Problem: InEzekiel 5:7, the Israelites were condemned because they had “multiplied disobedience more than the nations that are all around” them. Yet, here inEzekiel 16:47they were condemned by God who said, “You did not walk in their ways nor act according to their abominations.”

Solution: There are two possible explanations of this discrepancy. Some scholars hold that the Israelites had imitated the pagan nations insomeregards, but not inall.They had not gone so far as to incur the same judgment of God as the heathen around them, even though their present course was not consistent with God’s Law.

Others believe that both texts indicate they were not merelyimitatingthe heathen, but that they had gone far beyond them in their moral corruption. When the last passage is taken in its entirety, this becomes more clear: “You did not walk in their ways nor act according to their abominations; but, as if that were too little, you became more corrupt than they in your ways.” In other words, “They were notlikethem; they wereworsethan them!” They were notfollowingthe heathen; they were so bad that they were theleadersin evil.