The Meaning of Ezekiel 20:16 Explained

Ezekiel 20:16

KJV: Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

YLT: Because against My judgments they did kick, And in My statutes they have not walked, And My sabbaths they have polluted, For after their idols their heart is going.

Darby: because they rejected mine ordinances and walked not in my statutes, and profaned my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

ASV: because they rejected mine ordinances, and walked not in my statutes, and profaned my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Because they despised  my judgments,  and walked  not in my statutes,  but polluted  my sabbaths:  for their heart  went  after  their idols. 

What does Ezekiel 20:16 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 20

1  God refuses to be consulted by the elders of Israel
4  He shows the story of their rebellions in Egypt
19  in the desert
27  and in the land
33  He promises to gather them by the Gospel
45  Under the name of a forest he shows the destruction of Jerusalem

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 20:16 mean?

because My judgments they despised and in My statutes not did walk in but My Sabbaths profaned for after their idols their heart went
יַ֜עַן בְּמִשְׁפָּטַ֣י מָאָ֗סוּ וְאֶת־ חֻקּוֹתַי֙ לֹא־ הָלְכ֣וּ בָהֶ֔ם וְאֶת־ שַׁבְּתוֹתַ֖י חִלֵּ֑לוּ כִּ֛י אַחֲרֵ֥י גִלּוּלֵיהֶ֖ם לִבָּ֥ם הֹלֵֽךְ

יַ֜עַן  because 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יַעַן  
Sense: because, therefore, because that, on account of prep.
בְּמִשְׁפָּטַ֣י  My  judgments 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
מָאָ֗סוּ  they  despised 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: מָאַס 
Sense: to reject, despise, refuse.
חֻקּוֹתַי֙  in  My  statutes 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: חֻקָּה  
Sense: statute, ordinance, limit, enactment, something prescribed.
הָלְכ֣וּ  did  walk 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
שַׁבְּתוֹתַ֖י  My  Sabbaths 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, first person common singular
Root: שַׁבָּת  
Sense: Sabbath.
חִלֵּ֑לוּ  profaned 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: חָלַל 
Sense: to profane, defile, pollute, desecrate, begin.
אַחֲרֵ֥י  after 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
גִלּוּלֵיהֶ֖ם  their  idols 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: גִּלּוּלִים  
Sense: idols.
לִבָּ֥ם  their  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
הֹלֵֽךְ  went 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.