Ezekiel 33 30

Ezekiel 33:30 kjv

Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD.

Ezekiel 33:30 nkjv

"As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses; and they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, 'Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the LORD.'

Ezekiel 33:30 niv

"As for you, son of man, your people are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, 'Come and hear the message that has come from the LORD.'

Ezekiel 33:30 esv

"As for you, son of man, your people who talk together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, say to one another, each to his brother, 'Come, and hear what the word is that comes from the LORD.'

Ezekiel 33:30 nlt

"Son of man, your people talk about you in their houses and whisper about you at the doors. They say to each other, 'Come on, let's go hear the prophet tell us what the LORD is saying!'

Ezekiel 33 verses

Ezekiel 33 30 Meaning

The people of Israel are turning away from God and following their own desires, leading to judgment. Even though prophets warn them, their hearts and ears are closed.

Ezekiel 33 30 Context

This verse appears in Ezekiel chapter 33, which focuses on the role of the prophet as a watchman for Israel. Following the fall of Jerusalem and the exile of many Jews, Ezekiel is called to bring both judgment and hope. He addresses the people who remained in Jerusalem, who are being comforted by false prophets with messages of peace and restoration, despite their continued disobedience. God makes it clear through Ezekiel that superficial attendance to prophetic messages, without a corresponding change of heart and actions, will not avert judgment. The theme is about genuine repentance and obedience versus mere outward show.

Ezekiel 33 30 Word Analysis

• "And, behold":
  • וְ ʾat` (ve'at): Conjunction "and." Also indicates "behold" or "indeed." Introduces something that commands attention.
• "thou art unto them":
  • כְּמֹ֣ן (kemohn): "As," "like." Signifies resemblance or manner.
  • שִׁיר (shiyr): "A song," "lovely song," "music." Refers to pleasant sounding words or a beautiful voice.
  • וְ: (ve): Conjunction "and."
  • דָבָר (davvar): "A word," "thing," "matter."
  • נָ֑גִינָה (naginah): "A song," "a melody," "music." A beautiful sound or a musical instrument's tune. Combined with "shir," it emphasizes the delightful nature of their hearing.
• "with their mouth":
  • עִ֤ם (im): "With," "from," "among." Preposition indicating association or presence.
  • פִּיהֶם֒ (pihem): "Their mouth," "their lips." Refers to spoken words.
• " they do":
  • עֹשִִׂים (asim): "They do," "they make." Present tense, active voice. Refers to actions or deeds.
• "but as":
  • לְאָחִי: (le'ahiy): "For affection," "for love," "as a lover." Implies showing affection.
  • חֹ֔מֶד (chomd): "Desire," "greed," "covetousness."
• "their heart":
  • לִבָּ֔ם (libbam): "Their heart." Represents their inner being, their affections, their true motives.
• "followeth":
  • הוֹלֵ֥ךְ (holech): "Going," "walking," "following." Present tense, active participle. Denotes pursuing or moving towards something.
• "after their covetousness.":
  • אַחֲרֵ֣י (achareye): "After," "behind." Indicates following a path or course.
  • חֲמָתָם֙ (chamatam): "Their wrath," "their heat," "their fury," but contextually likely a form of covetousness, implying passionate pursuit. Some interpretations suggest this might be related to desire or "what their hearts lust after," connecting to the theme of unfaithfulness and attachment to worldly things over God.

Ezekiel 33 30 Bonus Section

This verse is part of a significant theme in Ezekiel and the broader prophetic literature where outward religious observance without inner sincerity is condemned. It speaks to the deceptive nature of self-deception, where individuals can feel spiritually engaged while remaining enslaved to sin and personal desires. The prophet's role is not just to deliver messages but to call for a heart-level repentance. The juxtaposition of "lovely song" and "following after covetousness" powerfully illustrates that sin often presents itself in an appealing or desirable way, but leads to spiritual death and God's judgment. This warning resonates throughout scripture, emphasizing the necessity of a pure heart and the discernment between superficial compliance and true, life-transforming faith.

Ezekiel 33 30 Commentary

The verse vividly portrays a spiritual disconnect. The people listened to the prophet's words, like one enjoys a pleasant song, yet their inner disposition—their hearts—remained untouched and unconverted. Their outward expression of engagement was superficial, akin to enjoying music without being moved to action or transformation. Their true allegiance was revealed by where their hearts "followed," which was towards their own selfish desires ("covetousness" or what they passionately pursued). This highlights the core biblical teaching that genuine faith is demonstrated by obedience and a transformed heart, not mere intellectual assent or pleasant listening. The people are characterized by hypocrisy—showing affection with their mouths while their hearts pursue forbidden gains or worldly desires, a concept echoed by Jesus who criticized those who honored God with their lips but whose hearts were far from Him.