Ezekiel 33 31

Ezekiel 33:31 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.

Ezekiel 33:31 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.

Ezekiel 33:31 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.

Ezekiel 33:31 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.

Ezekiel 33:31 nlt

So my people come pretending to be sincere and sit before you. They listen to your words, but they have no intention of doing what you say. Their mouths are full of lustful words, and their hearts seek only after money.

Ezekiel 33 verses

Ezekiel 33 31 meaning

Ezekiel 33:31 reveals the superficial religiosity of the exiles in Judah, who would approach the prophet Ezekiel, seemingly with devotion. They listened intently to his words, creating an outward appearance of seeking God's counsel. However, this attentiveness was not rooted in genuine repentance or a desire to obey. Their actions were contrary to their expressions of love and respect, as their hearts were ultimately fixated on their selfish gain and covetous desires. The verse exposes the dangerous chasm between outward religious observance and inner spiritual reality, highlighting the hypocrisy that renders their hearing futile.

Ezekiel 33 31 Context

Ezekiel 33 marks a significant turning point in the book of Ezekiel. Following the fall of Jerusalem (news confirmed in verse 21), God reinstates Ezekiel's role as a watchman (vv. 1-20). The people's previous excuse for not heeding prophecies—that the city would never fall—is gone. Now, God describes their ongoing, underlying spiritual issue: hypocrisy. While they now seemingly engage with the prophet, eagerly coming to hear his messages about their national condition, the root problem of insincerity and self-interest remains unaddressed. This verse sets the stage for Ezekiel to expose their true motivations, warning against superficial engagement with divine truth and highlighting the continued need for genuine repentance and transformed hearts, which are still lacking despite the catastrophic events.

Ezekiel 33 31 Word analysis

• And they come unto thee as the people cometh:
  • And they come: Hebrew yābō’ū (they come/will come). The imperfect tense suggests repeated, habitual action. It highlights their routine attendance.
  • as the people cometh: Compares their action to a common crowd or any other group of listeners, implying outward participation rather than distinct, deep devotion.
• and they sit before thee as my people:
  • and they sit before thee: Signifies respectful attendance, positioning themselves to receive instruction. It denotes a seemingly reverent posture.
  • as my people: A crucial ironic statement. They present themselves as belonging to God's chosen, indistinguishable outwardly from genuine worshipers. This phrase exposes the false identity or appearance they project.
• and they hear thy words, but they will not do them:
  • they hear thy words: Hebrew yishme’ū (they hear). It means to perceive sounds, but often in the Bible implies "hear and obey." Here, the latter is explicitly denied.
  • but they will not do them: Hebrew lo’ ya‘ăśû (they will not do). This directly negates the expectation of obedience. It is the critical pivot, revealing the spiritual barrenness of their hearing.
• for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness:
  • for with their mouth: Hebrew pîhem (their mouth). Refers to their speech, professions, and outward declarations.
  • they shew much love: Hebrew aḥābîm (loves or beloved ones/pleasures). This phrase means "mouths of loves," implying flattering, pleasing words, or words that express devotion. It represents verbal declarations of affection and loyalty to God or His prophet.
  • but their heart: Hebrew libbām (their heart). The "heart" in Hebrew thought is the center of will, intellect, emotion, and conscience; the true self.
  • goeth after: Denotes pursuit, allegiance, or primary devotion.
  • their covetousness: Hebrew biṣ‘ām (their gain, profit, unjust gain). This is the inner motivation—material wealth, self-interest, or dishonest profit. This term has a strong moral connotation, often associated with grasping and exploitation, defining their true god.

Ezekiel 33 31 Bonus section

The scene depicted in Ezekiel 33:31, often termed "parlor prophecy" by scholars, describes an entertainment-like engagement with spiritual matters rather than genuine conviction. The people treat Ezekiel's prophecies as engaging stories or performances, much like background music, enjoying the messenger but ignoring the message. Their curiosity is stimulated, but their conscience remains untouched. This behavior is rooted in a fundamental misunderstanding of the prophetic role, seeing it as a source of information or emotional stimulation rather than a divine call to repentance and transformation. The phrase "mouth of loves" (pîhem 'aḥabim) could also imply that their words are "lovely" or "pleasant" to hear, creating a false sense of connection or appreciation for Ezekiel's speaking ability, detached from any commitment to action. It’s a powerful statement against spiritual consumerism.

Ezekiel 33 31 Commentary

Ezekiel 33:31 unmasks the profound spiritual disconnect within the exiles who flock to Ezekiel. While outwardly conforming to religious practices – coming, sitting, and listening to the prophet's words with seeming reverence – their hearts remain far from God. Their professions of love are mere lip service, a calculated performance, possibly for social acceptance, to gain insight into future events, or even to manipulate Ezekiel. The ultimate exposé is that their inner being, the "heart" where true loyalty resides, is consumed by "covetousness"—a relentless pursuit of self-enrichment or unjust gain. This verse serves as a timeless indictment of hypocritical religiosity, where the form of godliness is present, but its transformative power is absent. It teaches that God sees beyond external actions to the true motivations of the heart, demanding sincere obedience rather than mere superficial piety.

• Examples:
  • A person attending all church services but manipulating finances at work for personal benefit.
  • Someone quoting Scripture fluently but being inwardly consumed by envy or ambition.
  • Donating to charity publicly while neglecting their own family's genuine needs due to selfishness.