Ezekiel 33:31

Eze 33:31 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.

Ver. 31. And they come unto thee.] Very goodly.

And they sit before thee.] Very demurely, and, to see to, devoutly, taking up all the seats.

They hear thy words.] But they were as heartless in hearing, as they were listless in praying. {Eze 33:10}

They will not do them.] Of the Athenians also it was said of old, that they knew well what was good and right, but would do neither.

Their heart goeth after their covetousness.] Their heart is on their halfpenny, as we say; neither can the loadstone of God’s Word hale them one jot from the earth. It should be Sursum corda; up from the heart, but when many men’s bodies are in sacculis, in their purse, their hearts are in sacculis, in their purse, as Augustine complaineth; as serpents have their bodies in the water, their heads out of the water, so here; as those Gergesites, they more mind a swine sty than a sanctuary. {a}

{a} Haram domesticam arae Dominicae praefer.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This declareth that we ought to hear God’s word with such zeal and affection, that we should in all points obey it, else we abuse the word to our own condemnation, and make of his ministers, as though they were jests to serve men’s foolish fantasies.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

as the people cometh--that is, in crowds, as disciples flock to their teacher.

sit before thee--on lower seats at thy feet, according to the Jewish custom of pupils (Deu 33:3; Kg2 4:38; Luk 10:39; Act 22:3).

as my people--though they are not.

hear . . . not do-- (Mat 13:20-21; Jam 1:23-24).

they show much love--literally, "make love," that is, act the part of lovers. Profess love to the Lord (Mat 7:21). GESENIUS translates, according to Arabic idiom, "They do the delights of God," that is, all that is agreeable to God. Vulgate translates, "They turn thy words into a song of their mouths."

heart goeth after . . . covetousness--the grand rival to the love of God; therefore called "idolatry," and therefore associated with impure carnal love, as both alike transfer the heart's affection from the Creator to the creature (Mat 13:22; Eph 5:5; Ti1 6:10).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 31. As the people cometh] As they are accustomed to come on public days, Sabbaths, &c.

With their mouth they show much love] They respected the prophet, but would not bend themselves to follow his precepts. They loved earthly things, and did not relish those of heaven.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(31) As the people cometh.—In the original, according to the coming of a people—i.e., in crowds. In the following clause, “as my people,” there is an emphasis on the pronoun, as the true people of God. Such was their outward bearing, while their inward disposition was far different.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

31. On “come unto thee” cf. Eze_8:1, Eze_14:1, Eze_20:1.

as my people] The construction is very hard. LXX. omits.

with their mouth … love] The language is peculiar, but can hardly have any other sense. LXX. Syr. read: for falsehood is in their mouth and their heart &c. The term “covetousness” or gain has, especially in later books, the general sense of advantage, self-advancement, Isa_56:11.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And when this cometh to pass,.... The prophecy before delivered out, concerning the desolations in the land of Israel, by the sword, pestilence, and wild beasts:

lo, it will come; whatever is predicted by the Lord; in the mouth of his prophets, certainly comes to pass: then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them; and acknowledge it; and particularly that Ezekiel was one, a true prophet of the Lord, by the exact accomplishment of his predictions.

Next: Ezekiel Chapter 34

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

In to a religious meeting. (Chaldean) Perhaps they came on the sabbath to his house. Yet they made a just and song of his instructions. (Calmet) --- They heard them with pleasure, but did not reform their lives. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Flocking to the school of some famous doctor, or as men and women flock to hear some famous preacher, or as they were wont to the synagogues to hear their learned scribes. So we find the elders of Judah, Eze 8:1, which see; so the disciples of the great rabbies sat at their feet; so is Saul said to be brought up at the feet of Gamaliel. By their outward deportments, you might judge them to be my people, and hear seemingly very attentive. They do only hear what thou sayest, but they will not do it. All their love is but from teeth outward, either to me, my word, or my prophet, saith God.

Their heart goeth after their covetousness; their desire, love, and care is about their gain, how to make thriving bargains, how to place out and secure their money with excessive and intolerable usury and increase.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

They come - As if they were really the people of God. They sit - So we find the elders of Judah, chap. viii, 1, so the disciples of the rabbis sat at their feet.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

and they will sit before you as My people as if they were My people.

jokes [Heb. עֲגָבִים,] laughter, related to עוּגָב, a flute.

their gain their stolen goods.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.