Ezekiel 20:18

16 because they kept rejecting My ordinances, refusing to walk in My statutes, and profaning My Sabbaths; for their hearts continually went after their idols.

17 Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy them or bring them to an end in the wilderness.

In the wilderness I said to their children: ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers or keep their ordinances or defile yourselves with their idols.

19 I am the LORD your God; walk in My statutes, keep My ordinances, and practice them.

20 Keep My Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us, so that you may know that I am the LORD your God.’

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
In the wilderness I said to their children: ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers or keep their ordinances or defile yourselves with their idols.
KJV
But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols:
WEB
I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Don’t walk in the statutes of your fathers. Don’t observe their ordinances or defile yourselves with their idols.
ASV
And I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their ordinances, nor defile yourselves with their idols.
DARBY
And I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk not in the statutes of your fathers, neither keep their ordinances, nor defile yourselves with their idols.
BLB
And I said to their sons in the wilderness, ‘In the statutes of your⁺ fathers you⁺ shall not walk, and their ordinances you⁺ shall not keep, and with their idols you⁺ shall not defile yourselves.
ÅB
Og jeg sa til deres barn i ørkenen: Følg ikke deres fedres bud og hold ikke deres lover og gjør dere ikke urene med deres motbydelige avguder!
OTB
Jeg sa til deres barn i ørkenen: "Følg ikke deres foreldres lover eller hold deres forordninger eller gjør dere urene med deres avguder.
B1930
Og jeg sa til deres barn i ørkenen: Følg ikke eders fedres bud og hold ikke deres lover og gjør eder ikke urene med deres motbydelige avguder!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Deuteronomy 4:3–6

    Your eyes have seen what the LORD did at Baal-peor, for the LORD your God destroyed from among you all who followed Baal of Peor.

    Read in context
  • Acts 7:51

    You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.

    Read in context
  • Psalms 78:6–8

    that the coming generation would know them— even children yet to be born— to arise and tell their own children

    Read in context
  • Zechariah 1:2–4

    “The LORD was very angry with your fathers.

    Read in context
  • Ezekiel 20:7

    And I said to them: ‘Each of you must throw away the abominations before his eyes, and you must not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’

    Read in context
  • 1 Peter 1:18

    For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers,

    Read in context
  • Jeremiah 3:9

    Indifferent to her own infidelity, Israel had defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees.

    Read in context
  • Jeremiah 2:7

    I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and bounty, but you came and defiled My land, and made My inheritance detestable.

    Read in context