Third Section. Ch. 8 11. New visions of Jehovah's withdrawal from his house, and the approaching destruction of Jerusalem On the fifth day of the sixth month of the sixth year of the Captivity of Jehoiachin (b.c. 591) the prophet sat in his house and the elders of the exile sat before him. Moved by... [ Continue Reading ]
_the sixth_month] The first vision of the prophet was in the fifth year of Jehoiachin's captivity and in the fourth month (Ezekiel 1:1); the present one a year and two months later. LXX. reads _fifth_month, and many modern scholars accept this reading, arguing that the Heb. date is due to some copyi... [ Continue Reading ]
The trance in presence of the elders. The prophet, abiding in his house (ch. Ezekiel 3:25), was visited by the elders of the captivity among whom he dwelt. They probably came to consult him regarding the affairs at home and the prospects of the city. Thrown into a state of excitation by their words... [ Continue Reading ]
_as the appearance of fire_ More naturally, the appearance OF A MAN, as LXX., cf. ch. Ezekiel 1:26-27, "the appearance of a man" (a different word, however), where the description is the same, viz. fire from the loins downwards and amber from the loins upwards. The prophet speaks with reverential va... [ Continue Reading ]
He does not even say that it WAS the divine hand that carried him; SPIRIT carried him, the form of the divine hand was merely symbolical. _the visions of God_ i.e. shewn him by God, ch. Ezekiel 1:1. _door of the inner gate_ Rather: door of THE GATE OF THE INNER COURT looking toward the north, i.e.... [ Continue Reading ]
The glory of the Lord was that seen by the prophet at the Chebar (ch. 1). This glory expressed the prophet's conception of Jehovah. And this Jehovah is here, in contrast with the deities worshipped by the people, and beholding their worship.... [ Continue Reading ]
_gate of the altar_ Is probably the northern inner gate. The northern entrance was the most frequented, partly because the royal palace and buildings lay to the south and east, and the west was closed by the buildings of the temple itself. In Leviticus 1:4 the sacrificial victims are commanded to be... [ Continue Reading ]
I _should go far off_ i.e. withdraw. These abominations defiled Jehovah's sanctuary, the place of his abode, causing him to abandon it. His withdrawal is symbolized ch. Ezekiel 11:1; Ezekiel 11:22-23. _turn thee … again … see_ Rather: THOU SHALT AGAIN SEE greater abominations; so Ezekiel 8:13_; Eze... [ Continue Reading ]
The secret idolatry of the Elders 7. _the door of the court_ i.e. the outside entrance of the gateway into the inner court. Placed at first near the entrance the prophet is now brought to the gateway itself, either unto some chamber within it or some building attached to it, cf. Ezekiel 40:44. In t... [ Continue Reading ]
The words "in the wall" are wanting both times in LXX.... [ Continue Reading ]
The word "wicked" is wanting in LXX.... [ Continue Reading ]
The construction is difficult: lit. "and behold every likeness (Ezekiel 8:3; Deuteronomy 4:17-18) of creeping things and beasts (cattle), abomination, and all," &c., the term "abomination" being descriptive both of creeping things and beasts. The term "beasts" is employed of the larger domestic anim... [ Continue Reading ]
_seventy men of the ancients_ i.e. of the _elders_. The seventy were not any court such as the later Sanhedrim, but merely seventy men representing the elders of Israel (Exodus 24:1; Numbers 11:16; Numbers 11:24-25). The elders were the leaders of the people, and probably here represent them. Promin... [ Continue Reading ]
_the chambers of his imagery_ Or, HIS CHAMBERS OF IMAGERY. The language implies that there were many chambers of imagery, and again suggests that the scene was symbolical. For "ancients" ELDERS. On "imagery" Leviticus 26:1; Numbers 33:52. _forsaken the earth_ Rather: the LAND. The multiplied calamit... [ Continue Reading ]
_Turn thee yet again_ See Ezekiel 8:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
The women bewailing Tammuz 14. _gate of the Lord's house_ i.e. outside the whole temple buildings to the north gate of the outer court; cf. ch. Ezekiel 10:19; Ezekiel 11:1. The term "house" embraces all the temple buildings (Jeremiah 35:4). The women may have been seen sitting outside the gate, or t... [ Continue Reading ]
_turn thee yet again_ See Ezekiel 8:6 end.... [ Continue Reading ]
The sun-worshippers in the inner court 16. _about five and twenty_ LXX., about twenty. These men were seen adoring the sun with their faces to the east, and their backs to the temple house. Their position between the temple and the altar seems to imply that they were priests (Joel 2:17), and it is... [ Continue Reading ]
_Is it a light thing_ Probably: is it too light a thing for the house of Judah to commit … that they have filled: cf. Isaiah 49:6; ch. Ezekiel 9:9. _the branch to their nose_ This is supposed to be part of the ceremonies of their sun-worship. It is said that the Persian sun-worshippers held before t... [ Continue Reading ]
These abominations will assuredly bring down the unsparing chastisements of heaven. The phrase "shall not spare nor pity" is common in the prophet, ch. Ezekiel 5:11; Ezekiel 7:4; Ezekiel 7:9; Ezekiel 9:5; Ezekiel 9:10. _cry_… with _a loud voice_ Comp. ch. Ezekiel 11:13, and for the general idea of v... [ Continue Reading ]