Ezekiel 20 · Verse 21

Ezekiel 20:21

Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.
Ezekiel 20:21, King James Version

Ezekiel 20:21 in other translations

BSBBut the children rebelled against Me. They did not walk in My statutes or carefully observe My ordinances—though the man who does these things will live by them—and they profaned My Sabbaths. So I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and vent My anger against them in the wilderness.
WEB“‘“But the children rebelled against me. They didn’t walk in my statutes, and didn’t keep my ordinances to do them, which if a man does, he shall live in them. They profaned my Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.
ASVBut the children rebelled against me; they walked not in my statutes, neither kept mine ordinances to do them, which if a man do, he shall live in them; they profaned my sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.
YLTAnd--the sons rebel against Me, In My statutes they have not walked, And My judgments they have not observed--to do them, Which the man who doth--liveth by them. My sabbaths they have polluted, And I say to pour out My fury upon them, To complete Mine anger against them in the wilderness.
DARBYAnd the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept mine ordinances to do them, which if a man do, he shall live by them; they profaned my sabbaths: and I said I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish mine anger against them in the wilderness.
BBEBut the children would not be controlled by me; they were not guided by my rules, and they did not keep and do my orders, which, if a man does them, will be life to him; and they had no respect for my Sabbaths: then I said I would let loose my passion on them to give full effect to my wrath against them in the waste land.
WebsterNotwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man doeth, he shall even live in them: they profaned my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.

What does Ezekiel 20:21 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
21. Though warned by the judgment on their fathers, the next generation also rebelled against God. The "kindness of Israel's youth and love of her espousals in the wilderness" (Jr 2:2, 3) were only comparative (the corruption in later times being more general), and confined to the minority; as a whole, Israel at no time fully served God. The "children" it was that fell into the fearful apostasy on the plains of Moab at the close of the wilderness sojourn (Nu 25:1, 2; De 31:27).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ezekiel 20:10-26

. The history of Israel in the wilderness is referred to in the new Testament as well as in the Old, for warning. God did great things for them. He gave them the law, and revived the ancient keeping of the sabbath day. Sabbaths are privileges; they are signs of our being his people. If we do the duty of the day, we shall find, to our comfort, it is the Lord that makes us holy, that is, truly happy, here; and…

Read the full comment on Ezekiel 20:10-26 →

Ezekiel 20:21 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיַּמְרוּ\־vai.yam.ru-and they rebelledH4784
בִ֣יviagainst me
הַבָּנִ֗יםha.ba.Nimthe childrenH1121
בְּחֻקּוֹתַ֣יbe.chu.ko.Taiin statutes myH2708
לֹֽא\־lo'-notH3808
הָ֠לָכוּHa.la.khuthey walkedH1980
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
מִשְׁפָּטַ֨יmish.pa.Taijudgments myH4941
לֹא\־lo'-notH3808
שָׁמְר֜וּsha.me.Ruthey keptH8104
לַעֲשׂ֣וֹתla.'a.Sotto observeH6213
אוֹתָ֗ם'o.Tam<obj.> themH853
אֲשֶׁר֩'a.SherwhichH834
יַעֲשֶׂ֨הya.'a.Sehhe will doH6213
אוֹתָ֤ם'o.Tam<obj.> themH853
הָֽאָדָם֙ha.'a.Damthe personH120
וָחַ֣יva.Chaiand he will liveH2421
בָּהֶ֔םba.Hemby them
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
שַׁבְּתוֹתַ֖יsha.be.to.Taisabbaths myH7676
חִלֵּ֑לוּchi.Le.luthey profanedH2490
וָאֹמַ֞רva.'o.Marand I saidH559
לִשְׁפֹּ֧ךְlish.Pokhto pour outH8210
חֲמָתִ֣יcha.ma.Tirage myH2534
עֲלֵיהֶ֗ם'a.lei.Hemon themH5921
לְכַלּ֥וֹתle.kha.Lotto completeH3615
אַפִּ֛י'a.Pianger myH639
בָּ֖םbamon them
בַּמִּדְבָּֽר\׃ba.mid.Barin the wildernessH4057

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ezekiel 20:21

  • Ezekiel 20:13

    But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.

  • Ezekiel 20:8

    But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

  • Deuteronomy 31:27

    For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the Lord; and how much more after my death?

  • Numbers 21:5

    And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.

  • Daniel 11:36

    And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.

  • Ezekiel 7:8

    Now will I shortly pour out my fury upon thee, and accomplish mine anger upon thee: and I will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations.

  • Acts 13:18

    And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.

  • 2 Chronicles 34:25

    Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched.

  • Ezekiel 21:31

    And I will pour out mine indignation upon thee, I will blow against thee in the fire of my wrath, and deliver thee into the hand of brutish men, and skilful to destroy.

  • Deuteronomy 9:23-24

    Likewise when the Lord sent you from Kadesh–barnea, saying, Go up and possess the land which I have given you; then ye rebelled against the commandment of the Lord your God, and ye believed him not, nor hearkened to his voice. Ye have been rebellious against the Lord from the day that I knew you.

  • 2 Chronicles 34:21

    Go, enquire of the Lord for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord, to do after all that is written in this book.

  • Psalms 106:29-33

    Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them. Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed. And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore. They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes: …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the children.
Nu 21:5; 25:1-8; De 9:23,24; 31:27; Ps 106:29-33; Ac 13:18
if a man.
11,13
I would.
8,13; 21:31; 2Ch 34:21,25; Re 16:1
accomplish.
7:8; 13:15; La 4:11; Da 11:36

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ezekiel 20:20

    And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.

  • Ezekiel 20:21

    Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.

  • Ezekiel 20:22

    Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand, and wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth.

Read all of Ezekiel 20

Ezekiel 20:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y los hijos se rebelaron contra mí: no anduvieron en mis ordenanzas, ni guardaron mis derechos para ponerlos por obra, los cuales el hombre que los cumpliere, vivirá en ellos; profanaron mis sábados. Dije entonces que derramaría mi ira sobre ellos, para cumplir mi enojo en ellos en el desierto.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et les fils se rebellèrent contre moi; ils ne marchèrent pas dans mes statuts et ne gardèrent pas mes ordonnances pour les pratiquer, – par lesquels, s’il les pratique, un homme vivra; ils profanèrent mes sabbats; et je dis que je verserais sur eux ma fureur, pour consommer ma colère contre eux dans le désert.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Aber die Kinder waren widerspenstig gegen mich; sie wandelten nicht in meinen Satzungen und hielten meine Rechte nicht, um sie zu tun, durch welche der Mensch, wenn er sie tut, leben wird; sie entweihten meine Sabbathe. Da gedachte ich, meinen Grimm über sie auszugießen, meinen Zorn an ihnen zu vollenden in der Wüste.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et exacerbaverunt me filii: in præceptis meis non ambulaverunt, et judicia mea non custodierunt ut facerent ea, quæ cum fecerit homo, vivet in eis, et sabbata mea violaverunt. Et comminatus sum ut effunderem furorem meum super eos, et implerem iram meam in eis in deserto.