Ezekiel 20:26

“And one polluted them in their own gifts, &c.] Suffered them to defile themselves; or declared them to be, and treated them as polluted persons, in the gifts and sacrifices which they offered to idols, particularly their firstborn: as the next clause explains it: in that they caused to pass though [the fire] all that openeth the womb; this very likely they did, when they sacrificed to Baalpeor, the same with Molech, (<042503>Numbers 25:3); that I might make them desolate; their families, by stripping them of their children, their firstborn, and strength: to the end that they might know that I [am] the Lord; a righteous God, in punishing men for sin, in a way it deserves. Some interpret this,…”

“I polluted them--not directly; "but I judicially gave them up to pollute themselves." A just retribution for their "polluting My sabbaths" (Eze 20:24). This Eze 20:26 is explanatory of Eze 20:25. Their own sin I made their punishment. caused to pass through the fire--FAIRBAIRN translates, "In their presenting (literally, 'the causing to pass over') all their first-born," namely, to the Lord; referring to the command (Exo 13:12, Margin, where the very same expression is used). The lustration of children by passing through the fire was a later abomination (Eze 20:31). The evil here spoken of was the admixture of heathenish practices with Jehovah's worship, which made Him regard all as…”

“The probation in the wilderness. The promise was forfeited by those to whom it was first conditionally made, but was renewed to their children. Ezekiel 20:11 The “statutes” were given on Mount Sinai, and repeated by Moses before his death (Exodus 20:1 ff; Deuteronomy 4:8). In them - Or, through them: and in Ezekiel 20:13. Ezekiel 20:12 See Exodus 31:13. The Sabbath was a sign of a special people, commemorative of the work of creation, and hallowed to the honor of Yahweh, the covenant-God. As man honored God by keeping the Sabbath holy, so by the Sabbath, God “sanctified” Israel and marked them as a holy people. Therefore to profane the Sabbath was to abjure their Divine Governor. Ezekiel…”

“Polluted - I permitted them to pollute themselves. Might know - Be forced to own, that the Lord is a mighty king in punishing those that would not have him a gracious king in governing them. Ezekiel 20:29”

“20:26 The Israelites even gave their firstborn children as offerings to the god Molech. This exactly reversed the Exodus, which freed the Israelites, the Lord’s “firstborn son” (Exod 4:22), to offer pure worship in the Promised Land.”

“polluted: Eze 20:31; Isa 63:17; Rom 11:7-10 in that: Eze 16:20, Eze 16:21; Lev 18:21; Kg2 17:17, Kg2 21:6; Ch2 28:3, Ch2 33:6; Jer 32:35 all that: Exo 13:12; Luk 2:23 to the end: Eze 6:7 Ezekiel 20:27”