Ezekiel 20:7
New International Version
And I said to them, “Each of you, get rid of the vile images you have set your eyes on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.”

New Living Translation
Then I said to them, ‘Each of you, get rid of the vile images you are so obsessed with. Do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt, for I am the LORD your God.’

English Standard Version
And I said to them, ‘Cast away the detestable things your eyes feast on, every one of you, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.’

Berean Standard Bible
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.’

King James Bible
Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

New King James Version
Then I said to them, ‘Each of you, throw away the abominations which are before his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’

New American Standard Bible
And I said to them, ‘Throw away, each of you, the detestable things of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.’

NASB 1995
“I said to them, ‘Cast away, each of you, the detestable things of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.’

NASB 1977
“And I said to them, ‘Cast away, each of you, the detestable things of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.’

Legacy Standard Bible
I said to them, ‘Cast away, each of you, the detestable things of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am Yahweh your God.’

Amplified Bible
Then I said to them, ‘Let every man throw away the detestable things on which he feasts his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.’

Christian Standard Bible
I also said to them, “Throw away, each of you, the abhorrent things that you prize, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I also said to them: Each of you must throw away the detestable things that are before your eyes and not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.”

American Standard Version
And I said unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am Jehovah your God.

Contemporary English Version
I told them to get rid of their disgusting idols and not to sin by worshiping the gods of Egypt. I reminded them that I was the LORD their God,

English Revised Version
And I said unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I said to them, "Get rid of the detestable idols that you look to for help. Don't dishonor yourselves with the disgusting idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God."

Good News Translation
I told them to throw away the disgusting idols they loved and not to make themselves unclean with the false gods of Egypt, because I am the LORD their God.

International Standard Version
Then I told them, 'Each of you are to abandon your detestable practices. You are not to defile yourselves with Egypt's idols. I am the LORD your God.'"'"

Majority Standard Bible
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.’

NET Bible
I said to them, "Each of you must get rid of the detestable idols you keep before you, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the LORD your God."

New Heart English Bible
I said to them, 'Cast away every man the abominations of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.'

Webster's Bible Translation
Then said I to them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

World English Bible
I said to them, ‘Each of you throw away the abominations of his eyes. Don’t defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And I say to them, Let each cast away the detestable things of his eyes, "" And do not be defiled with the idols of Egypt, "" I [am] your God YHWH.

Young's Literal Translation
And I say unto them, Let each cast away the detestable things of his eyes, And with the idols of Egypt be not defiled, I am Jehovah your God.

Smith's Literal Translation
And saying to them, Cast ye away each the abominations of his eyes, an ye shall not be defiled with the blocks of Egypt: I am Jehovah your God.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I said to them: Let every man cast away the scandals of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And I said to them: ‘Let each one cast away the offenses of his eyes, and do not choose to defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’

New American Bible
Then I said to them: Throw away, each of you, the detestable things that held your eyes; do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD, your God.

New Revised Standard Version
And I said to them, Cast away the detestable things your eyes feast on, every one of you, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And I said to them, Cast away every man his image from before his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And I said to them, ‘Each man put away his idols from his eyes, and in the worship of Egypt you shall not be defiled. I AM LORD JEHOVAH your God’
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
and I said unto them: Cast ye away every man the detestable things of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And I said to them, Let every one cast away the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the devices of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Israel's Rebellion in Egypt
6On that day I swore to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands. 7And 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.’ 8But they rebelled against Me and refused to listen. None of them cast away the abominations before their eyes, and they did not forsake the idols of Egypt. So I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and vent My anger against them in the land of Egypt.…

Cross References
Exodus 20:3-5
You shall have no other gods before Me. / You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. / You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,

Leviticus 18:3-4
You must not follow the practices of the land of Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not follow the practices of the land of Canaan, into which I am bringing you. You must not walk in their customs. / You are to practice My judgments and keep My statutes by walking in them. I am the LORD your God.

Deuteronomy 29:16-18
For you yourselves know how we lived in the land of Egypt and how we passed through the nations on the way here. / You saw the abominations and idols among them made of wood and stone, of silver and gold. / Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the LORD our God to go and worship the gods of those nations. Make sure there is no root among you that bears such poisonous and bitter fruit,

Joshua 24:14
Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; cast aside the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.

2 Kings 17:12-15
They served idols, although the LORD had told them, “You shall not do this thing.” / Yet through all His prophets and seers, the LORD warned Israel and Judah, saying, “Turn from your wicked ways and keep My commandments and statutes, according to the entire Law that I commanded your fathers and delivered to you through My servants the prophets.” / But they would not listen, and they stiffened their necks like their fathers, who did not believe the LORD their God. ...

Psalm 106:35-39
but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs. / They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them. / They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. ...

Isaiah 2:8
Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made.

Jeremiah 16:18
And I will first repay them double their iniquity and their sin, because they have defiled My land with the carcasses of their detestable idols, and they have filled My inheritance with their abominations.”

Hosea 9:10
I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the firstfruits of the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal-peor, and consecrated themselves to Shame; so they became as detestable as the thing they loved.

Amos 5:25-27
Did you bring Me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? / You have taken along Sakkuth your king and Kaiwan your star god, the idols you made for yourselves. / Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Damascus,” says the LORD, whose name is the God of Hosts.

Acts 7:42-43
But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘Did you bring Me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? / You have taken along the tabernacle of Molech and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’

Romans 1:21-23
For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. / Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, / and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

1 Corinthians 10:7
Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”

2 Corinthians 6:16-17
What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” / “Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”

Galatians 4:8-9
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. / But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and worthless principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?


Treasury of Scripture

Then said I to them, Cast you away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

Cast

Ezekiel 20:8
But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

Ezekiel 18:6,15,31
And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour's wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman, …

Isaiah 2:20,21
In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; …

the abominations

Ezekiel 6:9
And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.

Ezekiel 14:6
Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.

2 Chronicles 15:8
And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD.

defile

Ezekiel 23:3,8
And they committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their youth: there were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of their virginity…

Leviticus 17:7
And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations.

Leviticus 18:3
After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.

I am

Ezekiel 20:19
I am the LORD your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them;

Exodus 16:12
I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 11:44
For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

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Abominations Cast Defile Defiled Detestable Disgusting Egypt Eyes Feast Idols Images Rid Turned Vile Yourselves
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Abominations Cast Defile Defiled Detestable Disgusting Egypt Eyes Feast Idols Images Rid Turned Vile Yourselves
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














And I said to them
This phrase indicates a direct communication from God to the Israelites. The Hebrew root for "said" is "אָמַר" (amar), which conveys not just speaking but a declaration or command. This emphasizes the authority and seriousness of God's message. Historically, this reflects God's ongoing dialogue with His people, often through prophets, to guide and correct them.

Each of you
This phrase personalizes the command, indicating that the responsibility lies with every individual. The Hebrew word "אִישׁ" (ish) for "each" or "man" underscores the personal accountability expected from every member of the community. This highlights the biblical principle that faith and obedience are personal commitments.

must throw away
The Hebrew root "שָׁלַךְ" (shalach) means to cast away or discard. This action is not passive but requires decisive and deliberate effort. The historical context here is the Israelites' need to separate themselves from the corrupting influences of their past in Egypt, symbolizing a complete break from sin.

the abominations
The term "abominations" comes from the Hebrew "תּוֹעֵבָה" (to'evah), which refers to things that are detestable or loathsome, particularly in a religious or moral sense. In the context of ancient Israel, this often referred to practices or objects associated with idolatry and pagan worship, which were strictly forbidden by God.

before his eyes
This phrase suggests that the abominations were not hidden but openly visible and perhaps even accepted in their daily lives. The Hebrew "עֵינַיִם" (einaim) for "eyes" implies awareness and perception, indicating that the Israelites were knowingly engaging with these detestable practices.

do not defile yourselves
The Hebrew root "טָמֵא" (tame) means to become unclean or impure. This command is a call to holiness, urging the Israelites to maintain spiritual and moral purity. The historical context is the covenant relationship between God and Israel, where purity was essential for worship and community life.

with the idols of Egypt
The "idols" or "גִּלּוּלִים" (gillulim) in Hebrew, refer to the false gods worshiped in Egypt. This phrase serves as a reminder of the Israelites' past bondage and the spiritual corruption they were to leave behind. Archaeologically, Egypt was known for its pantheon of gods, and this command underscores the need for Israel to reject these influences.

I am the LORD your God
This declaration, "אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם" (Ani Yahweh Eloheichem), reaffirms God's identity and His covenant relationship with Israel. "LORD" (Yahweh) is the personal name of God, emphasizing His eternal, self-existent nature. This phrase is a powerful reminder of God's sovereignty and the exclusive worship He demands from His people. It serves as both a reassurance of His presence and a call to loyalty and obedience.

Verses 7-10. - No special mention of the idols of Egypt occurs in the Pentateuch, but it lies, in the nature of the case, that this was the form of idolatry implied in the second commandment, and the history of the "golden calf" (Exodus 32:4) shows that they had caught the infection of the Mnevis or Apis worship while they sojourned in Egypt. Here apparently the prophet speaks of that sojourn prior to the mission of Moses. In bold anthropomorphic speech he represents Jehovah as half purposing to make an end of the people there and then, and afterwards repenting. He wrought for his Name's sake, that the deliverance of the Exodus might manifest his righteousness and might, the attributes specially implied in that Name, to Egypt and the surrounding nations. They should not have it in their power to say that he had abandoned the people whom he had chosen.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And I said
וָאֹמַ֣ר (wā·’ō·mar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to them:
אֲלֵהֶ֗ם (’ă·lê·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

“Each of you
אִ֣ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

must throw away
הַשְׁלִ֔יכוּ (haš·lî·ḵū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 7993: To throw out, down, away

the abominations
שִׁקּוּצֵ֤י (šiq·qū·ṣê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 8251: Disgusting, filthy, idolatrous, an idol

before his eyes,
עֵינָיו֙ (‘ê·nāw)
Noun - cdc | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

and you must not
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

defile yourselves
תִּטַּמָּ֑אוּ (tiṭ·ṭam·mā·’ū)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 2930: To be or become unclean

with the idols
וּבְגִלּוּלֵ֥י (ū·ḇə·ḡil·lū·lê)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1544: A log, an idol

of Egypt.
מִצְרַ֖יִם (miṣ·ra·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa

I
אֲנִ֖י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

am the LORD
יְהוָ֥ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

your God.”
אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ (’ĕ·lō·hê·ḵem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 20:7 I said to them Cast you away (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 20:6
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