Ezekiel 20:29

29 And I said to them, What is the high thing, to which ye enter? And the name thereof is called High Thing till to this day. (And I said to them, What is the high place, or the hill shrine, to which ye enter? And its name is called High Place/Hill Shrine, or Bamah, unto this day.)

Ezekiel 20:29 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 20:29

Then I said unto them
By his prophets that he sent unto them: what is the high place where, unto you go?
what is the name of it? what is the use of it? to what end do you go there? is there not an altar built by my order and command to sacrifice upon is this high place better than that? does it answer a better end and purpose? and the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day;
or a high place. The Septuagint also leaves the word untranslated, and calls it Abama; and the Arabic version Abbana; so they called their altars after the Gentiles, by whom they are called (bwmoi) ; nor were they ashamed of it, but persisted in so calling them, from the first use of them to the present time. These are often called, Bamah and Bamot in the books of Kings. Jarchi says it is a term of reproach, as if it was said, Bamah----in what is it to be accounted of?

Ezekiel 20:29 In-Context

27 Wherefore speak thou, son of man, to the house of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, The Lord God saith these things, Yet and in this your fathers blasphemed me, when they despising had forsaken me (And yet in this your forefathers blasphemed me, when they despising me had deserted me),

28 and I had brought them into the land on which I raised (up) mine hand, that I should give [it] to them, they saw each high little hill, and each tree full of boughs, and they offered there their sacrifices, and they gave there their offerings, into stirring (me) to wrath; and they set there the odour of their sweetness, and they offered their moist sacrifices (and they set forth their offerings of sweet aroma, and they offered their wine offerings).

29 And I said to them, What is the high thing, to which ye enter? And the name thereof is called High Thing till to this day. (And I said to them, What is the high place, or the hill shrine, to which ye enter? And its name is called High Place/Hill Shrine, or Bamah, unto this day.)

30 Therefore say thou to the house of Israel, The Lord God saith these things, Certainly ye be defouled in the way of your fathers, and ye do fornication after the offendings of them, (And so say thou to the house of Israel, The Lord God saith these things, Truly ye be defiled in the ways of your forefathers, and ye do fornication, or idolatry, after their abominations,)

31 and in the offering of your gifts, when ye led over your sons by fire, ye be defouled in all your idols till today, and shall I answer to you, the house of Israel? I live, saith the Lord God, for I shall not answer to you; (and in the offering of your gifts, when ye led your sons and your daughters through the fire, ye be defiled with all your idols unto this day, and so shall I answer you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord God, I shall not answer you;)