Ezekiel 20:13 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Israel rebelled against God's law and Sabbath in the wilderness, facing threatened destruction.
The Context of Ezekiel 20:13
Israel's wilderness rebellion includes breaking the Sabbath and despising God's law.
What Does Ezekiel 20:13 Mean?
The wilderness generation, despite witnessing miracles, refused obedience. 'Walked not' and 'despised' indicate deliberate rejection, not ignorance. Their pollution of the Sabbath was particularly egregious, since the Sabbath was the sign of their covenant relationship—by profaning it, they were severing the bond that made them God's people.
God again threatened to consume them in the wilderness, a judgment that would erase the covenant generation and start anew. This was the crisis point: Israel, freed and instructed, had become covenant-breakers. The threat was real, representing the genuine alternative that faced the people—destruction or repentance.
Ezekiel 20:13 in the Original Language
yikra (יִקְרָא), 'despised' — more literally, the people scorned or treated as contemptible. This was not passive disobedience but active contempt.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ezekiel 20:13
What does Ezekiel 20:13 mean?
Israel rebelled against God's law and Sabbath in the wilderness, facing threatened destruction.
What is the context of Ezekiel 20:13?
Israel's wilderness rebellion includes breaking the Sabbath and despising God's law.