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Ezekiel 20

Ezekiel 20:26

Israel’s Rebellion in the Wilderness · Ezekiel 20:10–26
Read Ezekiel 20

Translations

Modern
And I pronounced them unclean through their gifts—the sacrifice of every firstborn in the fire—so that I might devastate them, in order that they would know that I am the LORD.
Traditional
And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the Lord.
Literal
And I made them unclean through their gifts, in making pass through all their firstborn, so that I might make them desolate, so that they would know that I am YHWH.
Latin
Et pollui eos in muneribus suis, cum offerrent omne quod aperit vulvam, propter delicta sua: et scient quia ego Dominus.

Original

Hebrew
English
And I pronounced them unclean through their gifts—the sacrifice of every firstborn in the fire—so that I might devastate them, in order that they would know that I am the LORD.

Notes

Ezekiel 20:26

The Israelites even offered their firstborn children as sacrifices to the god Molech. This was a terrible sin.

This action reversed what God had done in the exodus. At that time, the Lord called Israel his “firstborn son” (Exodus 4:22). He rescued them from slavery so they could worship him in purity in the promised land.

Instead of honoring the Lord, they gave their children to a false god. Their actions showed how far they had turned away from him.

Ezekiel 20:25–26

I also gave them over to statutes that were not good and ordinances … I pronounced them unclean: This means that the Lord allowed the people of Israel to follow their own sinful desires. He did not stop them from choosing false worship and harmful practices.

They took part in the complex and corrupt rituals of paganism (the worship of false gods). As a result, they suffered the painful consequences of their sins (see Romans 1:18–25).

Ezekiel 20:4–26

The Lord refused to answer their question. But this did not mean he had nothing to say.

Instead, God gave them a different message through Ezekiel. Ezekiel would describe the sinful and detestable actions of their ancestors. He would place these past sins clearly before the people.

Events

Glossary

Ezekiel, Book of

Topics

Firstborn of Idolaters, Sacrificed Human Sacrifice Idolatry: Wicked Practices of Human Sacrifices Molech: Children Sacrificed To Offerings: Human Sacrifices: Israelites