ezekiel 20 and 21

Read Ezekiel 20 and 21 at Bible Gateway.

The Hebrew paragraph divisions:

Eze 20:1 {s} In the 7th year, 5th month, 10th day, elders of Israel came to inquire of YHVH
Eze 20:2-26 {s} The abominations of the fathers: refusal to walk in YHVH’s commandments
Eze 20:27-29 {s} The blasphemy of the fathers, and their unfaithfulness to YHVH
Eze 20:30-31a {s} Defiling yourselves by your idolatry with the abominations of the fathers
Eze 20:31b-44 {s} The restoration of Israel under the rule of YHVH, for His name’s sake
Eze 20:45-49 {p} Prophecy against the South: unquenchable fire kindled by YHVH
Eze 21:1-5 {s} Prophecy against Jerusalem: YHVH’s sword to cut off both righteous + wicked from south to north
Eze 21:6-7 {p} Ezekiel’s sighing because of the sword of YHVH which is coming
Eze 21:8-13 {p} The sword of YHVH sharpened against YHVH’s people, the princes + scepter of Israel
Eze 21:14-17 {p} The sword of YHVH for the third time against the great men, then His fury shall rest
Eze 21:18-23 {s} The sword of the king of Babylon at the parting of the roads: Ammon, or Judah
Eze 21:24 {p} Because you have caused your iniquity to be remembered, you will be taken in hand
Eze 21:25 {s} Now to you, O profane, wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come, whose iniquity shall end
Eze 21:26-27 {p} Remove the crown, for you are overthrown, until He comes whose right it is
Eze 21:28-32 {p} Prophecy against the Ammonites for their reproach: a sword is drawn, you are remembered no more

Eze 20 chiastic structure:

introduction) Eze 20:1 {s} In the 7th year, 5th month, 10th day, elders of Israel came to inquire of YHVH;

1a) Eze 20:2-3, Say to the elders of Israel: “Have you come to inquire of Me? I will not be inquired of by you;”

1b) Eze 20:4-5, The abominations of their fathers/ My hand in oath/ I am YHVH your God;

1) Eze 20:4, Will you judge them, son of man? Then make known to them the abominations of their fathers;
2) Eze 20:5a, I raised My hand in oath to the descendants of Jacob + made Myself known to them in Egypt;
3) Eze 20:5b, Saying, ‘I am YHVH your God;’

1c) Eze 20:6-16, They despised My statutes + sign of the Sabbath/ their heart was with their idols;

1a) Eze 20:6-7, My oath re: the land/ forsake idolatry for I am YHVH your God;

1) Eze 20:6, My oath to bring them out of Egypt, into the land ‘flowing with milk + honey,’ the glory of all lands;
2) Eze 20:7a, I said: Throw away your abominations/ do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt;
3) Eze 20:7b, I am YHVH your God;

1b) Eze 20:8-9, They rebelled against Me + did not forsake their idols/ My fury but acted for My name’s sake;

1) Eze 20:8a, But they rebelled against Me and would not obey Me;
2) Eze 20:8b, They did not cast away their abominations nor forsake the idols of Egypt;
3) Eze 20:8c, I will pour out My fury + fulfill My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt;
4) Eze 20:9, I acted for My name’s sake/not profaned before the Gentiles in whose sight I had made Myself known;

central axis) Eze 20:10-12, “Therefore I made them go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them.’ Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am YHVH who sanctifies them;”

2b)Eze 20:13-14, They rebelled against Me + did not keep My statutes/ My fury but acted for My name’s sake;

1) Eze 20:13a, Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness;
2) Eze 20:13b, They did not keep My statutes ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’/ defiled My Sabbaths;
3) Eze 20:13c, I would pour out My fury on them in the wilderness, to consume them;
4) Eze 20:14, I acted for My name’s sake/ not profaned before the Gentiles in whose sight I brought them out;

2a) Eze 20:15-16, My oath re: the land/ they despised My statutes for their heart was with their idols;

1) Eze 20:15, My oath in the wilderness: I will not bring them into the land ‘flowing w/milk + honey,’ glory of lands;
2) Eze 20:16a, Because they despised My judgments + statutes, but profaned My Sabbaths;
3) Eze 20:16b, For their heart went after their idols (their heart not consecrated to YHVH their God);

2c) Eze 20:13-24, They despised My judgments + the sign of the Sabbath/ their eyes were fixed on their idols;

1a.1)Eze 20:13-14, They rebelled against Me + did not keep My statutes/ My fury but acted for My name’s sake;

1) Eze 20:13a, Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness;
2) Eze 20:13b, They did not keep My statutes ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’/ defiled My Sabbaths;
3) Eze 20:13c, I would pour out My fury on them in the wilderness, to consume them;
4) Eze 20:14, I acted for My name’s sake/ not profaned before the Gentiles in whose sight I brought them out;

1a.2) Eze 20:15-16, My oath re: the land/ they despised My statutes for their heart was with their idols;

1) Eze 20:15, My oath in the wilderness: I will not bring them into the land ‘flowing w/milk + honey,’ glory of lands;
2) Eze 20:16a, Because they despised My judgments + statutes, but profaned My Sabbaths;
3) Eze 20:16b, For their heart went after their idols (their heart not consecrated to YHVH their God);

central axis) Eze 20:17-20, “Nevertheless My eye spared them from destruction. I did not make an end of them in the wilderness. But I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols. I am YHVH your God: Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them; hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am YHVH your God;’”

2a.1) Eze 20:21-22, They rebelled against Me + did not keep My statutes/ My fury but acted for My name’s sake;

1) Eze 20:21a, Notwithstanding, the children rebelled against Me;
2) Eze 20:21b, They did not keep My statutes ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’/ profaned My Sabbaths;
3) Eze 20:21c, I would pour out My fury + fulfill My anger against them in the wilderness;
4) Eze 20:22, I acted for My name’s sake/ not profaned before the Gentiles in whose sight I brought them out;

2a.2) Eze 20:23-24, My oath re: countries of the Gentiles/ they despised My judgments, their eyes with their idols;

1) Eze 20:23, My oath in the wilderness: I will scatter + disperse them among the Gentiles + their countries;
2) Eze 20:24a, Because they had not executed My judgments + statutes, and profaned My Sabbaths;
3) Eze 20:24b, Their eyes were fixed on their fathers’ idols (their eyes were not fixed on YHVH their God);

2b) Eze 20:25-31 {sx3} The abominations of their fathers/ I am YHVH not your idols/ My hand in oath;

1a) Eze 20:25-26 {s} Statutes + judgments by which they cannot live + make desolate/ firstborn through the fire;

1a) Eze 20:25, I gave them up to statutes + judgments that were not good, by which they could not live;
central axis) Eze 20:26a, I pronounced them unclean because they passed their firstborn through the fire;
2a) Eze 20:26b {s} That I might make them desolate + that they might know that I am YHVH;

1b) Eze 20:27, In this too your fathers have blasphemed Me, by being unfaithful to Me;

central axis) Eze 20:28a, When I brought them into the land I had raised My hand in an oath to give them;

2b) Eze 20:28b-29 {s} They offered their sacrifices + offerings on the high places of the high hills;

2a) Eze 20:30-31 {s} Defiling yourselves with the abominations of your fathers/ sons through the fire;

1a) Eze 20:30, Are you defiling yourselves + committing harlotry like your fathers’ abominations?
central axis) Eze 20:31a, For when you offer your gifts and make your sons pass through the fire;
2a) Eze 20:31b {s} You defile yourselves with all your idols, even to this day;

2a) Eze 20:31b-44 {p} Shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? I will not be inquired of by you.

The Eze 20:31b-44 element also makes a complex chiastic structure, an amazing structure about God’s restoration of His people … but it was too complex for me to complete today. It is half done in my notes for next time though.

This unusual chiastic structure uses overlapping elements from the 1c pair in the 2c pair. It is really the central axis’ of both the c pairs that form the central axis for the entire structure: the Sabbath is the sign of the covenant between YHVH and His people, and when His people despise His Sabbath (one of His statutes and judgments) they have despised His covenant. Let that not be said of us!