Albert Barnes Commentary Ezekiel 33:23-33

"And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, 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. Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes unto your idols, and shed blood: and shall ye possess the land? Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbor`s wife: and shall ye possess the land? Thus shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: As I live, surely they that are in the waste places shall fall by the sword; and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured; and they that are in the strongholds and in the caves shall die of the pestilence. And I will make the land a desolation and an astonishment; and the pride of her power shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, so that none shall pass through. Then shall they know that I am Jehovah, when I have made the land a desolation and an astonishment, because of all their abominations which they have committed. And as for thee, son of man, the children of thy people talk of 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 Jehovah. And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but do them not; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their gain. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; for they hear thy words, but they do them not. And when this cometh to pass, (behold, it cometh,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them." — Ezekiel 33:23-33 (ASV)

The exhortation to repentance. Ezekiel first addresses the remnant that still lingers 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.

Those wastes - The places in the holy land devastated by the conqueror (Ezekiel 33:24).

Abraham - The argument is, Abraham was only one man, and he had the promise of the land, though he did not at once possess it; much more will 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.

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 33:25).

You stand upon your sword - You put your trust in your swords (Ezekiel 33:26).

God warns the prophet against being misled by the compliance of the people (Ezekiel 33:30–33).

Against you - Rather, about you. by the walls - Rather, within the walls (Ezekiel 33:30).

As the people comes - literally, as in the margin, i.e., in crowds. Render it: they will come to you like the coming of a people, and will sit before you 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 33:31).

And when this - But when this (Ezekiel 33:33).