3, 4. THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED] corresponding to the green tree and the dry in the parable (Ezekiel 20:47). In spite of his strict theory of retribution in Ezekiel 18, Ezekiel recognised the fact that good men as well as bad would perish in the siege of Jerusalem.... [ Continue Reading ]
IT CONTEMNETH, ETC.] RV 'The rod of my son, it contemneth every tree' These words are almost hopelessly obscure, and the text is probably corrupt. As it stands, the meaning may be (_a_) that the rod (the sword) with which God chastises His son (the king or people of Israel) is more severe than any m... [ Continue Reading ]
CRY.. HOWL.. SMITE] tokens of Ezekiel's excited sympathy with God's justice. TERRORS.. UPON MY PEOPLE] RV 'they' (the princes) 'are delivered over to the sword with my people.'... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT IF _the sword_ CONTEMN EVEN THE ROD?] equally obscure with Ezekiel 21:10. RV 'what if even the rod that contemneth shall be no more? 'What if Judah in its pride shall be destroyed?... [ Continue Reading ]
SMITE, etc.] another gesture of excited SYMPATHY. DOUBLED THE THIRD TIME] rather, 'doubled and trebled' in its destructive power. SLAIN] RV 'deadly wounded.' THE GREAT _men that are_ SLAIN] RV 'the great one that is deadly wounded'—Zedekiah.... [ Continue Reading ]
POINT] RM 'consternation.' RUINS] RV 'stumblings.' WRAPPED UP] RV 'pointed.'... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL ALSO SMITE] God also exults in His judgment. His sternest justice is a true expression of Himself. CAUSE.. TO REST] RV 'satisfy.'... [ Continue Reading ]
CHOOSE THOU (RV 'mark out') A PLACE] rather, 'grave a hand,' i.e. a sign-post. Nebuchadrezzar is imagined as halting at some point where the roads to Jerusalem and Rabbah (the capital of Ammon) diverge, and as consulting his oracles as to which way he shall take.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN JERUSALEM] rather, 'unto Jerusalem.'... [ Continue Reading ]
HE MADE _his_ ARROWS BRIGHT] RV 'He shook the arrows to and fro.' Two arrows, inscribed with the names of the two cities, were put into a bag and shaken, and then one was drawn out. WITH IMAGES] RV 'the teraphim,' the portable images of the gods whose advice was sought. LOOKED IN THE LIVER] another... [ Continue Reading ]
AT HIS RIGHT HAND] RV 'In his right hand. Nebuchadrezzar drew the arrow marked 'Jerusalem.'... [ Continue Reading ]
The people of Jerusalem would make light of Nebuchadrezzar's omens. THAT HAVE SWORN OATHS] This may refer to the broken oaths of allegiance to Babylon (see Ezekiel 17:13), or perhaps to the covenant to free their j slaves which the people of Jerusalem made in Zedekiah's reign (Ezekiel 34:8), and wh... [ Continue Reading ]
PROFANE WICKED] RV 'O deadly wounded wicked one.' Zedekiah is addressed.... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTIL HE COME] the future ideal king. _(B) CONCERNING AMMON (EZEKIEL 21:28)_ The Ammonites were a nation E. of the Jordan, and descended from Lot (Genesis 19:38). They had joined in the league against Nebuchadrezzar (Jeremiah 27:3), and had reason to fear his vengeance (Ezekiel 21:20 above). But t... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SWORD.. _IS_ DRAWN] most naturally understood to be the sword of the Lord against Ammon, as against Jerusalem in Ezekiel 21:9. But others take it to be the sword which Ammon drew against Jerusalem: see on Ezekiel 21:30.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SEE VANITY] The Ammonites were misled by false prophets. _Them that are_ SLAIN, OF THE WICKED] RV 'The wicked that are deadly wounded'—the people of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 21:14).... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL I CAUSE _IT_] RV 'cause it.' As it stands this is a command to Ammon to sheathe the sword, and hence the sword in Ezekiel 21:28 is generally understood to be theirs. But the prophecy is so closely parallel otherwise to the preceding one that it is probable that the text in Ezekiel 21:30 is cor... [ Continue Reading ]
BRUTISH MEN] most naturally understood of the Babylonians, but see Ezekiel 25:4.... [ Continue Reading ]