יחזקאל, פרק כ׳, פסוק כ״ח

God fulfills His promise by bringing the Israelites into the long-awaited land, but the people's response is an immediate betrayal of expectations. Rather than remaining devoted to God, they are instantly captivated by the local landscape and the religious customs of the native inhabitants. Upon arriving, the Israelites observe the Canaanite practices and begin to copy them. They seek out prominent hills and thick, leafy trees with dense, tangled branches to serve as sites for their offerings [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This behavior is a direct violation of the laws they received, which strictly prohibit offering sacrifices on private altars outside the Tabernacle, as well as planting trees anywhere near an altar [מלבי״ם].

The primary approach among commentators is that these rituals were entirely devoted to idolatry, completely mimicking the surrounding nations. Because these offerings were made to false gods, they served only to provoke God's deep anger [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The burning of incense was intended to please these local idols, and the pouring of wine was a standard part of their idolatrous rituals [מצודת ציון, מצודת דוד].

However, another perspective suggests that the Israelites did not abandon God entirely but instead attempted a misguided compromise. In an effort to blend their traditional faith with the new local influences, they split their devotion. According to this view, they directed their standard animal sacrifices and pleasant incense to God, while dedicating other anger-provoking offerings and wine libations to the local idols, a divided loyalty that deeply offended Him [מלבי״ם].