Further predictions regarding the fall of Jerusalem These Chapter s pursue the same subject as occupied the prophet in previous Chapter s, the destruction of the state, though they appear to look at it from another point of view, and suggest another motive for it Jehovah's regard to his own name.... [ Continue Reading ]
Introductory. Certain elders came to the prophet to enquire of the Lord, in the seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin and tenth day of the fifth month Aug. 590 b.c., four years before Jerusalem fell.... [ Continue Reading ]
_will not be inquired of_ The proposed enquiries of the elders probably related to something in the present; to such men no answer will be given except to read the lesson of Israel's history to them. For the history concerns them. They are one in spirit and conduct with Israel of the past, and the p... [ Continue Reading ]
_wilt thou judge_ The interr. seems to have the sense of an impatient imperative, and the repetition gives stronger expression to the imperative, cf. ch. Ezekiel 22:2; Ezekiel 23:36. "Judge" is explained by "cause them to know the abominations of their fathers." To rehearse the history of the father... [ Continue Reading ]
_when I chose Israel_ The choice or election of Israel is referred to only here in Ez., and also once in Jeremiah 33:24. The idea is much insisted on in Isaiah 40-66. Already, however, Deuteronomy 7:6. _lifted up mine hand_ i.e. sware, Exodus 6:8; Numbers 14:30. The thing sworn is stated Ezekiel 20... [ Continue Reading ]
Review of the history of the fathers The principle that has ruled this history is that all through it Jehovah has acted for his name's sake. It is this principle that has given Israel a history, otherwise their sins would have cut them off. For his name's sake he spared the people in Egypt (Ezekiel... [ Continue Reading ]
_the day_that _I lifted_ ON THAT DAY I LIFTED … 7 AND I SAID unto them. On "milk and honey" cf. Exodus 3:8; and on the idea of Canaan as the "glory" of all lands, a frequent judgment in late writings, cf. Jeremiah 3:19; Daniel 8:9; Psalms 48:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
_abominations of his eyes_ Those to which his eyes and desires were directed, the idols, cf. Ezekiel 18:6; Numbers 15:39. The prophet charges Israel with idolatry in Egypt (ch. Ezekiel 23:3). Though history as we have it says little of such a thing, it may be assumed as certain, considering the peop... [ Continue Reading ]
The history in Exodus narrates only the conflict of Israel with the Egyptians, being silent on internal struggles in Israel itself. The work of Moses in delivering his people must have extended over a period of time. His efforts in educating the people are entirely passed over in the history. The an... [ Continue Reading ]
_for my name's sake_ This idea, very common in this prophet, also in Isaiah 40-66, does not appear in the earlier prophets, except Isaiah 37:35. Cf. however, Deuteronomy 9:28-29; Jeremiah 14:7; Jeremiah 14:21; Isaiah 43:25; Isaiah 48:9; Isaiah 48:11. Jehovah's name expresses that which he is, or has... [ Continue Reading ]
First half of the verse is wanting in LXX.... [ Continue Reading ]
_gave them … statutes_ Reference is to the Sinaitic legislation. The fact of the legislation is, confirmed by the prophet, but his language "statutes and judgments" does not enable us to form an opinion how extensive it was, nor what particulars it embraced besides the law of the sabbath (Ezekiel 20... [ Continue Reading ]
The people delivered from Egypt and brought into the wilderness. There also Jehovah wrought for his name's sake.... [ Continue Reading ]
_my sabbaths_ The plural refers to the stated recurrence of the day; other festivals are not included. _to be a sign_ The prophet does not speak of the Sabbath as an older institution than the exodus, though his language does not decide the point, as he refers merely to the connexion into which the... [ Continue Reading ]
Provocation of the people in the wilderness. They rejected the statutes of Jehovah and "polluted," better: PROFANED, his sabbaths, i.e. failed to dedicate and keep them to Jehovah. The profanation is to be taken in a wider sense than the special instances of neglect, Exodus 16:27; Numbers 15:32. Thi... [ Continue Reading ]
For his name's sake Jehovah did not make a clean end of the people, nevertheless he sware that the generation that came out of Egypt should not enter into the land of promise, Numbers 14:22-23; Numbers 14:29: Deuteronomy 1:35; Psalms 95:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
_polluted my sabbaths_ PROFANED. _went after their idols_ Exodus 32; Numbers 25; Hosea 9:10; Amos 5:25 cannot be appealed to here.... [ Continue Reading ]
Another motive besides regard for his own name moved Jehovah to spare Israel pity for the sinners; cf. Psalms 78:38, "But he being full of compassion forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not; yea many a time he turned his anger away". Numbers 14:20.... [ Continue Reading ]
The second generation in the wilderness. These only imitated the sins of their fathers, Numbers 25:1-2; Deuteronomy 9:23-24; Deuteronomy 31:27.... [ Continue Reading ]
_polluted my sabbaths_ PROFANED.... [ Continue Reading ]
_withdrew mine hand_ Lit. turned, or turned back his hand, outstretched to smite. The words are wanting in LXX., and in the other verses (Ezekiel 20:9_; Ezekiel 20:14_) the phrase "I wrought for my name's sake" begins the verse. For be _polluted_, PROFANED.... [ Continue Reading ]
_I lifted up … also_ MOREOVER I LIFTED UP, lit. And I on my part, so Ezekiel 20:25. _scatter … among the heathen_ The people entered Canaan laden with this heavy threat for their sins in the wilderness. Such threats were always conditional, Jeremiah 18, Jonah. This conditional character is expressed... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet though he wrought for his name's sake not to destroy them their sins could not be altogether passed by. In two ways they were marked: Jehovah laid a heavy threat upon the people of dispersion among all nations, Ezekiel 20:23; and he gave them laws that were not good, that by following them they... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wherefore I gave … also_ MOREOVER ALSO I GAVE, see Ezekiel 20:23. _statutes … not good_ These statutes are of a kind contrary to those given before (Ezekiel 20:11) which were good. These points seem plain: 1. The practice referred to is that of passing the firstborn male children through the fire a... [ Continue Reading ]
_might make them desolate_ Or, DESTROY THEM; less probably: horrify them (ch. Ezekiel 32:10). The train of thought is the same as that expressed in ch. Ezekiel 14:9. The penalty of sin is further delusion and worse sin, the end of which is death. The last clause "to the end … Lord" is wanting in LXX... [ Continue Reading ]
_Yet in this_ i.e. the following act, Ezekiel 20:28, cf. Ezekiel 23:38. _have blasphemed_ Past tense: BLASPHEMED … they COMMITTED. The blasphemy is not in words, but in high-handed disregard of his commands, Numbers 15:30.... [ Continue Reading ]
The people on their entry and in their abode in Canaan.... [ Continue Reading ]
The prophet regards the worship on the high-places and under the evergreen trees as a Canaanitish usage adopted by Israel, as Deuteronomy 12. At the same time Israel usually employed the altars or chapels which they found for the service of Jehovah; but naturally many corruptions would creep into su... [ Continue Reading ]
The word _bamah_, "high-place," has no certain etymology, though often used and at an early period, e.g. in David's elegy on Saul (2 Samuel 1:19), and in Moabite (Mesha's inscrip.). The prophet here introduces a punning and contemptuous derivation of the word. Jehovah asks "what (_mah_) is the high... [ Continue Reading ]
_Are ye polluted do ye pollute yourselves?_... [ Continue Reading ]
The Lord will not give himself to be enquired of by such men. What they desire to know about others or themselves they shall be left in ignorance of; but _he_has something to tell them regarding himself.... [ Continue Reading ]
Jehovah's regard to his own name will fashion the history of the people to come as it has fashioned the past Having reviewed the past and shewn the elders their own picture in the doings of their fathers, and how the thing which has fashioned the history in the past has been Jehovah's regard for hi... [ Continue Reading ]
_For when … ye pollute_ Interrogatively: _and when … do ye pollute yourselves_unto this day?... [ Continue Reading ]
The prophet regards the worship on the high-places as Canaanitish heathenism; but probably many of the exiles to whom he spoke were drifting into complete conformity with the nations among whom they were. Their minds were losing hold of their distinctiveness as the people of Jehovah. This practical... [ Continue Reading ]
This resolution of the people to sink themselves among the heathen shall not stand; Jehovah _will_assert his sovereignty over them, amidst terrible manifestations of his power and anger. _rule over you_ BE or, BECOME KING over you. The mighty hand (Exodus 13:9; Deuteronomy 5:15) and the stretched ou... [ Continue Reading ]
_the people_ PEOPLES. Though Israel was in captivity in the Babylonian empire, this empire embraced many peoples, the world as it was then known (cf. ch. 17) Formerly Israel was entangled among the Egyptians, now it is entangled among all nations; it shall now be gathered out as it was in the former... [ Continue Reading ]
_of the people_ PEOPLES. This wilderness of the peoples is the Syro-Babylonian wilderness, adjoining the peoples among whom they were dispersed; as that into which their fathers were brought was the wilderness of Egypt, i.e. adjoining Egypt. Isaiah 40:1-11 also represents Jehovah as marching at the... [ Continue Reading ]
_to pass under the rod_ According to the usage of the language (Leviticus 27:32, cf. Jeremiah 33:13) the rod or staff here is that of the shepherd, which he uses in counting his flock. "The shepherds carried a staff (Psalms 23:4; Micah 7:4; Zechariah 11:7) and used it in counting when they brought t... [ Continue Reading ]
Describes the other side of the process from Ezekiel 20:37, the separating of the unworthy from among the people, ch. Ezekiel 34:17; Ezekiel 34:20. _and they shall not enter_ BUT THEY. They shall be brought out but shall fall in the wilderness of the peoples as the rebellious generation aforetime f... [ Continue Reading ]
The present text must read: Go, serve ye every one his idols; but hereafter surely ye shall hearken unto me, and no more profane my holy name with your gifts (cf. Ezekiel 20:26), cf. Ezekiel 23:38-39. The ironical advice or concession refers to Ezekiel 20:32, cf. Amos 4:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
Resumes Ezekiel 20:34, and carries these verses a step further to the restoration (Ezekiel 20:41). _your offerings_ Always rendered _oblations_in Ezek., except ch. Ezekiel 48:8. The idea expressed by the word appears in ch. 45 and 48, where it is used of the portion of the land devoted to special a... [ Continue Reading ]
_you with_your _sweet savour_ Lit. _amidst_, or, _in_sweet savour (i.e. when I smell it) I will accept you. The expression is used literally of the sweet smoke of sacrifice, hardly figuratively of Jehovah's complaisance. R.V., _as_a sweet savour, is wholly improbable. _be sanctified in you_ Lit. get... [ Continue Reading ]
The goodness of Jehovah in restoring them shall fill their hearts with abhorrence of their own past doings, cf. Ezekiel 16:61. _lothe … in your own sight_ Omit _in your own sight_, ch. Ezekiel 6:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the final issue of all shall be that the people will know that he is Jehovah. Jew and Gentile shall alike know that the God of Israel is God alone. Cf. Isaiah 40:5 "the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together," Psalms 102:15-16; Psalms 102:22. Ezekiel 20:45 belon... [ Continue Reading ]
Ezekiel 20:45 to Ezekiel 21:32. The avenging sword of the Lord The passage Ezekiel 20:45-49 belongs to ch. 21 (as in Heb.). The time to which the chapter is to be assigned is the early period of Nebuchadnezzar's movements westwards. The prophet foresees the coming desolation of Israel by the conque... [ Continue Reading ]
_the south_ Though the reference is to Judah and Jerusalem (Ezekiel 21:1-5), the term "south" hardly means the south of Palestine; rather the whole land of Palestine from the point of view of the prophet residing in the north. The "forest of the field" hardly refers to Lebanon, but belongs to the fi... [ Continue Reading ]
_speak parables_ or, similitudes with the suggested idea that there lies no reality behind them (Ezekiel 12:21-28). The prophet, indeed, cannot utter a statement plainly, he must throw it first into a figure; the same is true also of Isaiah, though the figures of the latter prophet are brief and poi... [ Continue Reading ]