Ezekiel 20:18-21

Context

20:18 “‘But I said to their children¹ in the wilderness, “Do not follow the practices of your fathers; do not observe their regulations,² nor defile yourselves with their idols. 20:19 I am the Lord your God; follow my statutes, observe my regulations, and carry them out. 20:20 Treat my Sabbaths as holy³ and they will be a reminder of our relationship,⁴ and then you will know that I am the Lord your God.” 20:21 “‘But the children⁵ rebelled against me, did not follow my statutes, did not observe my regulations by carrying them out (the one who obeys⁶ them will live by them), and desecrated my Sabbaths. I decided to pour out⁷ my rage on them and fully vent my anger against them in the wilderness.

[20:18] ¹tn Heb “sons,” reflecting the patriarchal idiom of the culture.

[20:18] ²tn Or “standard of justice.” See Ezek 7:27.

[20:20] ³tn Or “set apart my Sabbaths.”

[20:20] ⁴tn Heb “and they will become a sign between me and you.”

[20:21] ⁵tn Heb “sons.”

[20:21] ⁶tn Or “carries them out.”

[20:21] ⁷tn Heb “and I said/thought to pour out.”