Ezekiel 33:28-33

33:28 I will turn the land into a desolate ruin; her confident pride will come to an end. The mountains of Israel will be so desolate no one will pass through them. 33:29 Then they will know that I am the Lord when I turn the land into a desolate ruin because of all the abominable deeds they have committed.’

33:30 “But as for you, son of man, your people (who are talking about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses) say to one another, ‘Come hear the word that comes from the Lord.’ 33:31 They come to you in crowds, and they sit in front of you as my people. They hear your words, but do not obey them. For they talk lustfully, and their heart is set on their own advantage. 10  33:32 Realize 11  that to them you are like a sensual song, a beautiful voice and skilled musician. 12  They hear your words, but they do not obey them. 13  33:33 When all this comes true – and it certainly will 14  – then they will know that a prophet was among them.”


sn The judgments of vv. 27-29 echo the judgments of Lev 26:22, 25.

tn Heb “sons of your people.”

tn Heb “one to one, a man to his brother.”

tn Heb “comes out.”

tn Heb “as people come.” Apparently this is an idiom indicating that they come in crowds. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:264.

tn The word “as” is supplied in the translation.

tn Heb “do.”

tn Heb “They do lust with their mouths.”

tn Heb “goes after.”

10 tn The present translation understands the term often used for “unjust gain” in a wider sense, following M. Greenberg, who also notes that the LXX uses a term which can describe either sexual or ritual pollution. See M. Greenberg, Ezekiel (AB), 2:687.

11 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.

12 tn Heb “one who makes playing music well.”

13 sn Similar responses are found in Isa 29:13; Matt 21:28-32; James 1:22-25.

14 tn Heb “behold it is coming.”