Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 33:24
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.
24. Regarding those remaining in the land even before the fall of the city, cf. Eze 11:5-12; Eze 11:14-21; Jeremiah 24. Those remaining in the land express their confident hopes. Though reduced in numbers they are still many in comparison of the single individual Abraham. Yet he was multiplied in such a way as to take possession of the land; much more may they hope yet to assert their claims to it. They perhaps hardly argued on mere natural probabilities; they felt themselves the heirs of the promises made to Abraham, and in spite of disasters hoped that Jehovah would fulfil them to them. They display the same temper as the people had always shewn; they have a faith in Jehovah but no knowledge of what Jehovah is (Amo 5:14; Hos 4:1; Jer 4:22; Jer 5:2; Jer 5:4). Another prophet of this age applies the strange history of Abraham and his multiplication to comfort “the few men of Israel” who followed after righteousness, Isa 51:2.
inhabit those wastes ] The ruined cities chiefly, Eze 33:27; but cf. Eze 36:4.
the land is given us ] Words of confident anticipation.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
They that inhabit; who were left behind, having either hid themselves, but now come out of their holes, or returned from neighbour countries, whither they fled, or permitted by the conqueror to stay and plant vineyards.
Wastes; places once very fruitful and abounding with people, but now by the spoil of the soldiers emptied of inhabitants. and made as a desolate wilderness.
Speak, saying; thus think and speak; thus with vain reasonings they deceive them. selves.
He inherited the land; our father had hereditary right to all this land when but one, and he multiplied to a great company, and so they possessed the land; we children of Abraham, though diminished, are many, and the Divine goodness will surely appear then, and continue to us both right and possession, and we shall fill the land, and recover our former state and privileges.
Is given us; it was given by promise to us the seed, as well as to our progenitor; nay more, it is given us in possession, we dwell in it, when Abraham had not one foot of it in his possession.
For inheritance; the perpetual inheritance is ours. Thus with vain, fallacious arguments they cheat one another.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
24. they that inhabit . . . wastesof . . . Israelmarking the blindness of the fraction of Jewsunder Gedaliah who, though dwelling amidst regions laid waste by thefoe, still cherished hopes of deliverance, and this withoutrepentance.
Abraham was one . . . but weare manyIf God gave the land for an inheritance to Abraham,who was but one (Isa 51:2),much more it is given to us, who, though reduced, are still many. Ifhe, with 318 servants, was able to defend himself amid so many foes,much more shall we, so much more numerous, retain our own. The grantof the land was not for his sole use, but for his numerous posterity.
inherited the landnotactually possessed it (Ac 7:5),but had the right of dwelling and pasturing his flocks in it[GROTIUS]. The Jewsboasted similarly of their Abrahamic descent in Mat 3:9;Joh 8:39.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole 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.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(24) Inhabit those wastes.It is said in 2Ki. 25:12; 2Ki. 25:22; Jer. 52:16, that the poor of the people were left in the land for vine-dressers and for husband. men, and that these were joined by fugitive Jews from Moab and Ammon and other places. It is to these that the present part of this prophecy (Eze. 33:23-29) is addressed, and it is plain that the murder of Gedaliah, and consequent flight into Egypt, had not yet taken place.
Abraham was one . . . we are many.The argument used by these people was a simple one: the land was promised to Abraham and his seed in perpetuity. He was but one, and the promise was fulfilled; we, his seed, are many, and it cannot fail us. This disposition to rely upon their descent from Abraham was characteristic of the Jews in all ages (see Mat. 3:9; Joh. 8:33-39). The same tendency to trust in the external privileges given them is apt to be found in all ages among those whose hearts are alienated from God. These Jews, to avoid the force of the prophets reproofs, passed from one subterfuge to another. First it was that God would not abandon His holy city and Temple; then that the judgments were so far in the future that they need cause no present alarm; now, when these warnings had all been fulfilled, they clung to the fact that the land was theirs by promise, forgetting the conditions which had been attached from the first to its enjoyment.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Eze 33:24. Abraham was one “If Abraham, being only a single person, had the whole country of Judaea given him, there is much greater reason to conclude, that God will preserve the possession of it to us, who are a numerous part of Abraham’s posterity.” These men speak after the vain manner of the Jews, who fondly presume that they have a right to all the promises made to Abraham, without considering the vast difference which was between them and Abraham, both in faith and practice. The appellation of one is given to that patriarch in other places of Scripture, because he was singled out from the rest of his family, to be the original or head of the Jewish nation. See Lowth and Calmet.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Eze 33:24 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.
Ver. 24. They that inhabit those wastes of the land of lsrael. ] Those poor few now left in the land. 2Ki 25:12 ; 2Ki 25:22 Jer 40:5-6 Surely they are poor, they are foolish, they have lost the fruit of their affliction; Miserrimi facti sunt et pessimi permanent, as Augustine saith of some in his time, They are nevertheless wicked for being wretched.
Speak.
Abraham was one.
The land is given to us.
a Verba faecis populi recitat. Abrahae se conferre, imo praeferre audebant.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
wastes = ruins.
the land of Israel = the soil of Israel. Hebrew ‘admath. Not the same word as in Eze 33:28, which is ‘eretz. See note on Eze 11:17.
Ye eat with the blood = eat over (‘al) the blood: i.e. over or near (as the heathen in their necromancy). Reference to Pentateuch (not to Deu 12:16 (where it is lo = not), but to Lev 19:26 (where it is ‘al = over), as here, and where it is connected with the idolatrous practices of the heathen.
idols = manufactured gods.
shall ye. ? Note the Figure of speech Protests (App-6).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
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. Eze 33:27, Eze 5:3, Eze 5:4, Eze 34:2, Jer 39:10, Jer 40:7
wastes: Eze 33:27, Eze 36:4
Abraham: Isa 51:2, Act 7:5
but we: Mic 3:11, Mat 3:9, Luk 3:8, Joh 8:33, Joh 8:39, Rom 4:12, Rom 9:7, 1Th 5:3
Reciprocal: Gen 12:1 – had Lev 25:18 – and ye Num 33:56 – General 2Ki 25:12 – left of the poor 2Ki 25:24 – sware to them Psa 25:13 – inherit Psa 105:12 – a few Pro 10:30 – the wicked Isa 5:8 – they Jer 40:15 – wherefore Jer 41:7 – slew Jer 52:16 – certain Eze 11:15 – unto Mal 2:10 – all
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 33:24. They that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel They that are left behind in the land, that is now wasted with fire and sword: see the margin. Speak, saying, Abraham was one, and inherited the land Had the privilege of dwelling and feeding his flocks in it; as if he had said, If Abraham, being only a single person, had the whole country of Judea given him, there is much greater reason to conclude, that God will preserve the possession of it to us, who are a numerous part of Abrahams posterity. These men speak after the vain manner of the Jews, who fondly presume that they have a right to all the promises made to Abraham, without considering the vast difference between them and Abraham, both in faith and practice. The appellation of one is given to Abraham in other parts of Scripture, because he was singled out from the rest of his family, to be the original, or head, of the Jewish nation. Lowth.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
33:24 Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, {m} Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we [are] many; the land is given to us for inheritance.
(m) Thus the wicked think themselves more worthy to enjoy God’s promises than the saints of God, to whom they were made: and would bind God to be subject to them, though they would not be bound to him.