Ezekiel set again as watchman, answerable for the warning; word comes that 'the city is smitten,' and the people hear his words as a pleasant song but do them not.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
’Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them: When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man from among them, and set him for their watchman;
verse value 4283
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 80 letters. Notable word values: "to·them" (אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "speak" (דַּבֵּ֤ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·sons·of·your·people" (אֶל־בְּנֵֽי־עַמְּךָ֙, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "when·I·bring" (כִּֽי־אָבִ֥יא), "from·their·ends" (מִקְצֵיהֶ֔ם), "as·a·watchman" (לְצֹפֶֽה). The root ארץ appears 2 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·you·shall·say" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "on" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "to·sons·of·your·people" (root איל, 238x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'sword', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 9 words.
Rashi
To the watchtower. In Old French: "Adit."
Radak
“Son of man, speak to the children of your people. Behold, I have spoken to you concerning the nations that cause Israel to stumble, that they may bear their iniquity. And now, speak to the children of your people, for it is because of their iniquities that the hand of the nations has dominated them.”
"And you shall say to them." Say to them this parable:
“‘When I bring upon her’ (the land) – ‘I will bring’ (avi’a). ‘I will bring’ is used here as Jeremiah used it: ‘For a moment I will speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom.’ This teaches that He watches over human beings, rewarding the good with good and the wicked with evil. Even though the great providence is over Israel, there is a measure of it over the other nations as well, as it is stated: ‘Only you have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will visit upon you all your iniquities.’”
"Of them." The qof is rafah [without a dagesh], and its meaning is like that of "he took from the end of his brothers," where the mem in "from them" is a mem of usage, whereas the mem in "from the end" is a mem of addition.
Metzudat David
"When I bring." He said: "When I bring"—because everything comes by the decree of the Omnipresent.
Sword. This means: men of the sword.
“And they shall appoint him.” They will appoint him to be a watchman, to observe whether it was near to entering the city.
Metzudat Zion
"From among them." The Targum: "From among them."
To the watchman. The matter of gazing and seeing:
Malbim
“Land, when I bring upon it the sword,” there are two types of watchmen: 1. A watchman appointed to see whether an enemy is coming to the city; 2. After the enemy has already arrived, a watchman is appointed to observe and study the enemy’s camp and to warn the people to guard themselves from the side from which the enemy will array himself for battle and hurl arrows and sling-stones at the city. And there are three distinctions between them: 1. The watchmen appointed to see whether any enemy is coming are appointed in large numbers on every side, unlike the watchman appointed after the enemy has arrived, of whom only one is appointed, to study the enemy’s actions and their formation; 2. The watchmen who are to see whether the enemy has come are appointed from ordinary men, but the watchman who is to stand and observe the formation of the enemy who has already arrived must be one of the officers of the army, who knows the stratagems of war and knows how to warn the people from the place of danger; 3. The first watchmen are appointed by the king or the commander of the army, so that if they perceive the coming of the enemy, they will inform the army to go out to meet them in battle, but the second watchman, if the enemy has come, is appointed by the entire people, so that when he sees that the enemy’s hand is raised and that he will conquer the city, he will inform the people so that they may hasten to flee for their lives. And this is what it says: “Land, when I bring upon it the sword”—if the sword has already come, then there is no need to appoint many watchmen to see whether the sword has come; rather, then the common people will take upon themselves to appoint the watchman, and only one man, and the man is from among their leaders, meaning one of the officers of the people who stands at their head, and they appoint him as their watchman, for the primary purpose of his watch is for their sake, to warn them in times of danger, to stand for their lives. And then ????:
if, when he sees the sword come upon the land, he blow the horn, and warn the people;
verse value 3145
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 39 letters. The shortest word is "going·in" (בָּאָ֣ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·sword" (אֶת־הַחֶ֖רֶב, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·warns" (וְהִזְהִ֥יר). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·the·land" (root ארץ, 176x in Ezekiel); "going·in" (root בוא, 175x in Ezekiel); "the·sword" (root חרב, 102x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root שופר ("in·the·horn") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'upon·the·land', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְרָאָ֥ה [and·he·shall·see] (212) + אֶת־הַחֶ֖רֶב [the·sword] (616) + בָּאָ֣ה [going·in] (8) + עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ [upon·the·land] (396) + וְתָקַ֥ע [and·blows] (576) + בַּשּׁוֹפָ֖ר [in·the·horn] (588) + וְהִזְהִ֥יר [and·warns] (233) + אֶת־הָעָֽם [the·people] (516) = 3145.
Rashi
“And he saw the sword.” These are the armies:
Radak
And he saw the sword coming upon the land. As its Targum renders: “Those who kill with the sword are coming upon the land.”
Metzudat David
And he saw. And when he saw that the time had already come, he blew the shofar to serve as a sign, and thereby warned the people to be on guard against the sword.
Malbim
And see, if he sees that the sword is coming upon the land, meaning that the enemy is conquering and capturing the city, then he shall blow the shofar to warn the people to hasten to flee.
then whosoever hears the sound of the horn, and takes not warning, if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head;
verse value 3997
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 51 letters. The shortest word is "and·not" (וְלֹ֣א, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·takes·it" (וַתִּקָּחֵ֑הוּ, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 415: he·that·hears, and·she·came. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·he·hears" (וְשָׁמַ֨ע), "and·takes·it" (וַתִּקָּחֵ֑הוּ). The root שמע appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "it·will·be" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel); "and·not" (root לא, 213x in Ezekiel); "and·she·came" (root בוא, 175x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·takes·it', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְשָׁמַ֨ע [and·he·hears] (416) + הַשֹּׁמֵ֜עַ [he·that·hears] (415) + אֶת־ק֤וֹל [the·sound·of] (537) + הַשּׁוֹפָר֙ [horn] (591) + וְלֹ֣א [and·not] (37) + נִזְהָ֔ר [is·warned] (262) + וַתָּ֥בוֹא [and·she·came] (415) + חֶ֖רֶב [sword] (210) + וַתִּקָּחֵ֑הוּ [and·takes·it] (525) + דָּמ֖וֹ [his·blood] (50) + בְּרֹאשׁ֥וֹ [in·his·head] (509) + יִֽהְיֶֽה [it·will·be] (30) = 3997.
Rashi
“His blood shall be upon his own head.” This means that the guilt of his death will be sought from himself, for he transgressed against his own soul.
Radak
"And you shall hear," but not one who is careful. All instances of nizhar in this passage are vocalized with a kamatz.
Metzudat David
And he did not guard himself. He did not accept the warning to be careful, and because of this they took the sword and killed him.
“His blood is on his head.” This means that the guilt for his death rests upon himself, but one should not blame the watchman, for he has done his duty.
Malbim
And he shall hear — that is to say, there were two aspects regarding the shofar:
A. There are signals in the blowing of the shofar, such that anyone who understands the signals knows how to act, in which direction to flee, or how to save himself. And regarding this it says, "And he who hears the sound of the shofar" — meaning, one who hears and understands the signals of the blasts and the indications that the sound conveys, yet does not take heed — his blood shall be upon his head; he is held accountable for his own life.
B. Even one who does not know the signals and indications of the shofar, at least he heard the sound of the shofar, and he ought to have taken heed and fled. Furthermore, there was a second aspect regarding the shofar, namely a moral one: the sound of the shofar serves to arouse repentance, and they would sound an alarm concerning calamities so that the people would return from their sins. And regarding this aspect it says, "He heard the sound of the shofar, yet did not take heed to return in repentance — his blood shall be upon him," meaning within his inner self, since he did not rectify his soul, at least through repentance. For had he taken heed, his soul would have been saved, and he would have rescued his soul from the pit.
he heard the sound of the horn, and took not warning, his blood shall be upon him; whereas if he had taken warning, he would have delivered his soul.
verse value 2720
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 44 letters. Notable word values: "and·he" (וְה֥וּא) = 18, chai, 'life'. The shortest word is "upon·him" (בּ֣וֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "horn" (הַשּׁוֹפָ֤ר, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 262: is·warned, is·warned. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "his·soul" (נַפְשׁ֥וֹ), "he·delivered" (מִלֵּֽט). The root זהר appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "it·will·be" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel); "and·not" (root לא, 213x in Ezekiel); "and·he" (root הוא, 86x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'it·will·be', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 4 words.
Rashi
And he was careful with his soul not to be killed. If he had been careful, he would have escaped.
Radak
“Et kol” (the sound of); “millet” (saved) — with a tzere.
Metzudat David
He heard the voice of the shofar. For did he not hear the voice of the shofar that warned him, yet he did not accept the warning and did not guard himself; therefore, the sin of his death is upon him.
"And he." But if he had been heedful of the warning of the shofar and had been careful, behold, he would have saved his soul. And it is as though it were said: Since it was in his power to save his soul and he did not save it, therefore he receives punishment for having abandoned his soul.
But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the horn, and the people be not warned, and the sword do come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.
verse value 5448
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 86 letters. The shortest word is "going·in" (בָּאָ֗ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "from·hand·of·the·watchman" (מִיַּֽד־הַצֹּפֶ֥ה, 7 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·the·watchman" (וְ֠הַצֹּפֶ֠ה), "if·he·sees" (כִּי־יִרְאֶ֨ה), "and·not·blow" (וְלֹֽא־תָקַ֤ע). The root צפה appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "going·in" (root בוא, 175x in Ezekiel); "from·them" (root הם, 166x in Ezekiel); "the·sword" (root חרב, 102x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'soul', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 6 words.
Radak
And the watchman. It is taken. A qamats in a zakef:
"I will inquire." And even though he was already liable, in any case, through the watchman's death, he becomes liable for his blood, since he did not warn him, and he did not know who would be taken and who was worthy to be taken. He should have warned the people in general, since they appointed him as a watchman and placed their trust in him. And it is stated, "And God caused it to come to his hand." And nevertheless, the one who sinned unintentionally is liable, since he should have warned. And it says, "If the one who falls, falls from it," And our Sages of blessed memory said: This one was worthy to fall, but rather, merit is rolled out through a righteous person, and guilt through a liable person.
Metzudat David
And the watchman. But the watchman who sees the sword coming and does not blow the shofar to warn the people, and thus the people were not warned to be on guard:
"He was taken because of his sin." This means that although he was certainly killed as a retribution for his sin, if he had not sinned, the sword would not have had the power to strike him down. Nevertheless, I will demand his blood from the watchman, to punish him for not having warned, and the disaster came about through him, since they relied upon him and he withheld the warning.
Malbim
And the watchman: but if the watchman did not warn by blowing the shofar, even though the soul was taken due to its own sin, nevertheless I will demand his blood from the hand of the watchman—whether for not warning against the enemy, or according to the principle of moral responsibility, for not stirring them up to repentance, through which they would have been saved.
So you, son of man, I have set you a watchman to the house of Israel; therefore, when you shall hear the word at My mouth, warn them from Me.
verse value 4903
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 50 letters. The shortest word is "a·watchman" (צֹפֶ֥ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·you·shall·warn" (וְהִזְהַרְתָּ֥, 6 letters). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "I·have·made·you" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel); "to·house·of" (root בית, 159x in Ezekiel); "Israel" (root ישראל, 154x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Israel', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 6 words. Full calculation: וְאַתָּ֣ה [and·you] (412) + בֶן־אָדָ֔ם [son·of·man] (97) + צֹפֶ֥ה [a·watchman] (175) + נְתַתִּ֖יךָ [I·have·made·you] (880) + לְבֵ֣ית [to·house·of] (442) + יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל [Israel] (541) + וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֤ [and·you·shall·hear] (816) + מִפִּי֙ [from·my·mouth] (130) + דָּבָ֔ר [a·word] (206) + וְהִזְהַרְתָּ֥ [and·you·shall·warn] (623) + אֹתָ֖ם [them] (441) + מִמֶּֽנִּי [from·me] (140) = 4903.
Rashi
"I have set you as a watchman" (Ezekiel 3:17). Just as that watchman is appointed to warn so that no soul should perish, so too have I appointed you to warn Israel.
Radak
"And you, son of man." This matter is explained above at the beginning of the book. "And the voice of the shofar." This is the word of the prophet, as it is stated: "Lift up your voice like a shofar, and declare to My people their transgression."
Metzudat David
"I have set you as a watchman." I have set you to be like a watchman for Israel, and when you hear from My mouth the calamity destined to come, you shall warn them in My name.
Malbim
"And you" — this explains the moral of the parable: you are the watchman who stands by the side of the children of Israel to set right their affairs, and you have heard from My mouth a word, a decree that I have decreed against them, so that when the sword surely comes, you shall warn them on My behalf, that they return in repentance and escape from the decree.
When I say to the wicked: O wicked man, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way; that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at your hand.
verse value 6160
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 67 letters. The shortest word is "wicked" (רָשָׁע֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·warn" (לְהַזְהִ֥יר, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 570: wicked, wicked, wicked. The root רשע appears 4 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·my·saying" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "and·not" (root לא, 213x in Ezekiel); "from·his·way" (root דרך, 105x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·his·way', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 7 words.
Metzudat David
"In My saying." This means: Therefore, when I say concerning the wicked man, "You are wicked; behold, you shall die by death," and you did not speak this out to warn the wicked man to return from his way. Even though that wicked man will die in his guilt, nevertheless, I will demand his blood from your hand, for perhaps he would have been heedful had you warned him.
Malbim
When I say to the wicked, “Even though I have decreed upon him the judgment of death, have I not said, ‘The wicked shall surely die’—that he shall die because he is wicked? And if so, if he does repentance and becomes righteous, he shall not die. And if so, if I did not speak to warn the wicked from his way, then I would cause him harm in two ways: 1. That he would die for his iniquity; 2. That he, being wicked, would die—that a wicked person would die without repentance. Therefore, I will demand your blood from your hand.”
Nevertheless, if you warn the wicked of his way to turn from it, and he turn not from his way; he shall die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your soul.
verse value 4970
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 61 letters. The shortest word is "wicked" (רָשָׁ֤ע, 3 letters) and the longest is "if·you·warn" (כִּי־הִזְהַ֨רְתָּ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 412: and·you, but·you. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "to·return" (לָשׁ֣וּב). The root אתה appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·his·way" (root דרך, 105x in Ezekiel); "he" (root הוא, 86x in Ezekiel); "and·you" (root אתה, 62x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·his·way', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 6 words. Full calculation: וְ֠אַתָּ֠ה [and·you] (412) + כִּי־הִזְהַ֨רְתָּ [if·you·warn] (647) + רָשָׁ֤ע [wicked] (570) + מִדַּרְכּוֹ֙ [from·his·way] (270) + לָשׁ֣וּב [to·return] (338) + מִמֶּ֔נָּה [from·it] (135) + וְלֹא־שָׁ֖ב [and·not·turn] (339) + מִדַּרְכּ֑וֹ [from·his·way] (270) + ה֚וּא [he] (12) + בַּעֲוֺנ֣וֹ [in·his·iniquity] (134) + יָמ֔וּת [will·die] (456) + וְאַתָּ֖ה [but·you] (412) + נַפְשְׁךָ֥ [soul] (450) + הִצַּֽלְתָּ [You·have·delivered] (525) = 4970.
Radak
"And you have saved your soul." [This is written] without the word et [the accusative particle], and the rest reads, "you have saved your soul."
Metzudat David
"And you." But if you have warned the wicked person to be careful and turn away from his way, and he did not turn from his way:
"He shall die because of his iniquity." This is as if to say: "Is it because of your warning that he dies? No, he dies because of his iniquity. If so, no evil comes from the warning; rather, good comes from it, for you have saved your own soul through it. For had you not warned him, you would have been punished for withholding the warning, since perhaps he would have heeded it had you warned him."
Malbim
And you, since you have warned him and he did not return, you will gain in two ways: 1. He will die for his own sin; it does not say, "He is a wicked man who will die for his sin," for even so, he will at least set his mind to the fact that he is near death and will do repentance, and his death will be an atonement. 2. You have saved your own soul.
Therefore, O you son of man, say to the house of Israel: Thus you speak, saying: Our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we pine away in them; how then can we live?
verse value 4471
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 75 letters. The shortest word is "so" (כֵּ֤ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "that·our·transgressions" (כִּֽי־פְשָׁעֵ֥ינוּ, 8 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "that·our·transgressions" (כִּֽי־פְשָׁעֵ֥ינוּ), "and·our·sins" (וְחַטֹּאתֵ֖ינוּ), "upon·us" (עָלֵ֑ינוּ). The root אמר appears 3 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "say" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "upon·us" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "to·house·of" (root איל, 238x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'upon·us', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 5 words.
Rashi
Thus you have said. Therefore, you do not desire to return, for you assume that repentance will not be of benefit to you.
Radak
"And you, son of man, thus you have said, saying." Just as the daughters of Zelophehad, who were speaking, said: "You have thought well,"—meaning, if you have considered in your hearts and said, "We have sinned and transgressed," that is to say, if you confess your sins and transgressions, it will be good; and you shall acknowledge that the evils that have befallen you are due to your iniquities, not by chance.
Nimqim. From the Nifal binyan, its root is Mem-Qof-Qof, from the sense of "mak," meaning to rot his flesh; and similarly, "yimqu be'onam" (they shall rot in their sin).
Metzudat David
Thus you have said. This is what you have said, saying, "Our transgressions and our sins are upon us," meaning that indeed we have committed transgressions and sins.
And in them. And in their recompense we are consumed by afflictions, not for naught. And how is it possible that we should live, meaning, to be saved from the consumption? For they did not believe that repentance is efficacious, as if they said, "Since it is so, let us continue in our sins; and when we are lost, we are lost."
Metzudat Zion
Nemakim. From the language of "hamakah" and "hamasah."
Malbim
Thus you have said, meaning to say: They claim that repentance is of no avail to them for two reasons. First, they liken the commandments of the Lord and His warnings to a king who issued decrees to his servants, and they transgressed his orders. They are liable, whether on account of rebelling against the king, or on account of ruining his work. For both of these, repentance and remorse are of no avail. This is what is stated: “You say that our sins are upon us,” meaning that we rebelled against the King of the Universe; and furthermore, “our iniquities are upon us,” referring to the very deeds by which we ruined His work and service. How, then, could repentance be of any help? Second, consider the commandments and warnings as having come for our benefit, analogous to a physician who prescribes treatment for a patient. Similarly, they came to purify and sanctify your souls. If the patient disregards the physician’s instructions until he has rotted away from his illness, what good will remorse and repentance do him? He has already rotted away from his illness. This is what is stated: “And in them we rot.” If so, how can we live through remorse and repentance and the hearing of the shofar’s sound?
Say to them: As I live, says the Lord Hashem, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn you, turn you from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?
verse value 6254
Insights
Verse structure: 22 words, 95 letters. Notable word values: "to·them" (אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "but" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "from·your·ways" (מִדַּרְכֵיכֶ֧ם, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 314: return, return. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "if·I·delight" (אִם־אֶחְפֹּץ֙), "if·in·turning" (אִם־בְּשׁ֥וּב), "you·shall·die" (תָמ֖וּתוּ). The root שוב appears 3 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "say" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "my·lord" (root אדון, 222x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·he·shall·live', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 8 words.
Radak
He said to them. The entire matter, up to the end of the passage, is explained above.
Metzudat David
"I live," says the Lord: "I take an oath that I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live." This means that my intention in bringing punishment is not to take vengeance upon him, as if I desired his death; rather, the intention is to arouse him to return from his evil way, so that he may live. Therefore, "Return from your evil ways, and why should you die?"—by your withholding from repentance.
Malbim
He said to them, and He answers them with an oath regarding these two claims. Regarding the first, He says that the command of the Lord is not like the decree of a king of flesh and blood: if they transgress its decree, it desires to punish and take vengeance upon the sinner and to kill him specifically. But the Lord’s entire desire is for the welfare of His creatures and to sustain their lives. And even when they sin and He decrees punishment upon them, the ultimate purpose of the punishment is not to punish and take vengeance, but rather that through the punishment he will take it to heart to return and rectify his deeds for the future. And even if He decrees death upon the wicked, His ultimate purpose is not the death of the wicked, but rather His purpose is that thereby another wicked person will see and take it to heart to return. And this is what it says: “Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked?”—this is not His desire and intended purpose; rather, His purpose is in the return of another wicked person from his way through fear of the punishment, and he shall live. And thus, the Lord’s desire is the life of the wicked, not his death, and when he rectifies his deeds for the future, he shall live. And regarding the second aspect, that you have become defiled and you are rotting away through your deeds, “return, return” from your evil ways; through your returning, you shall return to your proper state, become sanctified, and be healed from your illnesses. And why should you die? Do you not have a remedy?
And you, son of man, say to the children of your people: The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression; and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not stumble thereby in the day that he turns from his wickedness; neither shall he that is righteous be able to live thereby in the day that he sins.
verse value 7094
Insights
Verse structure: 24 words, 102 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֤א, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·sons·of·your·people" (אֶל־בְּנֵֽי־עַמְּךָ֙, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 58: in·day·of, in·day·of, in·day·of. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "will·deliver·him" (תַצִּילֶ֙נּוּ֙), "not·stumble" (לֹא־יִכָּ֣שֶׁל), "and·just" (וְצַדִּ֗יק). The root יום appears 3 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "say" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "to·sons·of·your·people" (root איל, 238x in Ezekiel); "not" (root לא, 213x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·his·wickedness', dividing the verse into phrases of 17 and 7 words.
Rashi
to live in it. In His righteousness:
Radak
“And you, son of man, on the day of his sin.” An infinitive on the pattern of “that you did not call us” and “until the day is fulfilled.”
Metzudat David
The righteousness of the righteous. The charity that the righteous person performed will not save him from the punishment that is due to come upon him on the day of his transgression; rather, he shall be punished.
"And the wickedness of the wicked." Similarly, the wickedness of the wicked that he has committed from then on shall not be a stumbling block to prevent the good that is due to come upon him on the day he returns from his wickedness.
“And the righteous.” But the righteous person cannot live because of the evil person’s deed on the day that he sins; that is to say, the evil person’s deed deprives him [the righteous one] of life on the day of his [the evil person’s] sin, even though it does not deprive the evil person of life on the day of his repentance. It is as if to say: although both have committed wickedness and transgression, nevertheless, from this one [the righteous] it deprives life, and from this one [the evil person] it does not deprive life, for everything depends on the present time.
Malbim
“And you, son of man, say to your people” — and now inform them that the Lord does not look upon previous deeds, whether for good or for evil, but only upon the deeds of the present moment, to the extent that the righteousness of the righteous will not save him on the day of his transgression. This means that it is not like the case of a human king, where if a servant who has always served him faithfully sins before him, the king will remember his previous righteous deeds and pardon him; and conversely, one who has always acted wickedly before him, even if he returns from his ways, it will not avail, for the king will retain his resentment in his heart to punish him. Not so is it with the Lord. When the righteous person rebels against Him through transgression, his previous righteousness will not save him; and the wicked person who returns from his wickedness will not stumble because of his previous wickedness, for it is forgiven him, as though there never was any stumbling block in his path. And the righteous person will not be able to live by it on the day of his sin. This means that although, if the righteous person sins unintentionally and not through deliberate transgression, the wickedness of the wicked person would benefit him — meaning that at that time his deeds would be weighed against the deed of the wicked person who sins deliberately and presumptuously, and the righteous person would come out according to his merit — but after the wicked person has returned in repentance and the righteous person has committed an unintentional sin, the righteous person will not be considered righteous in comparison to the wicked person, nor will he merit against the previous deeds of the wicked person. For then they will look at the deeds of the wicked person and the righteous person of the present: the wicked person has returned in repentance and is righteous, while the righteous person is sinning. Thus the matter is reversed, and the righteous person will not live because of the deeds of the wicked person.
In the verse “I said to the righteous,” you explained the matter: how is it that the righteousness of the righteous does not avail him on the day of his transgression? The answer is: if I had told him, “He shall live,” that would apply only when he is entirely deserving. But if he relied on his righteousness and committed injustice—thinking that because he possesses many righteous deeds and good works, he can commit injustice and it will not harm him, as Solomon said, “I will multiply, and I will not be turned away”—then his righteousness becomes for him a cause to commit wrong. To the point that he thinks that by fasting and praying he can rob and oppress, and there is no transgression. In such a case, all his righteous deeds will not be remembered, for through the sin he spoiled his previous deeds.
When I say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his righteousness, and commit iniquity, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered; but for his iniquity that he has committed, for it shall he die.
verse value 4590
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 71 letters. Verse gematria: 4590 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·he·trusts" (וְהוּא־בָטַ֥ח, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "to·the·righteous" (לַצַּדִּיק֙), "and·he·trusts" (וְהוּא־בָטַ֥ח), "on·his·righteousness" (עַל־צִדְקָת֖וֹ). The root חיה appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·my·saying" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "that·he·committed" (root אשר, 341x in Ezekiel); "and·will·do" (root עשה, 214x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'injustice', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 7 words.
Rashi
"You shall not remember them." To save him from being punished on account of this transgression.
Radak
"In my words," and he trusted in his righteousness. Although we explained this matter concerning one who regrets his former [good deeds], as our Sages of blessed memory explained it, when it says "trusted" it means that he thinks his righteous deeds that he performed will benefit him, even though he regrets them; for the nature of his regret is that he loves the pleasures of the world and wishes to do what his heart desires, and he regrets the time that has passed in which he did not act according to the desire of his heart.
Metzudat David
“Speaking to the righteous one”: This means that therefore, when I speak concerning the righteous person who lives, he relies on the charity he has performed and returns to commit iniquity, thinking that the Omnipresent will atone for his iniquity because he performed charity many days ago.
"All his righteous deeds." Behold, all the righteous deeds that he has done from then on will not be remembered in his favor to protect him from death; rather, he will die as retribution for the oppression that he committed.
Again, when I say to the wicked: You shall surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;
verse value 3938
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 39 letters. The shortest word is "surely" (מ֣וֹת, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·when·I·say" (וּבְאׇמְרִ֥י, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·when·I·say" (וּבְאׇמְרִ֥י), "from·his·sin" (מֵֽחַטָּאת֔וֹ). The root מות appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·when·I·say" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "and·will·do" (root עשה, 214x in Ezekiel); "and·turns" (root שוב, 61x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'you·shall·die', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 5 words. Full calculation: וּבְאׇמְרִ֥י [and·when·I·say] (259) + לָרָשָׁ֖ע [to·the·wicked] (600) + מ֣וֹת [surely] (446) + תָּמ֑וּת [you·shall·die] (846) + וְשָׁב֙ [and·turns] (308) + מֵֽחַטָּאת֔וֹ [from·his·sin] (464) + וְעָשָׂ֥ה [and·will·do] (381) + מִשְׁפָּ֖ט [judgment] (429) + וּצְדָקָֽה [and·righteousness] (205) = 3938.
Metzudat David
“And I will say to the wicked”: And I will say concerning the wicked, “You shall surely die.” This refers to one who has returned from his sin and will not do it from now on, and moreover has done good.
Malbim
And regarding the verse “And if the wicked person turns from his sin and does justice and righteousness,” “justice” refers to matters between a person and his fellow, and “righteousness” refers to matters between a person and the Divine. And it explains: “As for the justice of the pledge, he shall restore”—this refers to the wicked person who must restore what he stole from his fellow. “As for what he took as a pledge, the wicked shall restore,” and “as for what he stole, he shall pay its value,” even though he is not required specifically to return the actual stolen object itself, as in the case of a beam that was built into a building. And corresponding to “righteousness” between a person and the Divine: “In the statutes of life he shall walk”—he shall walk in the statutes by which he will live the life of the World to Come. And he shall be careful not to commit oppression in the future. “He shall live, he shall not die”—he shall not die on account of his previous sins.
if the wicked restore the pledge, give back that which he had taken by robbery, walk in the statutes of life, committing no iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.
verse value 3899
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 56 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֥א, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·statutes·of" (בְּחֻקּ֤וֹת, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "shall·pay" (יְשַׁלֵּ֔ם), "in·statutes·of" (בְּחֻקּ֤וֹת), "the·life" (הַֽחַיִּים֙). The root חיה appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "committing" (root עשה, 214x in Ezekiel); "not" (root לא, 213x in Ezekiel); "went" (root הלך, 66x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root שלם ("shall·pay") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'injustice', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 4 words.
Rashi
“Chavol.” A pledge that I commanded to be returned when the sun comes.
Metzudat David
“Chabol yashiv rasha” – The wicked one, when he had inflicted damage upon his fellow’s property, returned it to him with the coming of the sun, and restored the stolen goods that he had stolen from his fellow. From then on, he walked in the statutes of the Torah that bring life, so as not to commit oppression again.
"He shall live, he shall live." Behold, this wicked man shall live and not die, according to the decree.
Metzudat Zion
חבול. The meaning of "pledge" is like "If you exact a pledge from your neighbor" (Exodus 22:25):
None of his sins that he has committed shall be remembered against him; he has done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.
verse value 2808
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 42 letters. Notable word values: "sinned" (חָטָ֔א) = 18, chai, 'life'. Verse gematria: 2808 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֥א, 2 letters) and the longest is "all·sin offering" (כׇּל־חַטֹּאתָו֙, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "all·sin offering" (כׇּל־חַטֹּאתָו֙). The root חיה appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 341x in Ezekiel); "did" (root עשה, 214x in Ezekiel); "not" (root לא, 213x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'against·him', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 5 words. Full calculation: כׇּל־חַטֹּאתָו֙ [all·sin offering] (474) + אֲשֶׁ֣ר [that] (501) + חָטָ֔א [sinned] (18) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + תִזָּכַ֖רְנָה [they·will·be·remembered] (682) + ל֑וֹ [against·him] (36) + מִשְׁפָּ֧ט [judgment] (429) + וּצְדָקָ֛ה [and·righteousness] (205) + עָשָׂ֖ה [did] (375) + חָי֥וֹ [surely] (24) + יִֽחְיֶֽה [shall·live] (33) = 2808.
Metzudat David
“Who has sinned.” From that time until he has not returned:
"You shall not remember them against him" – meaning, he should not be put to death by their hands.
Judgment. Since he now executes judgment and righteousness, therefore he shall live.
Malbim
"All his sins which he has sinned shall not be remembered against him" means that they shall not be remembered against him on account of having sinned, but rather on account of having performed justice and righteousness. For through repentance out of love, he transforms his transgressions into merits, and it is as if he had not sinned at all, but rather had performed justice and righteousness. For if he returns the pledge and repays what he stole, the sin of the pledge-taking and the theft shall not be counted against him; rather, the merit of the restitution and repayment, whereby he fulfilled a positive commandment, shall be credited to him. It is as if he had not transgressed in the past, but rather performed a merit and a commandment, for "through which he shall surely live."
Yet the children of your people say: The way of the Lord is not equal; but as for them, their way is not equal.
verse value 2076
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 38 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֥א, 2 letters) and the longest is "not·right" (לֹא־יִתָּכֵֽן, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "not·right" (לֹא־יִתָּכֵֽן). The root תכן appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·shall·say" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "my·lord" (root אדון, 222x in Ezekiel); "not" (root לא, 213x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·lord', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְאָֽמְרוּ֙ [and·they·shall·say] (253) + בְּנֵ֣י [son] (62) + עַמְּךָ֔ [your·people] (130) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + יִתָּכֵ֖ן [will·be·regulated] (480) + דֶּ֣רֶךְ [way] (224) + אֲדֹנָ֑י [my·lord] (65) + וְהֵ֖מָּה [and·they] (56) + דַּרְכָּ֥ם [their·way] (264) + לֹא־יִתָּכֵֽן [not·right] (511) = 2076.
Metzudat David
"And the children of your people said." And if one were to say that it is not fitting for the way of the judgment of the Lord in how He judges a person according to his last deeds, for they would think to say that it is proper to consider the first deeds together with the last deeds, these against those, and according to them the judgment would be:
And they. Indeed, those who think so, their way is untenable.
Metzudat Zion
It is possible. The word is in the sense of "preparation" and "arrangement," and similarly, "He concludes the plan" (above, 28):
Malbim
And your people said: It is not fitting for the way of the Lord to be thus, for among human beings it is the opposite: they recall previous deeds and judge him on their basis. This is because their way is not fitting; for after he has returned from his previous deeds, they ought to overlook them and pardon his transgression.
When the righteous turns from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, he shall even die thereby.
verse value 2134
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "injustice" (עָ֑וֶל, 3 letters) and the longest is "when·a·righteous·man·turns" (בְּשׁוּב־צַדִּ֥יק, 8 letters). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·will·do" (root עשה, 214x in Ezekiel); "thereby" (root הם, 166x in Ezekiel); "and·he·shall·die" (root מות, 48x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'injustice', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: בְּשׁוּב־צַדִּ֥יק [when·a·righteous·man·turns] (514) + מִצִּדְקָת֖וֹ [from·his·righteousness] (640) + וְעָ֣שָׂה [and·will·do] (381) + עָ֑וֶל [injustice] (106) + וּמֵ֖ת [and·he·shall·die] (446) + בָּהֶֽם [thereby] (47) = 2134.
Rashi
"And he died in them." On their account he will be punished.
Metzudat David
“On the return of the righteous.” For when a righteous person returns from his righteousness and commits an injustice, behold, he is considered as dead at the time of committing them, and it is counted to his credit that he does not continue to sin.
Malbim
Regarding “when a righteous person turns away,” he adds that, on the contrary, reason dictates the opposite: that when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity and dies in them, meaning that he will then die on account of his previous righteousness and the iniquity he has now committed, for according to the measure of his previous righteousness, the iniquity of the present time will be greatly magnified. Likewise, “and when a wicked person turns away from his wickedness and does justice and righteousness, he shall live in them,” meaning that he will then live on account of his previous wickedness and the justice and righteousness he is now performing, for according to the measure that he was previously wicked, what he is now doing in justice and righteousness will be greatly magnified, as it is stated: “In the place where penitents stand, the perfectly righteous cannot stand.”
Yet you say: The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.’
verse value 3868
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 45 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֥א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·you·shall·say" (וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם, 6 letters). The root דרך appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·you·shall·say" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "my·lord" (root אדון, 222x in Ezekiel); "not" (root לא, 213x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·lord', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם [and·you·shall·say] (687) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + יִתָּכֵ֖ן [will·be·regulated] (480) + דֶּ֣רֶךְ [way] (224) + אֲדֹנָ֑י [my·lord] (65) + אִ֧ישׁ [man] (311) + כִּדְרָכָ֛יו [as·his·ways] (260) + אֶשְׁפּ֥וֹט [I·will·judge] (396) + אֶתְכֶ֖ם [you] (461) + בֵּ֥ית [house·of] (412) + יִשְׂרָאֵֽל [Israel] (541) = 3868.
Metzudat David
"And you shall say." How can you say that the way of the Lord is not fair? As if to say, does not reason dictate the way of judgment? Therefore, I will judge you as well, each person according to the way in which he currently stands. And as if to say, "For this reason, return from your evil ways." This refers back to the beginning of the matter, where Israel said, "For our sins..." and "How shall we live?"
Malbim
And you will say, “And also concerning this you will say: It is not fitting for the way of the Lord.” The answer to this is: “According to their ways I will judge you”. For I do not look only at his present conduct, but I consider all his ways, and I scrutinize his current path in proportion to the path he previously trod. Thus, his current conduct will be magnified—whether for good or for bad—if it differs from his former standing.
And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came to me, saying: ‘The city is smitten.’
verse value 5267
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 65 letters. The shortest word is "year" (שָׁנָ֗ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "of·our·exile" (לְגָלוּתֵ֑נוּ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 355: year, in·five. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "came·to·me" (בָּא־אֵלַ֨י), "from·Jerusalem" (מִירוּשָׁלִַ֛ם). 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "saying" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "and·it·was" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel); "came·to·me" (root בוא, 175x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'of·our·exile', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַיְהִ֞י [and·it·was] (31) + בִּשְׁתֵּ֧י [in·two] (712) + עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה [ten] (575) + שָׁנָ֗ה [year] (355) + בָּעֲשִׂרִ֛י [in·the·tenth] (582) + בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֥ה [in·five] (355) + לַחֹ֖דֶשׁ [to·the·month] (342) + לְגָלוּתֵ֑נוּ [of·our·exile] (525) + בָּא־אֵלַ֨י [came·to·me] (44) + הַפָּלִ֧יט [refugee] (134) + מִירוּשָׁלִַ֛ם [from·Jerusalem] (626) + לֵאמֹ֖ר [saying] (271) + הֻכְּתָ֥ה [was·struck] (430) + הָעִֽיר [the·city] (285) = 5267.
Radak
"And it came to pass" – in our exile, namely the exile of Yehoyachin, for at that time the prophet Ezekiel was exiled.
Metzudat David
“Twelve years.” This is dependent on “our exile,” meaning twelve years of the exile of Jehoiachin, at which time Ezekiel was exiled with them.
"On the tenth." In the tenth month and in the fifth month preceding it, the destruction occurred, and the year was renewed in the seventh month, for the reckoning of the years of the world is from Tishrei, whereas the numbering of the months is from Nisan.
"The fugitive from Jerusalem." The one who escaped from among the slain came to me and said to me that the city had been struck, meaning that it was conquered and its inhabitants were slain.
Metzudat Zion
The survivor. The matter of "fleeing" is like "and the survivor came" (Genesis 14:13):
Malbim
(21-22) “A survivor came to me.” Now, above (24-25), it is stated that on the day of the destruction, the survivor would come to cause ears to hear; on that day, “your mouth shall be opened to the fugitive, and you shall speak and not be mute anymore, and you shall be a sign to them.” He said to him that He would inform him beforehand through prophecy that the Temple had already been destroyed, and the survivor would come only to cause ears to hear, because the news he heard through prophecy he did not hear with his physical ears, but rather saw in a vision, whereas the survivor would cause it to be heard in actuality. Now, the Lord had said to him (3:26), “I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth, and you shall be mute and not be a reprover to them, for they are a rebellious house,” and “when I speak with you, I will open your mouth.” And so it was: His hand was upon him in the evening, before the arrival of the survivor, until the survivor came only to cause ears to hear. And the Lord opened his mouth so that he would declare to the people before the arrival of the survivor, and his previously mute mouth remained constantly open until the survivor arrived. And after the survivor arrived, his mouth remained open. This means that Ezekiel was not singled out to prophesy concerning the destruction, for which Jeremiah was singled out to prophesy in Jerusalem, where there was still an opportunity for repentance. And if Zedekiah had listened to his voice and gone out to Nebuchadnezzar, he would not have destroyed the city. But in the Babylonian exile, the matter was not dependent on this; on the contrary, a command came to them from Jeremiah to beget sons and daughters there, for they would dwell in exile for seventy years. And the prophet’s mouth was mute there, because the possibility [of redemption] depended on Jeremiah’s prophecy. Only after the Temple was destroyed was permission given to Ezekiel to prophesy, for Jeremiah’s mission had been completed, and from then on his mouth was opened to prophesy to the community, and he was no longer mute. And furthermore, until then they still did not believe, and there were false prophets among them who prophesied that the Temple would not be destroyed. And after they heard of the destruction, they began to believe the words of the prophets and to believe in the Lord. And from then on, the mouth of the reprover was not mute in the matter of the Lord.
Now the hand of Hashem had been upon me in the evening, before he that was escaped came; and He had opened my mouth against his coming to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb.
verse value 3759
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 70 letters. The shortest word is "my·mouth" (פִּ֔י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·hand·of·Hashem" (וְיַד־יְהֹוָה֩, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 504: and·opened, and·was·opened. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "until·coming" (עַד־בּ֥וֹא), "my·mouth" (פִּ֔י), "I·was·mute" (נֶאֱלַ֖מְתִּי). The root אל appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·hand·of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "was" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel); "and·not" (root לא, 213x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·the·morning', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 5 words.
Rashi
"And He opened his mouth" – Just as it is stated at the beginning of the book (above, 3:1), "You shall be dumb and not able to reprove any man," and afterward He said to him (above, 24:12), "On the day I took their stronghold from them, the survivor shall come to you; on that day your mouth shall open to the survivor, and you shall no longer be dumb."
“Until He comes to me in the morning.” That is to say, “While He comes to me in the morning,” just as it is said, “Before He comes to me in the morning.”
Radak
"And the hand of the Lord" – "Come to Me." The word *ha-pelit* ("the remnant") is used in the same sense as stated above in the verse "on that day, and the remnant shall come to you," where we explained the matter; and similarly in the verse "and when I speak with you."
Metzudat David
“And the hand of the Lord” – The spirit of prophecy came to me on the evening preceding that day.
"And He opened my mouth..."—this means that until the time when the fugitive came to me in the morning, prophecy spoke to me, saying: "From now on, I may open my mouth to reprove them, even of my own accord, for from now on they will listen to me." This means that until the morning, prophecy spoke to me to open my mouth.
"And my mouth was opened." This means that indeed it was so, for from that time on my mouth was opened, and I was no longer silent. For when the survivor came, they saw that the truth was with me, and my mouth was opened, as it is stated: "On that day your mouth shall be opened to the survivor" (above 24:27).
Metzudat Zion
And the hand. The strength and might of the prophecy:
’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.
verse value 6074
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 88 letters. Notable word values: "one" (אֶחָד֙) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "one" (אֶחָד֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·ruins" (הֶחֳרָב֨וֹת, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "Abraham" (אַבְרָהָ֔ם), "and·took·possession·of" (וַיִּירַ֖שׁ). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "saying" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "was" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel); "was·given" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·land', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 6 words.
Rashi
Abraham was one. This is one of four matters that Rabbi Akiva expounded, but his disciple Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai did not expound like him. And thus did Rabbi Shimon expound it: Abraham, who was commanded only with one commandment, inherited the Land; we, who are commanded with many commandments, all the more so is the Land given to us as an inheritance. It is he—the Prophet—who answers them:
Radak
“Son of man, inhabitants of these ruins.” For in the days of King Zedekiah, most of the Land of Israel was desolate.
Abraham was one, and he inherited the land. He said: “Behold, our father Abraham was but one, and he inherited the land, for God, blessed be He, gave it to him as an inheritance, as it is stated, ‘To give you this land to inherit it’ (Genesis 15:7), and as it is stated, ‘By what shall I know that I shall inherit it?’ (Genesis 15:8). It was because he was one that he inherited the land. And even though it would have sufficed him to have a single place in the land, how much more so should the land be fit for us as an inheritance, since we are many.”
And in the words of our Sages of blessed memory regarding “Abraham was one,” Rabbi Akiva says: Thus they said, “If Abraham, who served only one God, inherited the land, how much more so should we, who serve many gods, inherit the land.” Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai says: “If Abraham, who was commanded only a single commandment, inherited the land, is it not logical that we, who have been commanded many commandments, should inherit the land?” And what does the prophet answer them? “You shall eat blood, etc., and you shall inherit the land” (Ezekiel 33:25).
"לְמוֹרָשָׁה" – that it may be an inheritance for us, for it was not given to Abraham except that it might become an inheritance for us.
Metzudat David
“Those who dwell in these ruins.” And he returns and explains [this] regarding the land of Israel, and it says concerning the few survivors remaining in the land: “One desolation.”
Abraham was one. Was not Abraham solitary? Nevertheless, the Land of Israel was given to him as an inheritance. And we, who remain here—are we not considered as many in comparison to him? And the entire land was given to us as an inheritance, for they reasoned: since they remain in it, they will inherit the land to rule over it as before. And it is as if they say: even if we are but a few in number, was not Abraham one, and yet he inherited everything?
Metzudat Zion
The desolate ones. From the word churvah:
l’morashah. A term derived from the word for inheritance:
Malbim
The inhabitants of these ruins: After the destruction of the Temple, many from Israel remained, dwelling in ruins, fields, and caves. They reasoned that there would still be settlement in the Land of Israel, and that the holiness of the Land of Israel had not been nullified at the time of the destruction. The prophet prophesied to them that the land would become completely desolate (as it is stated, “From the birds of the heavens to the beasts, they have fled and gone”), and that even the holiness was nullified at the time of the destruction (as it is stated, “The first holiness sanctified for its time, but did not sanctify for the future”). And this is what it says: “For the inhabitants of the ruins” are still saying that the inheritance of the land has not been nullified. They bring a kal vachomer (a fortiori argument): Abraham was one; he was merely a single man who believed in God, and nevertheless, his merit caused him to inherit the land. We, however, are many believers. Moreover, the land has already been given to us as an inheritance long ago. Surely, the inheritance that has already been given to us has not been nullified, all the more so from Abraham, to whom an inheritance was newly granted.
Wherefore say to them: Thus says the Lord Hashem. You eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes to your idols, and shed blood; and shall you possess the land?
verse value 4527
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 70 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "therefore" (לָכֵן֩, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·your·idols" (אֶל־גִּלּוּלֵיכֶ֖ם, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·your·eyes" (וְעֵינֵכֶ֛ם), "to·your·idols" (אֶל־גִּלּוּלֵיכֶ֖ם), "you·will·pour" (תִּשְׁפֹּ֑כוּ). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "say" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "upon·the·blood" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'you·will·pour', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 2 words.
Rashi
“Concerning the blood, you shall eat…” And “you shall inherit the land” is read with a note of questioning: If you have been commanded [to observe the laws], yet you do not guard against [the prohibition of] blood, you are eating delicacies through murder, by killing those who possess wealth and taking their property.
Radak
Therefore, "upon the blood you shall eat." And I commanded you, "You shall not eat upon the blood," for this is the service of idolatry, which was the statute of those who sacrificed to demons: they would eat around the blood after having sacrificed to them. And this is a matter learned from its context: "You shall not eat upon the blood; you shall not practice divination or soothsaying."
“And your eyes shall look toward your idols.” This means that you constantly turn to them to worship them and to bow down before them. Even merely gazing at them I have forbidden you, as it is stated: “Do not turn to idols” (Leviticus 19:4).
"And you shall shed blood." This means innocent blood.
"And you shall possess the land." This is said in a tone of astonishment: How can you possess the land and commit these deeds, which are contrary to the nature of the land, as it is written, "The foreign gods of the land shall be driven out from before you, and the Canaanites shall go out from before you," on account of idolatry and the shedding of innocent blood, and the commissioning of abominations, as it is written, "And the land shall not vomit you out for defiling it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you"? And how can you possess the land while you are committing the abominations that the peoples of these lands, who were before you, committed?
Metzudat David
“Upon the blood you shall eat.” This refers to a type of idolater who would sacrifice to demons and eat the meat surrounding the blood, close to it, and they would say that the demons consume the blood while they [the idolaters] consume the meat, as if they were reclining at one table in a state of union and great love. The Torah warned against this, as it is stated: “You shall not eat upon the blood” (Leviticus 19:26).
“Lift up your eyes.” You turn to your idols to serve them with the service of divinity.
"And you shall shed blood." [This teaches that] you shed innocent blood.
“And you shall inherit the land.” This is said in a tone of astonishment: “Do you think that by performing such deeds you will inherit the land? It is as if to say, ‘Are you better than those who died and were exiled? What gives you the right to compare yourselves to Abraham?’”
Malbim
Therefore He said to them, informing them that the land was not given to them except on the condition that they observe the Torah, as it is written, “And He gave them the lands of the nations, because they kept His statutes.” Yet they transgressed the three severe transgressions that defile the land: forbidden sexual relations, bloodshed, and idolatry. And this is what is meant by, “You shall eat blood,” which refers to bloodshed; “and your eyes shall look toward your idols,” which is the sin of idolatry; and “you shall shed blood,” which is bloodshed. How then can you inherit the land?
You stand upon your sword, you work abomination, and you defile every one his neighbour’s wife; and shall you possess the land?
verse value 5645
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 50 letters. The shortest word is "and·man" (וְאִ֛ישׁ, 4 letters) and the longest is "upon·your·sword" (עַֽל־חַרְבְּכֶם֙, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "you·stood" (עֲמַדְתֶּ֤ם), "upon·your·sword" (עַֽל־חַרְבְּכֶם֙), "have·you·done" (עֲשִׂיתֶ֣ן). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "have·you·done" (root עשה, 214x in Ezekiel); "and·the·land" (root ארץ, 176x in Ezekiel); "upon·your·sword" (root חרב, 102x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'you·defiled', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 2 words. Full calculation: עֲמַדְתֶּ֤ם [you·stood] (554) + עַֽל־חַרְבְּכֶם֙ [upon·your·sword] (370) + עֲשִׂיתֶ֣ן [have·you·done] (830) + תּוֹעֵבָ֔ה [abomination] (483) + וְאִ֛ישׁ [and·man] (317) + אֶת־אֵ֥שֶׁת [the·wife·of] (1102) + רֵעֵ֖הוּ [his·neighbor] (281) + טִמֵּאתֶ֑ם [you·defiled] (490) + וְהָאָ֖רֶץ [and·the·land] (302) + תִּירָֽשׁוּ [you·will·seize] (916) = 5645.
Rashi
“Ye have stood upon your sword.” That is to say, you strengthened all your trust upon your sword.
"You have done abomination. A man lying with a male:"
Radak
“You have stood by your sword.” [This means:] To shed innocent blood. And Jonathan rendered it: “You are preparing yourselves for your attacks.”
"You have done abominations." With a nun in place of a mem, or it means: "You have done [them]" referring to the females.
Metzudat David
“Stand ye upon your sword.” At all times you stood girded with your sword, to be ready to slay lives.
"You have done an abomination." – This refers to a forbidden sexual union:
"You have defiled yourselves." Through the lying with harlots:
Metzudat Zion
"Upon your sword." This is like "with your sword," and the preposition "upon" (al) functions in place of the preposition "with" (bet), just as in the verse "and they shall be shut up in the prison" (Isaiah 24:22), where "upon" (al) is used in place of "with" (bet).
Malbim
“Ye have stood upon Your sword” — you have committed an abomination; that is to say, by means of the sword you compelled others to commit abominations and to defile their fellow and his wife, which is the sin of forbidden relations. And how [can you say], “And the land shall be your inheritance”?
Thus shall you say to them: Thus says the Lord Hashem: 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.
verse value 7217
Insights
Verse structure: 22 words, 102 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִה֮) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֤ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·in·the·caves" (וּבַמְּעָר֖וֹת, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 507: and·that, and·that. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "thus·you·shall·say" (כֹּה־תֹאמַ֨ר), "to·the·beast" (לַחַיָּ֥ה), "to·eat·it" (לְאׇכְל֑וֹ). The root אשר appears 3 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "thus·you·shall·say" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "that" (root אשר, 341x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·eat·it', dividing the verse into phrases of 17 and 5 words.
Rashi
“Which are in the ruins.” In the fortified cities that are destined to become desolate:
"And those who are in the fortresses." In hiding places, to conceal themselves from the sword, I will send among them the plague.
Radak
"Thus shall you say, if not." This is the language of an oath, as in "if not, as I supposed" and similar expressions, as we have explained.
“With strongholds.” Towers that are strong:
Metzudat David
If not. This is a matter of an oath, like "If not" as it is stated in "as you have spoken" (Numbers 14:28).
"Those who are in the ruins." Those dwelling in cities that are already destroyed will yet fall by the sword, and those dwelling in the open field will fall there, and the beasts of the field will devour them, and those hiding in strongholds and caves will die by the plague.
Metzudat Zion
"b'mitzdot" – The meaning is a strong tower and fortress, like "mitzdat sela'im" (ibid. 33):
And in caves: A excavation in the ground for the purpose of construction.
Malbim
"I live," meaning that the inhabitants of the land will be utterly destroyed. He who remains in the desolate cities will be destroyed by the sword of the enemy, and he who hides in the field, where the enemy is not present, will be devoured by wild beasts, and in the caves he will be destroyed by the plague. Consequently, "I will make the land a desolation and a waste," and even the fortified places that were in it, such as the strongholds and fortresses in the mountains where the enemy's foot does not reach, will be desolate, until even the mountains will become a desolation with no one passing through.
And I will make the land most desolate, and the pride of her power shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, so that none shall pass through.
verse value 4766
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 53 letters. The shortest word is "her·strength" (עֻזָּ֑הּ, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·land" (אֶת־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·will·be·ceased" (וְנִשְׁבַּ֖ת). The root שמם appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·I·will·give" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel); "the·land" (root ארץ, 176x in Ezekiel); "Israel" (root ישראל, 154x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'her·strength', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 5 words. Full calculation: וְנָתַתִּ֤י [and·I·will·give] (866) + אֶת־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ [the·land] (697) + שְׁמָמָ֣ה [devastation] (385) + וּמְשַׁמָּ֔ה [and·devastation] (391) + וְנִשְׁבַּ֖ת [and·will·be·ceased] (758) + גְּא֣וֹן [pride·of] (60) + עֻזָּ֑הּ [her·strength] (82) + וְשָׁ֥מְמ֛וּ [and·they·shall·be·desolate] (392) + הָרֵ֥י [mountains·of] (215) + יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל [Israel] (541) + מֵאֵ֥ין [without] (101) + עוֹבֵֽר [transgressing] (278) = 4766.
Radak
And I will give. It is clear:
Metzudat David
Desolation. For none of you shall remain:
"And it shall be still." The pride and arrogance that were hers from her strong and mighty state shall be abolished.
Without a passer-by. For no one shall be found passing through there.
Metzudat Zion
And a waste. The word is from "shemammon" (desolation/abandonment), and the matter is doubled to emphasize the extent of the desolation.
And you shall rest. The meaning is cessation and abstention:
Gaon. The word is derived from the root gaavah (arrogance):
Oz. The matter of strength:
Then shall they know that I am Hashem, when I have made the land most desolate, because of all their abominations which they have committed.
verse value 4443
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 49 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "because·of" (עַ֥ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "all·their·abominations" (כׇּל־תּוֹעֲבֹתָ֖ם, 8 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "all·their·abominations" (כׇּל־תּוֹעֲבֹתָ֖ם). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "which" (root אשר, 341x in Ezekiel); "because·of" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 8 words. Full calculation: וְיָדְע֖וּ [and·they·shall·know] (96) + כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י [for·I] (91) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + בְּתִתִּ֤י [when·I·make] (812) + אֶת־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ [the·land] (697) + שְׁמָמָ֣ה [devastation] (385) + וּמְשַׁמָּ֔ה [and·devastation] (391) + עַ֥ל [because·of] (100) + כׇּל־תּוֹעֲבֹתָ֖ם [all·their·abominations] (968) + אֲשֶׁ֥ר [which] (501) + עָשֽׂוּ [they·did] (376) = 4443.
Radak
And they shall know. It is explained:
Metzudat David
"For I am the Lord. The Faithful One who repays reward:"
“Concerning all their abominations.” “Because of all their abominations.”
Malbim
And they shall know that the desolation of the land will be My providence, until from it they will recognize that I am the Lord, for they will see that it is desolate because of all their abominations, which is a providential punishment precisely directed against the sins.
And as for you, son of man, the children of your people that talk of you 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 comes forth from Hashem;
verse value 5802
Insights
Verse structure: 22 words, 96 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "about·you" (בְּךָ֙, 2 letters) and the longest is "spoken" (הַנִּדְבָּרִ֤ים, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 311: spoken, man. 10 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "spoken" (הַנִּדְבָּרִ֤ים), "the·walls" (הַקִּיר֔וֹת), "and·in·openings·of" (וּבְפִתְחֵ֖י). The root דבר appears 3 times in this verse. 19 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "saying" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "come·please" (root בוא, 175x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·houses', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 12 words.
Rashi
Those who speak about you. They mock you:
Radak
“And you, the things spoken in you.” Due to the great exertion in speech, the noun is in the nifal form. And similarly, “What have we spoken concerning you? Then the fearful of the Lord spoke.” And the language of speech that is connected with the letter bet is for a derogatory purpose. Like “And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses,” “You sit and speak against your brother.” And let it not be difficult for you that “the honors spoken in you” uses the letter bet, for they explained and said “the honors,” but the explanation of prophecy sometimes comes with the connection of the letter bet, like “The Spirit of the Lord spoke in me” and its like.
“Beside the walls.” For such is the custom of people when they meet one another in the city and one wishes to speak with another a concealed matter: they lean against the wall and speak, so that no one behind them may hear them. And likewise at the entrances of houses, when a person stands at the entrance of his house and another passes by him and wishes to speak with him a secret matter, he speaks there, for it is also a place of concealment for speech. And similarly it is said of Abner: “And Abner turned him aside into the gate to speak with him privately” (II Samuel 3:22).
And the word chad, meaning one. Just as in the word “one” the aleph is dropped to shorten the pronunciation, so too in Aramaic it is written with the omission of the aleph.
“Et echad” – [The word] echad is written without a maqqef, and similarly [the phrase] “shechem echad” and others like it. And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] rendered it in the Targum: “Those who speak against you,” meaning: they judge you in the secrecy of the walls.
Metzudat David
“The words spoken in you.” This means words of mockery and ridicule.
"Beside the walls." This is the manner of those who speak in secret: to stand near the walls, in a place where people do not pass through, as opposed to standing at the entrances of houses. For if one enters his fellow’s entrance while the other exits toward him at the entrance, they would speak hidden matters there.
"A man his brother": This means that they reveal hidden things to one another, like beloved brothers.
“Come, please.” They say in a mocking manner: “Come now, and hear from the mouth of the prophet what is the matter that proceeds from the Lord.”
Metzudat Zion
The walls. From the words *kir* and *kotel*:
Chad. "One," and the aleph fell away to shorten [the word], and so it is in Aramaic:
Na. Now:
Malbim
Your people who speak against you: After the prophet’s mouth was opened and he began to rebuke the people, as it is stated, “My mouth was opened, and I was no longer silent,” they began to speak evil of the prophet in secret, each man in the inner chamber of his dwelling. And yet, in public, they made themselves appear as if they feared the Lord and went to hear the prophet’s rebuke. This is what is meant by “who speak against you by the walls and at the gates of the houses”: by the walls of their courtyard, and up to the entrance of the house—where only the household members sit—they spoke against you in derision. (For any expression of speech followed by the preposition “against” [be] denotes derision.) And yet, they would say to one another, “Come, let us hear what word goes forth from the Lord,” making themselves appear as believers in the word of the Lord and as seekers after the knowledge of the Lord and His words through His prophet:
(31) “They come to you”: Nevertheless, they do not fear your words as one fears the Lord and His words. This occurs in two ways: Sometimes, when the prophet gathers the people to admonish and rebuke them, they come to you as a gathering of people, as a general assembly, and they sit before you, “the people sit,” as if they were heeding my voice. And yet, “they do not do those things.” For instead of it being proper for them to speak moral instruction and rebuke with their mouths, they use their mouths for flattery and jesting. And instead of it being proper for them to tremble in their hearts out of fear of the Lord, after their hearts have run after their desires, their hearts are distant from the Lord, and how can they come to perform deeds? As it is stated, “With your mouth and in your heart to do it.”
and come to you as the people comes, and sit before you as My people, and hear your words, but do them not—for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after their covetousness;
verse value 4144
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 86 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "as·entrance·of·nation" (כִּמְבוֹא־עָ֞ם, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 31: and·they·will·go·in, not. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·they·will·go·in" (וְיָב֣וֹאוּ), "as·entrance·of·nation" (כִּמְבוֹא־עָ֞ם), "for·much·love" (כִּֽי־עֲגָבִ֤ים). The root עשה appears 2 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "they·will·do" (root עשה, 214x in Ezekiel); "not" (root לא, 213x in Ezekiel); "to·you" (root אל, 204x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·will·do', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 8 words.
Rashi
"And they shall sit before You" – as if they were My people.
"Agavim" — [meaning] sport and jesting; [the form is] like "ugav" (a pipe).
Their unjust gain. Their robbery:
Radak
“And they shall come to you as the coming of a people.” This means: like the coming of a people who desire to hear and tremble at the word of the Lord. And the Targum [translates]: “Like the coming of men,” [meaning] students, [who come] and God reveals to the prophet the thoughts of their hearts and what they speak behind his back.
For they make a mockery with their mouths. They mock with their mouths, and so did Jonathan translate: "They make a mockery with their mouths."
Metzudat David
"And they shall come unto you." And they come unto you as the coming of a people, meaning: in one assembly. And they linger before you as if they are My people, trembling at My words, and they hear your words, but they do not carry them out.
"For they love..." — Rather, they make Your words into words of mockery and derision with their mouths, and their heart goes after their desires, which is the mockery that they desired, and their thought is not to accept Your words and to fulfill them.
Metzudat Zion
Agavim. Its meaning is mockery and derision; so too does the Targum translate it.
"In their wealth." The term "chamda" (desire/pleasure) is used in the sense of "What profit is there in blood?" (Psalms 30:10).
and, lo, you are to them as a love song of one that has a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; so they hear your words, but they do them not—
verse value 3235
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 54 letters. The shortest word is "to·them" (לָהֶם֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "your·words" (אֶת־דְּבָרֶ֔יךָ, 7 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·behold·you" (וְהִנְּךָ֤), "as·a·song" (כְּשִׁ֣יר), "of·loves" (עֲגָבִ֔ים). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·doing" (root עשה, 214x in Ezekiel); "to·them" (root הם, 166x in Ezekiel); "your·words" (root דבר, 101x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'playing', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 5 words. Full calculation: וְהִנְּךָ֤ [and·behold·you] (81) + לָהֶם֙ [to·them] (75) + כְּשִׁ֣יר [as·a·song] (530) + עֲגָבִ֔ים [of·loves] (125) + יְפֵ֥ה [fair] (95) + ק֖וֹל [voice] (136) + וּמֵטִ֣ב [and·skillful] (57) + נַגֵּ֑ן [playing] (103) + וְשָֽׁמְעוּ֙ [and·they·hear] (422) + אֶת־דְּבָרֶ֔יךָ [your·words] (637) + וְעֹשִׂ֥ים [and·doing] (426) + אֵינָ֖ם [nothing] (101) + אוֹתָֽם [them] (447) = 3235.
Rashi
And you are to them like a song of love. And she is to them like the melody of flutes.
Radak
And you are to them like a song of love. Like a song of desire and words of jest:
“Fair of voice and good at playing.” Just as a person hears from one who is fair of voice and skilled in playing, so they imagine that they will hear your words with a good heart. And the Targum translates: “And behold, you are to them as a melody of pipes, their sound is sweet and pleasant for the player,” rendering “ogavim” as “abuvina,” for the translation of “ogev” is “abuvina.”
Metzudat David
"And behold, to them" — behold, the words of your prophecy are in their eyes like a song of mockery, with the smoothness of its speech, like a singer who has a pleasant voice and plays skillfully, bending the melody in a way that increases the desire to listen. But there is nothing to do with it, for it contains neither a commandment nor a warning.
And they shall hear. Thus they hear Your word with the hearing of the ear alone:
And they do not perform them. It is as if it were reversed, and they do not perform them:
Malbim
And behold, at times people would come to the prophet to hear the pleasantness of his eloquence when he would admonish through parables and rhetoric. Then, to them, he would be like a beautiful love song, with a pleasing voice and excellent playing, in a manner that it was pleasant for them to hear the prophet’s words on account of the sweetness of the rhetoric, the quality of the song, and the beauty of the speech that draws the heart of the listener. From this perspective, “they heard your words.” Nevertheless, they did not carry them out.
when this comes to pass—behold, it comes—then shall they know that a prophet has been among them.’
verse value 761
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "that" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·in·her·coming" (וּבְבֹאָ֑הּ, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·in·her·coming" (וּבְבֹאָ֑הּ). The root בוא appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "was" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel); "and·in·her·coming" (root בוא, 175x in Ezekiel); "that" (root כי, 114x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·in·her·coming', dividing the verse into phrases of 1 and 7 words. Full calculation: וּבְבֹאָ֑הּ [and·in·her·coming] (16) + הִנֵּ֣ה [they] (60) + בָאָ֔ה [going·in] (8) + וְיָ֣דְע֔וּ [and·they·shall·know] (96) + כִּ֥י [that] (30) + נָבִ֖יא [prophet] (63) + הָיָ֥ה [was] (20) + בְתוֹכָֽם [in·their·midst] (468) = 761.
Rashi
And when the evil came upon them:
Behold, it has come. For truth is prepared to come; then they will know that your words were not in jest, for there was a true prophet among them.
Radak
And in the verse "And when it comes, it comes", they consider the words of your prophecies as words of mockery and ridicule. But when your prophecies come, for behold, now it comes soon, then they will know that a prophet was among them, and that your prophecy is not words of mockery.
Metzudat David
And when it comes. And when the punishment that you have destined for the prevention of fulfilling Your commandments shall come:
“Behold, it has come.” This means that then they will marvel and say, “Behold, the prophecy of the prophet has come to pass,” and then they will know that there was a prophet among them and the word of God was in his mouth, and his words were not words of mockery to be derided.
Malbim
And regarding “when it comes,” indeed, concerning what the prophet prophesies to them—future events—and warns that calamity will come upon them, they will not pay heed nor believe his words until the calamity he prophesied actually arrives. And then there is no benefit in having heard the prophet’s words, since they did not do repentance to avert the evil, for “when it comes,” it has already come, and the evil has occurred. There is no benefit except that they will later know that there was a prophet among them, and then they will believe that it was a true prophecy. But by then, it is impossible to rectify the past.
Radak