Fourth Section, Ch. 12 19. The necessity of Israel's destruction The preceding symbols, such as those in ch. 4 12 and ch. 8 11, had foreshewn the certainty of the nation's fall, a new series of discourses demonstrate the necessity of it. Many thoughts and considerations occurred to men's minds whic... [ Continue Reading ]
The people of Israel among whom the prophet dwells is a rebellious house (ch. Ezekiel 2:3; Ezekiel 2:6-8; Ezekiel 3:26-27). His former signs meet with no belief from them. They have eyes but see not: they behold events and history with their bodily eyes, but fail to discern the moral meaning in them... [ Continue Reading ]
_stuff for removing_ Lit. articles of exile, i.e. such articles as one carries with him when going as a fugitive into exile. _and remove by day_ Lit. remove as into exile. The word is wanting in LXX., which reads: prepare for thyself articles of exile by day in their sight. This is more natural. _... [ Continue Reading ]
Symbolical action, prefiguring the escape and capture of the fugitives The details of the symbol seem to be as follows: First, the prophet prepares "stuff for removing" such articles as one meaning to escape would carry with him. These things being prepared, he brings them out. It is not said where... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then shalt thou bring_ AND THOU SHALT. The prophet is to bring forth the articles which he had prepared, depositing them in some convenient place in readiness to carry with him when he escapes. _and thou shalt go forth_ Possibly: and thou shalt go forth thyself, as R.V. The second half of Ezekiel... [ Continue Reading ]
_Dig through the wall_ Naturally the "wall" is not the wall of his house, but the city wall. He brought out his articles of flight by day, making them ready for the night-time when he was to escape through the wall. It is absurd to suppose, as is usually done, that he carried his things back into th... [ Continue Reading ]
The verse refers to the prophet's going out through the city wall, bearing on his shoulder the bundle of articles he carried with him in his flight. _in the twilight_ in the DARKNESS. So Ezekiel 12:7. The word again only Genesis 15:17. _cover thy face_ This might be to disguise himself, but the ne... [ Continue Reading ]
_with mine hand_ lit. _with hand_, i.e. by force, Isaiah 28:2. LXX. omits. _in the twilight_ the DARKNESS, as Ezekiel 12:6, so Ezekiel 12:12. Ezekiel 12:8. Exposition of the symbol. The action of the prophet is a representation of what shall happen in the last days of the siege. The king and thos... [ Continue Reading ]
_in the morning_ This circumstance might seem to imply that the prophet really performed the actions described. But though in this case performance of the action was not an impossibility it was probably only narrated (see on ch. 4). The natural sequel of the action (supposing it done), the curiosity... [ Continue Reading ]
The general meaning of these verses is clear enough the prophet's action is a representation of what shall happen in Jerusalem in the case of prince and people, but Ezekiel 12:10 is very obscure, and probably not in its original form. _This burden_concerneth _the prince_ lit. _the prince_(is) _this... [ Continue Reading ]
_I_am _your sign_ i.e. a sign to you the exiles, to whom he is speaking; while done "to them" refers to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Cf. Ezekiel 12:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
_shoulder in the twilight_, _and shall_ The balance of clauses requires: shall bear upon his shoulder; in the darkness shall he go forth (or, carry forth a slight change of reading, which obviates the unnatural _and_). _that he see not the ground_ Rather as R.V., BECAUSE HE SHALL NOT SEE THE LAND.... [ Continue Reading ]
The king's flight shall be unavailing; he shall be captured and brought blinded to Babylon, where he shall die. As the Lord fought against Jerusalem in the siege, so it is he that ensures the capture of the king. It is in his net that he is ensnared and taken; Hosea 7:12, "when they go, I will sprea... [ Continue Reading ]
All the armies and aids of the king shall be dispersed and pursued with the sword. They shall be scattered among the nations, and their history shall bring to their knowledge what Jehovah, their God, truly is. A remnant of them shall be spared among the nations that they make known to them their abo... [ Continue Reading ]
A new symbol of the terror and violence and desolation about to come upon the land.... [ Continue Reading ]
It is obvious that this symbol could not have been actually performed. Cf. ch. Ezekiel 4:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jerusalem_and _of the land_ Rather: Jerusalem IN (lit. upon) the land. _because of the violence_ The punishment of violence is violence. The internal wrong and oppression shall be avenged by a crushing violence and destruction from without. Amos 3:9-11. The phrase "desolate from all that is therei... [ Continue Reading ]
Warning against despising of prophecy The prophet felt that such threats as those just uttered (Ezekiel 12:1) were neglected and little thought of. People disposed of such prophecies by saying that they did not come true; or, if they did not go so far, by saying that they referred to the distant fu... [ Continue Reading ]
_The days are prolonged_ i.e. time passes and becomes long. The words are a generalization upon the fact that prophecies of judgment are not fulfilled; time goes on and "every vision faileth," remains a dead threat. LXX. omits "every," giving even a more comprehensive sense. The reference is special... [ Continue Reading ]
Judgment had been so often threatened and so often deferred that the failure of prophecy to realize itself became a proverb. Too superficial to apprehend the meaning of its postponement these scoffers made light of the threatened judgment (2 Peter 3:3; 2 Peter 3:9). Now they shall be undeceived. For... [ Continue Reading ]
Another thing which robbed the word of the true prophets, who threatened judgment, of its force was the fact that there were other prophets who spoke in a contrary sense, preaching peace and security. Prophets, though alike speaking in the name of Jehovah, contradicted one another, and the people, e... [ Continue Reading ]
_for I_am _the Lord_ Rather: FOR I THE LORD WILL SPEAK. Lit. for I the Lord will speak what word I shall speak, and it shall come to pass. The sense is given by A.V. The word which the Lord speaks to this generation shall be fulfilled before it pass away.... [ Continue Reading ]
If others did not go so far as to disregard prophecy altogether, they concluded that the prophecies bore reference to the future, and that the judgments threatened would not come in their day (Isaiah 39:8). This also was an inference not unnatural. The prophecies of the true prophets were moral and... [ Continue Reading ]
_word which I have spoken_ which I SHALL SPEAK, lit. what word I shall speak. Cf. for construction, Jeremiah 14:1; Jeremiah 46:1; Amos 5:1.... [ Continue Reading ]