Ezekiel 20:27-29 · Bible study
Ezekiel 20:27-29 Commentary: The Shame of the High Places
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
How did the fathers' idolatrous worship at high places in Canaan constitute blasphemy? A study of Ezekiel 20:27-29 shows the gravity of syncretism.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The generation that entered Canaan blasphemed God by adopting Canaanite worship on high hills and under trees, turning God's gift into an occasion for rebellion.
- Key words: blasphemed (giddep, insult), trespass (ma'al, faithlessness), high place (bamah, site of illicit worship).
- Main debate: Whether the worship was outright pagan idolatry or syncretistic worship of Yahweh at forbidden sites.
- Theological theme: God's name and honor are at stake when his people abandon his commands for human traditions.
- Best use: A warning against syncretism and a call to examine the purity of our worship practices.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
27Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: In this way also your fathers blasphemed Me by their unfaithfulness against Me.
28When I brought them into the land that I swore to give them and they saw any high hill or leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices, presented offerings that provoked Me, sent up their fragrant incense, and poured out their drink offerings.
29So I asked them: ‘What is this high place to which you go?’ (And to this day it is called Bamah.)
WEB World English Bible 2000
27“Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and tell them, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Moreover, in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.
28For when I had brought them into the land which I swore to give to them, then they saw every high hill and every thick tree, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering. There they also made their pleasant aroma, and there they poured out their drink offerings.
29Then I said to them, ‘What does the high place where you go mean?’ So its name is called Bamah to this day.”’
KJV King James Version 1769
27Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.
28For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savour, and poured out there their drink offerings.
29Then I said unto them, What is the high place whereunto ye go? And the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
27Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: In this moreover have your fathers blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.
28For when I had brought them into the land, which I sware to give unto them, then they saw every high hill, and every thick tree, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering; there also they made their sweet savor, and they poured out there their drink-offerings.
29Then I said unto them, What meaneth the high place whereunto ye go? So the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
27Therefore, speak unto the house of Israel, son of man, and thou hast said unto them, Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Still in this have your fathers reviled Me, In their committing against Me a trespass.
28And I bring them in unto the land, That I did lift up My hand to give to them, And they see every high hill, and every thick tree, And they sacrifice there their sacrifices, And give there the provocation of their offering, And make there their sweet fragrance, And they pour out there their libations.
29And I say unto them: What is the high place whither ye are going in? And its name is called `high place' to this day.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
27Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: In this moreover have your fathers blasphemed me, in that they have wrought unfaithfulness against me.
28When I had brought them into the land which I had lifted up my hand to give unto them, then they saw every high hill and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering; and there they placed their sweet savour, and there poured out their drink-offerings.
29And I said unto them, What is the high place whither ye go? And the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
27Wherefore speak to the house of Israel, O son of man, and say to them: Thus saith the Lord God: Moreover in this also your fathers blaspheme me, when they had despised and contemned me;
28And I had brought them into the land, for which I lifted up my hand to give it them: they saw every high hill, and every shady tree, and there they sacrificed their victims: and there they presented the provocation of their offerings, and there they set their sweet odours, and poured forth their libations.
29And I said to them: What meaneth the high place to which you go? and the name thereof was called High-place even to this day.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that these verses accuse the generation that entered Canaan of blaspheming God through their worship at high places. Barnes notes the aggravation of their guilt: they defiled with idolatry the land God gave them as a gift. Calvin highlights the intolerable disgrace: after being brought into the promised land, they followed every high hill and leafy tree, offering sacrifices that provoked God. Matthew Henry describes their persistence in the same sins after settlement. The key term “blasphemed” (giddep) expresses an insult and reproach, as Gill explains, not mere error but a deliberate casting of contempt on God. The passage climaxes in a wordplay: God asks “What is the high place (mah ha-bamah) where you go?” and the name “Bamah” sticks as a brand of infamy (Clarke, Barnes). The fathers' idolatry is not ignorance but covenant treachery, ma'al, faithlessness. For readers today, this passage warns that gratitude for God's gifts can easily turn into rebellion if we insist on doing things our way.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Pagan idolatry to other gods: Context of idolatry throughout chapter 20 (v.24 references idols, v.26 child sacrifice) and the phrase 'their eyes were after their fathers' idols'
- Syncretistic worship of Yahweh at forbidden sites: Verse 28 uses language of legitimate offerings ('their sacrifices,' 'sweet savor') and the name Bamah was used for Yahweh worship (1 Samuel 9:12), plus the emphasis on location rather than the deity invoked
What is clear: The worship at high places was a covenant violation that constituted blasphemy against God, regardless of whether it was offered to other gods or to Yahweh unlawfully.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the high place worship | The worship at high places and under trees was a violation of God's command to worship at one central sanctuary (Deuteronomy 12). | Some interpreters (e.g., Keil & Delitzsch) see it as outright idolatry to other gods, while others (e.g., Cambridge Bible) see it as syncretistic worship of Yahweh at unlawful sites, which still amounted to blasphemy. |
| Meaning of 'blasphemed' in context | The term indicates a deliberate insult and reproach against God, not mere mistake. | Calvin emphasizes the aggravation of their sin after God's goodness; Gill and Matthew Henry stress it as a covenant breach. There is no deep division but nuance on whether the primary offense is the location or the content of worship. |
| The pun on Bamah | The wordplay mocks the high place as a site of infamy, and the name stuck as a memorial of guilt. | Clarke sees it as marking the place with infamy; Barnes says it is a brand of divine displeasure. No significant debate, just explanation. |
| Continuity with present generation (v.30) | The elders of Ezekiel's day follow the same pattern of idolatry. | Some commentators (Keil) see the whole passage as directly applying to the exilic generation; others (Cambridge) differentiate between the fathers and the present in terms of degree. |
Historical & Cultural Context
After the wilderness wanderings, God brought Israel into the land he had sworn to give them (Genesis 15:18). But instead of worshiping at the one place he would choose (Deuteronomy 12:5-6), they adopted the Canaanite practice of offering sacrifices on every high hill and under every thick tree. The Cambridge Bible notes that this was a Canaanitish usage adopted by Israel, and though they often used these sites for Yahweh worship, the corruptions were inevitable. The language of verse 28 is deliberately repetitive, "there they offered... there they presented... there they made... there they poured out", driving home the full extent of their disobedience. The verb "saw" (v.28) is telling: as soon as they entered the land, they fixed their eyes on the hills and trees as suitable places for their own kind of worship (Gill). God's response is a rhetorical question: "What is this high place to which you go?" (mah ha-bamah). The name "Bamah" itself becomes a taunt, a lasting witness to their perversion of worship. As Keil & Delitzsch observe, the very name "Bamah" was a brand of divine displeasure. The passage thus serves as a microcosm of Israel's entire history in the land, a history of receiving good gifts and turning them into occasions for rebellion.
Textual Notes
The consulted commentaries note no significant textual variants for Ezekiel 20:27-29. The Masoretic Text is consistent, and the ancient versions align closely. The Septuagint transliterates Bamah as “Abama,” but the meaning is unchanged.
Reception History
This passage has historically been read as a warning against syncretism and the danger of mixing God's worship with pagan practices. Early Jewish interpreters saw in it the persistent sin of Israel that led to the exile. Christian commentators, including Calvin and Matthew Henry, used it to caution against any form of worship that deviates from God's revealed will. Protestant expositors like Clarke emphasized the “infamy” of the name. The passage also influenced discussions on the proper place of worship, the tension between the local sanctuary and the central temple. Overall, it has been a touchstone for the principle that God desires obedience that matches his commands, not innovations driven by human preference.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Gift of the Land (v.28a): God brought them into the land he had sworn to give. His faithfulness stands in stark contrast to their response.
- The Sin of the People (v.28b): They saw every high hill and thick tree and offered sacrifices there. The repetition of "there" points to deliberate, defiant worship on their own terms.
- The Question of God (v.29): “What is this high place to which you go?” The question exposes the absurdity of their actions. The name “Bamah” becomes a lasting mark of shame.
Five-point outline
- God keeps his promise faithfully (v.28a).
- Israel responds with immediate apostasy (v.28b).
- Their worship is called blasphemy, an insult to God (v.27).
- The name “Bamah” memorializes their guilt (v.29).
- The same pattern persists in the prophet's day (v.30-31).
Illustration hooks
- A person given a beautiful garden who uses it to plant weeds. The gift itself becomes the occasion for neglect.
- A child who takes a generous allowance and spends it on things they know will hurt their parents. The greater the gift, the greater the offense.
- In church history, the shift from simple worship to ornate altars and rituals that drew attention away from God's Word.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If they meant to worship God, why was it blasphemy?
- Does God care about the location and method of worship, or just the heart?
- How can we tell if our worship today is pleasing to God or is it just our own preferences?
Leading a Discussion
Ezekiel 20:27-29 invites us to consider whether our worship honors God or provokes him. The Israelites who entered Canaan had every reason to be grateful and obedient. Instead, they turned the land into a network of unauthorized altars. The questions below will help your group explore what this passage means and what it calls us to examine in our own lives.
Discussion questions
- Read verses 27-29 aloud. What words or phrases stand out to you?
- In verse 28, the phrase “there they” appears four times. Why do you think the prophet repeats this?
- How does the context of God bringing them into the land (v.28a) highlight the seriousness of their sin?
- What does the word “blaspheme” add to your understanding of what they did? How is worship also a matter of God's reputation?
- God asks a question in verse 29. What is the effect of a rhetorical question here? What does it reveal about the people's motive?
- In what ways might Christians today set up “high places”, things we turn to for spiritual satisfaction outside of God's revealed will?
- What would it look like for us to make sure our worship is shaped by God's Word rather than by what seems right in our own eyes?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Ezekiel 2:7 | You shall speak my words to them, whether they will hear or whether they will refuse; for they are most rebellious. |
| Ezekiel 3:4 | He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel, and speak my words to them. |
| Ezekiel 3:11 | Go to them of the captivity, to the children of your people, and speak to them, and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Yahweh says,’ whether they will hear, or whether they will refuse.” |
| Ezekiel 3:27 | But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Yahweh says.’ He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.” |
| Ezekiel 18:24 | “But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, should he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done will be remembered. In his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them he shall die. |
| Romans 2:24 | For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” just as it is written. |
| Revelation of John 13:5 | A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him. Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him. |
| Genesis 15:18 | In that day Yahweh made a covenant with Abram, saying, “I have given this land to your offspring, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates: |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
What is the high place - מה הבמה mah habbamah, "what is the high place?" What is it good for? Its being a high place shows it to be a place of idolatry. I called it במה bamah, to mark it with infamy; but ye continue to frequent it, even while it is called במה bamah, to the present day!
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that Israel's sin after entering Canaan was not mere disobedience but a deliberate, scornful rejection of God. They treated Him with contempt, as if spitting in His face, by choosing to worship at every high hill despite His clear command for one altar. This was a proud, willful insult, not just a broken rule.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator identifies God's commitment to His own name as the driving force behind Israel's entire history—only this principle prevented their repeated sins from destroying them. This same concern explains why the prophet condemns Israel's high-place worship as borrowed Canaanite practice that corrupted true devotion to Jehovah.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that the fathers' idolatry was no ignorant mistake but a deliberate, knowing rebellion. After God faithfully gave them the promised land, they immediately sought out the high hills and groves of the pagans to sacrifice there. This was a voluntary, obstinate sin that openly blasphemed God despite all His goodness to them.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB's key insight is that the name "high place" itself exposes the people's sin. Unlike God's altar, called "Mizbeaach," the term "high place" is borrowed from the heathen and carries the mark of their rebellion. Using such places, even to sacrifice to God, is a deliberate provocation.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that Israel's sin was not a single failure but a persistent pattern: even after God settled them in Canaan, they kept insulting Him with the same idolatry. Each generation repeated the trespass, using the very blessings of the land as occasions for rebellion.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley presses the absurdity of abandoning God's commanded worship at the altar for forbidden high places. He asks what people find so attractive in a place God has expressly prohibited, highlighting the willful disobedience of seeking out spots God has banned.