Ezekiel 33:24

Bishop's Bible

Thou sonne of man, these that dwell in the wasted lande of Israel talke and say: Abraham was but one man, and he had the lande in possession: nowe are we many, and the lande is geuen vs to possesse also.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
"Son of man, there are Israelites who live in the ruined cities in Israel. They are saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, and God gave him all this land. Now, we are many people, so surely this land belongs to us! It is our land!'

New Living Translation
"Son of man, the scattered remnants of Israel living among the ruined cities keep saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he gained possession of the entire land. We are many; surely the land has been given to us as a possession.'

New American Standard Bible
"Son of man, they who live in these ruins in the land of Israel are saying, 'Abraham was only one, yet he possessed the land; so to us who are many the land has been given as a possession.'

New Century Version
"Human, people who live in the ruins in the land of Israel are saying: ‘Abraham was only one person, yet he was given the land as his own. Surely the land has been given to us, who are many, as our very own.'

New English Translation
"Son of man, the ones living in these ruins in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he possessed the land, but we are many; surely the land has been given to us for a possession.'

Update Bible Version
Son of man, those that inhabit those waste places in the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land was given to us for inheritance.

Webster's Bible Translation
Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we [are] many; the land is given to us for inheritance.

Amplified Bible
"Son of man, those [back in Palestine] who inhabit these ruins in the land of Israel are saying, 'Abraham was [only] one man and he took possession of the land, but we are many; the land has [most certainly] been given to us [to possess] as property.'

English Standard Version
"Son of man, the inhabitants of these waste places in the land of Israel keep saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he got possession of the land; but we are many; the land is surely given us to possess.'

World English Bible
Son of man, they who inhabit those waste places in the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thou, sone of man, thei that dwellen in `thingis in poynt to falle doun on the erthe of Israel, seien, spekynge, Abraham was oon, and bi eritage he hadde the lond in possessioun; forsothe we ben manye, the lond is youun to vs in to possessioun.

English Revised Version
Son of man, they that inhabit those waste places in the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance.

Berean Standard Bible
"Son of man, those living in the ruins in the land of Israel are saying, 'Abraham was only one man, yet he possessed the land. But we are many; surely the land has been given to us as a possession.'

Contemporary English Version
Ezekiel, son of man, the people living in the ruined cities of Israel are saying, "Abraham was just one man, and the Lord gave him this whole land of Israel. There are many of us, and so this land must be ours."

American Standard Version
Son of man, they that inhabit those waste places in the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance.

Bible in Basic English
Son of man, those who are living in these waste places in the land of Israel say, Abraham was but one, and he had land for his heritage: but we are a great number; the land is given to us for our heritage.

Complete Jewish Bible
"Human being, those living in the desolate parts of the land of Isra'el are saying, ‘Avraham was only one, and he inherited the land. But we are many, so [how much more] is the land given to us to inherit!'

Darby Translation
Son of man, they that inhabit those waste places in the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited this land, and we are many: the land is given us for a possession.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
'Son of man, they that inhabit those waste places in the land of Israel speak, saying: Abraham was one, and he inherited the land; but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance.

King James Version (1611)
Sonne of man, they that inhabite those wastes of the land of Israel, speake, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many, the land is giuen vs for inheritance.

New Life Bible
"Son of man, the people who live in these waste places in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he owned the land. But we are many, and for sure the land has been given to us.'

New Revised Standard
Mortal, the inhabitants of these waste places in the land of Israel keep saying, "Abraham was only one man, yet he got possession of the land; but we are many; the land is surely given us to possess."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Sonne of man, these that dwel in the desolate places of the land of Israel, talke and say, Abraham was but one, and hee possessed the lande: but we are many, therefore the lande shall be giuen vs in possession.

George Lamsa Translation
Son of man, those who inhabit these waste places of the land of Israel are saying, Abraham was only one man, and yet he inherited the land; but we are many; are we not going to inherit it?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Son of man These inhabitants of waste places on the so of Israel are saying thus, One, was Abraham. Yet he inherited the land,- But, we, are many, To us, is the land given as an inheritance.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Son of man, they that dwell in these ruinous places in the land of Israel, speak, saying: Abraham was one, and he inherited the land, but we are many, the land is given us in possession.

Revised Standard Version
"Son of man, the inhabitants of these waste places in the land of Israel keep saying, 'Abraham was only one man, yet he got possession of the land; but we are many; the land is surely given us to possess.'

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Son of man, they that inhabit the desolate places on the land of Israel say, Abram was one, and he possessed the land: and we are more numerous; to us the land is given for a possession.

Good News Translation
"Mortal man," he said, "the people who are living in the ruined cities of the land of Israel are saying: ‘Abraham was only one man, and he was given the whole land. There are many of us, so now the land is ours.'

Christian Standard Bible®
“Son of man, those who live in the ruins in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one person, yet he received possession of the land. But we are many; surely the land has been given to us as a possession.’

Hebrew Names Version
Son of man, they who inhabit those waste places in Eretz-Yisra'el speak, saying, Avraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance.

King James Version
Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance.

Lexham English Bible
"Son of man, the inhabitants of these ruins on the soil of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was one man, and he took possession of the land, and we are many; the land has been given for us as a possession.'

Literal Translation
Son of man, those living in the ruins are speaking, these in the land of Israel, saying, Abraham was one, and he possessed the land; but we are many, the land is given to us for a possession.

Young's Literal Translation
`Son of man, the inhabitants of these wastes on the ground of Israel are speaking, saying: Alone hath been Abraham -- and he possesseth the land, and we [are] many -- to us hath the land been given for a possession.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Thou sonne off man, these that dwell in the waisted londe of Israel, saye: Abraham was but one man, ad he had the londe in possessio: now are we many, and the londe is geuen vs to possesse also

New King James Version
"Son of man, they who inhabit those ruins in the land of Israel are saying, "Abraham was only one, and he inherited the land. But we are many; the land has been given to us as a possession.'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Son of man, they who live in these waste places in the land of Israel are saying, 'Abraham was only one, yet he possessed the land; so to us who are many the land has been given as a possession.'

Legacy Standard Bible
"Son of man, they who inhabit these waste places in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one, yet he possessed the land; so to us who are many the land has been given as a possession.'

Contextual Overview

²¹ In the twelfth yere, the fift day of the tenth moneth of our captiuitie, one which was escaped out of Hierusalem, came vnto me and said, The citie is smitten. ²² Nowe the hande of the Lorde had ben vpon me the euening afore this man which was escaped came vnto me, and had opened my mouth vntill the morning that he came to me: yea, my mouth was opened, so that I was no more dumbe. ²³ Then came the worde of the Lorde vnto me, and saide: ²⁴ Thou sonne of man, these that dwell in the wasted lande of Israel talke and say: Abraham was but one man, and he had the lande in possession: nowe are we many, and the lande is geuen vs to possesse also. ²⁵ And therefore tel them, thus saith the Lorde God, In the blood haue ye eaten, your eyes haue ye lift vp to idols, and haue shed blood: shall ye then haue the lande in possession? ²⁶ Ye leane vpon your swordes, ye worke abhominations, euery one defileth his neighbours wyfe: and shall ye then possesse the lande? ²⁷ Say thou thus vnto them, thus saith the lorde God: As truely as I liue, they that are in the desolate places shall fall by the sworde, and him that is vpon the fielde wyll I geue vnto the beastes to be deuoured: and they that be in the strong holdes and dennes shall dye of the pestilence. ²⁸ For I wyll make the lande so desolate and waste, that the pompe of her strength shall ceasse: the mountaynes of Israel shalbe so waste, that no man shall trauaile thereby. ²⁹ Then shall they knowe that I am the Lorde, when I make the land desolate and waste, because of all their abhominations that they haue wrought.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

they that: The small remnant which continued in the land under Gedaliah, after the desolation of Jerusalem, flattered themselves, notwithstanding all their crimes, that they should inherit the whole land. Ezekiel 33:27, Ezekiel 5:3, Ezekiel 5:4, Ezekiel 34:2, Jeremiah 39:10, Jeremiah 40:7

wastes: Ezekiel 33:27, Ezekiel 36:4

Abraham: Isaiah 51:2, Acts 7:5

but we: Micah 3:11, Matthew 3:9, Luke 3:8, John 8:33, John 8:39, Romans 4:12, Romans 9:7, 1 Thessalonians 5:3

Reciprocal: Genesis 12:1 - had Leviticus 25:18 - and ye Numbers 33:56 - General 2 Kings 25:12 - left of the poor 2 Kings 25:24 - sware to them Psalms 25:13 - inherit Psalms 105:12 - a few Proverbs 10:30 - the wicked Isaiah 5:8 - they Jeremiah 40:15 - wherefore Jeremiah 41:7 - slew Jeremiah 52:16 - certain Ezekiel 11:15 - unto Malachi 2:10 - all

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel,.... The places which were laid waste by Nebuchadnezzar's army, going and returning, in and about Jerusalem, and in several parts of Judea; these were they that were left in the land after the destruction, to people and plant it; or who, having fled to distant parts, were now returned, and took possession of it, though it was in a wretched condition, a mere waste or desert; and yet they were lifted up with it, and proud and haughty, as their language shows: for thus they speak,

saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land; he was but one, and had no child, when the promise of inheriting the land was made unto him; and he was but a single worshipper of God, and yet he had this favour and privilege:

but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance: so they oppose themselves to Abraham, and argue from the lesser to the greater; that if a single person was vouchsafed to inherit it, then much more many, and those of his seed; and to whom the land was particularly given for an inheritance, and who were now in the possession of it, as Abraham never was; and, being many, were able to defend their right, and secure themselves in the enjoyment of it; all which reasoning shows their pride and vanity, though they were under such humbling circumstances; their land being waste, their numbers lessened, and the enemy had but just left it, having made dreadful devastations in it; and which had had no influence upon them to reform them, or bring them to repentance, as the following verses show.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The exhortation to repentance. Ezekiel first addresses the remnant that still linger in their ancient home, and warns them against presumptuous hopes resting on false grounds Ezekiel 33:23-29; then he turns his eyes to those near him, and points out that their apparent attention to his words was illusory.

Ezekiel 33:24

Those wastes - The places in the holy land devastated by the conqueror.

Abraham - The argument is, Abraham was but one man, and he had the promise of the land, though he did not at once possess it; much more shall we, the descendants of Abraham, being many, retain this promise and possess the land, though for a time we are depressed and subject. Compare Matthew 3:9; John 8:33, John 8:39.

Ezekiel 33:25

To eat flesh with the blood was forbidden (see the marginal references). It seems to have been connected with the idolatries of Canaan. The prohibition was, on account of its connection with idolatry, continued in the enactment of the Council of Jerusalem Acts 15:29.

Ezekiel 33:26

Ye stand upon your sword - Ye put your trust in your swords.

Ezekiel 33:30-33

God warns the prophet against being misled by the compliance of the people.

Ezekiel 33:30

Against thee - Rather, about “thee.” “by the walls” Rather, within “the walls.”

Ezekiel 33:31

As the people cometh - literally, as in the margin, i. e., in crowds. Render it: they shall come “unto thee” like the coming of a people,” and” shall “sit before thee as My people” etc., i. e., they assume the attitude of God’s people listening to His prophet. Compare Ezekiel 14:1; Ezekiel 20:1.

Ezekiel 33:33

And when this - But when this.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 33:24. Abraham was one — If he was called to inherit the land when he was alone, and had the whole to himself, why may we not expect to be established here, who are his posterity, and are many? They wished to remain in the land and be happy after the Chaldeans had carried the rest away captives.