Ezekiel 20 · Verse 49

Ezekiel 20:49

Then said I, Ah Lord God! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?
Ezekiel 20:49, King James Version

Ezekiel 20:49 in other translations

BSBThen I said, “Ah, Lord GOD, they are saying of me, ‘Is he not just telling parables?’”
WEBThen I said, “Ah Lord GOD! They say of me, ‘Isn’t he a speaker of parables?’”
ASVThen said I, Ah Lord Jehovah! they say of me, Is he not a speaker of parables?
YLTAnd I say, ‘Ah, Lord Jehovah, They are saying of me, Is he not using similes?
DARBYAnd I said, Ah, Lord Jehovah! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?
BBEThen I said, Ah, Lord! they say of me, Is he not a maker of stories?
WebsterThen said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?

What does Ezekiel 20:49 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ezekiel 20:45-49

45-49. An introductory brief description in enigma of the destruction by fire and sword, detailed more explicitly in Eze 21:1-32.

Read the full comment on Ezekiel 20:45-49 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 49 Ah Lord God - O my God, consider my situation; who will believe what I shall say? They put the evil day far from them. Doth he not speak parables? - הלא ממשל משלים הוא halo memashshel meshalim hu, "Is not he a maker of parables?" Is it not his custom to deal in enigmas? His figures are not to be understood; we should not trouble ourselves with them. We are not obliged to fathom his meaning; and perhaps after all it does not refer to us, or will not be accomplished in our time, if it even respect the land. Thus they turned aside what might have done them good, and rejected the counsel of God against themselves. By dividing the word with our neighbor we often lose the benefit both of threatenings and promises. They voluntarily shut their own eyes; and then God, in judgment, sealed them up in darkness.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ezekiel 20:45-49

Judah and Jerusalem had been full of people, as a forest of trees, but empty of fruit. God's word prophesies against those who bring not forth the fruits of righteousness. When He will ruin a nation, who or what can save it? The plainest truths were as parables to the people. It is common for those who will not be wrought upon by the word, to blame it.

Read the full comment on Ezekiel 20:45-49 →

Ezekiel 20:49 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וָאֹמַ֕רva.'o.Marand I saidH559
אֲהָ֖הּ'a.Hahalas!H162
אֲדֹנָ֣י'a.do.NaiO LordH136
יְהוִ֑הYah.wehYahwehH3069
הֵ֚מָּהHe.mahtheyH1992
אֹמְרִ֣ים'o.me.Rim[are] sayingH559
לִ֔יLiof me
הֲלֹ֛אha.Lo'¿ notH3808
מְמַשֵּׁ֥לme.ma.Shelmaking a parableH4911
מְשָׁלִ֖יםme.sha.LimparablesH4912
הֽוּא\׃\ \פHu'[is] heH1931

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ezekiel 20:49

  • John 16:25

    These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.

  • Acts 17:18

    Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.

  • Matthew 13:13-14

    Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

  • Ezekiel 17:2

    Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Doth.Is it not his usual custom to deal in enigmas? His figures are not to be understood; we should not trouble ourselves with them. God therefore commands the prophet to declare, in the next chapter, the same things in the plainest terms, so that they should not complain of his parables.
Mt 13:13,14; Joh 16:25; Ac 17:18

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ezekiel 20:48

    And all flesh shall see that I the Lord have kindled it: it shall not be quenched.

  • Ezekiel 20:49

    Then said I, Ah Lord God! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?

Read all of Ezekiel 20

Ezekiel 20:49 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y dije: ¡Ah, Señor Jehová! ellos dicen de mí: ¿No profiere éste parábolas?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et dixi: A, a, a, Domine Deus: ipsi dicunt de me: Numquid non per parabolas loquitur iste?