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Friday, August 15th, 2025
the Week of Proper 14 / Ordinary 19
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Bible in Basic English

Ezekiel 24:19

And the people said to me, Will you not make clear to us the sense of these things; is it for us you do them?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ezekiel;   Instruction;   Symbols and Similitudes;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Bread;   Prophets;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Repentance;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ezekiel;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things you are doing mean for us?”
Hebrew Names Version
The people said to me, Won't you tell us what these things are to us, that you do so?
King James Version
And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so?
English Standard Version
And the people said to me, "Will you not tell us what these things mean for us, that you are acting thus?"
New American Standard Bible
And the people said to me, "Will you not tell us what these things mean for us, that you are doing?"
New Century Version
Then the people asked me, "Tell us, what do the things you are doing mean for us?"
Amplified Bible
The people said to me, "These things that you are doing—tell us, what do they mean for us?"
World English Bible
The people said to me, Won't you tell us what these things are to us, that you do so?
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the people said vnto me, Wilt thou not tell vs what these things meane towarde vs that thou doest so?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The people said to me, "Will you not tell us what these things that you are doing mean for us?"
Legacy Standard Bible
The people said to me, "Will you not tell us what these things that you are doing mean for us?"
Berean Standard Bible
Then the people asked me, "Won't you tell us what these things you are doing mean to us?"
Contemporary English Version
and when people saw me, they asked, "Why aren't you mourning for your wife?"
Complete Jewish Bible
The people asked me, "Won't you tell us what these actions of yours mean for us?"
Darby Translation
And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, which thou doest?
Easy-to-Read Version
Then the people said to me, "Why are you doing this? What does it mean?"
George Lamsa Translation
And the people said to me, Will you not tell us the meaning of these strange things which you do?
Good News Translation
The people asked me, "Why are you acting like this?"
Lexham English Bible
And the people said to me, "Will you not make known to us what these things that you are doing mean for us?"
Literal Translation
And the people said to me, Will you not tell us what the things you are doing are to us?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And ye people sayde vnto me: wilt thou not tell vs, what that signifieth, which thou doest?
American Standard Version
And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the people said unto me: 'Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so?'
King James Version (1611)
And the people said vnto me; Wilt thou not tell vs what these things are to vs, that thou doest so?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the people sayd vnto me: Wilt thou not tell vs what this signifieth towarde vs, that thou doest so?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the people said to me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are that thou doest?
English Revised Version
And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the puple seide to me, Whi schewist thou not to vs what these thingis signefien, whiche thou doist?
Update Bible Version
And the people said to me, Will you not tell us what these things are to us, that you do so?
Webster's Bible Translation
And the people said to me, Wilt thou not tell us what these [things are] to us, that thou doest [so]?
New English Translation
Then the people said to me, "Will you not tell us what these things you are doing mean for us?"
New King James Version
And the people said to me, "Will you not tell us what these things signify to us, that you behave so?"
New Living Translation
Then the people asked, "What does all this mean? What are you trying to tell us?"
New Life Bible
And the people said to me, "Will you not tell us what these things you are doing mean for us?"
New Revised Standard
Then the people said to me, "Will you not tell us what these things mean for us, that you are acting this way?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said the people unto me: Wt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou shouldst be acting thus?
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the people said to me: Why dost thou not tell us what these things mean that thou doest?
Revised Standard Version
And the people said to me, "Will you not tell us what these things mean for us, that you are acting thus?"
Young's Literal Translation
And the people say unto me, `Dost thou not declare to us what these [are] to us, that thou art doing?'
THE MESSAGE
The people came to me, saying, "Tell us why you're acting like this. What does it mean, anyway?"

Contextual Overview

15 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 16 Son of man, see, I am taking away the desire of your eyes by disease: but let there be no sorrow or weeping or drops running from your eyes. 17 Let there be no sound of sorrow; make no weeping for your dead, put on your head-dress and your shoes on your feet, let not your lips be covered, and do not take the food of those in grief. 18 So in the morning I was teaching the people and in the evening death took my wife; and in the morning I did what I had been ordered to do. 19 And the people said to me, Will you not make clear to us the sense of these things; is it for us you do them? 20 Then I said to them, The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 21 Say to the people of Israel, The Lord has said, See, I will make my holy place unclean, the pride of your strength, the pleasure of your eyes, and the desire of your soul; and your sons and daughters, who did not come with you here, will be put to the sword. 22 And you will do as I have done, not covering your lips or taking the food of those in grief. 23 And your head-dresses will be on your heads and your shoes on your feet: there will be no sorrow or weeping; but you will be wasting away in the punishment of your evil-doing, and you will be looking at one another in wonder. 24 And Ezekiel will be a sign to you; everything he has done you will do: when this takes place, you will be certain that I am the Lord.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Ezekiel 12:9, Ezekiel 17:12, Ezekiel 20:49, Ezekiel 21:7, Ezekiel 37:18, Malachi 3:7, Malachi 3:8, Malachi 3:13

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 13:12 - and they shall John 13:12 - Know Acts 21:11 - he took

Cross-References

Genesis 24:14
Now, may the girl to whom I say, Let down your vessel and give me a drink, and who says in answer, Here is a drink for you and let me give water to your camels: may she be the one marked out by you for your servant Isaac: so may I be certain that you have been good to my master Abraham.
Genesis 24:45
And even while I was saying this to myself, Rebekah came out with her vessel on her arm; and she went down to the spring to get water; and I said to her, Give me a drink.
Genesis 24:46
And straight away she took down her vessel from her arm, and said, Take a drink, and I will get water for your camels.
1 Peter 4:9
Keep open house for all with a glad heart;

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the people said unto me,.... Either seriously, as being desirous of knowing what was meant by all this; since they had reason to believe that it was not out of want of affection in Ezekiel to his wife that he so behaved; and therefore there must be some hidden meaning in it, which they should be glad to be informed of: or in a ludicrous manner, deriding the prophet for his conduct, and despising what he meant to instruct them in hereby:

wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so? for they suspected it vas not on his own account, but to signify something to them, that these things were done; and laughing at him, they say, to what purpose are these things done? if you do not tell us for what reason they are done, instruct us by words, and not by actions; these were his fellow captives in Babylon.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The death of Ezekiel’s wife took place in the evening of the same day that he delivered the foregoing prophecy. This event was to signify to the people that the Lord would take from them all that was most dear to them; and - owing to the extraordinary nature of the times - quiet lamentation for the dead, according to the usual forms of mourning, would be impossible.

Ezekiel 24:17

The priest in general was to mourn for his dead (Leviticus 21:1 ff); but Ezekiel was to be an exception to the rule. The “tire” was the priest’s mitre.

Eat not the bread of men - Food supplied for the comfort of the mourners.

Ezekiel 24:23

Pine away - Compare Leviticus 26:39. The outward signs of grief were a certain consolation. Their absence would indicate a heart-consuming sorrow.

Ezekiel 24:27

Ezekiel had been employed four years in foretelling the calamities about to come to pass. He had been utterly disregarded by the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and received with apparent respect but with real incredulity by those in exile. Now until the city had been actually taken, the voice of prophecy should cease, so far as God’s people were concerned. Hence the intervening series of predictions relating to neighboring and foreign nations Ezek. 25–32. After which the prophet’s voice was again heard addressing his countrymen in their exile. This accounts for the apparently parenthetical character of the next eight chapters.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 24:19. Wilt thou not tell us — In the following verses he explains and applies the whole of what he had done and said.


 
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