Ezekiel 24:19

19 And the people said to me, Why showest thou not to us what these things signify, which thou doest?

Ezekiel 24:19 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 24:19

And the people said unto me
Either seriously, as being desirous of knowing what was meant by all this; since they had reason to believe that it was not out of want of affection in Ezekiel to his wife that he so behaved; and therefore there must be some hidden meaning in it, which they should be glad to be informed of: or in a ludicrous manner, deriding the prophet for his conduct, and despising what he meant to instruct them in hereby: wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so?
for they suspected it vas not on his own account, but to signify something to them, that these things were done; and laughing at him, they say, to what purpose are these things done? if you do not tell us for what reason they are done, instruct us by words, and not by actions; these were his fellow captives in Babylon.

Ezekiel 24:19 In-Context

17 Wail thou (while) being still, thou shalt not make mourning of dead men; thy crown be bound about thine head, and thy shoes shall be in the feet, neither thou shalt cover the mouth with a cloth, neither thou shalt eat the meats of mourners. (Wail thou, but silently, thou shalt not make mourning for the dead; let thy crown, or thy covering, be put upon thy head, and thy shoes shall be upon thy feet, but thou shalt not cover thy mouth with a cloth, nor shalt thou eat the food of mourners.)

18 Therefore I spake to the people in the morrowtide, and my wife was dead in the eventide; and I did in the morrowtide, as he had commanded to me.

19 And the people said to me, Why showest thou not to us what these things signify, which thou doest?

20 And I said to them, The word of the Lord was made to me, and he said,

21 Speak thou to the house of Israel, The Lord God saith these things, Lo! I shall defoul my saintuary, the pride of your empire, and the desirable thing of your eyes, and on which your soul dreadeth; and your sons and your daughters, which ye left, shall fall by sword. (Speak thou to the house of Israel, The Lord God saith these things, Lo! I shall defile my sanctuary, the pride of your empire, and the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul, or your heart, delighteth in; and your sons and your daughters, whom ye left behind, shall fall by the sword.)