Yechezkel 20:21

21 Notwithstanding, the banim rebelled against Me; they walked not in My chukkot, neither were shomer over My mishpatim to do them, which if ha’adam does, he shall even live in them; they profaned My Shabbatot; then I said, I would pour out My chemah (wrath) upon them, to accomplish My anger against them in the midbar.

Yechezkel 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 ) .

Yechezkel 20:21 In-Context

19 I am Hashem Eloheichem; walk in My chukkot, and be shomer over My mishpatim, and do them;

20 And be shomer shabbos over My Shabbatot, keeping them kodesh; and they shall be an Ot between Me and you, that ye may know that I am Hashem Eloheichem .

21 Notwithstanding, the banim rebelled against Me; they walked not in My chukkot, neither were shomer over My mishpatim to do them, which if ha’adam does, he shall even live in them; they profaned My Shabbatot; then I said, I would pour out My chemah (wrath) upon them, to accomplish My anger against them in the midbar.

22 Nevertheless, I withdrew Mine yad, and acted for My Name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the eyes of the Goyim, in whose sight I brought them forth.

23 I lifted up Mine yad unto them also in the midbar, that I would scatter them among the Goyim, and disperse them through the countries;