Ezekiel 11:20
New International Version
Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

New Living Translation
so they will obey my decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God.

English Standard Version
that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

Berean Standard Bible
so that they may follow My statutes, keep My ordinances, and practice them. Then they will be My people, and I will be their God.

King James Bible
That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

New King James Version
that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.

New American Standard Bible
so that they may walk in My statutes, and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God.

NASB 1995
that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God.

NASB 1977
that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances, and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God.

Legacy Standard Bible
that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God.

Amplified Bible
that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God.

Christian Standard Bible
so that they will follow my statutes, keep my ordinances, and practice them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
so they may follow My statutes, keep My ordinances, and practice them. Then they will be My people, and I will be their God.

American Standard Version
that they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

Contemporary English Version
and all my laws and teachings. You will be my people, and I will be your God.

English Revised Version
that they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then they will live by my laws and obey my rules. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

Good News Translation
Then they will keep my laws and faithfully obey all my commands. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

International Standard Version
When they live by my statutes and keep my ordinances by observing them, then they'll be my people and I will be their God.

Majority Standard Bible
so that they may follow My statutes, keep My ordinances, and practice them. Then they will be My people, and I will be their God.

NET Bible
so that they may follow my statutes and observe my regulations and carry them out. Then they will be my people, and I will be their God.

New Heart English Bible
that they may walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

Webster's Bible Translation
That they may walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

World English Bible
that they may walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
So that they walk in My statutes, "" And keep My judgments, and have done them, "" And they have been to Me for a people, "" And I am to them for God.

Young's Literal Translation
So that in My statutes they walk, And My judgments they keep, and have done them, And they have been to me for a people, And I am to them for God.

Smith's Literal Translation
That they shall walk in my laws, and they shall watch my judgments and do them, and they were to me for a people and I shall be to them for God.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
That they may walk in my commandments, and keep my judgments, and do them: and that they may be my people, and I may be their God.

Catholic Public Domain Version
So may they may walk in my precepts, and observe my judgments, and accomplish them. And so may they be my people, and I will be their God.

New American Bible
so that they walk according to my statutes, taking care to keep my ordinances. Thus they will be my people, and I will be their God.

New Revised Standard Version
so that they may follow my statutes and keep my ordinances and obey them. Then they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
That they may walk in my commandments and keep my ordinances and do them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they shall walk in my commandments, and they shall keep my judgments and they shall do them, and they shall be to me a people, and I shall be God to them
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
that they may walk in My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances, and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
that they may walk in my commandments, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be to me a people, and I will be to them a God.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Promise of Restoration
19And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh, 20so that they may follow My statutes, keep My ordinances, and practice them. Then they will be My people, and I will be their God. 21But as for those whose hearts pursue detestable things and abominations, I will bring their conduct down upon their own heads, declares the Lord GOD.”…

Cross References
Jeremiah 31:33
“But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.

Hebrews 8:10
For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their minds and inscribe them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.

Hebrews 10:16
“This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their hearts and inscribe them on their minds.”

Jeremiah 32:39-40
I will give them one heart and one way, so that they will always fear Me for their own good and for the good of their children after them. / I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never turn away from doing good to them, and I will put My fear in their hearts, so that they will never turn away from Me.

Deuteronomy 30:6
The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.

Romans 8:4
so that the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:3
It is clear that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

Ezekiel 36:26-27
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. / And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances.

Psalm 119:1-3
Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the Law of the LORD. / Blessed are those who keep His testimonies and seek Him with all their heart. / They do no iniquity; they walk in His ways.

John 14:15
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

John 15:10
If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.

Romans 6:4
We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life.

Romans 7:6
But now, having died to what bound us, we have been released from the law, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

Galatians 5:16
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Galatians 5:25
Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit.


Treasury of Scripture

That they may walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

they may

Ezekiel 11:12
And ye shall know that I am the LORD: for ye have not walked in my statutes, neither executed my judgments, but have done after the manners of the heathen that are round about you.

Psalm 105:45
That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the LORD.

Psalm 119:4,5,32
Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently…

and they

Ezekiel 14:11
That the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 36:28
And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

Ezekiel 37:27
My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

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Careful Decrees Follow Guided Judgments Laws Obey Orders Ordinances Rules Statutes Walk
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Careful Decrees Follow Guided Judgments Laws Obey Orders Ordinances Rules Statutes Walk
Ezekiel 11
1. The presumption of the princes
4. Their sin and judgment
13. Ezekiel complaining, God shows him his purpose in saving a remnant
22. The glory of God leaves the city
24. Ezekiel is returned to the captivity














so that they may follow My statutes
This phrase emphasizes the importance of obedience to God's laws. In the context of Ezekiel, the Israelites were in exile due to their disobedience. The statutes refer to the divine laws given to Israel, which are foundational to the covenant relationship between God and His people. This echoes the covenant language found in Deuteronomy 4:1, where Moses instructs the Israelites to follow God's decrees to live and take possession of the land. The statutes are not merely legalistic requirements but are intended to guide the people in a life that reflects God's holiness and righteousness.

keep My ordinances
Ordinances are specific decrees or commands that God has established. In the historical context, these would include the ceremonial, civil, and moral laws given to Israel. Keeping these ordinances was a sign of faithfulness and commitment to God. This phrase highlights the continuity of God's expectations for His people, as seen in Leviticus 18:4-5, where God commands the Israelites to keep His statutes and ordinances to live by them. The emphasis on keeping ordinances underscores the relational aspect of the covenant, where obedience is a response to God's grace and love.

and practice them
Practicing God's laws involves not just understanding or acknowledging them but actively living them out. This phrase calls for a holistic application of God's commands in daily life. It reflects the biblical principle that faith without works is dead, as stated in James 2:26. The practice of God's laws is a demonstration of genuine faith and commitment. In the cultural context of ancient Israel, this would involve integrating God's commands into every aspect of life, from worship to social justice, reflecting God's character to the surrounding nations.

Then they will be My people
This phrase signifies the restoration of the covenant relationship between God and Israel. Being God's people is a central theme throughout the Bible, beginning with God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 17:7. It indicates a special status and identity, chosen and set apart for God's purposes. In Ezekiel's context, this promise offers hope to the exiled Israelites that they will be restored to their land and relationship with God. It also foreshadows the New Covenant, where believers in Christ are grafted into God's people, as seen in Romans 9:25-26.

and I will be their God
This is the ultimate promise of the covenant, where God commits to being the protector, provider, and guide for His people. It reflects the intimate relationship God desires with His creation, as seen in the repeated covenant formula throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Exodus 6:7). This promise finds its fulfillment in the New Testament through Jesus Christ, who reconciles humanity to God, making it possible for believers to have a personal relationship with Him. Revelation 21:3 echoes this promise, where God dwells with His people in the new creation, signifying the consummation of His redemptive plan.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet during the Babylonian exile, Ezekiel is tasked with delivering God's messages to the Israelites, often involving visions and symbolic acts.

2. Israelites
The people of Israel, who are in exile due to their disobedience to God. They are the primary audience of Ezekiel's prophecies.

3. Babylon
The place of exile for the Israelites, representing both physical and spiritual separation from their homeland and God.

4. God
The central figure in the passage, expressing His desire for a covenant relationship with His people, characterized by obedience and faithfulness.

5. Jerusalem
The city that symbolizes the heart of Israel's spiritual life, which has been corrupted by idolatry and disobedience, leading to God's judgment.
Teaching Points
Covenant Relationship
God desires a deep, personal relationship with His people, characterized by mutual commitment. This relationship is not just about following rules but involves a transformation of the heart.

Obedience as a Response
Obedience to God's statutes and ordinances is a response to His love and grace. It is not about legalism but about living in a way that honors the covenant relationship.

Heart Transformation
True obedience comes from a transformed heart. God promises to change our hearts so that we can follow Him more closely.

Identity as God's People
Being God's people is both a privilege and a responsibility. It involves living in a way that reflects His character to the world.

Hope for Restoration
Even in times of judgment and exile, God offers hope for restoration and renewal. His promises are sure, and He is faithful to bring His people back to Himself.Verse 20. - That they may walk in my statutes, etc. Out of the new spirit there was to grow the new life - a life of righteousness and obedience, as in worship, so also in the acts of man's daily life and his dealings with his neighbours. So, and not otherwise, could the actual relation of Jehovah correspond to the ideal, as it had been declared of old (Exodus 6:7; Leviticus 26:12; 1 Samuel 12:22; 2 Samuel 7:23). This, for Ezekiel, was the crowning blessedness of all, as it had been that of earlier and contemporary prophets (Hosea 2:23; Jeremiah 24:7). To that thought he returns again and again, as to the anchor of his hope (Ezekiel 14:11; Ezekiel 27:14; Ezekiel 36:28; Ezekiel 37:23, 27).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
so that
לְמַ֙עַן֙ (lə·ma·‘an)
Preposition
Strong's 4616: Purpose -- intent

they may follow
יֵלֵ֔כוּ (yê·lê·ḵū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

My statutes,
בְּחֻקֹּתַ֣י (bə·ḥuq·qō·ṯay)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 2708: Something prescribed, an enactment, statute

keep
יִשְׁמְר֖וּ (yiš·mə·rū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

My ordinances,
מִשְׁפָּטַ֥י (miš·pā·ṭay)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 4941: A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, style

and practice them.
וְעָשׂ֣וּ (wə·‘ā·śū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make

Then they will be
וְהָיוּ־ (wə·hā·yū-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

My people,
לְעָ֔ם (lə·‘ām)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

and I
וַאֲנִ֕י (wa·’ă·nî)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

will be
אֶהְיֶ֥ה (’eh·yeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

their God.
לֵאלֹהִֽים׃ (lê·lō·hîm)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 11:20 That they may walk in my statutes (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 11:19
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