Ezekiel 33 26

Ezekiel 33:26 kjv

Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbour's wife: and shall ye possess the land?

Ezekiel 33:26 nkjv

You rely on your sword, you commit abominations, and you defile one another's wives. Should you then possess the land?" '

Ezekiel 33:26 niv

You rely on your sword, you do detestable things, and each of you defiles his neighbor's wife. Should you then possess the land?'

Ezekiel 33:26 esv

You rely on the sword, you commit abominations, and each of you defiles his neighbor's wife; shall you then possess the land?

Ezekiel 33:26 nlt

Murderers! Idolaters! Adulterers! Should the land belong to you?'

Ezekiel 33 verses

Ezekiel 33 26 Meaning

This verse declares that those who dwell in the land of Israel, specifically within its ruins, can find peace and restoration by abandoning their sinful practices and diligently following God's commands. It offers hope for the remnant of Israel by emphasizing the conditionality of God's judgment and promises of renewal.

Ezekiel 33 26 Context

Ezekiel 33 occurs after the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of its people. God, through Ezekiel, is speaking to the remnant left in the land and those in exile. This chapter reiterates the concept of individual responsibility for sin and righteousness, a theme also prominent in chapter 18. The preceding verses (33:10-20) address the despair of the exiles who felt God had abandoned them. This verse, 33:26, serves as a direct response, offering hope and a path to restored favor based on active obedience to God's commands. The emphasis is on practical, life-altering change, not just mere ritual.

Ezekiel 33 26 Word Analysis

• "You": Plural, addressing the descendants of Israel.
• "dwell": Hebrew: yashab (ישב). To sit, remain, dwell, inhabit. Implies settling in and continuing in a place.
• "in": Preposition indicating location.
• "your": Possessive pronoun, referring to Israel.
• "ruins": Hebrew: charebah (חָרְבָּה). Desolation, ruin, waste. Refers to the brokenness of the land of Judah and Jerusalem after destruction.
• "you": Plural, addressing Israel.
• "eat": Hebrew: achal (אָכַל). To eat, consume. Here, metaphorically eating is linked to sustaining oneself.
• "upon": Preposition of position or proximity.
• "the": Definite article.
• "mountain": Hebrew: har (הַר). Mountain. The mountains of Israel, likely referring to specific regions like Mount Zion or regions considered fertile or important.
• "of": Preposition.
• "Israel": Hebrew: Yisrael (יִשְׂרָאֵל). The covenant people of God.
• "and": Conjunction.
• "you": Plural, addressing Israel.
• "eat": Hebrew: achal (אָכַל). To eat, consume.
• "the": Definite article.
• "blood": Hebrew: dam (דָּם). Blood. Here refers to the prohibition against eating meat with blood, a direct violation of the Mosaic Law (Lev 17:10-14; 19:26; Deut 12:23-25). This indicates the impurity and violent sin they are to put away.
• "even": Particle of emphasis.
• "you": Plural, addressing Israel.
• "defile": Hebrew: galal (גָּלָל) - archaic word or gloss; the sense is strongly about defiling oneself by the practice. It strongly links to sinfulness. A more common verb for defilement is tame (טָמֵא). The specific usage here emphasizes a grave moral or ritual contamination.
• "yourselves": Reflexive pronoun.
• "with": Preposition.
• "their": Possessive pronoun, referring to idols or associated rituals.
• "detestable things": Hebrew: shequits (שְׁקֻצִים). Abominations, detestable things, idols. Refers to idolatry and its associated impurities, clearly forbidden by the Law.
• "and": Conjunction.
• "you": Plural, addressing Israel.
• "commit": Hebrew: asah (עָשָׂה). To do, make. Refers to performing these abominable acts.
• "adultery": Hebrew: na'af (נָאַף). To commit adultery. In a broader sense, also signifies spiritual adultery – unfaithfulness to God, i.e., idolatry.
• "and": Conjunction.
• "you": Plural, addressing Israel.
• "swear": Hebrew: shava (שָׁבַע). To swear, make an oath. Here likely refers to false oaths or swearing by idols.
• "falsely": Hebrew: sheqer (שֶׁקֶר). Falsehood, lie.
• "and": Conjunction.
• "you": Plural, addressing Israel.
• "shall": Modal verb indicating future action.
• "obey": Hebrew: shama (שָׁמַע). To hear, obey, listen.
• "my": Possessive pronoun, referring to God.
• "statutes": Hebrew: choq (חֹק). Statute, ordinance, decree. God's divine laws and regulations.
• "even": Particle of emphasis.
• "you": Plural, addressing Israel.
• "which": Relative pronoun.
• "I": Pronoun referring to God.
• "give": Hebrew: nathan (נָתַן). To give.
• "you": Plural, addressing Israel.
• "to": Preposition.
• "keep": Hebrew: shamar (שָׁמַר). To guard, keep, preserve, obey.
• "and": Conjunction.
• "you": Plural, addressing Israel.
• "shall": Modal verb indicating future action.
• "walk": Hebrew: halak (הָלַךְ). To walk, go. Metaphor for living, conduct, and obedience to God's ways.
• "in": Preposition indicating manner.
• "them": Pronoun referring to God's statutes.

Group by Words Analysis:

• "dwell in your ruins": This phrase signifies settling within a devastated and broken landscape, suggesting a return or continuation of life in a land marked by judgment. It highlights a state of brokenness from which God offers a path to renewal.
• "eat... upon the mountain of Israel": Eating upon the mountains refers to resuming normal life, but with a conditional element. The prohibition against eating blood signifies the strict adherence to God's specific covenantal commands and purity laws that would signify acceptance.
• "eat the blood": A direct violation of the Mosaic Law, symbolizing pagan practices and disobedience that separated Israel from God. It’s a potent image of consuming uncleanness.
• "defile yourselves with their detestable things": This explicitly links specific sinful acts (eating blood, adultery, false oaths) to detestable things, a clear indictment of idolatry and its associated rituals, contrasting them sharply with God’s pure and righteous standards.
• "obey my statutes": This is the central condition for restoration. Obedience is not merely following rules but actively preserving and living by God’s divine decrees, reflecting a transformed heart.
• "walk in them": This denotes consistent, lifestyle obedience, where God's statutes become the very way of life, shaping every action and decision.

Ezekiel 33 26 Bonus Section

The promise of "dwelling in your ruins" might seem contradictory. However, it emphasizes that God's people can find a semblance of peace and re-establishment even within the aftermath of devastation, provided they are obedient. This underscores God's restorative power—He doesn't require perfection in a pristine environment but calls for obedience wherever they are, even in their brokenness. This aligns with God’s grace often working with humanity where they are, not waiting for ideal conditions. The list of transgressions is a comprehensive picture of covenant breaking, moving from dietary laws and ritual purity (eating blood) to moral purity (adultery) and religious integrity (false oaths), all of which were sins the people succumbed to during the kingdom's decline and exile.

Ezekiel 33 26 Commentary

This verse offers a stark conditional promise of renewal. God's faithfulness to Israel remains, but their restored well-being and peace are inextricably linked to their return to him and adherence to his commands. The imagery of living in ruins signifies a broken state, yet this verse pivots to offer hope by specifying the behaviors required: eschewing forbidden practices (eating blood) and abominations (idolatry, adultery, false oaths) and actively embracing God's statutes through daily living. It is a call to repentance that emphasizes lifestyle transformation, not just outward confession. The peace and sustenance on the mountains are dependent on obedience, signifying the flourishing that comes from living in covenant with God. This is a foundational principle for both individual and national restoration.