Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 20:16
Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.
16. polluted my sabbaths ] profaned.
went after their idols ] Exodus 32; Numbers 25; Hos 9:10. Amo 5:25 cannot be appealed to here.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
See the whole former part of this verse explained already, Eze 20:13. Their heart went after their idols; their will and affections, their zeal and resolution, were for their idols which they served in Egypt, and which they had brought with them out of Egypt.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
16. The special reason isstated by Moses (Num 13:32;Num 13:33; Num 14:4)to be that they, through fear arising from the false report of thespies, wished to return to Egypt; the general reasons arestated here which lay at the root of their rejection of God’s grace;namely, contempt of God and His laws, and love of idols.
their heartThe faultlay in it (Ps 78:37).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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 comments on Eze 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 Eze 20:16; and such are all worldly things, in comparison of God, that the heart of man is going after.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The reason of the oath of which mention has been made is expressed by Moses, because being frightened by a false report they wished to return to Egypt: but here a cause is assigned to their superstitions. (Num 13:32, and Num 14:1.) But it suits each case well, since if they had been sincerely obedient to God, they would never have refused to remove their camp, and fearlessly to proceed where he commanded them. But since they first detested the land, and then terror and despair seized their minds so that they rejected the inestimable blessing of God, it is clear that not a drop of piety existed in their hearts. Although therefore the special reason why they did not enter the land of Canaan was their refusing to obey the call of God, yet the Prophet adds also their superstitions. For impiety and contempt of God was the reason why they so boldly, proudly, and furiously rejected the grace of God, and wished even to stone Moses, and then when penitent they encouraged each other to return to live again under the tyranny of Egypt. We see, therefore, how the Prophet here lays down general causes from which that impious dislike of the land proceeded, as well as the rejection of the grace of God. He says, therefore, because they had despised my judgments and had not walked in my statutes. He here inverts the order: he had formerly said that they had not walked in his statutes and had despised my judgments; but now he begins with the contempt: and have polluted my Sabbaths, because their hearts went after their idols. The sense is, that they always treated God deceitfully: and although they held that he was to be worshipped formally, yet they were always addicted to various superstitions: as also Stephen reproves them, (Act 7:40,) for he agrees entirely with our Prophet. As he puts Sabbaths in the plural number, I do not interpret it so strictly as some do, thinking that the Prophet means Sabbaths of years, and afterwards the jubilee: for there were three Sabbaths among the Jews; that is, every seventh day was consecrated to God, and every seventh year, and every fiftieth. Although it is true that years were sabbatical as well as days, yet I do not think that the Prophet is making any subtle distinctions here but I take Sabbath to mean the seventh day. It now follows —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
“Because they rejected my judgments and did not walk in my statutes, and profaned my sabbaths, for their heart went after their idols.”
The reason for His anger is again declared. They rejected His judgments and did not walk in His statutes. God’s requirements were put aside and ignored for the sake of their idols. They broke the covenant with Yahweh. And their idol worship led to them desecrating the Sabbath, presumably justifying it on religious grounds. We too may have our idols, things which we set our hearts on which prevent us living in accordance with God’s will and requirements. And they too will bring judgment on us.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 20:16 Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.
Ver. 16. For their heart went after their idols. ] Heb., Their dungy deities; those dirty delights carried them sheer away from God and goodness. Any beloved sin will do so.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
their heart went, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Exo 32:23).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
they: Eze 20:13, Eze 20:14
for their: They still had a hankering after the idolatries they had learned in Egypt, to which they added new idols, which they had seen in countries through which they had travelled, as those of the Midianites, Amorites, etc. Eze 20:8, Eze 14:3, Eze 14:4, Eze 23:8, Exo 32:1-8, Num 15:39, Num 25:2, Amo 5:25, Amo 5:26, Act 7:39-43
Reciprocal: Exo 16:28 – General Exo 31:14 – keep Pro 13:13 – despiseth Jer 7:24 – they Jer 17:23 – they obeyed Eze 11:12 – General Eze 20:24 – they had Amo 2:4 – because
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 20:16. When men rebel against tbe righteous commandments of the Lord it is generally due to some other interests. In thi9 case the verse ex- piains it by saying ffteir heart went after their idols.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
20:16 Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but profaned my {h} sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.
(h) That is, my true religion, which I had commanded them, and gave themselves to serve me according to their own fantasies.