The Meaning of Ezekiel 13:19 Explained

Ezekiel 13:19

KJV: And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies?

YLT: Yea, ye pierce Me concerning My people, For handfuls of barley, And for pieces of bread, to put to death Souls that should not die, And to keep alive souls that should not live, By your lying to My people -- hearkening to lies.

Darby: And will ye profane me among my people for handfuls of barley and for morsels of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that listen to lying?

ASV: And ye have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hearken unto lies.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And will ye pollute  me among my people  for handfuls  of barley  and for pieces  of bread,  to slay  the souls  that should not die,  and to save  the souls  alive  that should not live,  by your lying  to my people  that hear  [your] lies? 

What does Ezekiel 13:19 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Ezekiel was to announce judgment on those who indulged in these occult practices and perverted justice for only a little food or as a means of divination.
"In some cultures barley was used in occult practices either as an offering to the spirits or as a means of trying to determine the future." [1]
These women had been willing to put some to death who did not deserve to die and to save others from death who did deserve to die. This was the result of their lying to God"s people, who loved to listen to their lies.

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 13

1  The reproof of false prophets
10  and their untempered mortar
17  Of prophecies and their pillows

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 13:19 mean?

And will you profane Me among My people for handfuls of barley for pieces of bread killing people who not should die and keeping alive people not should live by your lying to My people who listen to lies -
וַתְּחַלֶּלְ֨נָה‪‬ אֹתִ֜י אֶל־ עַמִּ֗י בְּשַׁעֲלֵ֣י שְׂעֹרִים֮ וּבִפְת֣וֹתֵי לֶחֶם֒ לְהָמִ֤ית נְפָשׁוֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־ תְמוּתֶ֔נָה וּלְחַיּ֥וֹת נְפָשׁ֖וֹת לֹא־ תִֽחְיֶ֑ינָה בְּכַ֨זֶּבְכֶ֔ם לְעַמִּ֖י שֹׁמְעֵ֥י ؟ כָזָֽב ס

וַתְּחַלֶּלְ֨נָה‪‬  And  will  you  profane 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, second person feminine plural
Root: חָלַל 
Sense: to profane, defile, pollute, desecrate, begin.
אֹתִ֜י  Me 
Parse: Direct object marker, first person common singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עַמִּ֗י  My  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
בְּשַׁעֲלֵ֣י  for  handfuls 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: שֹׁעַל  
Sense: hollow hand, hollow of hand, handful.
שְׂעֹרִים֮  of  barley 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: שְׂעֹרָה  
Sense: barley.
וּבִפְת֣וֹתֵי  for  pieces 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: פַּת 
Sense: fragment, bit, morsel (of bread), piece.
לֶחֶם֒  of  bread 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
לְהָמִ֤ית  killing 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
נְפָשׁוֹת֙  people 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
תְמוּתֶ֔נָה  should  die 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine plural
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
וּלְחַיּ֥וֹת  and  keeping  alive 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
נְפָשׁ֖וֹת  people 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
תִֽחְיֶ֑ינָה  should  live 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine plural
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
בְּכַ֨זֶּבְכֶ֔ם  by  your  lying 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct, second person masculine plural
Root: כָּזַב  
Sense: to lie, tell a lie, be a liar, be found a liar, be in vain, fail.
לְעַמִּ֖י  to  My  people 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
שֹׁמְעֵ֥י  who  listen  to 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
؟ כָזָֽב  lies 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כָּזָב  
Sense: a lie, untruth, falsehood, deceptive thing.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation