Ezekiel 33:31

Authorized King James Version (1611)

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.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְיָב֣וֹאוּ אֵ֠לֶיךָ כִּמְבוֹא־עָ֞ם וְיֵשְׁב֤וּ לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ עַמִּ֔י וְשָֽׁמְעוּ֙ אֶת־דְּבָרֶ֔יךָ וְאוֹתָ֖ם לֹ֣א יַֽעֲשׂ֑וּ כִּֽי־עֲגָבִ֤ים בְּפִיהֶם֙ הֵ֣מָּה עֹשִׂ֔ים אַחֲרֵ֥י בִצְעָ֖ם לִבָּ֥ם הֹלֵֽךְ׃

Transliteration

wə-yāḇôʾû unto you kiməḇôʾ-ʿām and wə-yēšəḇû before you ʿammî and wə-šāməʿû ʾeṯ-dəḇāreḵā and wə-ʾôṯām not lōʾ yaʿăśû for kî-ʿăḡāḇîm with their mouth bəp̄îhem they hēmmâ ʿōśîm after ʾaḥărê their gain biṣəʿām their heart libbām hōlēḵ

Grammar Details

• *wə-yāḇôʾû*: conjunction + imperfect, 3rd person plural - and they come/will come
• *kiməḇôʾ-ʿām*: preposition + construct infinitive + noun - as [the] coming of people
• *wə-yēšəḇû*: conjunction + imperfect, 3rd person plural - and they sit/will sit
• *ʿammî*: noun, masculine singular construct with 1st person singular suffix - my people
• *wə-šāməʿû*: conjunction + perfect, 3rd person plural - and they hear/listen to
• *ʾeṯ-dəḇāreḵā*: direct object marker + noun, masculine plural construct with 2nd person masculine singular suffix - your words
• *wə-ʾôṯām*: conjunction + direct object marker with 3rd person masculine plural suffix - and them
• *lōʾ yaʿăśû*: negative particle + imperfect, 3rd person plural - they do not do
• *kî-ʿăḡāḇîm*: conjunction + noun, masculine plural - for lustful desires/sensual songs
• *bəp̄îhem*: preposition + noun, masculine singular construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix - in their mouth
• *hēmmâ ʿōśîm*: pronoun, 3rd person masculine plural + participle, masculine plural - they are doing
• *ʾaḥărê*: preposition - after
• *biṣəʿām*: noun, masculine singular construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix - their gain/profit
• *libbām*: noun, masculine singular construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix - their heart
• *hōlēḵ*: participle, masculine singular - is walking/going

Word Meanings

• *ʿăḡāḇîm*: lustful desires/sensual songs/love songs
• *biṣəʿām*: gain/profit/dishonest gain/covetousness
• *libbām hōlēḵ*: their heart goes/their heart is directed toward

Referenced Verses

• Isa 29:13 : 13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near [me] with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
• Ps 78:36-37 : 36 Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. 37 For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.
• Matt 13:22 : 22 ‹He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.›
• Luke 11:28 : 28 But he said, ‹Yea rather, blessed› [are] ‹they that hear the word of God, and keep it.›
• Jas 1:22-24 : 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
• Jas 2:14-16 : 14 ¶ What [doth it] profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be [ye] warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what [doth it] profit?
• Luke 6:48-49 : 48 ‹He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.› 49 ‹But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.›
• Isa 28:13 : 13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
• Ezek 8:1 : 1 ¶ And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth [month], in the fifth [day] of the month, [as] I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me.
• Ezek 14:1 : 1 ¶ Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me.
• Ezek 20:1-9 : 1 ¶ And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth [month], the tenth [day] of the month, [that] certain of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the LORD, and sat before me. 2 Then came the word of the LORD unto me, saying, 3 Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye come to enquire of me? [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you. 4 Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge [them]? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers: 5 ¶ And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up mine hand unto them, saying, I [am] the LORD your God; 6 In the day [that] I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which [is] the glory of all lands: 7 Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I [am] the LORD your God. 8 But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. 9 But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they [were], in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt. 10 ¶ Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness. 11 And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which [if] a man do, he shall even live in them. 12 Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I [am] the LORD that sanctify them. 13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which [if] a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them. 14 But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out. 15 Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given [them], flowing with milk and honey, which [is] the glory of all lands; 16 Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols. 17 Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness. 18 But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols: 19 I [am] the LORD your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; 20 And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I [am] the LORD your God. 21 Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which [if] a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness. 22 Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand, and wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth. 23 I lifted up mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries; 24 Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols. 25 Wherefore I gave them also statutes [that were] not good, and judgments whereby they should not live; 26 And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through [the fire] all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I [am] the LORD. 27 ¶ Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me. 28 [For] when I had brought them into the land, [for] the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savour, and poured out there their drink offerings. 29 Then I said unto them, What [is] the high place whereunto ye go? And the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day. 30 Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations? 31 For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired of by you, O house of Israel? [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you. 32 And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.
• Ezek 22:27 : 27 Her princes in the midst thereof [are] like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, [and] to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.
• Matt 6:24 : 24 ‹No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.›
• Matt 7:24-27 : 24 ‹Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:› 25 ‹And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.› 26 ‹And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:› 27 ‹And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.›
• Jer 6:16-17 : 16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where [is] the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk [therein]. 17 Also I set watchmen over you, [saying], Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.
• Jer 23:33-38 : 33 ¶ And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What [is] the burden of the LORD? thou shalt then say unto them, What burden? I will even forsake you, saith the LORD. 34 And [as for] the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say, The burden of the LORD, I will even punish that man and his house. 35 Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbour, and every one to his brother, What hath the LORD answered? and, What hath the LORD spoken? 36 And the burden of the LORD shall ye mention no more: for every man's word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the LORD of hosts our God. 37 Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath the LORD answered thee? and, What hath the LORD spoken? 38 But since ye say, The burden of the LORD; therefore thus saith the LORD; Because ye say this word, The burden of the LORD, and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of the LORD;
• Jer 43:1-7 : 1 ¶ And it came to pass, [that] when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the words of the LORD their God, for which the LORD their God had sent him to them, [even] all these words, 2 Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: the LORD our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there: 3 But Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they might put us to death, and carry us away captives into Babylon. 4 So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, obeyed not the voice of the LORD, to dwell in the land of Judah. 5 But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, took all the remnant of Judah, that were returned from all nations, whither they had been driven, to dwell in the land of Judah; 6 [Even] men, and women, and children, and the king's daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah. 7 So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: thus came they [even] to Tahpanhes.
• Jer 44:16 : 16 [As for] the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee.
• Matt 19:22 : 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
• Luke 12:15-21 : 15 And he said unto them, ‹Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.› 16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, ‹The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:› 17 ‹And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?› 18 ‹And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.› 19 ‹And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink,› [and] ‹be merry.› 20 ‹But God said unto him,› [Thou] ‹fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?› 21 ‹So› [is] ‹he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.›
• Luke 16:14 : 14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
• Acts 10:33 : 33 Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.
• Eph 5:5 : 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
• 1 Tim 6:9-9 : 9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and [into] many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
• Luke 8:21 : 21 And he answered and said unto them, ‹My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.›
• Luke 10:39 : 39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
• 1 John 3:17-18 : 17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels [of compassion] from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
• Deut 5:28-29 : 28 And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the LORD said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken. 29 O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!