I also gave ¹  them decrees ²  which were not good and regulations by which they could not live.

biblegateway Eze 20:25

"I also gave them statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not live;

I also gave them statutes that were not good and ordinances that did not bring them life.

I also allowed them to follow laws that were no good and rules by which they could not live.

biblegateway Eze 20:25

I also gave them over to statutes that were not good and laws they could not live by;

Moreover, I gave them statutes that were not good and rules by which they could not have life,

bibleoremus Eze 20:25

Moreover I gave them statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not live.

I even imposed on them statutes that were malign and laws which would not lead to life.

biblegateway Eze 20:25

"Therefore I also gave them up to statutes that were not good, and judgments by which they could not live;

Wherefore I gave them also statutes [that were] not good, and judgments whereby they should not live;

biblegateway Eze 20:25

I also gave ¹  them decrees ²  which were not good and regulations by which they could not live.

¹ tn Or “permitted.”

¹ sn The content of the verse is shocking: that God would “give” bad decrees. This probably does not refer to the Mosaic law but to the practices of the Canaanites who were left in the land in order to test Israel. See Judg 2:20-23, the note on “decrees” in v. 25, and the note on “pass through the fire” in v. 26.

² tn The Hebrew term חֻקּוֹת (khuqot; translated “statutes” elsewhere in this chapter) is normally feminine. Here Ezekiel changes the form to masculine: חֻקִּים (khuqim). Further, they are not called “my decrees” as vv. 11 and 13 refer to “my statutes.” The change is a signal that Ezekiel is not talking about the same statutes in vv. 11 and 13, which lead to life.