Chapter LII (continued, part 2)
therefore he marks his priestly relation to God and the people at the outset; the close, which describes the future temple, tiius answering to the beginning. By designating himself expressly as "the priest" (v. 3), and as having reached his thirtieth year, the regular year ofpriests commencing their office, he marks his office as the priest among the prophets. Thus the opening vision follows naturally as the formal institution of that spiritual temple In whicli he was to minister. [Fairbaikx.] Chebar— the same as Chabor or Hahor, whither the ten tribes had been transported !)y Tiglath-pileser and Shalmaneser (2 Kings 17.6; 1 Chronicles 5. 26). It flows into the Euphrates near Carchemish or Circesium, 200 miles north of Babylon, vluions of God—Four expressions are used as to the revelation granted to Ezekiel, the three first having respect to what was presented from without, to assure him Of its realiti), the fourth to his being internally made fit to receive the revelation ; " the heavens were opened" (so Matthew 3. 16; Acts 7. .56; 10. 11; Revelation li^. 11); "he Kftw visions of God ;" "the word of Jehovah came rerUijisis the meaning is rather than 'expressly,' English Version,
is the ideal model after which they are fashioned (v. 10; ch. 10. 1-1). The point of comparison between him and them is the erect posture of their bodies, though doubtless including also the general mien. Also the hands (ch. 10.
21). 6. Not only were there four distinct living creatures, but each of the four had four faces, making sixteen in all. The four living creatures of the cherubim answer by contrast to the four world-monarchies represented by four
beasts, Assyria, Persia, Greece, and Rome (Daniel 7). The fathers identified them witli the four Gospels: Matthew the lion, Jlark the ox, Luke the man, John the eagle. Two cherubim only stood over the ark in the temi^le ; t wo more are now added, to imply that, whilst the law is retained as the basis, a new form is needed to be added to impart new life to it. The numljer four may have respect to the four quarters of the world, to imply that God's angels execute His commands everywhere. Each head ia front had the face of a man as the primary and prominent one: on the right the face of a lion, on the left the face of an ox, above from behind the face of an eagle. The Mosaic cheruljim were similar, only that the human faces were put looking towards each other, and towards the mercyseat between, being formed out of tlie same mass of pure gold as the latter (Exodus 25. 19, 20). In Isaiah 6. 2 two wings are added to cover their countenances ; because there Ihoy
r. 3; unto liim" (it was no unreal hallucination); and " the hand of Jehovah was upon him" (Isaiah 8. 11; Daniel 10.
10, 18; lUivelation I. 17; the Lord by his touch strengthening him for his high and arduous ministry, that he might be able to witness and report aright the revelations made to him). 2. .Iehoiacliln'8 captivity — In the third or fourth year of Jeholakim, father of Jehoiachin, the
5t)7
T7»e Vi-tion of Four Clierubim, EZEKIEL I. ind of the Four Whedt,
stand by the throne, here under the throne; there God tleigus to consult them, and His condescension calls forth their humility, so that they veil their faces before Him; here they execute His commands. Tlie face expresses their intelligence; the wings, their rapidity in fulfilling God's will. The Shekinah or flame, that signified God's presence, and the written name, Jehovah, occupied the intervening space between the cherubim. Genesis 4. li,
for they had a face (v. 6) looking to each of the fonr quarters of heaven. They made no mistakes; and their work needed not to be gone over again. Their wings were joined above in pairs (see v. 11). 10. lUcy . . . had the face of a inan—r/z., in front. The human face was the primary aiju prominent one, and the fundamental part of the composite wliole. On its right was tlie lion's face; on the left, the ox (called "cherub," ch. 10. 14); at the back fi'om above was the eagle's. 11. The tips of the two outstretched wings reached to one another, wliile the other two, in token of humble awe, formed a veil for the lower parts of the body. stretcUed upward—rather, " were parted from above" (of. Margin, Isaiah 6. 2, Note.) The joining together of their wings above implies that, though the movements of Providence on earth may seem conflicting and confused, yet if one lift np his eyes to heaven, he will see that they admirably conspire towards the one end at laat. 1^. The same idea as r. 9. Tlie repetition is because we men are so hard to be brought to acknowledge the wisdom of God's doings; they seem tortuous and confused to us, but they are all tending steadily to one aim. the spirit—the secret impulse wliereby God moves His angels to the end designed. They do not turn back or aside till they have fulfilled the olfice assigned them. 13. likeness . . . appearance— not tautology. "Likeness" expresses the general form; "appearance," the particular aspect, coals of fire—denoting the intensely pure and burning justice wherewith God punishes by His angels those who, like Israel, have hardened themselves against His long-suttering. So in Isaiah 6., instead of cherubim, the name "seraphim," the burning ones, is applied, indicating God's consuming righteousness; whence their cry to Him is, "Holy! holy! holy!" and the burning coal is applied to his lips, tor the message through his month was to be one of judicial severance of the godly from the ungodly, to the ruin of the latter, lamps—torches. The fire emitted spartis and.flaslies of light, as torches do. went up and down—expressing the marvellous vigour of God's Spirit, in all His movements never resting, never wearied, fire . . . bright—indicating the glory of God. out of th« fire. . . llgUtning—God's righteousness will at last cause the bolt of His wrath to fall on the guilty; as now, on Jerusalem. 14. ran and returned—incessant, restless motion indicates the plentitude of life in these cherubim; so in Revelation 4. 8, "they rest not day or night" (Zechariah 4. 10). flash of lightning-rather, as distinct from "lightning" {v. 13), "the meteor-flash," or sheet lightning. [Fairbairn.] 15. one wheel—the "dreadful height" of the wheel {v. 18) indicates the gigantic, terrible energy of the complicated revolutions of God's providence, bringing about His purposes with unerring certainty. One wheel appeared traversely within another, so that the movement might be without turning, wliithersoever the living creatures might advance (v. 17). Thus each wheel was composed of two circles cutting one another at right angles, " one" only of which appeared to touch the ground
}(i; and 3. 2i t" placed:" properly, "to place in a tabernacle"), imply that the cherubim were appointed at the
fall as symbols of God's presence in a consecrated place, nnd that man was to worship there. In the patriarchal tlispensation, when the flood had caused the removal of
the cherubim from Eden, seraphim or teraphim {Chaldean dialect) were made as models of them for domestic use (Genesis 31. 19, Margin 30). The silence of Exodus 25. and
2fj. as to their configuration, whereas every thing else is minutely described, is because their form was so well known already to Bezaleel and all Israel by tradition as to need no detailed description. Hence Ezekiel (ch. 10.
aO) at once knows them, for he had seen them repeatedly in the carved work of the outer sanctuary of Solomon's temple (1 Kings 6. 23-29). He therefore consoles the exiles with the hope of having the same cherubim in the renovated temple which should be reared, and assures them that the same God who dwelt between the cherubim of the temple would be still with His people by the Chebar. But they were not in Zerubbabel's temple; therefore Ezpkiel's foretold temple, if literal, is j-et future. The ox is selected as chief of the tame animals, the lion among the wild, the eagle among birds, and man the head of all, in his ideal, realized by the Lord Jesus, combining all the excellencies of the animal kingdom. The cherubim probably represent the ruling powers by which God acts in the natural and moral world. Hence they sometimes answer to the ministering angels; elsewhere, to the retleemed saints (the elect Church) through whom, as by the angels, God shall hereafter rule the world and proclaim the manifold M'isdom of God (Matthew 19.
28; 1 Corinthians 6. 2; Ephesians 3. 10; Revelation 3. 21 ; 4.
8-8). The "lions" and "oxen," amidst " palms" and "open flDwers" carved in the temple, were the four-faced cherubim which, being traced on a flat surface, presented only one aspect of the four. The human-headed winged bulls and eagle-headed gods found in Nineveh, sculptured amidst palms and tulip-shaped flowers, were borrowed
bj' corrupted tradition from the cherubim placed in Eden near its fruits and flowers. So the Aaronic calf (Exodus
32. 4, 5) and Jeroboam's calves at Dan and Bethel, a schismatic imitation of tlie sacred sj'mbols in the temple at Jerusalem. So the ox figures of Apis on the sacred arks of Egypt. 7. straight ft-ct i. e., straight legs. Not protruding in any part as the legs of an ox, but straight like a man's. [Grotius.] Or, like solid pillars; 7iot bendin;/, as man's, at the knee. They glided along, rather than walked. Their movements were all sure, right, and without etfort. [KvsTo, Q/clopedia.] sole . . . calf's foot Henderson hence supposes thixt " xtrniijht feef implies that they did not project horizontally like men's feet, but ver-
(" upon the earth)," according to tlie directitm the cherubim desired to move in. with his four faces—rather, " according to four faces'' or sides; as there was a side or direction to each of the four creatures, so there was a wheel for each of the sides. [FAiiUiAlUN.] The four sides or semicircles of each composite wheel pointed, as the four faces of each of tin; living creatures, to the four quarters of heaven. Havkrnick refers " his" or " its" to the wheels. The cherul)ini and their wings and wheels stood in con-
tically as calves' feet. The solid firmness of the round foot of a calf seems to be the point of comparison, colour
the ylitUrring appearance, indicating God's purity. S, Tlie hands of each were the hands of a man. The hand is the symbol of (iclivc power, guided btj " skil/ulness" (Psalm 78.
72). under tUeir wings—signifying their operations are hidden from our too curious prying; and as the "wings" signify something more than human, viz., the secret prompting of God, it is also implied that they are moved by it and not by their own power, so as that they do nothing at random, but all with Divine wisdom, they fourliufl. . .facosnnd. . .wings—He returns to what he had slated already in v.O; this givesa reason why they had hands on llieir four sides, viz., because they had faces and wings on the four sides. They moved whithersoever they would, not by active energy merely, but also by knowledge (expressed by their faces) luul Divine guidance (expressed by their " wings"). 9. Tlioy—had no occasion to luru tliemselves round when changing iucir direction, 5GS
trast to the symbolical figures, somewhat similar, thea existing in Clialdea, and found in the remains of Assyria.
Tile latter, though derived from tlie original revelation by tradition, came by corruption to synil)olize theastronom-
i(;al zodiac, or tlie sun and celestial sphere, by a circle with wings or irradiations. But Ezeklol's cheruliim rise above natural objects, the gods of the heathen, to the lepresentntion of the one true God, who made and continually upholds them. 10. appearance . . . work—thell Jm-m and the mnlirial of tlieir work, beryl—rather, "the glancing appearance of th(^ Tarsliisli-stone ;" the chryso-
lite or toi)iiz, brought Iron Tarshish or Tartessus in Spain.
It was uue of the gems iu the breastplate of the blgb
Vition of the Glory of God. EZEKIEL 11, III. The Comymsston of EzMd.
priest (FLxodus 2S.20; Song of Solomon 5. U ; Daniel 10. 6). four liad oue likeness—the similarity of the wheels to one smother implies that there is no inequality in all God's works that all have a beautiful analogy and pro-
(ch. 2. 2 ; 3. 23, 24 ; Revelation 1. 17). In this first chapter God gathered into one vision the substance of all that was to occupy the prophetic agency of Ezekiel ; as was done afterwards in the opening vision of the Revelation of Saint John.
portion. 17. went upon their four sides—Tljose faces or
sides of the four wheels moved which answered to the
direction in whicli the cherubim desired to move; whilst
Ver. I-IO. EzEKiEL's Commission. 1. Son of manoften applied to Ei;ekiel ; once only to Daniel (Daniel 8. 17), and not any other prophet. The phrase was no doubt taken from Chaldean u;.;age during the sojourn of Daniel and Ezekiel in Chaldea. But the spirit who sanctioned the words of the prophet implied by it the loicliness and
the transverse circles in esich of the four composite wheels remained suspended from the ground, so as not to
Jini)ede the movements of tlie others. 18. rings—i. e.,
felloes or circumferences of the wlieels. eyes—the mul-
tiplicil y of eyes here in the wheels, and ch. 10. 12, in the ciierubim themselves, symbolizes the plenitude of intelli-
frailly of the prophet as man "lower than the angels,"
gent life, the eye being the window through which "the
though now admitted to the vision of angels and of God Himself, "lest he should be exalted through the abundance of the revelations" (2 Corinthians 12. 7). He is appropriately so called as being type of tlie Divine "Son of man" liere revealed as "man" (JS'o/e, ch. 1.'26). That title, as applied to Messiah, implies at once His luicUness and His exaltation, in His manifesta tions as the Ilcpresentative man, at His first and second comings respectively (P.salm
spirit of the living creatures" in the wheels (u. 20) looks
forth (cf. Zechariah 4. 10). As the wheels signify the providence of God, so the eyes Imply that He sees all the circumstances of each case, and does nothing by blind im-
pulse. 19. vs-ent by tikem—went beside them. 20. tlie
spirit was »o go—i. e., their will was for going whithersoever tlie Spirit was for going, over against tliem—
rather, beside or in conjunction ivith them, spirit of the living creature -put collectively for "the living o-ea-
8. 4-8; Matthew 16. 13; 20. 18; and on the other liaiul, Dan-
tiov.v." the cherubim. Having first viewed them separ-
iel 7. 13, 14 ; Matthew 26. 04; John o. 27). 2. spirit entered
. . . when he spake—the Divine word is ever accompanied by the Spirit (Genesis 1. 2, 3). set . . . upon . . . feet—he had l)een "upon his face" (cli. 1.28). Humiliation on our part is followed by exaltation on God's (ch. 3.
ately, he next views them in the aggregate as the com-
posite living creature in which tlie Spirit resided. The life intended is that connected with God, holy, spiritual life,
in the plenitude of its active power. 21. over against—
23,24; Job 22. 29; James 4. 6; 1 Peter 5. 5). "On the feet" was the fitting attitmle wlien he was called on to walk and work for God (Epliesians 5. 8; 6. 15). tinat I heard rather, "then 1 heard." 3. nation—rather, nations; the word usually applied to the lieatheii or Gentiles; here to the Jews, as being altogether heathenized with idolatries. So in Isaiah 1. 10, they are nameii "Sodom" and "Gomorrah." They were now become " l.o-ammi," not the j)eople of God (Hosea 1. 9). 4. impudent— hard-faevd (ch. 3. 7,
rather, "alonj; with" [Henderson]; or, "beside." [FaiuBAIKN.] upon the heads—rather, "above the heads." (Faikhaikn'.] colour—glitter, terrible crystal — dazKling tlie spectator by its brightness. 33. straights-erect.
[FAiitHAli.-M.] Expanded upright, two . . . two . . . covered . . . bodies—not, as it might seem, contradicting r. 11. The two wings expanded upwards, though
chiefly used fur flying, yet up to the summit of the figure wliere they were parted from each other, covered the upper part of the body, whilst the other two wings cov-
9). children—resumptive of " they" {v. 3) ; the "children" walk in their " fathers' " steps. I . . . send thee—God opposes His command to all obstacles. T)u ties are ours; events are God's. Thus saitii the Lord God—God opposes His name to the obstinacy of the people. 5. forbear —viz., to hear, yet shall know—even if they will not hear, at least they will not have ignorance to plead as the cause of theii perversity (ch. 33. 33). 6. briers—not as Margin and Gesenius, "rebels," which would not correspond so well to " thorns." The Hebrew is from a root meaning "to sting" as nettles do. The wicked are often so called (2 Samuel 23. 0; Song of Solomon 2. 2 ; Isaiah 9. 18). scorpions—a reptile about six inches long, witli a deadly sting at the end of tlie tail, be not afraid—(Luke 12. 4 ; 1 Peter ,3. 14). 7. most rebellious—HZ., "rebellion" itself:
.eied the lower parts 24. voice of . . . Almighty—the thunder (Psalm 2;». 3, 4). voice of speech— rather, "the
V()i<H;'' or "sound of tumuli;' as in Jeremiah 11. 16. From an ^r^(6(C root, meaning the impetuous rush of heany rain. uoisc of. . . host—(Isaiah 13. 4; Daniel 10. 6.) 25. letdown
. . . wings—whilst the Almighty gave forth His voice, they reverently let their wings fall, to listen stilly to His conimunioatiou. 26. Tlie Godhead appears in the likeness of enthroned humanity, as in Exodus 24. 10. Besides the " paved work of a sapphire stone, as it were the body of lieaven in clearness," there, we have here the "throne," and God "as a man," with the "appearance of fire round about." This last was a prelude of the incarnation of Messiah, but in His character as Saviour and as Judge (Revelation 19.11-10). The azure sapphire answers to the colour of the sky. As others are called "sons of God," but He " the Son of God," so others are called "sons of man"
its very essence. 8. cat—(Jeremiah 15. 16, JS'ole ; Revelation 10. 9, 10.) The idea is to possess himself fully of the message, and digest it in the mind: not literal eating, but such an approjn-iation of its unsavoury contents, tliat they should become, as it were, part of himself, so as to impart them the more vividly to his hearers. 9. roll—the form In which ancient books were made up. 10. within and witliout—on the face and the back. Usually the parchment was written onl5' on its inside when rolled up ; but so full was God's message of impending woes, it was written also ou the back.
(ch. 2. 1, 3), but He " the Son of man" (Matthew 16. 13), being the embodied representative of humanity and the whole human race; as, on the other hand. He is the representative of "the fulness of the Godhead" (Colossians 2. 9). Wliilst the cherubim are movable, the throne above, and Jehovah who moves them, are firmly fixed. It is good news to man, th.at the throne above is filled by One who even there appears as "a man." 27. colour of amber— "the glitter of chasmal." [Fairbairn.] See iVore, u. 4 ; rather, " polislied brass." [Henderson.] Messiah is described here as in Daniel 10.5,6; Revelation 1.14,15. 28. the bow. . . in
Ver. 1-27. Ezekiel Eats the Roll: is Commissioned TO Go to Them of the Captivity, and Goes to TelABIB BY THE CHEBAR: AGAIN BEHOLDS THE SlIEKINAH Glory: is Desired to Retire to his House, and ONLY Speak when God opens his Mouth. 1. eat . . . and . . . speak—God's messenger must first inwardly appropriate God's truth himself, before he "speaks" it to others {Note, ch. 2. 8). Symbolic actions were, when possible and proper, performed outwardly ; otherwise, internally and in spiritual vision, the action so narrated making the naked statement more intuitive and Impressive by|)reseuting the subject In a concentrated, em*
... rain-the symbol of the sure covenant of mercy to God's children remembered amidst judgments on the wicked; as in the flood in Noah's days (Revelation 4.3). "Like hanging out fi om the throne of the Eternal a flag of peace, assuring all that the purpose of Heaven was to preserve rather than to destroy. Even if the Divine work should require a deluge of wrath, still the faithfulness of God woulil only shine forth the more brightly at last to the children of promi.se, in cousecjuence of the tribulationsneeded to jirepare for the ultimate good" [Fairbairn] (Isaiah 54. 8-10). 1 fell upon . . . face—the right attitude, spiritually, before we enter oa any active work for God
o69
(Jod Encouragelh the Prophet,. EZEKIEL III. God Openelh and Shutleth his Mouth,
(2.1) fpeaks of standing upon his "watch," but it wa« only in order to be on the look-out for the manifestation of God's power (so Isaiah 52. 8; 62. 6); not as Ezekiei, to act as a watchman to others. 18. warning . . . speakest to warn—The repetition implies that it is not enough to warn once in passing, but that the warning is to be inculcated continually (2 Timothy 4. 2, " in season, out of season;" Acts 20. 31, "night and day with tears"), save Ch. 2. 5, had seemingly taken away all hope of salvation; but the reference there was to the mass of the people whose case was hopeless; a few individuals, however, were reclaimable. die in . . . Iniquity—(John 8. 21, 24.) Men are not to flatter themselves that their ignorance, owing to the negligence of their teachers, will save them (Koraans 2. 12, "As many as have sinned without law, shall also perish without law"). 19. wickedness . . . -wicked -way—^internal wickedness of heart, and external of the life, respectively, delivered thy soul—(Isaiah 49.
bodied form. 3. Jvoney for sweetness—Psalm 19. 10; 119.
103; Revelation 10.9, where, as here, v. 14, the "sweetness"
Is followed by " tfitterness."' The former being due to the painful nature of tlie message; the latter because it was the Lord's service which he was engaged in ; and his eating the roll, and rinding it sweet, implied that, divesting himself of carnal feeling, he made God's will his will, however painful tlie message that God might requite him to announce. The fact that God would be glorified was his greatest pleasure. 5. See Margin, Hebrew, "deep of lip and heavy of tongue," £. e., men speaking an obscure and unintelligible tongue. Even they would have listened to the prophet; but the Jews, though addressed in their own tongue, will not hear him. 6. many people
It would have increased the difficulty had he been sent, not merely to one, but to "many people" differing in tongues, so that the missionary would have needed to acquire a new tongue for addressing each. The after mission of the apostles to many peoples, and the gift of tongues for that end, are foreshadowed (cf. 1 Corinthians
4, 5 ; Acts 20. 'M.) 20. rigliteous . . . tui-n from . . righteousness—not one " righteous" as to the root and
1-1. 21 with Isaiali 2S. 11). liacl I sent tJiee to tliem, tliey would liave Uearliened — (Matthew 11.21,23.) 7. will not hearken niito tSiee : for . . . not . . . me—(John 15.
spirit of regenei-ation (Psalm 89. 33; 138. 8; Isaiah 26. 12; 27.
3; John 10. 28; Philippians 1. 6), but as to its outward apjjearance and performances. So the "righteous" (Proverbs IS. 17; Matthew 9. 13). As in v. 19, the minister is required to lead the wicked to good, so in v. 20, to confirm the well-disposed in their duty, commit iniquity—i. e., give himself up ivhoUi/ to it (1 John 3. 8, 9), for even the best often fall, but not wilfully and habitually. I lay a stumhling-hlock—not that God tempts to sin (James 1. 13,
20.) Take patiently their rejection of thee, for I thy Loi-d bear it along with thee. 8. Ezekiel means one "strengthened Ijy God." Such he was in godly firmness, in spite of his people's opposition, according to the Divine command to the priest tribe to which he belonged (Deuteronomy 33.9). 9. As . . . flint — So Messiah the antitype (Isaiah .50.7; cf. Jeremiah 1.8, 17). 10. receive in . . . heart . . . ears—Tlie transposition from the natural order, viz., first receiving with the ears, then in the heart,
14), but God gives men over to judicial blindness, and to their own corruptions (Psalm 9. 16, 17; 94. 23), when they " like not to retain God in their knowledge" (Romans 1.
24, 2G) ; just as, on tlie contrary, God makes " the way of the righteous plain" (Proverbs 4. 11, 12; 15. 19), so that they do " not stumble." Calvim refers " stumbling-block" not to the guilt, but to its punishment ; "I bring ruin on him." The former is best. Ahab, after a kind of righteousness
is designed. The preparation of the heart for God's message sliould precede tiie reception of it with the ears (cf. Proverbs Hi. 1 ; Psalm 10. 17). 11. thy people—who ought
"to be better disposed to hearken to thee, their fellowcountryman, than hadst thou been a foreigner {v. 5, 6).
I Acts 8. o9.) Enekiel's abode heretofore had not been the most suitable for his work. He, therefore, is guided
(1 Kings 21. 27-29), relapsed, and consulted lying spirits in
false prophets ; so God permitted one of these to be his "stumbling-block," both to sin and its corresponding punishment (1 Kings 22. 21-23). Itis blood will I require—(Hebrews 13. 17.) 23. hand of tlie Iiord-(Ch.
l)y the Spirit to Tel-abib, the chief town of the Jewish colony of captives: there he sat on the ground, "the throne of the miserable" (Ezra 9. 3; Lamentations 1. 1-3), Beven days, the usual period for manifesting deep grief (Job 2. 13; see Psalm 137. 1), thus winning their confidence
1. 3.) go . . . into the plain—in order that he might there, in a place secluded from unbelieving men, receive a fresh manifestation of the Divine glory, to in-
lay sympatiiy in their sorrow. He is accompanied Ijy the cherubim which had been manifested at Chebar (ch. 1. 3, -1)^ after their departure from Jerusalem. They now are heard moving witli the "voice of a great rushing (cf. Acts 2.2), say-
spirit him f<5r his trying work. 23. glo»-y of the Loixl—
(Ch. 1. 28.) 24. set me upon my feet-—having been previously prostrate and unable to rise until raised by the Divine power, shut thyself within . . . house—imply-
ing. Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place," i. e., moving from tlie place in which it had been at Chebar, to accompany E/,ekjel to his new destination (ch. 9. 3); or, " from liis place
ing, that in the work he had to do, he must look for no sympatiiy from man, but must be often alone with God. and draw his stre ngth from Him. [Fairbairn.] "Do not go out of thy house till I reveal the future to thee by signs and words," which God does In the following chapters, down to the eleventh. Thus a representation was given of the city shut up by siege. [Grotius.] Thereby God proved the obedience of His servant, and Ezekiel showed the reality of His call by proceeding, not through rash impulse, but by the directions of God. [Calvin.] 25. put ll>nnds upon thee—n'ot literally, but spiritually, the binding, depressing influence which their rebellious conduct would exert on his spirit. Their perversity, like bands, would repress his freedom in preaching. As in 2 Corinthians G. 12, Saint Paul calls himself " straitened," because his teaching djd not find easy access to them. Or
' may rather mean, in His place and mani-
fested "from" it. Though God may .seem to have forsaken His temple. He is still in it, and will restore His people to
It. His glory is " blessed," in opposition to those Jews who spoke evil of Him, as if He had been unjustly rigorous towards their nation. [Calvin.] 13. touched— //<.,
kissed, i.e., closely eml)raced. noise of a great rushing —typical of great disasters iinpendingover tlie Jews.
bitterness—sadness on account of the impending calami-
ties of wliich 1 was required to be the unwelcome meseenger. Uul tlie "hand," or powerful imjuilse of Jehovah, urged me forward. 1~>. Tel-abih— nn'ans an "elevation." It is identified liy Miciiaei^ls witli Thal-
laba. on tin; Cliabour. Perhaps the name expressed the Jews' hopes of restoration, or else the fertility of tlie region. Aljib means tin; green ears of corn which appeare{l in the month Nisan, tlic pledge of the liarvest. I Ditt, &o.—Tills is tlie Hebrew Margin leading. The text
else, it is said to console the prophet for being shut up; If thou wert now at once to announce God's message, they
ivould rush on thee and bind thee with "bands." [Calvin.] 2G. I will make my tongue . . . dumb—Israel had rejected the prophets; therefore God deprives Israel of the propliets and of His word—God's sorest judgment
is ratiicr, "I beheld tiieiii sitting there" [Gk.skniusJ; or, "And tliose that wc^re settled there," viz., the older
(1 Samuel 7. 2; Amos S. 11, 12). 37. wlien I speak . . . 1 will open thy mouth—opposed to the silence imposed on the prophet, to punish the people (r. 20). After the Interval of silence has awakened their attent ion to thtM)»use of it, viz., tlieirsiiis, tliey may tlien hearken to the prophecies which they would not do before, he that hearetli,
settlers, as distinguished from the more recent ones alluded to in the previous clause. The ten tribes had been long since settled on the (Jhabor or Habor (2 Kings
17. 6). [Havehnu'K.] 17. watcliiuau — Ezekiel alone, among the propliets, is called a " watchman," not merely to sympathize, but to give timely warning of danger
let lilm liear . . . forbear—i. e., thou hast done thy part.
to his peojilc where uouu was suspected, Habakkuk 670
T!ie Type oj a Se!ge. EZEKIEL IV, V. The Hardness of the Famine,
whetlier they hear or forbear. He who shall forbear to
the meaning was far from lying on the surface, was Intended to arouse to a less superficial mode yf thinking, just as the partial veiling of truth in Jesus' parables was designed to stimulate inquiry; also to remind men that God's dealings in the past are a key to the future, for Ho moves on the same everlasting /(riHci^jto, the forms alone being tt'ansitory. 7. arm . . . uncov«-rcd—to be read.y for action, wliich the long Oriental garment usually covering it would prevent (Isaiah 52. 10). tlioH sltalt proplicsy against it—this gesture of thine will be a tacit prophecy against It. 8. bands—(Ch. 3. 25.) not turn from . . . side—to imply the impossibility of their being able to shake off their punishment. O. wheat . . . barley, &c. —instead of simple flour used for delicate cakes (Genesis
hear, It ihall be at liis own peril ; he who hears, it sluUl be
to his own eternal good (of. Kevelulioii 2i 11).
Ver. 1-17. Symbolical Vision of the Sikge and the Iniquity-eeauing. 1. tile—a suii-driecl brick, such as
are found in Babylon, covered with cuneiforui inscrip-
tions, ollen two feet long, one broad, a. fort—rather, a
walch-toirer (Jeremiah 4) wherein the besiegers could watch the movemenls of the besieged. [Gesenius.] A wall of circunivallatioii. [LXX. and Kosenmuller.] A kind of battering-ram. [ilAUKEK.] The first view is
best, a mouut—wlierewith tlie Chaldeans could be defended from missiles, bntftring-rams— through-
18. 6), the Jews should have a coarse mixture of six different kinds of grain, such as the poorest alone would eat, litches —spelt or dhourra. three hundred nnd ninety the forty days are omitted, since these latter tyiiify the wilderness period when Israel stood separate from tlie Gen-
borers. In ch. 21. 22 the same Hebrew is translated, "captains." ii-cm pan—the Divine decree as to the Chaldean army invi-sliug the city. 3. set it for a \vnll of iron bctwrtn tlit-e Hiul tUe til} — l^^zeiiiel, in the person of God, represents the wall of separation between him and the people as one of iron: and the Chaldean investing army. His instrument of separating thcni frojn liini, as one impossible to burst tliroui^h. set . . . face «^nin»t it inexorably (Psalm .'!!. hi). Tlie exiles envied their brethren remaining in Jerusalem, but exile is better than the straitness of a siege. 4. Anotlier symbolical act performed at the same lime as the former, in vision, not in external action, wherein it would have been only puerile: narrated as a thing ideally done, it would make a vivid impression. The second action is supplementary to the
tiles and their pollutions, thoughpartially chastened by stint of bread and water (v. 16), whereas the eating of the polluted bread in the 390 days implies a forced residence "among the Gentiles" who were polluted with idolatry (i;,
13). This last is said of " Israel" primarily, as being the most debased (v. 9-15); they had spiritually sunk to a level with the heathen, therefore God will make tlieii' condition outwardly to correspond. Judali and Jerusalem fare
less hardly, being less guilty: they are to "eat bread by weight and with care," i. e., have a stinted supply, and be chastened with the milder discipline of the wilderness period. But Judah also is secondarily refened to in the
first, to bring out more fully the same prophetic idea,
390 days, as having fallen, like Israel, into Cientile defilements; if, tlien, the Jews are to escape from the exile among Gentiles, which is their just punishment, they must submit again to the wilderness-probation (v. 10), 10. twenty sheUels—i. e., little more than ten ounces. A scant measure to sustain life (Jeremiah 52. G). But it applies not only to the siege, but to their whole subsequent state. 11. sixth . . . of . . . hin—about a pint and a half. 13. dung—as fuel; so tire Arabs use beasts' dung, wood-fuel being scarce. But to use human dung so implies the most cruel necessity. It was in violation of the law (Deuteronomy 14. 3; 23. 12-14); it must therefore have been done only in. vision. 13. Implying that Israel's peculiar distinction was to be abolished, and that they were to be outwardly blended with the idolatrous heathen (Deuteronomy 28. 08 ; Hosea 9. 3). 14. Ezekiel, as a priest, had been accustomed to the strictest abstinence from everything legally impure. Peter felt the same scruple at a similar command (Acts 10. 14; cf. Isaiah 65. 4). I'osi-
left siilc—referring to the position, of the ten tribes, the northirn kingdom, as Jutlali, the muthern, answers to "the riglit side" (V. 6). The Orientals, facing the east in
their mode, had the north on tlieir left, and the south on
their (ch. Ki. 4(1). Also the right was more honour-
able than the left: so Judah, as being the seat of the tem-
ple, was more .so than Israel. Ijear their iniquity—iniquity being regarded as a burrlr'n; so it means, " bear the punishynent of their iniciuity" (Numbers 14. 34). A type of Him who was the great sin-hearer, not in mimic show as Ezekiel, but in reality (Isaiah iy.i. 4, ti, 12). 5. tliree Iiundred ai»d niuety days—the u90 years of punishment appointed for Israel, and forty lor Judah, cannot refer to the siege of Jerusalem. That siege is referred to v. 1-3, not in a .sense restricted to the literal siege, but comprehending
tlie whole train of punishment to be inflicted for theirsin; therefore we read here merely of its .sore pressure, not of
its result. The sum of '6'M and 4U years is 430, a period famous in the history of the covenant people, being that of their sojourn in Egypt (Exodus 12.40,41; Galatians 3.17). The forty alludes to the forty years in the wilderness. Elsewhere (Ueuieronomy 2S. OS ; Hosea 9. 3), God threatened to bring them back to Egypt, which must mean, not Egypt literally, but a bondage as bad as tJiat one in Egypt. So now God will reduce them to a kind of new Egyptian bondage to the world : Israel, the greater transgressor, for a longer period than Judah (cf. ch. 20. 35-38). Not the whole of the 430 years ot t he Egypt state is appointed to Israel; but this shortened by the forty years of the wilderness sojourn, to imply, that a way is open to their return to life by their having the Egypt state merged into that of the wilderness, i. e., by ceasing from idolatry, and seeking in their sifting and sore troubles, through God's covenant, a restoration to rigliteousness and peace, [Faiubaikn.J The 390, in reference to the sin of Israel, was al.so literally true, being tlie years from the setting Up of the calves by Jeroboam (1 Kings 12. 20-33), i. e., from
tive precepts, being dependent on a particular command can be set aside at the will of the Divine ruler; but mora.
jsreccp/s are everlasting in their obligation, because God cannot be inconsistent with His unchanging moral na ture. abominable flcslk lit., fiesh that stank from putrid-
ity. Flesh of animals three days killed was prohibited (Leviticus 7. 17, 18 ; 19. 6, 7). 15. cow's dung—a mitigation of the former order (t). 12); no longer " the dung of man;"
still the bread so baked is "defiled," to imply that, whatever partial abatement there might be for the prophet's sake, the main decree of God, as to the pollution of Israel by exile among Gentiles, is unalterable. 16. staff of bread—bread by which life is supported, as a man's weight is by the stair he leans on (Leviticus 20. 20; Psalm
105. 16; Isaiah 3. 1). by weiglit, and with care— in scant measure (v. 10). 17. astonied one with anotlier—mutually regard one another with astonishment: the stupefied look of despairing want.
975 to 58.5 B. c. ; about the year of the Babylonian captivity; and perhaps the 40 of Judah refers to that part of Manasseh's flfty-flve years' reign in which he had not repented, and which, we are expressly told, was the cause of God's removal of .Tudah, notwithstanding Josiah's reformation
Ver. 1-17. Vision of Cutting the Hairs, and the Calamities foreshadowedthekeby. 1. knife . . . razor —the sword of the foe (cf. Isaiah 7.20). This vision implies even severer judgments than the Egyptian afllictions foreshadowed in the former, for their guilt was greater than that of their forefathers, thine head—as representative of the Jews. The whole hair being snaven off was slg571
(1 Kings 21. 10-16; 23. 20. 27). 6. eacli day for a year-iiY., a day /or a year, a day for a year. Twice repeated, to mark more distinctly the reference to Numbers 14. 34. The plclarlaK of the future under the image of the past, wherein
EZEKIEL VI.
The Jud(jmcnl upon Jerusalem,
The Tiipe of the Prophd's Hair.
by the Romans, and the final one by Antichrist (Zechariah 13.8,9; 14. 2), as well as that by Nebuchadnezzar. Their doom of evil was not exhausted by the Chaldeau conquest. There was to be a germinating evil iu their destiny, because there would be, as the Lord foresaw, a germinating evil in their character. As God connected Himself peculiarly with Israel, so there w.as to be a peculiar manifestation of God's wrath against sin iu their case. [Fairbairn.] The higher tlie privileges the greater the punishment in the case of abuse of thenL. When God's greatest favour, the go.spel, was given, and was abused by them, then " the wrath was to come on them to the uttermost" (1 Thessalonians 2. 16). 10. fathers . . . eat . . . sons—alluding to Moses' words (Leviticus 26. 29; Deuteronomy 28. .>3), with the additional .sad feature, that "tlie sous should eat their fathers" (see 2 Kings 6. 28; Jeremiah 19. 9; Lamentations 2.20; 4.10). H. as I live—the most solemn of oaths, pledging the self-existence of God for the certaint.y of the event. deiUe«i iny sanctuary—the climax of Jewish guilt: their defiling Jehovah's temple by introducing idols, diminish—W., withdraw, viz., mine " eye " (which presently follows), i. e., my favours ; Job 36.
nlficarit of severe and liuiiiiliatiiif; (2 Sainncl If). 4, 5) treatinent. Kspecinlly in the case of a priest; for priests (Leviticus 21. o) were forljidden " to make baldness on tlieir head, "their liair being tlie token of consecration ; lierel)y
it was intimated that the ceremonial must give place to the moral, balances—implj in;^ the jiisl clUn-iniiita/ion with wliicli .leliovali weighs out tlie portion of punishment "divided," 1. €., allotted to each: tlie "hairs" are the Jews: the Divine scales do not allow even one hair to
esf^ape accurate weighing (cf. Matthew 10.30). a. Three
classes are described. Tlie sword was to destroy one third of the people; famine and plague another third (" fire " in
V. 2 being explaii>>'d in v. 12 to mean pestilence and famine"); tiiat wlncli remained was to be .scattered among the nations. A fewonl.yof the' last portion were
to escap'S symbolized by the hairs bound in Ezekiel's skirts (I). 8; Jeremiah 40.6; 52. IB). F-ven of these some were to be thrown into the fier.v ordeal again {v. 4; Jeremiah 41. 1, 2, itc. ; 44. 11, *o.). The "skirts" being able to contain but few express thatextreme limit to which God's goodness can reacli. 5, 6. Explanation of the symbols. Jeriis.ilem—not the mere city, but the people of Israel generally, of which it was the centre and rejiresentative.
7 uses the Hebrew ver'o in the same way. As the Jews had witlidrawti from God's sanctuary its sacredness by "defiling" it, so God withdraws His countenance from them. The significance of the expression lies in the allusion to Deuteronom.y 4. 2, "Ye shall not diminish aught from the word which I command you:" they liad done so, therefore God diminishes thprn. The reading found iu six MSS., " I will cut thee off," is not so good. 13. Statement in plain terms of what was intended by the symbols
Ill . . . mi<lst—Jerusalem is regarded in God's point of view as centre of the whole earth, designed to radiate the
true light over the naiionn in all ciircctioiis. Cf. Margin
(" navel "), ch. 38. 12; Psalm 48. 2; Jeremiah 3. 17. No centre in the ancient heathen world could have been selected more fitted than Canaan to be a vantage-ground, whence the ])eople of Go<l might have acted with success upon the heathenism of the world. It lay midway betv.-een tlie oldest and most civilizeil states, Eg.vpt and Ethiopia on one side, and Babylon, Is ineveh, and Indi.a on tlie other, and afterwards Persia, Greece, and Rome. The Phcenician mariners were close b.v, through whom they might have transmitted the true religion to the remotest lands ; and
(r. 2; see ch. 6. 12; Jeremiah 15. 2; 21. 9). draw out . . . sword after them—(Leviticus 26. 3.3.) Skeptics object; no such thing happened under Zedekiali, as is here foretold,
viz., that a third part of the nation should die by pestilence, a third part b.v the sword, and a third be scattered unto all winds, and a sword sent after them. But the prophec.v is not restricted to Zedekiali's time. It includes all that Israel suffered, or was still to sutfer, for their sins, especially those committed at that period (ch.
all around the Ishmaelites, the great inland traders in South Asia and North Africa. Israel was thus placed, not
for its own selfish good, but to be the spiritual benefactor of the whole world. Cf. Psalm 67. throughout. Failing in
this, and falling into idolatry, its guilt was far worse than that of the heathen ; not that Israel lilerally went beyond the heathen in abominable idolatries. But " corrnptio optimi pesximd ;" tlie perveision of that which in itself is
17. 21). It only received its primary fulfilment under Zedekiah: numbers then died by tlie pestilence and by the sword; and numbers were scattered in all quarters, and not carried to Bab.ylonia alone, as the objectors assert (cf. Ezra 1.4; Esther 3.8; Obadiah It), pestilence . . . and famine—signified by the symbol "Are" (r. 2). Cf. Isaiah 13.
tlie best is worse than tlie perversion of that which is less perfect: is in fact the worst of all Icinds of perversion. Therefore their punishment was the severest. So the position of the Christian piof. ssing Cliurch now, if it be not a light to tlie heathen world, its condemnation will be sorer than theirs (Matthew .5. 1.3; 11. 21-24; Hebrews 10. 2.S,
8; Lamentations 5. 10; plague and famine burning and withering the countenance, as fire does. 13. cause my fury to rest upon theau-as on its proper and permanent resting-place (Isaiah 30. 32, Margin). I will be comforted exyiressed in condescension to man's conceptions; signifying His satisfaction in the vindication of His justice by His rigliteous judgments (Deuteronomy 28. 63 ; Proverbs 1. 26; Isaiah 1. 24). they shall know—by bitter experience. 11. reproach among the n.itions— the.v whose idolatries Israel had adopted, instead of eomlorting, would only exult in tlreir calamities brought on by those idolatries
29). G. cliaiigfcl . . . Into—rather, "hath t-ra/.s^r-d m.v judgments wickedly;" "hath rebelled against ni.v ordinances
for wickedness." [Buxtohf.] But see end of Xote on v. 7. 7. mMltSpJi«'il—rather, " have been more abundantl.v outrageous;" lit., to tumnltuale : to have an extravagant rage
lor idols, iieltlier liave done aeeortlins j"''S" ikicnts of the nations—have not lieen as tenacious of the true religion as the nations have been of the false. The heathen " changed " not their gods, liut the .lews cJianged Jehovah for idols (see t). 6, "changed m.v judgments into Wickedness," i. «., idolatry, Jeremiali 2. 11). The Cliaklean
(cf. Luke 15. 15).. 15. instruction lit., a corrective chastisement, i. e., a striking example to warn all of the fatal consequences of sin. For "lY shall be;" all ancient versions have " tliou," which tlie conm'ctiou fa\ours. 10. arrowa of famine—hail, rain, mice, locusts, m Idew (see Deuteronom.v 32. 23, 21), Increase the famljiclii., congregate or
version and the Masora support the negative. Others omit it, as it is omitted (ch. 11. 12), and translate, "but have rione according to the judgments," Ac. However, both
collect. When .ye think your harvest safe, because ye have escaped drought, mildew, &c., I will find other means [Calvin], which I will congregate as thc/orces of an incading arnii/, to bring famine on ,vou. 17. beasts—perhaps meaning destructive conquerors (Daniel 7. 4). Rather,
ch. 11. 12 and also this verse ai e true. They in one sense "did according to llie heathen," viz.. In all that was bad ; in anntlx'r, viz., in that which was good, zeal for religion, they did not. Verse 0 also proves the negative to be genuine; because in changing their religion they have
literal "beasts," which infest desolated regions such as Judea was to become (cf. ch. 34. 28; Exodus '2.'i. 29; Deuteronom.y 32. 21 ; 2 Kings 17. 25). The same tlirea'. is repeated
not done as the nations whicli have not changed theirs, " ^(also) will do in thee that which I have not done." 8.
I, even I — awfully emphatic. I, even I, whom thou thinkest to be asleep, but who am ever reigning as the Omnipotent Avenger of sin, will vindicate my rigliteous government before the nations b.y Judgments on thee. 9. See IVole, v. 7. (hat -whieh I have not clone — worse than any former judgments (liameiitatlons 4. 6; Daniel 9.
ill manifold forms, to awaken tlie careless, sword—civil war.
Ver. 1-14. Continuation of tiik same Subject. St, mountains of Israel— s. e., of Palestine in general. The mountains are addres.sed by personification; Implying
H), The prophecy includes the destruction of Jerusalem
The Fuitliful Exhorted lo Lament. EZEKIEL VII. The Final Desolation of Israel.
watcheth for thee— Rather, " waketh for thee." It awakes up from its past slumber against thee (Psalm 78.
that the Israelites themspTves are incurable and unworthy of any more appeals; so the prophet sent to Jeroboam (lid not deign to address tlie king, but addressed the altar (1 Kings 2). Tlie mountains are specified as being the scene of Jewish idolatries on -'the high places"
65, 66). 7. The morning—So Chaldean and Syriac versions
(cf. Joel 2. 2). Ezekiel wishes to awaken them from their lethargy, whereby they were promising to themselves an uninterrupted night (1 ThessaloniansS. 5-7), as if they were never to be called to account. [Calvin.] The expression, "morning," refers to the fact that this was the usual time for magistrates giving sentence against offenders (cf. v.
(f. 3: Leviticus 2C. 30). 3. riveri—?i7., the ehanneU of tor-
rents. Rivers were often the scene and objects of idola-
trous worship. 4-. Jjnages—called so from a Hebrew root,
towaxliot, implying the mad ardour of Israel after idol-
10, below; Psalm 101. S; Jeremiah 21.12). Gesenitts, less probably, translates, "the order of fate;" thy turn to be punished, not the sounding again—not an empty echo, such as is produced by the reverberation of sounds in "the mountains," but a real cry of tumult is coming. [Calvin.] Perhaps it alludes to the joyous cries of the grape-gatherers at vintage on the hills FGrotius], or of the idolaters in their dances on their festivals in honour of their false gods. [Tirinus.] Havebnick translates, " no brightness." 8,9. Repetition of u. 3, 4; sadly expressive of accumulated woes by the monotonous sameness, 10. rod . . . blossomed, i>ride . . . budded—the "rod" is the Chaldean Nebuchadnezzar, the instrument of God's vengeance (Isaiah 10.5; Jeremiah 51. 20). The rod sprouting (as the word ought to be translated), &c., implies that God does not move precipitately, but in successive steps. He as it were has planted the ministers of His vengeance, and leaves them to grow till all is ripe for executing Hia purpose. "Pride" refers to the insolence of the Babylonian conqueror (Jeremiah 50.81,32). The parallelism ("pride" answering to "rod") opposes Jerome's view, that " pride" refers to the Jeivs who despised God's threats (also Calvin's, " though the rod grew in Chaldea, the root was with the Jews"). The " rod" cannot refer, as GROTiua thought, to the tribe of Judah, for it evidentl.v refers to the "smiteth" (v. 9) as the instruinent of smiting. 11.
atry. [Cai,vi>'.] Otliors translate it, sun-images ; and so
In v. 6 (see 2 Kings n. 11; 2 Chronicles 34.4; Isaiah 17.8,
Marfiiii). cast yonr glain men before your Idols—the
foolisli objects of their trust in the day of evil should witness their ruin. 5. cnrcasses . . . before . . . Idols polluting thus with the dead bones of j'ou, the worship-
pers, the idols wliich seemed to you so sacrosanct. 6. your works—not gods, as you supposed, but the mere work of men's hands (Isaiah 40. 18-20). 7. ye shall know that I am the I/ord—and not your idols, lords. Ye shall know rne as the all-powerful Punisher of sin. 8. Mitigation of tlie extreme severity of their punishment; still their life shall be a wretched one, and linked with exile
(ch. 5. 2, 12; 12. Ifi; 14.22; Jeremiah 41.28). 9. they that
escajie of yoii shall reinemtocime—the object of God's Chastisements sliall at last be etTected by working in them true contrition. This partially took place in the complete eradication of idolatry from the Jews ever since the Babylonian captivity. But they have yet to repent of their crowning sin, tlie crucifixion of Messiah; their
full repentance is tlierefove future, after the ordeal of
trials for many centuries, ending with that foretold In Zechariah 10.9; 13.8,0; 14.1-4,11. "They sha.ll remember
rne in far countries" (cli. 7. Hi; Deuteronomy 30.1-8). I nm broken witli their whorlsh heart— Faikbairn
translates, actively, "I will break" their whorish heart; Knglish Version is better. In tlieir exile they shall remember how long I bore with tliem, but was at last corn-
Violevce, i. e., the violent foe, is risen up as a rod of, i. e., to punish the Jews' wickedness (Zechariah 5.8). tlieirs— their possessions, or all that belongs to them, whether children or goods. Grotius translates, from a different Hebrew root, "their nobles," lit., their tumultuout trains (Margin) which usually escorted the nobles. Thus "nobles" will form a contrast to the general "multitude." neither . . . walling— (Jeremiah 16.4-7;
pellet", to pnnish, after I was " broken" (my long-suffering wearied out) by their desperate (Numbers 15. 39) spiritual whorishness [CalvinJ (Psalm 78.40; Isaiah 7.13; 43.24;
63.10). loathe themselves—(Leviticus 26.39-45; Job 42. 6.) They shall not wait for men to condemn them, but shall condemn themselves (ch. 20.43 ; 36.31; Job 42.6; 1 Corinthians 11. 31). 11. Gesticulations vividly setting before the hearers the greatness of the calamity about to be in-
25.33.) Gesenius translates, "nor shall there be left any beauty among them." English Version is supported by the old Jewish interpreters. So general shall be the slaughter, none shall be left to mourn the dead. 13. let not . . . buyer rejoice—because he has bought an estate at a bargain price, nor . . . seller mourn—because he has had to sell his land at a .sacrifice through poverty. The Clialdeans will bo masters of the land, so that neither shall the buyer have any good of his purchase, nor the seller any loss ; nor shall the latter (v. 13) return to his inheritance at the jubilee year (see Leviticus 25. 13). Spiritually this holds good now, seeing that " the time is short," " they that rejoice .should be as though they rejoiced not, and they that buy as though they possessed not:" v?8,lnt Paul (1 Corinthians 7. 30) seems to allude to Ezekie) here.' Jeremiah 32. 15, 37, 43, seems to contradict Ezekiel here. But Ezekiel is speaking of the parents, and of Uvpresent; Jeremiah, of the children, and of the future Jeremiah is addressing believers, that they should hoye for a restoration; Ezekiel, the reprobate, who weie excluded from hope of deliverance. 13. although tl>ey were yet alive—although they should live to the year of jubilee, multitude thereof—iii2., of the Jews, wliieh shall not return-answering to " the seller shall not return;" not only he, but the whole multitude, shall not return. CalviX omits is and which: " the vision touching the whole multitude shall not return" void (Isaiah 5.5. 11). neltlier sliail any strengthen himself in tlie Iniquity of his life—no hardenlngof one's self in iniquity will avail agalnstGod'u threat of punishment. Fairb.vikn tran.ilates, " no one by his iniquity shall invigorate his life;" referring to the Jubilee, which was regarded as a revivification of the whole commonwealth, when. Us disorders being recti-
flicted. In indignation at the abominations of Israel extend thine hand towards .ludea, as if about to "strike," and "stamp," shaking off the dust with thj'foot, in token of how God shall "stretch out His hand upon them," and
treail them down (v. 14; ch. 21. 14). 13. He that is far off —f(2., from the foe; those who in a distant exile fear no
evil, he that remaineth he that ?-? left in the city; not carried away into captivity, nor having escaped into the conntry. Distinct from "he that is near," those outside the city who are within reach of " the sword" of the
foe, and so fall by it; not by "famine," as those left in the city. 14. DIblath—Anotljer form of Diblathalm, a city In Moab (Numbers a?. 46; Jeremiah 48. 22), near which, east and south of the Dead Sea, was the wilderness of Arabia Deserta.
Ver. 1-27. Lamentation over the Coming Ruin of Israel; the Penitent IIefokmation of a Remnant; THE Chain Symkolizing the Captivity. !J. An end, the end—The indefinite "an'' expresses the general fact of God bringing His long-suffering towards the whole of Judea to an end ; "the" following, marks it as more definitely fixed (.\mos 8. '2). 4. thine abominations— the punishment of thine aliomi nations, sliall be in the midst of tliee—shall be manifest to all. Tliey and thou shall recognize th'e fact of tlilne abominations by thy punishment which shall everywhere befall thee, and that mani-
festl.v. 5. An evil, an only evil—A peculiar calamity Buch as was never before; unparalleled. The abruptness of the style and the repetitions exjjress the agitation of tbn propliet s mind lu foreseeing these calamities. 6.
fied, the bod.v politic sprang up again Into renewed life. What God thus provided for by the Institution of the 573
TJie Ei}i)fitfance of the Escaped. EZEKIEL VIII. The Idolatries Practised in Jerusalem.
jubilee, and which is now to cease through the nation's .niquity, let none think to bring about by liis iniquity. W:. they Itavc Ulown—ratlier, " Blow the trumpet," or, "Let tliem blow the trumpet" to collect soldiers as they will, "to make all reaJy" for encountering the foe, it will be of no avail: none will have the courage to go to the battle i,cf. Jeremiah G. 1). [Calvin.] 13. No security Bhoiild anywhere be found (Deuteronomy 32. 25). Fulfilled (Lamentations 1.20); aUo at the Roman invasion (Matthew 2i. 16-lS). 16. (Ch. 6. G.) like doves—which, though usually frequenting the valleys, mount up to the mountains when fearing the bird-catcher (Psalm 11. 1). So Israel, once dwelling in his peaceful valleys, shall flee from the foe to tl:e mountains, which, as being the scene of his idolatries, were justly to be made the scene of his
better to understand this of the places dedicated to th/nr
idols. As they defiled God's sanctuary, He will defile their self-constituted "sacred places." 25. pence, and
. . . none-(l Thessalonians 5. 3.) 26. Mischief npon . . . mlscUief—(Deuteronomy 32. 23; Jeremiah 4. 20.) This Is said, because the Jews were apt to fancy at every abatement of suffering, that their calamities were about to cease; but God will accumulate woe on woe. rumour of the advance of the foe, and of his cruelty (Matthew 24.
6). seek a vision—to find some way of escape from their
difficulties (Isaiah 2G. 9). So Zedekiah consulted Jeremiah (Jeremiah 37. 17; 38. 14). law shall perish—fulfilled (ch.
20.1, 3; Psalm 74.0; Lamentations 2.9; cf. Amos 8.11) God will thus set aside the idle boast, "The law shall not perish from the priest" (Jeremiah 18. 18). ancients-the ecclesiastical rulers of the people. 27. people of . . . land the general multitude, as distinguished from the "king" and the "prince." The consternation shall pervade all ranks. The king, whose duty it was to animate others, and find a remedy for existing evils, shall himself be In the utmost an.xiety; a mark of the desperate state of
flight and sluime. The plaintive note of the dove (Isaiah
59. IJ) represents the mournful repentance of Israel hereafter (Zeoliariah 12. 10-12). 17. sliall be weak uis water
lit., shatl f/o (as) ivaiers ; incapable of resistance (Joshua?.
5; Psalni 22. H; Isaiah 13.7). 18. cover tliein—as a garment, baldness—a sign of mourning (Isaiah 3. 2t ; Jeremiah -IR. 37; Jlioali 1. IG). 19. cast . . . silver in . . . streets —just retribution ; thfy had abused their silver and gold by converting them into idols, "the stumbling-block of their iniquity" (ch. 14. 3, 4, /. e., an occasion of sinning); so these silver and gold idols, so far from " being able to deliver them in tlie day of the Lord's wrath" (see Proverbs 11. i), shall, in despair, be cast by them into the streets as a prey to the foe, by whom they shall be "removed" (Grotil'S tratislntes as Margin, "shall be despised as an unclean thing"); or rather, as suits the parallelism, "shall be put away from them" 6^ the Jews. [C'ALVix.] "They (the silver and gold) shall not satisfy their souls," i. e., their cravings of appetite and other needs. S30. beauty of liis ornameut—tlie temple of Jehovah, the especial glory of the Jews, as a bride glories in her ornaments (the very imagery used by God as to the temple, ch. Hi. 10, 11). Cf. ch. 2!. 21: "My sanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes." ima-^es . . . tiierelii viz., in the temple (ch. 8. 3-17). set It far from fliem—God had "set" the temple (their " beauty of ornament") "for His majesty;" but they had setup "abominations therein;" therefore God, in just retribution, "set it far from theni,"(i. e., removed them far from it, or took it away from them. [VAi'AiiLUS.J Margin
atl'airs. clothed with desolation—Clothing is designed to keep ofl' shame; but in this case shame shall be the clothing, after. . . way—because of their wicked ways. Avserts—lit., judgments, i. e., what just judgment awards to them; used to implj' the exact correspondence of God's judgment with the judicial penalties they had incurred: they oppressed the poor, and deprived them of liberty; therefore they shall be oppressed, and lose their own liberty.
Ver. 1-18. This eighth chapter begins a new stage of Ezckiel's prophecies, and continues to the end of the eleventh chapter. The connected visions from ch. 3. 12 to the end of ch. 7. comprehended Judah and Israel; but the visions (ch. S.-ll.) refer immediately to Jerusalem and the remnant of Judah under Zedekiah, as distinguished from the Babylonian exiles. 1. sixth year viz., of tlie captivity of Jehoiachin, as in ch. 1. 2, the "fifth year" is speci-
fied. The lying on his sides 390 and 40 days (cli. 4. 5, G) had by this time been completed, at least in vision. That event was naturally a memorable epoch to the exiles; and the computation of years from it was to humble the Jews, as well as to ^how their perversity in not having repented, though so long and severely chastised, eltlers viz., those carried away with Jehoiachin, and now at the Cheljar. sat l>efore me—to hear the word of God from me, in the absence of the temple and other public places of sabbath worship, during the exile (ch. 33.80, 31). It was so ordered they were present at the giving of the prophecy, and so
translttfcs, " JIade it unto them an vndean l/iing" (cf. Mar-
gi)i on V. 19, " removed"); what I designed for their glory they turned to their shame, therefore I will make It turn to tli< ir ignominy and ruin. til. strangers—barbarous and savage nations. 2:2. pollute my secret i>laee—just relrilM'.lion for the Jews' pollution of the temple. " J{ob-
left without excuse, hand of. . . Lord . . . fell . . . upon me—God's mighty operation /cH, like a thunderbolt, wywn OTt'(in ch. 1.3, it is less forcible, "was upon him"); whatever, therefore, he is to utter is not his own, for he has put
ber.i shall enter and defile" the holy of holies, the place of God's manifested presence, entrance into which was <lenied even to the Levites and priests, and was permitted to the high priest only once a year on the great day of atonement. i43. cbaln—symbol of the captivity (cf. Jeremiah 27. 2). As they enchained the land with violence, BO they shall be chained themselves. It was customary to lead away captives In a row with a chain passed from the neck of one to the other. Therefore tramlate as the Hebrew requires, "the chain," viz., that usually employed on such occasions. Calvin explains it, that the Jews should l>e dragged, whether they would or no, before God's tribunal to be tried as culprits in chains. The next words favour this: "bloody crimes," rather, ^'judgment of bloorls," i.e., with blood-sheddings deserving tlie extreme Judicial penalty. Cf. Jeremiah 51. i) : " Her ji/t/r/- meHMcaclieth unto heaven." !44:. worst of . . . Iieathcn
oil' the mere man, whilst tlie power of God reigns in him. [Calvin.] 2. likeness—understand, "of a man," !. e., of Messiah, the Angel of the covenant, in the person of whom alone God manifests Himself (ch. 1.26; John 1. IS). The "fire," from "His loins downward," betokens the vengeance of God kindled against the wicked Jews, whilst seai cliing and purifying the remnant to be spared. The " l)rlghtn«'ss" "upward'' betokens His unapproachable majesty (1 Timothy 6. 10). For Hcbrctv, " eesh,"yire, LXX.,
<Sic., read " ish," a man. colour of amber—the glitter of chasmal [Faii{HAIUN] {Note, ch. 1.4, "polished brass"). 3. Instead of prompt lug him to address directly the elders before him, the Si)lritcarried him away in vision(,nol in person bodily) to the temple at Jerusalem; he proceeds to n^port to them what he witnessed: his message thus fall* Into two parts: (1.) The abominations reported in ch. 8.
~lil., ivii-UeO of llie iiuli<»is ; the giving up of Israel to their powi'r will convince the Jews that this Is a Hnal overthrow, pomp of . . . strong—the /»i<te wherewith men "slilTof forelieail" despise the prophet. Iioly places the sacred compartments of the temple (Psalm GS. 35
(2.) The dealings of Judgment and mercy to bo adopted towards the Impenitent and penitent Israelites respectively (ell. 9,-11). The exiles looked hopefully towards Jerusalem, and, so far from believing things there to be on the verge of ruin, expected a return In peace ; whilst those
Jeremiah 51. 51). [Calvin.) God calls it "t/i.rir holy places," because they had so defiled it that He regarded
It no longer as ITis. However, as the defilement of the temple has already been mentioned (u. 20, 22), and "their (incred places" are introduced as a new subject, it seems
left In Jerusalem eyed the exiles with contempt, as if cast away from the Lord, whereas they themselves were noai
^74
Tlf T},>/t(/e of Jealousy. EZEKIEL YIIT. Tammva and Sun-worshipperB.
the cause of God ! 12. every man In . . . chambers of
Cfo<l HP.d ensurfd in the pnsspssinns nf Ihc land (ch. 11. 1')).
. . . Imagfry—lhe eldeis ("ancients") are here llie representatives of the people, rather than to be regarded literally. Mostly, the leaders of heathen superstitions laughed at them secretly, whilst publicly professing them in order to keep the people in sulijectiou. Here what is meant is, tiiat the people generally addicted themselves to secret idolatry, led on by tlieir elders; there is no doubt, also, allusion to the mysteries, as in the worship of ISis in Egypt, the Eleusinian in Greece, &c., to which the initiated alone were admitted. "The chambers of imagery" are their osswperoerse imaginations, answering to tlie priests' chambers in the vision, whereon the pictures were portrayed {v. 10.) Ijord . . . forsaken . . . earth —they infer tliis because God has left them to«tlieir mis-
Hciic.f llie vision here of what iitfectca those in Jerusalem 'mmediuteiy was a si'asoi\i\l)le communication to tlie ex-
iles away from it. <loor of . . . iiuier gate—facing the north, thedirectioii in which lie came from Cheliar, called the "altar-gate" (v. 5); it opened into the inner court, wherein .stood the altar of burnt ofl'erin^; the inner court
(1 Kings (1.361 was that of the priests; the outer court (ch.
10.5), that of the people, wliere tliey assembled, seat—the pedestal ot the image. Image of jealousy— Astarte, or Asheora (as the Hebrew for "grove" ought to be translated,
2 Kings 21. .3, 7; 2.!. 4, 7), set up by Manasseh as a rival to Jehovah in His temple, and arresting the attention of all worshippers as tliey entered; it was the Syrian Venus, worshipped with licentious rites; the " queen of heaven," wife of Phoiniciaii B.ial. Havernick thinks all the scenes of idolatry in the chapter are successive portions of the
eries, without succouring them, so that they seek help from other gods. Instead of repenting, as they ought, they bite the curb. [Calvin.] 1*. From the sea-et abominations of the chambers of imagery, the prophet's eye is turned to the o««er court at the north door; within the outer court women were not admitted, but only to the door, sat—the attitude of mourners (Job 2. 13; Isaiah 3.
festival held in honour of Tammuz or Adonis {v. 14). Probably, liowcver, tlie scenes are separate proofs of Jewish idolatry, rather tlian restricted to one idol. provoketU to jealousy —^calleth lor a visitation in wrath of the "jealous God," wdio will not give His lionour to another
26). Tammuz—from a Hebrew root, " to melt down." Instead of weeping for the national sins, they wept for the idol. Tammuz (the <S'i/»'ian. for Adonis), the pai'amour of Venus, and of the same name as the river flowing from Lebanon ; killed by a wild boar, and, according to the fable, permitted to spend half the year on earth, and obliged to spend the other half in the lower world. An annual feast was celebrated to him in June O^euce called Tammuz in the Jewish calendar) at Byblos, when the Syrian women, in wild grief, tore off their hair and yielded their persons to prostitution, consecrating the hire of their infamy to Venus; next followed days of rejoicing for his return to the earth; the former feast being calle;! "the disappearance of Adonis," the latter, " the finding of Adonis." This Phoenician feast answered to the similar Egyptian one in honour of Osiris. The idea thus fablel was that of the waters of the river and tlie beauties of spring destroyed by the summer heat. Or else, the eaith being clothed with beauty, during the half year when the sun is in the upper hemisphere, and losing it when be departs to the lower. The name Adonis is not here used, as Adon is the appropriated title of Jehovah. 1.5,16. The next are "i/reater abominations," not in respect to the idolatry, but in respect to the place and persons committing it. In "the inner court,"' immediately before the door of the temple of Jehovah, between the porch and the altar, where the priests advanced only on extraordinary occasions (Joel 2. 17), twenty-five men (the leaders of the twenty-four courses or orders of the priests, 1 Chronicles
(cf. the second commandment. Exodus 20. 5). Jerome re-
fers this verse to a statue of Baal, which Josiah had overthrown, and his successors had replaced. 4. The Sliekinab cloud of Jehovah's glory, notwithstanding the provocation of the idol, still remains in the temple, like thatE/.ekiel saw "in the plain" (ch. 3.22, 23); not till ch.
10. 4, IS did it leave the temple at Jerusalem; showing the long-suflering of God, which ought to move the Jews to repentance. 5. gate of . . . altar— the principal avenue to the altar of burnt offering; as to the nortiiern position, see 2 Kings 10. 14. Ahaz had removed the brazen altar from the front of the Lord's house to the north of the altar which he liad lilmiielf erected. The locality of the idol enhances the hciuousuess of the sin, before God's own