New Living Translation
Ezekiel 33:24
24“Son of man, the scattered remnants of Israel living among the ruined cities keep saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he gained possession of the entire land. We are many; surely the land has been given to us as a possession.’
Ezekiel 33:24 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance.
- New International Version (NIV)“Son of man, the people living in those ruins in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he possessed the land. But we are many; surely the land has been given to us as our possession.’
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Son of man, the inhabitants of these waste places in the land of Israel keep saying, 'Abraham was only one man, yet he got possession of the land; but we are many; the land is surely given us to possess.'
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Son of man, they who inhabit those ruins in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one, and he inherited the land. But we are many; the land has been given to us as a possession.’
Context of Ezekiel 33:24
22The previous evening the Lord had taken hold of me and given me back my voice. So I was able to speak when this man arrived the next morning. 23Then this message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, the scattered remnants of Israel living among the ruined cities keep saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he gained possession of the entire land. We are many; surely the land has been given to us as a possession.’ 25So tell these people, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: You eat meat with blood in it, you worship idols, and you murder the innocent. Do you really think the land should be yours? 26Murderers! Idolaters! Adulterers! Should the land belong to you?’
Read all of Ezekiel 33Ezekiel 33:24 word by word
בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם יֹ֠שְׁבֵי הֶחֳרָב֨וֹת הָאֵ֜לֶּה עַל־אַדְמַ֤ת יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֹמְרִ֣ים לֵאמֹ֔ר אֶחָד֙ הָיָ֣ה אַבְרָהָ֔ם וַיִּירַ֖שׁ אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַאֲנַ֣חְנוּ רַבִּ֔ים לָ֛נוּ נִתְּנָ֥ה הָאָ֖רֶץ לְמוֹרָשָֽׁה׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- they that inhabitיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- those wastesחׇרְבָּהchorbâh · desolationH2723
- of the landאֲדָמָה'ădâmâh · land: soilH127
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- speakאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Abrahamאַבְרָהָם'abrâhâm · AbrahamH85
- was oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- and he inheritedיָרַשׁyârash yârêsh · to possess: possessH3423
- the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- manyרַבrab · manyH7227
- is givenנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- us for inheritanceמוֹרָשָׁהmôrâshâh · possessionH4181
Cross-references for Ezekiel 33:24
- Ezekiel 33:27“Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: As surely as I live, those living in the ruins will die by the sword. And I will send wild animals to eat those living in the open fields. Those hiding in the forts and caves will die of disease.
- Ezekiel 5:3Keep just a bit of the hair and tie it up in your robe.
- Ezekiel 34:2“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds, the leaders of Israel. Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: What sorrow awaits you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn’t shepherds feed their sheep?
- Jeremiah 39:10But Nebuzaradan allowed some of the poorest people to stay behind in the land of Judah, and he assigned them to care for the vineyards and fields.
- Jeremiah 40:7The leaders of the Judean military groups in the countryside heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor over the poor people who were left behind in Judah—the men, women, and children who hadn’t been exiled to Babylon.
- Ezekiel 36:4Therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign Lord. He speaks to the hills and mountains, ravines and valleys, and to ruined wastes and long-deserted cities that have been destroyed and mocked by the surrounding nations.
- Isaiah 51:2Yes, think about Abraham, your ancestor, and Sarah, who gave birth to your nation. Abraham was only one man when I called him. But when I blessed him, he became a great nation.”
- Acts 7:5“But God gave him no inheritance here, not even one square foot of land. God did promise, however, that eventually the whole land would belong to Abraham and his descendants—even though he had no children yet.
- Micah 3:11You rulers make decisions based on bribes; you priests teach God’s laws only for a price; you prophets won’t prophesy unless you are paid. Yet all of you claim to depend on the Lord. “No harm can come to us,” you say, “for the Lord is here among us.”
- Matthew 3:9Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.
- Luke 3:8Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.
- John 8:33“But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?”
- Romans 4:12And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.
- Romans 9:7Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,” though Abraham had other children, too.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:3When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.
Commentaries on Ezekiel 33:24
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24Abraham was one - If he was called to inherit the land when he was alone, and had the whole to himself, why may we not expect to be established here, who are his posterity, and are many? They wished to remain in the land and be happy after the Chaldeans had carried the rest away captives.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. 21-29Verses 21-29 Those are unteachable indeed, who do not learn their dependence upon God, when all creature-comforts fail. Many claim an interest in the peculiar blessings to true believers, while their conduct proves them enemies of God. They call this groundless presumption strong faith, when God's testimony declares them entitled to his threatenings, and nothing else.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23-26Those who stayed in the ruined cities of Judah saw the Exile as a chance for personal gain, not repentance. They claimed to be the only heirs of Abraham's promise and sought to own all the land. Their actions showed they were not truly Abraham's children. They ignored laws against eating meat with blood (see Deuteronomy 12:23), worshiped idols, and killed innocent people. Their lives denied Abraham's faith, and they would not inherit his promise.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2424. they that inhabit ... wastes of ... Israel--marking the blindness of the fraction of Jews under Gedaliah who, though dwelling amidst regions laid waste by the foe, still cherished hopes of deliverance, and this without repentance. Abraham was one ... but we are many--If God gave the land for an inheritance to Abraham, who was but one (Is 51:2), much more it is given to us, who, though reduced, are still many. If he, with 318 servants, was able to…Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 33:24
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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