God’s Word Translation
Ezekiel 20:11
11I gave them my laws and made my rules known to them. If people obey them they will live.
Ezekiel 20:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.
- New International Version (NIV)I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws, by which the person who obeys them will live.
- English Standard Version (ESV)I gave them my statutes and made known to them my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them.’
Context of Ezekiel 20:11
9But I acted so that my name would not be dishonored among the nations where they were living. While other nations were watching, I made myself known to them by bringing the Israelites out of Egypt. 10“ ‘So I brought the Israelites out of Egypt and led them into the desert. I gave them my laws and made my rules known to them. If people obey them they will live. 12I also gave them certain days to worship me as a sign between us so that they would know that I, the Lord, made them holy. 13“ ‘But the people of Israel rebelled against me in the desert. They didn’t live by my laws, and they rejected my rules. If people obey them, they will live. They dishonored the days of rest—holy days on which to worship me. So I was going to pour out my fury on them in the desert and completely wipe them out.
Read all of Ezekiel 20Ezekiel 20:11 word by word
וָאֶתֵּ֤ן לָהֶם֙ אֶת־חֻקּוֹתַ֔י וְאֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַ֖י הוֹדַ֣עְתִּי אוֹתָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה אוֹתָ֛ם הָאָדָ֖ם וָחַ֥י בָּהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ezekiel 20:11
- Deuteronomy 4:8Or what other great nation has such fair laws and rules as all these teachings I am giving you today?
- Nehemiah 9:13You came from heaven to Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You gave them fair rules, trustworthy teachings, and good laws and commandments.
- Psalms 147:19He speaks his word to Jacob, his laws and judicial decisions to Israel.
- Romans 3:2There are all kinds of advantages. First of all, God entrusted them with his word.
- Ezekiel 20:13“ ‘But the people of Israel rebelled against me in the desert. They didn’t live by my laws, and they rejected my rules. If people obey them, they will live. They dishonored the days of rest—holy days on which to worship me. So I was going to pour out my fury on them in the desert and completely wipe them out.
- Leviticus 18:5Live by my standards, and obey my rules. You will have life through them. I am the Lord.
- Deuteronomy 20:15This is what you must do to all the cities that are far away which don’t belong to the nations nearby.
- Luke 10:28Jesus told him, “You’re right! Do this, and life will be yours.”
- Romans 10:5Moses writes about receiving God’s approval by following his laws. He says, “The person who obeys these laws will live because he obeys them.”
- Galatians 3:12These laws have nothing to do with faith, but, “Whoever obeys laws will live because he obeys them.”
Commentaries on Ezekiel 20:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11I gave them my statutes - I showed them what they should do in order to be safe, comfortable, wise, and happy; and what they should avoid in order to be uninjured in body, mind, and possessions. Had they attended to these things, they should have lived by them. They would have been holy, healthy, and happy.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10-26Verses 10-26 The probation in the wilderness. The promise was forfeited by those to whom it was first conditionally made, but was renewed to their children. Ezekiel 20:11 The “statutes” were given on Mount Sinai, and repeated by Moses before his death (Exodus 20:1 ff; Deuteronomy 4:8). In them - Or, through them: and in Ezekiel 20:13. Ezekiel 20:12 See Exodus 31:13. The Sabbath was a sign of a special people, commemorative of the work of creation, and…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-26Verses 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 prepares us to be happy, that is…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-21Each generation of Israelites rebelled against the Lord. They refused to obey the commandments he gave them. Each time, the Lord warned that he would pour out his fury (his strong anger) on them (Ezekiel 20:8, 13, 21). But he held back his judgment. He did this for the honor of his name. If he had destroyed them, the surrounding nations might have thought he was too weak to bring his people into the promised land.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. which if a man do, he shall ... five in them--not "by them," as though they could justify a man, seeing that man cannot render the faultless obedience required (Le 18:5; Ga 3:12). "By them" is the expression indeed in Ro 10:5; but there the design is to show that, if man could obey all God's laws, he would be justified "by them" (Ga 3:21); but he cannot; he therefore needs to have justification by "the Lord our righteousness" (Jr 23:6); then, having…Read the comment
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ezekiel 20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries