children there. I said, 'Do not follow the rules your parents gave you. Do not obey their laws. Do not pollute yourselves by worshiping their gods.