Christian Standard Bible
Ezekiel 33:31
31So my people come to you in crowds, sit in front of you, and hear your words, but they don’t obey them. Their mouths go on passionately, but their hearts pursue dishonest profit.
Ezekiel 33:31 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.
- New International Version (NIV)My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.
Context of Ezekiel 33:31
29They will know that I am the Lord when I make the land a desolate waste because of all the detestable acts they have committed.’ 30“As for you, son of man, your people are talking about you near the city walls and in the doorways of their houses. One person speaks to another, each saying to his brother, ‘Come and hear what the message is that comes from the Lord!’ So my people come to you in crowds, sit in front of you, and hear your words, but they don’t obey them. Their mouths go on passionately, but their hearts pursue dishonest profit. 32Yes, to them you are like a singer of passionate songs who has a beautiful voice and plays skillfully on an instrument. They hear your words, but they don’t obey them. 33Yet when all this comes true — and it definitely will — then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”
Read all of Ezekiel 33Ezekiel 33:31 word by word
וְיָב֣וֹאוּ אֵ֠לֶיךָ כִּמְבוֹא־עָ֞ם וְיֵשְׁב֤וּ לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ עַמִּ֔י וְשָֽׁמְעוּ֙ אֶת־דְּבָרֶ֔יךָ וְאוֹתָ֖ם לֹ֣א יַֽעֲשׂ֑וּ כִּֽי־עֲגָבִ֤ים בְּפִיהֶם֙ הֵ֣מָּה עֹשִׂ֔ים אַחֲרֵ֥י בִצְעָ֖ם לִבָּ֥ם הֹלֵֽךְ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And they comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- unto thee as the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- comethמָבוֹאmâbô' · entranceH3996
- and they sitיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- and they hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- thy wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · word: speakingH1697
- but they will not doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- them: for with their mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
- much loveעָגָב‛egeb · lustH5690
- their heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- goethהָלַךְhâlak · to go: continueH1980
- afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- their covetousnessבֶּ֫צַעbetsa‛ · unjust-gainH1215
Cross-references for Ezekiel 33:31
- Ezekiel 8:1In the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, I was sitting in my house and the elders of Judah were sitting in front of me, and there the hand of the Lord God came down on me.
- Ezekiel 14:1Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me.
- Ezekiel 20:1In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, some of Israel’s elders came to inquire of the Lord, and they sat down in front of me.
- Luke 10:39She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet and was listening to what he said.
- Acts 10:33So I immediately sent for you, and it was good of you to come. So now we are all in the presence of God to hear everything you have been commanded by the Lord.”
- Jeremiah 6:16This is what the Lord says: Stand by the roadways and look. Ask about the ancient paths, “Which is the way to what is good?” Then take it and find rest for yourselves. But they protested, “We won’t!”
- Jeremiah 43:1When Jeremiah had finished speaking to all the people all the words of the Lord their God — all these words the Lord their God had sent him to give them —
- Jeremiah 44:16“As for the word you spoke to us in the name of the Lord, we are not going to listen to you!
- Mark 7:24He got up and departed from there to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it, but he could not escape notice.
- Luke 6:48He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the river crashed against that house and couldn’t shake it, because it was well built.
- Luke 8:21But he replied to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear and do the word of God.”
- Luke 11:28He said, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”
- James 1:22But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
- Deuteronomy 5:28“The Lord heard your words when you spoke to me. He said to me, ‘I have heard the words that these people have spoken to you. Everything they have said is right.
- Psalms 78:36But they deceived him with their mouths, they lied to him with their tongues,
- Isaiah 29:13The Lord said: These people approach me with their speeches to honor me with lip-service, yet their hearts are far from me, and human rules direct their worship of me.
Commentaries on Ezekiel 33:31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31As the people cometh - As they are accustomed to come on public days, Sabbaths, etc. With their mouth they show much love - They respected the prophet, but would not bend themselves to follow his precepts. They loved earthly things, and did not relish those of heaven.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23-33Verses 23-33 The exhortation to repentance. Ezekiel first addresses the remnant that still linger in their ancient home, and warns them against presumptuous hopes resting on false grounds Ezekiel 33:23-29; then he turns his eyes to those near him, and points out that their apparent attention to his words was illusory. Ezekiel 33:24 Those wastes - The places in the holy land devastated by the conqueror. Abraham - The argument is, Abraham was but one man…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 30-33Verses 30-33 Unworthy and corrupt motives often lead men to the places where the word of God is faithfully preached. Many come to find somewhat to oppose: far more come of curiosity or mere habit. Men may have their hearts changed. But whether men hear or forbear, they will know by the event that a servant of God has been among them. All who will not know the worth of mercies by the improvement of them, will justly be made to know their worth by the want…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 30-33The situation was not much better among the exiles in Babylon. Many of them talked about Ezekiel’s messages. They discussed what he said, but they did not change their attitudes or behavior. They were no different from the people still living in Judah. They would sit in front of Ezekiel and appear sincere. However, they did not plan to obey what the Lord told them. They treated his messages as something pleasant to hear. But the Lord warned them that, in…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3131. as the people cometh--that is, in crowds, as disciples flock to their teacher. sit before thee--on lower seats at thy feet, according to the Jewish custom of pupils (De 33:3; 2Ki 4:38; Lu 10:39; Ac 22:3). as my people--though they are not. hear ... not do--(Mt 13:20, 21; Jas 1:23, 24). they show much love--literally, "make love," that is, act the part of lovers. Profess love to the Lord (Mt 7:21). Gesenius translates, according to Arabic idiom, "They…Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 33:31
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ezekiel 33
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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