Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me. Ver. 1. _Then came certain of the elders unto me._] Rulers and chieftains of the captives in Babylon, pretending to be far better than those elders at Jerusalem, complained about in Ezekiel 8:11,12, but indeed no better; nay, so... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,_ Ver. 2. _And the word of the Lord came._] Lest the prophet, seeing these seniors coming thus unto him, should favour them too far, God uncaseth them, as he doth mostly such gross hypocrites in this present life; Jeroboam and his wife, Ananias and Sap... [ Continue Reading ]
Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them? Ver. 3. _These men have set their idols in their hearts._] Though they would seem to abhor idols, yet the devil is at inn with them,... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude... [ Continue Reading ]
That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols. Ver. 5. _That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart._] _Ut deprehendam,_ or, as others, _ut reprehendam; _ that I may convince their consciences of their impieties, and st... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn [yourselves] from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations. Ver. 6. _Repent, and turn yourselves._] Or, Turn others; for true converts will be converting their brethren. They like not to go to h... [ Continue Reading ]
For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer... [ Continue Reading ]
And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD. Ver. 8. _And I will set my face against that man._] _Vultuose torveque illum intuear._ I will look him to death. Or, Laying as... [ Continue Reading ]
And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. Ver. 9. _I the Lord have deceived that prophet._] I had not only a permissive, but an active hand in t... [ Continue Reading ]
And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh [unto him]; Ver. 10. _And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity._] Neither shall excuse other; but as they have sinned together, so shall they suffer to... [ Continue Reading ]
That the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord GOD. Ver. 11. _That the house of Israel may go no more astray._] Thus "when God's judgments are in the earth, th... [ Continue Reading ]
The word of the LORD came again to me, saying, Ver. 12. _The word of the Lord came again to me._] The utter destruction of this perverse people is once again denounced and declared to be inevitable.... [ Continue Reading ]
Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it: Ver. 13. _Son of man._] See on Ezekiel 2:1 . _ When the land sinne... [ Continue Reading ]
_Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver [but] their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD._ Ver. 14. _Though these three men._] See on Jeremiah 15:1 . _ Noah, Daniel, and Job._] What could not these three, so mighty with God, have done if the... [ Continue Reading ]
If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts: Ver. 15. _If I cause noisome beasts._] As lions, wolves, bears, serpents, &c. Great hurt hath been done not only by such, as Numbers 21:6 2 Kings 2:24;... [ Continue Reading ]
Ezekiel 14:16 [Though] these three men [were] in it, [as] I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate. Ver. 16. _Though these three men were in it._] All alive, and lustily tugging; yet it would not do. In c... [ Continue Reading ]
_Or [if] I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:_ Ver. 17. _Or if I bring a sword._] The sword, whensoever it comes is bathed in heaven. Isa 34:5 _ Sword, go through the land._] When the sword rideth circuit, as a judge, it is i... [ Continue Reading ]
Though these three men [were] in it, [as] I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves. Ver. 18. _Neither sons nor daughtens,_] _a_ Though never so dear to them: τα φιλτατα, the Greeks call them. _ a_ _Omnis pestilentiae coe... [ Continue Reading ]
_Or [if] I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast:_ Ver. 19. _Or if I send a pestilence._] Which Hippocartes calleth το Yειον, because God hath a special hand in it. Physicians can give no good reason for it. _ In blood,_] _i.e., _... [ Continue Reading ]
Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, [were] in it, [as] I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall [but] deliver their own souls by their righteousness. Ver. 20. _Neither son nor daughter._] Though it were an only one, and so more dear to them. _ They shall but de... [ Continue Reading ]
For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast? Ver. 21. _My four sore judgments._] Every one of the four (Cardan reckons three more of like nature,... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, [both] sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, [even] concerning all that I hav... [ Continue Reading ]
And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord GOD. Ver. 23. _And they shall comfort,_] _i.e., _ Quiet and qualify your spirits.... [ Continue Reading ]