The Meaning of Ezekiel 33:17 Explained

Ezekiel 33:17

KJV: Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.

YLT: And the sons of thy people have said: The way of the Lord is not pondered, As to them -- their way is not pondered.

Darby: Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.

ASV: Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Yet the children  of thy people  say,  The way  of the Lord  is not equal:  but as for them, their way  is not equal. 

What does Ezekiel 33:17 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Jews were saying that the Lord was not dealing with them justly, but it was really their conduct and their thinking that were not right.

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 33

1  According to the duty of a watchman in warning the people
7  Ezekiel is admonished of his duty
10  God shows the justice of his ways toward the penitent and toward revolters
17  He maintains his justice
21  Upon the news of the taking of Jerusalem
25  he prophecies the desolation of the land
30  God's judgment upon the mockers of the prophets

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 33:17 mean?

And yet say the sons of your people not is fair the way of Yahweh but are their ways not fair
וְאָמְרוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י עַמְּךָ֔ לֹ֥א יִתָּכֵ֖ן דֶּ֣רֶךְ אֲדֹנָ֑י וְהֵ֖מָּה דַּרְכָּ֥ם לֹֽא־ יִתָּכֵֽן

וְאָמְרוּ֙  And  yet  say 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
עַמְּךָ֔  of  your  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
יִתָּכֵ֖ן  is  fair 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: תָּכַן  
Sense: to regulate, measure, estimate, ponder, balance, make even, level, weigh, be equal, be weighed out, test, prove.
דֶּ֣רֶךְ  the  way 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
אֲדֹנָ֑י  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲדֹנָי  
Sense: my lord, lord.
וְהֵ֖מָּה  but  are 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
דַּרְכָּ֥ם  their  ways 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
יִתָּכֵֽן  fair 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: תָּכַן  
Sense: to regulate, measure, estimate, ponder, balance, make even, level, weigh, be equal, be weighed out, test, prove.