Ezekiel 11:9

And I will bring you out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you. I WILL BRING YOU OUT OF THE MIDST THEREOF - i:e., of the city, as captives led into the open plain for judgment....

1-13 Where Satan cannot persuade men to look upon the judgment to come as uncertain, he gains his point by persuading them to look upon it as at a distance. These wretched rulers dare to say, We are as safe in this city as flesh in a boiling pot; the walls of the city shall be to us as walls of brass, we shall receive no more damage from the besiegers than the caldron does from the fire. When sinners flatter themselves to their own ruin, it is time to tell them they shall have no peace if they go on. None shall remain in possession of the city but those who are buried in it. Those are least safe who are most secure. God is often pleased to single out some sinners for warning to others. Whether Pelatiah died at that time in Jerusalem, or when the fulfilment of the prophecy drew near, is uncertain. Like Ezekiel, we ought to be much affected with the sudden death of others, and we should st...

Verse Ezekiel 11:9. _AND DELIVER YOU INTO THE HANDS OF STRANGERS_] This seems to refer chiefly to Zedekiah and his family....

EXPOSITION EZEKIEL 11:1 MOREOVER THE SPIRIT LIFTED ME UP, etc. It is noticeable that the position to which Ezekiel was thus transported in his vision from his place in the inner court (Ezekiel 8:14), was identical with that which he had just seen occupied by the cherub chariot before its departure (Ezekiel 10:19). What he is about to see will throw light on the significance of their departure. The gate is probably, here as there, that of the court of the temple. FIVE AND TWENTY MEN. The number at first reminds us of the worshippers of the sun, in Ezekiel 8:16; but tha

AND I WILL BRING YOU OUT OF THE MIDST THEREOF,.... Jerusalem, the cauldron, as they said it was, and where they thought they should be safe; this is repeated, to express the certainty of it, and to excite their attention to it, and remove their vain confidence: AND DELIVER YOU INTO THE HANDS OF STRANGERS; the Chaldeans: AND WILL EXECUTE JUDGMENTS AMONG YOU; punishments for sin, such as famine, pestilence, sword, and captivity....

Ezekiel 11:1. The priests and the leaders of the nation were steeped in wickedness, defied God and the judgments His prophets had announced. They devised mischief (or iniquity) and gave wicked counsel. Their wicked counsel consisted in disobedience against Jehovah and His Word. In regard to the judgment they said, “It is not the time to build houses; this is the cauldron and we are the flesh.” They knew of Jeremiah's letter which he had sent to the elders who were carried away captives. In that letter, Jeremiah, believing God's Word concerning the long duration of the captivity, gave the advice, “Build ye houses and dwell in them” Jeremiah 29:1. They ridiculed that divinely given advice. They still thought themselves safe in Jerusalem. The phrase “this is the cauldron” means the city of Jerusalem; and we are

EZEKIEL 11. THE DEPARTURE OF YAHWEH. Ezekiel 11:1. Another Guilty Group. The doom has been executed with grim thoroughness, the guilty are all slain (Ezekiel 11:9); it is therefore surprising to come here upon another guilty group. Clearly this passage presupposes a slightly different time, but it admirably serves to strengthen the reasons for Yahweh's departure from the city. Besides the idolatry already described (Ezekiel 11:8), another type of guilt is illustrated by this group of twenty-five (probably twenty-four and a president) who give wicked counsel in the city. Apparently these were statesmen who favoured the policy (condemned by Jeremiah) of revolt from Babylon. In proverbial language they compare the city

STRANGERS. foreigners....

_hands of strangers_ i.e. foreign conquerors, the Babylonians....

A. The Jerusalem Leaders Denounced 11:1-13 TRANSLATION (1) And a spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the eastern gate of the house of the LORD, the one that faces east, and behold, in the entrance of the gate twenty-five men. And I saw in their midst Jaazaniah ben-Azur and Pelatiah ben-Benaiah, princes of the people. (2) And He said unto me, Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity, and give wicked counsel in this city; (3) who say, It is not near, let us build houses.[247] It is the pot, and we are the meat. (4) Therefore, prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man. (5) And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak! Thus says the LORD: You have said thus, O house of Israel, and the things of your spirit I surely know. (6) You have multiplied your slain in this city, and you have filled its streets with slain. (7) Therefore, Thus says the LORD: Your s...