name Aholibah. Compare Jer 27:3. And she longed for the
EZEKIEL 23:5 1098
Aholah, the older one, and Aholibah, her sister. And they were mine and bore sons and daughters. And their names: Aholah is Samaria, and Aholibah is Jerusalem.
Chaldea, the land of their birth.
16 "And as soon as she saw them with her eyes, she lusted after them, and sent messengers to Chaldea to them. 17 And the Babylonians came to her in the bed of love, and they defiled her with their prostitution. And she was defiled by them, and her mind was alienated from them. 18 So she uncovered her prostitution and uncovered her nakedness. Then my mind was alienated from her, just as my mind was alienated from her sister. 19 Yet she multiplied her acts of prostitution, calling to remembrance the days of her youth, where she had acted like a prostitute in the land of Egypt. 20 For she lusted after her lovers, whose flesh is like the flesh of donkeys, and whose issue is like the issue of horses. 21 Thus you called to remembrance the lewdness of your youth, when the Egyptians embraced your bosom because of your youthful breasts.
5 "And Aholah acted like a prostitute when she was mine; and she lusted after her lovers, her neighbours the Assyrians, 6 who were clothed in blue, captains and rulers, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding on horses. 7 So she committed her acts of prostitution with them, with all those who were the chosen men of Assyria, and with all whom she lusted after; she defiled herself with all their idols. 8 And she did not abandon her prostitution carried on from Egypt; for in her youth they lay with her, and they embraced her virgin bosom, and poured their immorality on her.
9 "Therefore I have delivered her into the hands of her lovers, into the hands of the Assyrians, whom she lusted after. 10 These uncovered her nakedness. They took her sons and her daughters, and killed her with the sword. And she became notorious among women, for they had executed judgment on her.
22 "Therefore, O Aholibah, thus says the Lord God: See, I will raise up your lovers against you, from whom your mind is alienated, and I will bring them against you on every side, 23 The Babylonians, and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, and Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them; all of them desirable young men, captains and rulers, great lords and renowned, all of them riding on horses. 24 And they will come against you with weapons, chariots and wagons, and with a horde of people, who will set large shields and small shields and helmets against you all around. And I will delegate judgment to them, and they will judge you according to their judgments. 25 And I will set my jealousy against you, and they will deal furiously with you. They will remove your nose and your ears, and the rest of you will fall by the sword. They will take away your sons and your daughters,
11 "And when her sister Aholibah saw this, she became more corrupt in her lust than she, and in her prostitution worse than her sister in her prostitution. 12 She lusted after her neighbors the Assyrians, captains and rulers dressed very splendidly, horsemen riding on horses, all of them desirable young men. 13 Then I saw that she was defiled, that both of them had taken the same way, 14 and that she increased her acts of prostitution. For she saw men portrayed on the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed in red, 15 with sashes tied around their waists, and flowing turbans on their heads, all of them looking like princes, in the manner of the Babylonians of
means "my tent is in her." The northern kingdom with its capital in Samaria forsook God's dwelling place in Jerusalem and made her own places of worship (1 Kings 12:16-33). This is probably what is signified by the name Aholah. God's dwelling place remained in the southern kingdom, in Jerusalem, until the time of Ezekiel chapter 10. This is probably what is signified by the name Aholibah. 23:5 "Assyrians" – 2 Kings 15:19,20. 23:8 In some hundreds of years there was no real change in the people. 23:9,10 The Assyrians conquered Israel and took the people into captivity in 721 BC (2 Kings 17:1-18). 23:11 Though the southern kingdom of Judah knew all that had happened to Samaria she did not change her ways. Indeed she became worse than the northern kingdom (16:51; Jer 3:7-11). 23:12,13 2 Kings 16:7-15. 23:14-16 The beginning of this is indicated
in 2 Kings 20:12,13; 2 Chron 32:31. 23:17 Love of the world and friendship with ungodly people will defile God's people. So we have the New Testament admonitions of 2 Cor 6:14-18 and 1 John 2:15,16. 23:18 Jer 6:8; etc. 23:19-21 Instead of turning back to God for help from enemies Judah turned to any country that seemed to offer assistance. Compare Jer 27:3. And she longed for the time when she was controlled by Egypt and God had not yet brought her out of bondage. 23:22-35 Sin will always have its consequences. In this case those nations Judah considered allies would become her enemies and destroy her. Behind the marching of their armies God stood directing them and punishing His people (vs 22,24,25). 23:24 "Weapons" – the meaning of the Hebrew word here is uncertain. 23:25 "Jealousy" – Ex 20:5; 34:14; Deut 4:24; Nahum 1:2.
1099 EZEKIEL 24:2
and the remainder of you will be devoured by fire. 26 They will also strip you of your clothes, and take away your beautiful jewels. 27 Thus I will put a stop to your lewdness, and your prostitution carried on from the land of Egypt, so that you will not lift up your eyes to them, or remember Egypt any more.
they bore to me, to pass through the fire, for them to devour. 38 Moreover they have done this to me: on the same day they have defiled my sanctuary and profaned my Sabbaths. 39 For when they had slaughtered their children for their idols, they then came the same day into my sanctuary to defile it; and, see, this they have done inside my house.
28 "For thus says the Lord God: See, I will deliver you into the hands of those you hate, into the hands of those from whom your mind is alienated. 29 And they will deal with you hatefully, and take away all that your labour produced, and will leave you naked and bare, and the nakedness of your prostitution will be uncovered, both your lewdness and your acts of prostitution. 30 I will do these things to you, because you have gone like a prostitute after the nations, and because you are defiled with their idols. 31 You have walked in the way of your sister, therefore I will give her cup into your hand.
40 "And furthermore, you sent for men to come from afar, to whom a messenger was sent; and, see, they came. You washed yourself for them, painted your eyes, and adorned yourself with ornaments, 41 and sat on a stately bed, with a table prepared before it, on which you placed my incense and my oil.
42 "And a sound of a carefree crowd was with her; and Sabeans were brought from the wilderness, with men of the common sort, who put bracelets on their hands, and beautiful crowns on their heads. 43 Then I said about this one grown old in adulteries, 'Will they now commit acts of prostitution with her, and she with them ?' 44 And they went in to her, as they go in to a woman who acts like a prostitute; so they went in to Aholah and to Aholibah, the lewd women. 45 And the righteous men will judge them as adulteresses, and as women who shed blood, because they are adulteresses, and blood is in their hands.
32 "Thus says the Lord God:
You will drink from the deep and large cup of your sister. You will be laughed to scorn and derided. It contains much.
33 You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of astonishment and desolation, with the cup of your sister Samaria.
46 "For thus says the Lord God: I will bring a crowd against them, and will hand them over to be terrorized and plundered. 47 And the crowd will stone them with stones, and execute them with their swords. They will kill their sons and their daughters, and burn their houses with fire.
34 You will drink it and drain it, and you will break it to shards, and tear your own breasts; for I have spoken it, says the Lord God.
35 "Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you have forgotten me, and thrust me behind your back, therefore you will also bear your lewdness and your prostitution."
48 "Thus I will put a stop to lewdness in the land, so that all women may be taught not to act according to your lewdness. 49 And they will repay your lewdness on you, and you will bear the sins of your idolatry; and you will know that I am the Lord God."
36 The LORD also said to me: "Son of man, will you judge Aholah and Aholibah? Yes, declare to them their abominations. 37 Tell them that they have committed adultery, and that blood is in their hands, and that they have committed adultery with their idols, and have also caused their sons, whom
Again in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 "Son of man,
23:27 Here is God's good purpose in all this. He was determined to break them loose from their idols, and from their love of the ways of ungodly nations. See also 16:41,42. 23:30 The reasons for their destruction are clearly set before them. 23:31 "Cup" – Isa 51:17,22; Jer 25:15-29. 23:35 "Forgotten" – one of the root causes of all their sinful behavior (22:12; Ps 50:22).
God, His temple, and His laws? 23:40-44 God now speaks to both the southern and northern kingdoms in Israel and describes their behavior.
"Sabeans" (v 42) – or "drunkards." 23:45-47 The penalty for adultery and murder under the law was death (Ex 21:12-14; Lev 20:10). Righteous people will see that what happened to Samaria and Jerusalem was a perfectly just punishment. 23:48 Verse 27. 23:49 The penalty for idolatry was also death (Ex 22:20; etc). 24:1,2 January 15, 588 BC. This was the beginning of the siege that resulted in the
"Bear" – 16:52; Rom 2:8,9. 23:36 God wants those who are suffering His punishment to understand exactly why. 23:37 "Blood" – 22:3,4,6. "Sons" – 16:20. 23:38,39 8:1-18; 22:8. How more plainly could they have shown their contempt for
EZEKIEL 24:3 1100
write down the name of the day, this very day. The king of Babylon lay siege against Jerusalem this very day. 3 And utter a parable to the rebellious house, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God:
and her great scum has not gone out of her. Her scum will be in the fire.
13 "In your filthiness is lewdness. Because I have cleansed you, and you were not cleansed, you will not be cleansed from your filthiness any more, until I have caused my fury to rest on you.
"Put on a pot; put it on, and also pour water into it. 4 Gather the pieces of meat into it, every good piece, the thigh,
14 "I, the LORD, have spoken it. It will come to pass, and I will do it. I will not turn back, and I will not spare, and I will not repent. They will judge you according to your ways and according to your deeds, says the Lord God."
and the shoulder; fill it with the choicest bones. 5 Take the best of the flock, and under the pot burn wood for the bones, and make it boil well, and let them cook its bones in it. 6 For thus says the Lord God: Woe to the city of bloodshed, to the pot whose scum is in it, and whose scum has not gone out of it! Bring it out piece by piece, without drawing lots. 7 For her blood is in the midst of her. She placed it on the top of a rock; she did not pour it on the ground, to cover it with dust. 8 That it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance, I have placed her blood on the top of a rock, so that it would not be covered.
15 Also the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 16 "Son of man, see, I am going to take away from you the delight of your eyes with one blow. Yet you must not mourn or weep, your tears must not run down. 17 Do not cry out, do not make any mourning for the dead. Bind your turban on your head, and put your shoes on your feet. And do not cover your lips, and do not eat the bread of men."
18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. And in the morning I did as I had been commanded.
19 And the people said to me, "Will you not tell us what these things you are doing have to do with us?"
20 Then I answered them, "The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 21 Speak to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: See, I am going to profane my sanctuary, the pride of your strength, the delight of your eyes, and your soul's desire; and your sons and your daughters, whom you left behind will fall by the sword. 22 And you will do as I have done. You will not cover your lips, or eat the bread of men. 23 And your turbans will be on your heads, and your shoes on your feet. You will not wail or weep, but you will pine away for your evil deeds, and groan for one another. 24 Thus Ezekiel is a sign to you. You will do everything just as he has done. And when this takes place, you will know
9 "Therefore thus says the Lord God: Woe to the city of bloodshed! I will make the pile for the fire great. 10 Heap on wood, kindle the fire, cook the flesh, and spice it well,
and let the bones be burned. 11 Then place it empty on the coals there, that its bronze may become hot and burn, and that its filthiness may be melted in it, that its scum may be consumed. 12 She has worn herself out with lies,
destruction of Jerusalem and the temple (Jeremiah chapter 52). 24:3-14 The cooking pot is Jerusalem, the people there are the meat and bones. Compare 11:3-12. In 11:3 the leaders thought that the cooking pot would be like a wall to protect them. Here God says it will be the place where that people will be destroyed. 24:4 The people who had been left in Jerusalem when others went into exile in 597 BC thought they were spared because they were the best of all. See Jer 17:9. 24:6 "City of bloodshed" – 7:23; 11:6; 22:3. 24:7 "Cover it" – Jerusalem did not even try to conceal its crimes, was brazen and open about them (Isa 3:9). Now the blood it had shed cried from the ground for vengeance. Compare Gen 4:10.
24:8 God would listen to the cry for vengeance coming from the innocent blood that had been shed. 24:11 After many had been slaughtered and some removed from the city to go into exile, Jerusalem was to be destroyed by fire (Jer 52:12-14). 24:12 Fire was all that was left for Jerusalem. No other attempt at purification had been effective. 24:14 5:11; 8:18; 9:10; 18:30; 36:19. 24:15-27 Once again Ezekiel's behavior was an object lesson to the people (vs 24,27). Compare 12:11; etc.
"Delight of your eyes" in v 16 was Ezekiel's wife (v 18). The death of his wife whom he dearly loved was a picture of the death (destruction) of Jerusalem dearly loved by the people there (v 25). They would
1101 EZEKIEL 26:2
nations,' 9 therefore, look, I will strip bare the sides of Moab, from the cities, from its frontier cities, the glory of the country, Beth-Jeshimoth, Baal-Meon, and Kiriathaim, together with the Ammonites, 10 by the men of the east, and will give them possession of it, so that the Ammonites may not be remembered among the nations. 11 And I will execute judgments on Moab; and they will know that I am the Lord."
that I am the Lord God.
25 "Also, son of man, will it not be on the day when I take from them their stronghold, their joy and glory, the delight of their eyes, and what they have set their minds on, their sons and their daughters, 26 that he who escapes on that day will come to you, to cause you to hear it with your ears? 27 On that day your mouth will be opened to him who escapes, and you will speak, and be mute no longer. And you will be a sign to them; and they will know that I am the LORD."
12 "Thus says the Lord God: Because Edom has acted against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has greatly offended, and avenged itself on them, 13 therefore thus says the Lord God: I will also stretch out my hand on Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it. And I will make it desolate from Teman; and those of Dedan will fall by the sword. 14 And I will take my vengeance on Edom by the hands of my people Israel, and they will deal with Edom in accordance with my anger and my fury. And they will know my vengeance, says the Lord God."
The word of the LORD came again to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, set your face against the Ammonites, and prophesy against them, 3 and say to the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord God. Thus says the Lord God: Because you said, 'Aha!' against my sanctuary, when it was profaned, and against the land of Israel, when it was desolate, and against the house of Judah, when they went into captivity, 4 so, look, I will hand you over to the men of the east as a possession, and they will set up their camps among you, and make their dwellings among you. They will eat your fruit, and drink your milk. 5 And I will make Rabbah a stable for camels, and the land of the Ammonites a resting place for flocks; and you will know that I am the LORD. 6 For thus says the Lord God: Because you clapped your hands, and stamped with your feet, and rejoiced in heart with all your scorn against the land of Israel, 7 so, look, I will stretch out my hand over you, and will hand you over as plunder to the nations. And I will cut you off from the peoples, and will obliterate you from the countries. I will destroy you; and you will know that I am the LORD."
15 Thus says the Lord God: "Because the Philistines have acted out of revenge, and have taken vengeance with a scornful heart, to destroy it out of their old hatred, 16 therefore thus says the Lord God: See, I will stretch out my hand over the Philistines, and I will cut off the Kerethites, and destroy the rest of the sea coast. 17 And I will execute great vengeance on them with furious rebukes; and they will know that I am the LORD, when I take my vengeance on them."
And it came to pass in the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, because Tyre has said against Jerusalem, 'Aha! She who was the gateway of the peoples is broken. She has opened to me. I will be filled, now
8 Thus says the Lord God: "Because Moab and Seir say, 'See, the house of Judah is like all the
have to keep their turbans and sandals on, they would not be able to cover the lower part of their faces or eat the food of mourners because they would be captives of Babylon's army and on the move into exile. 24:27 After the exiles arrived in Babylon their mouths would be open and there would be time for lamentation, tears and mourning. 25:2 For other prophecies about the Ammonites see Jer 49:1-6; Amos 1:1315; Zeph 2:8-11. 25:3-7 Rejoicing in the ruin of others, especially the ruin of God's people, reveals a malicious nature worthy of severe punishment. 25:5 "Rabbah" – the capital of Ammon. 25:8-11 "Moab" – for other prophecies about Moab see Isaiah chapters 15 and 16; Jeremiah chapter 48; Amos 2:1-3; Zeph 2:8-11. Moab (and Edom) thought Judah's defeat by the Babylonians showed that Judah's God was weak and had failed His
people (v 8). God would let them know otherwise. 25:12-14 "Edom" – for other prophecies about Edom see Isa 21:11,12; 34:5-15; Jer 49:7-22; Amos 1:11,12; Obadiah 1:16. Because they took vengeance on Judah, God would take vengeance on them. This is another illustration of the truth expressed in Ps 18:25,26; Prov 3:34; etc. Note on vengeance at Num 31:2. 25:15-17 "Philistines" – for other prophecies about them see Isa 14:29-31; Jer 47:1-7; Amos 1:6-8; Zeph 2:4-7. They sought to destroy God's people, so they themselves would be destroyed. 26:2 "Tyre" – a city on the Mediterranean coast, north of Israel. For other prophecies concerning this city see Isaiah chapter 23; Jer 25:22; 47:4; Joel 3:4,5; Amos 1:9,10; Zech 9:2-4. "Aha" – 25:3. "Gateway of the peoples" – Jerusalem
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that she is laid waste.' 3 Therefore thus says the Lord God: See, I am against you, O Tyre, and will cause many nations to come up against you, as the sea causes its waves to come up. 4 And they will destroy the walls of Tyre, and break down her towers. I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock. 5 It will be a place for spreading nets in the midst of the sea; for I have spoken it, says the Lord God. And it will become plunder for the nations. 6 And her daughters who are in the field will be killed by the sword; and they will know that I am the LORD.
again; for I, the LORD, have spoken it, says the Lord God."
15 "Thus says the Lord God to Tyrus: Will not the islands shake at the sound of your fall, when the wounded cry, when the slaughter occurs in the midst of you? 16 Then all the princes of the sea will come down from their thrones, and lay away their robes, and take off their embroidered garments. They will clothe themselves with trembling. They will sit on the ground and tremble at every moment, and be astonished at you. 17 And they will take up a lament for you, and say to you,
7 "For thus says the Lord God: See, on Tyre I am going to bring Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings, from the north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and troops, and many people. 8 He will kill your daughters in the field with the sword, and he will make fortifications against you, and build up a siege mound against you, and raise the shield against you. 9 And he will set up battering rams against your walls, and with his axes he will break down your towers. 10 Because of his many horses their dust will cover you. Your walls will shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wheels, and of the chariots, when he enters your gates, like men enter a city where the wall is broken in. 11 He will trample all your streets with the hooves of his horses. He will kill your people with the sword, and your strong garrisons will go down to the ground. 12 And they will plunder your riches, and take your merchandise as prey, and will break down your walls, and destroy your pleasant houses, and will hurl your stones and your timber and your dust into the water. 13 And I will put a stop to the sound of your songs, and the sound of your harps will no longer be heard. 14 And I will make you like the top of a rock. You will be a place to spread nets on. You will not be built
"'How you are destroyed! You who were inhabited by seafaring men,
the renowned city, who was powerful on the sea! She and her inhabitants imposed their
terror on all who live around her. 18 Now the islands will tremble on the day of your fall; yes, the islands of the sea will be
alarmed at your passing.'
19 "For thus says the Lord God: When I make you a desolate city, like cities that are not inhabited; when I bring up the deep over you and great waters cover you; 20 When I bring you down with those who descend into the pit, with the people of olden times, and place you in the lower parts of the earth, like ancient ruined places, with those who go down to the pit, so that you may not be inhabited, then I will grant glory in the land of the living. 21 I will make you an object of terror, and you will be no more. Though you will be sought for, you will never be found again, says the Lord God."
The word of the LORD came again to me, saying, 2 "Now, son of man, take up a
was at the center of the nations (5:5), near the main trade routes between countries on the north and east, and Egypt on the southwest. Tyre selfishly rejoiced in Jerusalem's destruction because it thought it would gain more trade for itself. 26:5 The riches Tyre laid up would fall into the hands of others. How much better it is to lay up treasure in heaven (Matt 6:19-21). 26:7 "From the north" – Jer 1:13. 26:8,9 "Your daughters in the field" – part of the strong and prosperous city of Tyre was built on the mainland, the other part on a rocky island in the bay. Nebuchadnezzar besieged Tyre for nearly 15 years. 26:10-12 Nebuchadnezzar was able to capture the mainland part, but the island stronghold held out against him. It was finally captured by Alexander the great in 332 BC. 26:13,14 Tyre continued as a city until the
end of the 13th century AD. But God's word against it was finally fulfilled, and the condition of the island city of Tyre today is as described in these verses. It is a heap of ruins. A long time may pass before the fulfillment of some prophecies of God's word, but we may be sure they will be fulfilled. 26:15-18 The fall of Tyre would cause great fear and alarm to neighboring cities along the coast. If Tyre could not stand how could they? 26:19-21 Describes in metaphorical language the death of the city. The ocean depths of v 19 probably refers to v 3. The death of Tyre should speak to us of the fate of all cities of men, products of man's greed and pride. Happy are those who seek for an eternal city (Heb 11:10,16). 27:2 "Lament" – laments were funeral dirges usually concerned with individuals, but in the prophets sometimes they were concerned with the death of cities or nations.
1103 EZEKIEL 27:23
lament for Tyre, 3 and say to Tyre,
your walls; they have made your beauty perfect.
"O you who are situated at the
entrance to the sea, who are a merchant of the peoples on
12 "Tarshish was your customer because of the great wealth of goods; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded for your merchandise.
many islands, Thus says the Lord God: O Tyre, you have said, 'I am perfect in beauty.' 4 Your frontiers are in the heart of the seas, your builders have perfected your beauty. 5 They made all your planks from fir trees of Senir. They brought cedars from Lebanon to
13 "Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your customers. They bartered human lives and bronze articles in your market.
14 "Those of the house of Togarmah traded for your goods with horses and horsemen and mules.
15 "The men of Dedan were your customers. Many islands took the merchandise from your hand. In payment they brought you ivory tusks and ebony.
make masts for you. 6 They made your oars from the oaks of Bashan. the company of the Ashurites inlaid
16 "Syria was your customer because of the many goods you made. They traded for your merchandise with emeralds, purple, and embroidered work, and fine linen, and coral, and agate.
your deck with ivory, brought from the coasts of Kittim. 7 Fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt was what you spread as your sail. Blue and purple from the coasts of
17 "Judah and the land of Israel were your customers. For your goods they exchanged wheat from Minnith, and pastries, and honey, and oil, and balm.
Elishah was what covered you. 8 The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your oarsmen. Your wise men, O Tyre, were in you; they were your pilots. 9 The elders of Gebal and its wise men were in you to repair your seams. All the ships of the sea with their sailors were
18 "Damascus was your customer because of your many products and the wealth of your goods, the wine of Helbon, and white wool.
19 "Dan also and Javan travelling back and forth traded for your goods. Wrought iron, cassia, and calamus were among your merchandise.
20 "Dedan was your customer trading saddle cloths for riding.
in you to trade for your merchandise.
21 "Arabia, and all the princes of Kedar traded with you in lambs, and rams, and goats; in these they were your customers.
10 "Men from Persia and Lud and Phut were in your army, your warriors. They hung up shield and helmet in you;
22 "The merchants of Sheba and Raamah were your customers. They traded for your goods with the choicest of all spices, and with all kinds of precious stones, and gold.
they brought you glory. 11 The men of Arvad with your army were all around on your walls, and the Gammadites were in your towers. They hung their shields all around on
23 "Haran, and Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Kilmad, were
27:3 28:2. Pride will lead to shipwreck. 27:5-9 The city of Tyre is compared to a sailing ship. 27:5 Senir was another name for Mount Hermon which was famous for cedar trees. 27:6 "Bashan" – Num 21:33; Deut 4:33; Josh 12:4,5.
27:11 "Gammad" – exact location unknown. 27:12-25 This portion speaks of cities and regions on every side of Tyre, some quite distant. The description shows how important Tyre was as a center for commerce. 27:12 "Tarshish" – note at 2 Chron 9:21; Isa 2:16. 27:13 "Javan" – Greece. "Tubal", "Meshech" – note at 38:2. 27:14 "Togarmah" – probably in the region now called Armenia, a land south of Russia. 27:17 "Minnith" – a town in Ammon. "Pastries" – the meaning of the Hebrew word here is uncertain. 27:18 "Damascus" – the capital of Syria. "Helbon" – a town in Syria. 27:20-22 Refers to areas on the Arabian Peninsula. 27:23 Refers to towns and areas northeast of Israel in what was called Mesopotamia.
"Kittim" – the island of Cyprus. 27:7 "Elishah" – a city of Cyprus. 27:8 "Sidon" – a city 40 Kilometers north of Tyre.
"Arvad" – a inland city north of Sidon. 27:9 "Gebal" – a city between Sidon and Arvad.
"All the ships of the sea" – Tyre was a very important center for sea trade. 27:10 The city was wealthy enough to hire soldiers from distant places. Lydia was in the land that is today called Turkey. Put is Libya west of Egypt in north Africa.
EZEKIEL 27:24 1104
your customers. 24 They traded with you in all sorts of things: in blue cloth, and embroidered work, and in carpets of many colours, with knotted cords, which were among your merchandise.
33 When your wares went out on the seas, you filled many people, you enriched the kings of the earth
with your many riches and goods.' 34 At the time when you are broken by the seas in the depths of the waters
25 "The ships of Tarshish were carriers of your merchandise. And you were filled, and made very
your merchandise and all your company in your midst will fall. 35 All the inhabitants of the islands will be astonished at you, and their kings will be terrified, and their faces will be troubled. 36 The merchants among the peoples will hiss at you. You will be an object of terror, and will be no more forever."
glorious in the midst of the seas. 26 Your oarsmen have taken you to great waters. The east wind will break you in the
midst of the seas. 27 Your riches, and your goods, your merchandise, your sailors, and your pilots, your caulkers, and the traders in your merchandise, and all your warriors who are in you
The word of the LORD came again to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord God:
and in all your company which is in
your midst, will fall into the midst of the seas on
"Because your heart is lifted up with
the day of your ruin. 28 The shores will shake at the sound of the cry of your pilots. 29 And all who handle the oar, the sailors, and all the pilots of the sea,
pride you have said, 'I am a god; I sit on the seat of gods in
the midst of the seas.' But you are a man, and not a god,
though you set your heart like the
will come down from their ships. They will stand on the land, 30 And make their voice heard over you, and cry bitterly, and throw dust on their heads. They will wallow in the ashes, 31 And shave their heads because of you, and tie sackcloth around them, and weep for you with bitterness of
heart of a god. 3 See, you are wiser than Daniel! There is no secret they can hide
from you! 4 With your wisdom and with your understanding you have gotten
riches for yourself, and amassed gold and silver in your
treasuries. 5 By your great wisdom and by your trade you have increased your riches, and your heart is lifted up because of
heart and bitter wailing. 32 And in their wailing they will take up a lament for you, and mourn over you, saying, 'What city is like Tyre, like this one destroyed in the midst
your riches.
6 "Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you have set your heart like
of the sea?
27:26-28 Tyre is compared to a ship again. It was built of the finest materials and sailed by the best sailors. But it will be wrecked in the sea and vanish from sight. 27:29-36 Those who traded with Tyre will lament at her destruction (26:15-18). Their lament over Tyre will be really a selfish lament over their own loss, and will be mixed with fear of what is coming on them. 28:2 "I am a god; I sit on the seat of gods" – or it could be translated "I am God; I sit on God's seat (or throne)." There have been (and still are) men who like to think of themselves as God or a god, and exalt themselves above others. The coming antichrist will be the chief representative of such (2 Thess 2:4). They will all die like
men and face the fearful judgment of the one true God the Creator of the universe. 28:3-5 The king of Tyre thought he was very wise indeed. And in a worldly sense he was, and this was proved by his accomplishments. But in a spiritual sense he did not have even the beginning of wisdom (Job 28:28; 111:10; Prov 1:7). No mere man who is spiritually wise will ever say "I am a god," or "I am God." True wisdom shudders at the very thought of such statements. 28:3 "Daniel" – see the note on 14:14. 28:5 "Lifted up" – notice the connection between pride and wealth. 28:6-10 When we see pride in anyone in the Bible we can know that disaster will follow (Prov 3:34; 11:2; 16:18; Isa 2:11-18; etc.).
1105 EZEKIEL 28:17
the heart of a god, 7 see that I am going to bring strangers against you, the most terrible of the nations, and they will draw their swords
beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle, and gold. The workmanship of your tambourines
and flutes was prepared for you on
the day you were created. 14 You were the anointed covering cherub; and I placed you as such. You were on the holy mountain of God. You walked up and down among the
against the beauty of your wisdom, and they will defile your splendour. 8 They will bring you down to the pit, and you will die the death of those
who are slain in the midst of the seas. 9 Will you still say in front of the one who is killing you, 'I am a god'? But you will be a man, and not a god, in the hands of the one killing you. 10 You will die the death of the uncircumcised at the hands of strangers; for I have spoken it,
stones of fire. 15 You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, until wickedness was found in you. 16 Because of the abundance of your commerce inside you became filled
with violence, and you sinned. Therefore I threw you out of the
says the Lord God."
mountain of God as a profane thing, and I made you disappear,
11 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 12 "Son of man, take up a lament for the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord God:
O covering cherub, from among the stones of fire. 17 Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty. You corrupted your wisdom because of
"You had the seal of perfection, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every precious stone was your covering,
your splendour. I hurled you to the ground, I placed you before kings, so that they could see you.
the sardius, topaz, and diamond,
28:11-19 This is a strange and difficult portion of Scripture. In some respects it is similar to Isa 14:12-15. The following interpretations have been made by scholars.
plainly to indicate a spirit being behind him. Other expressions can hardly fit either Satan or the human ruler of Tyre, but fit the city of Tyre. 28:12 Could this possibly be said of any earthly king? 28:13 "Eden" – Gen 3:1. Certainly the literal king of Tyre was not in the garden of Eden. 28:14 "Covering cherub" – this could mean guardian or protecting cherub.
(a) God is speaking ironically. The king of Tyre said he was a god (v 2). God now speaks to him as if it were so, and then goes on to show how great would be his fall and the fall of his city with him.
(b) The passage has as its foundation a mythological account of the story of the garden of Eden which was known in Tyre. The language is highly metaphorical and is meant only to depict the splendor and wealth and power of Tyre and its king.
"Cherub" – it is hard to see how this word could ever be used concerning any human being. See note at Gen 3:24.
We should note that if the one now called Satan was in the garden of Eden as an anointed guardian cherub, this would mean that the fall of this being into sin came after the creation of Adam and Eve. And he (though we should not be dogmatic about this) may have been appointed to protect Adam and Eve from any possible danger, not to tempt them to sin. 28:15 "Perfect" – can we think that the literal king of Tyre, the ruler of an idolatrous and wicked people, was ever perfect? But Satan before he became the enemy of God and man, before his fall, as an angel created by God would have been blameless.
(c) The passage is to be taken more literally and points to a king of Tyre in the unseen realm – probably Satan himself. Behind the proud rulers of earth's cities and lands stand invisible spirit beings who are the rulers of the fallen world (compare Daniel 10:13 where a fallen spirit being is called the prince of Persia, and Eph 6:12).
(d) There is a double application – one to the human king of Tyre or to his city, and one to the spirit being behind him. Some of the language refers to the one, and some to the other.
This last interpretation seems the best way to understand these verses. Some of the language here, if taken at all in its natural literal meaning, cannot possibly fit the human ruler of the city of Tyre, and seem
"Until iniquity was found in you" – God never created an evil being or made him evil after creating him. Satan's wickedness was a result of Satan's decision to oppose God and exalt himself. Compare Isa 14:12-14.
EZEKIEL 28:18 1106
18 You have defiled your sanctuaries by the abundance of your evil deeds, by the evil of your trade, therefore I brought a fire out from the
know that I am the LORD their God."
In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him, and against all Egypt. 3 Speak and say,
midst of you. It consumed you, and I reduced you to
ashes on the earth in the sight of
all those who saw you. 19 All those among the peoples who knew you are astonished at you. You have become an object of terror,
Thus says the Lord God: See, I am against you, Pharaoh king
of Egypt, the great monster that lies among its
and will be no more forever."
rivers, who has said, 'My river is my own, and I made it
20 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 21 "Son of man, set your face against Sidon, and prophesy against it, 22 and say, Thus says the Lord God:
for myself.' 4 But I will put hooks in your jaws, and I will cause the fish of your
"See, I am against you, O Sidon, and I will be glorified in your midst. And they will know that I am the LORD,
rivers to stick to your scales, and I will bring you up from among
your rivers, and all the fish of your
when I execute judgments on her, and am revealed as holy through her. 23 For I will send the plague into her, and blood into her streets. And the wounded will be judged in her
rivers will stick to your scales. 5 And I will leave you in the wilderness, you and all the fish of your rivers. You will fall on the open field. You will not be picked up or gathered. I have given you as food to the
midst by the sword against her on
every side; and they will know that I am the LORD.
beasts of the field and
to the birds of the sky.
24 "And among all those who are around the house of Israel, who scorn them, there will no longer be for them a pricking briar or any painful thorn; and they will know that I am the Lord God.
6 "And all the inhabitants of Egypt will know that I am the LORD, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel. 7 When they took hold of you with the hand, you broke, and tore their whole shoulder; and when they leaned on you, you broke, and made all their lower back to shake.
25 "Thus says the Lord God: When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and am revealed as holy through them in the sight of the nations, then they will live in their land, which I gave to my servant Jacob. 26 And they will live safely in it, and will build houses, and plant vineyards; yes, they will live securely, when I have executed judgments on all those who are around them who scorn them; and they will
8 "Therefore thus says the Lord God: See, I will bring a sword on you, and cut off man and beast from you. 9 And the land of Egypt will be desolate and ruined, because he said, 'The river is mine, and I made it'; and they will know that I am the LORD. 10 Therefore, see, I am against you, and against your rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly
"Who has said" – here again is the arrogant self-exalting attitude that God hates so much. The kings of Egypt regarded themselves in some sense as divine. This particular one even deluded himself into thinking that he was the creator of Egypt's great river. 29:4 "Hooks" – God has no difficulty in taking and disposing of any human ruler and his kingdom. 29:7 Egypt was a useless ally to Israel against the Babylonians. 29:8 "Sword" – the armies of Babylon. 29:9 Pharaoh would find out who the true Creator is. 29:10 "Syene to the border of Ethiopia" – north to south, the whole country, as we might
28:18,19 These verses seem to be speaking of the city of Tyre. 28:21 "Sidon" – 27:8. This city was to be punished, but nothing is said about its complete destruction. To this day it still exists in the country of Lebanon. The reason for its punishment is suggested in v 24. 28:22 "Glorified" – God is glorified when men know of His just judgments. 28:25,26 "Gather" – 11:17; 20:34,41,42; 29:13; 34:13; 36:24; 37:21; 38:8; 39:27; Isa 11:11,12; Jer 33:7. 29:1 January 587 BC. 29:2 For other prophecies concerning Egypt see Isaiah chapters 19 and 20 and Jeremiah chapter 46. 29:3 "Monster" – 4:3; Job 41:1; Isa 27:1.
1107 EZEKIEL 30:11
ruined and desolate, from the tower of Syene to the border of Ethiopia. 11 No human foot will pass through it, no foot of beast will pass through it; and it will not be inhabited for forty years. 12 And I will make the land of Egypt desolate among the countries that are desolate, and among the cities that are ruined her cities will be desolate for forty years. And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries.
The word of the LORD came again to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, prophesy and say,
Thus says the Lord God: Wail! Woe for the day! 3 For the day is near, the day of the LORD is near,
a day of clouds. It will be the time of the nations. 4 And the sword will come on Egypt, and there will be great anguish in
13 "Yet thus says the Lord God: At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the people where they are scattered, 14 and I will bring Egypt back from captivity, and will cause them to return to the land of Pathros, to the land they came from, and there they will be a lowly kingdom. 15 It will be the lowliest of the kingdoms. No longer will it exalt itself above the nations; for I will make them small, so that they will no longer rule over the nations. 16 And it will no longer be the confidence of the house of Israel, but it will bring to remembrance their guilt in looking to them; and they will know that I am the Lord God."
Ethiopia, when the slain fall in Egypt,
and they take away her wealth, and her foundations are broken down.
5 "Ethiopia, and Libya, and Lydia, and all the mixed peoples, and Khub, and the men of the land which is allied, will fall by the sword with them.
6 "Thus says the LORD: Those who support Egypt will also fall. And the pride of her power will come down. They will fall in it by the sword,
from the tower of Syene,
17 And it came about in the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 18 "Son of man, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon caused his army to work hard against Tyre. Every head was made bald, and every shoulder was rubbed bare. Yet neither he nor his army received any wages for Tyre, for the work he did against it. 19 Therefore thus says the Lord God: See, I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon. And he will take away her wealth, and capture her plunder, and take her prey, and this will be the wages for his army. 20 I have given him the land of Egypt for the work that he did against it, because they were working for me, says the Lord God.
says the Lord God. 7 And they will be desolate among the countries that are desolate, and her cities will be among the ruined
cities. 8 And they will know that I am the LORD, when I set a fire in Egypt, and when all her helpers are destroyed.
9 "In that day messengers will go out from me in ships to make the careless Ethiopians afraid, and great anguish will come on them, as in the day of Egypt; for, see, it is coming.
10 Thus says the Lord God:
"I will also make an end of the hordes
of Egypt at the hand of
Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon. 11 He and his people with him, the most terrible of the nations, will be brought to destroy the land,
21 "In that day I will cause a horn to sprout for the house of Israel, and I will open your mouth among them; and they will know that I am the LORD."
and they will draw their swords
say in India "from Kashmir to Cape Comorin." 29:15 Egypt has never regained the power it had under the ancient Pharaohs. 29:16 "Their iniquity in looking to them" – this same sin is condemned in Isa 31:1; Jer 17:5. God wants His people to look to Him, not to worldly powers. 29:18 Nebuchadrezzar = Nebuchadnezzar. He besieged Tyre for nearly 15 years but was unable to capture the city's main part which was on an island in the bay (26:7,8). 29:19 God is the great Sovereign over all nations (Isa 40:15,17; Dan 4:34,35). 29:20 "They were working for me" – God was using the armies of Babylon to fulfil His
purposes, though they were not aware of it. We may also say that if He so chooses, God may use everything and everyone on earth to accomplish what he wants done. 29:21 Horn signifies power, strength, or authority. 30:3 Notes on the Day of the LORD at Joel 1:15; etc. In the midst of prophecies about Egypt, some of which were fulfilled long ago, God speaks of a time of judgment at the end of this age and punishment on all nations. 30:11 "Most terrible" – 28:7; 31:12; 32:12; Hab 1:6. 2 Kings 25:7 gives an example of their cruelty.
EZEKIEL 30:12 1108
and I will cause the sword to fall from his hand. 23 And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries. 24 And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put my sword in his hand; but I will break Pharaoh's arms, and he will groan before him with the groanings of a man with a deadly wound. 25 But I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh will fall; and they will know that I am the Lord, when I put my sword in the hand of the king of Babylon, and he stretches it out over the land of Egypt. 26 And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them among the countries; and they will know that I am the LORD."
against Egypt and fill the land with the slain. 12 And I will dry up the rivers, and sell the land into the hands of
the wicked, and I will lay waste the land and everything in it at the hand of strangers. I, the LORD, have spoken.
13 "Thus says the Lord God: I will also destroy the idols,
and put an end to the images of Noph. And there will no longer be a prince of
the land of Egypt; and I will put fear in the land of Egypt. 14 And I will make Pathros desolate, and set fire to Zoan, and execute judgments in No. 15 And I will pour my fury on Sin, the strength of Egypt, and I will cut off the populace of No. 16 And I will set fire to Egypt. Sin will have great anguish,
And it came about in the eleventh year, in the third month, on the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to that multitude of his,
"Who are you like in your greatness? 3 See, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with beautiful branches, and cast a shadow over the forest. It was very tall;
and No will be torn in two, and Noph will have daily distress. 17 The young men of Aven and of Pibeseth will fall by the sword, and these cities will go into captivity. 18 At Tahpanhes also the day will be dark, when I break there the yokes of Egypt,
Its top was among the thick boughs. 4 The waters made it grow, the deep water made it tall, its rivers flowed all around the place
and the pomp of her strength will
cease in her. As for her, a cloud will cover her,
it was planted, and sent out its streams to all the
and her daughters will go into captivity. 19 Thus I will execute judgments in Egypt, and they will know that I am the LORD."
trees of the field. 5 Therefore it became higher than all the trees of the field, and its boughs were multiplied, and its branches became long because
20 And it came about in the eleventh year, in the first month, on the seventh day of the month, that the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 21 "Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and, see, it will not be bandaged for healing, and a splint will not be put on to bind it to make it strong enough to hold a sword. 22 Therefore thus says the Lord God: See, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will break his arms, the strong one, and the one that was broken,
of the abundant water,
as it spread out. 6 All the birds of heaven made their nests
in its boughs, and all the beasts of the field gave birth to
their young under its branches. And under its shadow lived all the
great nations.
30:13 "Idols" – Jer 43:12. "Noph" – another name for Memphis. It was a former capital of Egypt. In the next few verses the important cities of ancient Egypt are mentioned. God's anger would come on all of them. 30:14 "No" – another name for Thebes. 30:15 "Sin" – another name for a place also called Pelusium. 30:21 "Arm" – part of Pharaoh's power had gone because of a defeat in battle the previous year. 30:22 God would completely break Pharoah's
power and make it impossible for him to go to war. 30:24 "My sword" – 21:3; 29:20. 31:2 "Who are you like?" – the rest of this chapter to v 18 describes the famous and powerful kingdom of Assyria that flourished from 885 to about 609 BC. This comparison is in the form of an allegory, and metaphorical language is used to describe something of Assyria's splendor. 31:3 "Cedar" – compare chapter 17. 31:5 "Higher" – Assyria became the most powerful kingdom of its day.
1109 EZEKIEL 32:6
7 So it was beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches, for its root was by great waters. 8 The cedars in the garden of God could not eclipse it; the fir trees were not like its boughs, and the plane trees were not like its
to hell with those who descend into the pit. Then all the trees of Eden, the choicest and best of Lebanon, all the well-watered ones, were comforted in the lower parts of the earth. 17 They also went down into hell with it to those slain with the sword, with those who were its arm, who lived under its shadow among the nations.
18 "Among the trees of Eden which was like you in glory and in greatness? Yet you will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the lower parts of the earth. You will lie among the uncircumcised with those slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his hordes, says the Lord God."
branches, and no tree in the garden of God was
like it in its beauty. 9 I made it beautiful in the babundance of its branches, so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God,
envied it.
And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, on the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, take up a lament for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him,
10 "Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you towered so high, and lifted its top among the thick boughs, and its heart was puffed up because of its height, 11 I handed it over to the mighty one of the nations, for him to deal with it. He certainly dealt with it; I drove it out for its wickedness. 12 And foreigners, the most terrible of the nations, cut it off and left it. Its branches fell on the mountains and in all the valleys, and its boughs were broken by all the rivers of the land; and all the people of the earth departed from its shadow, and left it. 13 On its ruin all the birds of heaven remain, and all the beasts of the field are on its branches. 14 Therefore not one of all the trees by the waters should exalt themselves for their height, or raise their top among the thick boughs, nor should their well-watered trees stand proudly in their height, for they have all been delivered to death, to the lower parts of the earth, among the children of men who go down to the pit.
"You are like a young lion among the
nations, and you are like a monster in the seas. And you burst out of your rivers,
and stirred up the waters with your
feet, and dirtied their rivers. 3 Thus says the Lord God: Therefore I will spread my net over
you with a gathering of many
peoples, and they will bring you up in my net. 4 Then I will leave you on the land; I will hurl you out onto the open field,
and will cause all the birds of
heaven to remain on you, and I will fill the beasts of the whole
15 "Thus says the Lord God: In the day when it went down to the grave I caused mourning. I covered the deep for it, and I held back its floods, and the great waters were stopped. And I caused Lebanon to mourn for it, and all the trees of the field wilted because of it. 16 I made the nations shake at the sound of its fall, when I hurled it down
earth with you. 5 And I will lay your flesh on the mountains, and fill the valleys with your remains. 6 I will also drench with your blood the land where you swim,
up to the mountains, and the rivers will be full of you.
31:15-17 At the fall of Assyria there was a great tumult among the nations, and great gloom to its allies.
31:8 It had more worldly splendor than any other kingdom God had planted in the world up to that time. 31:9,10 God was the one who gave power and splendor to Assyria. Instead of giving honor to God it committed the sin of pride which God will not tolerate for long (Jam 4:6). 31:11 "Mighty one of the nations" – the king of Babylon. 31:12 The Assyrian armies were crushed by the Babylonians at the battle of Carchemish in 609 BC. After that Assyria never regained its power, and disappeared into history. 31:14 All man's kingdoms together with their splendor and pride will end up as Assyria did.
"Grave" (vs 15,16,17) – in Hebrew "Sheol" – note at Gen 37:35. 31:18 "You" – the king of Egypt. His fate and the fate of his kingdom with him would be the same as Assyria. 32:2 "Lament" – it is always a sad thing that kingdoms and kings must fall because of their pride and wickedness.
"Lion" – 19:1-9; etc. Lion is a symbol of power and majesty.
"Monster" – 29:3. 32:3-6 God did this but His instrument was the king of Babylon with his armies.
EZEKIEL 32:7 1110
7 And when I extinguish you, I will cover the heavens,
16 "This is the lament with which they will mourn for her. The daughters of the nations will lament for her; they will lament for her, for Egypt and for all her many people, says the Lord God."
and make its stars dark. I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give its light. 8 I will make all the bright lights of heaven dark over you, and set darkness on your land,
17 It came to pass also in the twelfth year, on the fifteenth day of the month, that the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 18 "Son of man, wail for the multitudes of Egypt, and send them down, her and the daughters of the famous nations, to the lower parts of the earth, with those who go down into the pit, saying, 19 Whom do you surpass in beauty? Go down, and be placed among the uncircumcised. 20 They will fall among those slain by the sword, she is handed over to the sword. Draw her and all her multitudes away. 21 From the midst of hell the strongest of the mighty will say of him and of those who helped him, 'They have come down, they lie among the uncircumcised, slain by the sword.'
says the Lord God. 9 I will also trouble the hearts of many people, when I bring about your
destruction among the nations, in countries which you have not known. 10 Yes, I will make many peoples amazed at you, and their kings will be horribly afraid
because of you, when I brandish my sword before them, and they will tremble at every moment,
22 "Asshur is there and all her horde. Her graves are all around her, all of them slain, fallen by the sword. 23 Their graves are set in the depths of the pit, and her horde is around her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who had caused terror in the land of the living.
each man for his own life,
in the day of your fall.
11 "For thus says the Lord God: The sword of the king of Babylon will
come on you. 12 I will cause your hordes to fall by the swords of the mighty, the most terrible of all the nations, and they will plunder the pride of Egypt, and all its hordes will be destroyed. 13 I will also destroy all its cattle from beside the great waters. The foot of man will not muddy them
24 "There is Elam and all her hordes around her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword. Those who caused their terror in the land of the living have gone down uncircumcised into the lower parts of the earth. Now they bear their shame with those who go down to the pit. 25 They have placed a bed for her among the slain, with all her hordes, with her graves all around it, all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword. Though they caused terror in the land of the living, yet they bear their shame with those who go down to the pit. They are put among those slain.
any more, nor will the hooves of cattle muddy them. 14 Then I will make their waters settle, and cause their rivers to run like oil,
says the Lord God. 15 When I make the land of Egypt desolate, and the country destitute of what it had
26 "There are Meshech, Tubal, and all her hordes. Their graves are all around it, all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword, though they caused their terror in the land of the living. 27 And they do not lie among the mighty who have fallen of the uncircumcised, who have gone down to hell
in abundance, when I strike all who live in it, then they will know that I am the LORD.
32:7,8 These are signs usually associated with the "day of the LORD" (see Isa 13:10; Joel 2:31; etc). Egypt's destruction at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar may be a picture of what will happen to Egypt at the end of this age. 32:9,10 Whenever war is loosed on the world and a great kingdom falls the result is fear and upheaval among the nations. Especially at the end of this age conditions will become so terrible that every ruler of every country will have reason to tremble every moment for his life. 32:12 "Pride" – 31:10. When will men and rulers learn not to exalt themselves against the God of heaven?
32:19 "Go down" – individuals and nations like to think themselves superior to others. This will be the end result of all such arrogance and pride.
"Uncircumcised" – here used as a term of contempt for people who were not in covenant relationship with God, who did not know God and did not have any desire to know Him. 32:21 "Hell" (also v 27) – the Hebrew is "Sheol". It means the realm of the dead. This and the following verses describe in poetic language the fall of armies, the death of peoples, the destruction of kingdoms. 32:24 "Elam" – Isa 11:11; 21:2; Jer 25:25; 49:34; Dan 8:2. 32:26 "Meshech, Tubal" – 38:2.
1111 EZEKIEL 33:17
with their weapons of war. They have laid their swords under their heads, but the punishment of their evil deeds is on their bones, though they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living.
guilt; but I will require his blood at the watchman's hand.
7 "So, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Therefore you shall hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. 8 When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you will surely die,' if you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man will die in his guilt, but I will require his blood at your hand. 9 But if you warn the wicked about his way to turn him from it, if he does not turn from his way, he will die in his guilt, but you will have saved your life.
28 "Yes, you will be broken among the uncircumcised, and will lie down among those slain with the sword.
29 "There is Edom, her kings, and all her princes, who, despite their might, are placed beside those slain by the sword. They lie among the uncircumcised, and among those who go down to the pit.
30 "There are the princes of the north, all of them, and all the Sidonians, who have gone down with the slain. They are put to shame despite the terror caused by their might; and they lie uncircumcised with those slain by the sword, and bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.
10 "Therefore, son of man, say to the house of Israel, This is what you are saying, 'If our transgressions and our sins are on us, and we pine away in them, how then can we live?' 11 Say to them, 'As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turns from his way and lives. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! For why will you die, O house of Israel?'
31 "Pharaoh will see them, and will be comforted over all his hordes, Pharaoh and all his army, slain by the sword, says the Lord God. 32 For I have caused my terror in the land of the living, and he will be placed among the uncircumcised with those slain with the sword, Pharaoh and all his hordes, says the Lord God."
12 "Therefore, son of man, say to the children of your people, The righteousness of the righteous will not deliver him in the day of his transgression. As for the wickedness of the wicked, he will not fall because of it in the day that he turns from his wickedness; nor will the righteous be able to live because of his righteousness in the day that he sins. 13 When I say of the righteous that he will surely live, if he trusts in his own righteousness, and does evil, none of his acts of righteousness will be remembered, and he will die for the evil which he has committed. 14 Again, when I say to the wicked, 'You will surely die,' if he turns from his sin, and does what is lawful and right, 15 if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has stolen, walks in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity, he will surely live; he will not die. 16 None of the sins that he has committed will be remembered against him. He has done what is lawful and right; he will surely live.
Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them, When I bring the sword on a land, if the people of the land take one of their countrymen and make him their watchman, 3 if he blows the trumpet when he sees the sword come on the land, and warns the people, 4 then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet, and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and did not take warning. The responsibility for his blood will be on him. But he who takes warning will save his life. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, if the sword comes, and takes a person from among them, he is taken away in his
17 "Yet the children of your people say, 'The
32:29 "Edom" – Isa 11:14; Jer 25:21; 49:7-22. 32:30 "Sidonians" – 28:21. 32:32 "I" – God used Egypt and its king as He uses all nations, to work out His purposes among the people of the world. 33:1-20 This section, like chapter 18, emphasizes individual responsibility. God gives a general example in vs 2-6 and applies it to Ezekiel in vs 7-9. In vs 10-20 we have the words Ezekiel was to speak as a watchman to Israel. 33:4 "Blood" – he will be responsible for his own death. 33:7 "Watchman" – Ezekiel was not a watchman on the walls of a literal city. He was a spiritual watchman for the people of
Israel to point out those sins that brought them into danger and to call them to repentance. See also 3:1. 33:8 "Die in his iniquity" – or "die for his iniquity" (also v 9). 33:10 At last the people are beginning to confess their sins and to see that their sufferings are a result of them. 33:11 "Live" – 18:23,32. "Turn" – life and repentance were joined together and could not be separated – 14:6; 18:30. It was not enough to acknowledge their sins. They had to turn heartily from them to God. 33:12-20 18:21-30. 33:15 Observe that repentance means also making amends for sin, restoring what one
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way of the Lord is not just.' But it is their way which is not just. 18 When the righteous turns from his righteousness and does evil, he will die because of it. 19 But if the wicked turns from his wickedness and does what is lawful and right, he will live because of it. 20 Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' O house of Israel, I will judge each one of you in accordance with his ways."
mountains of Israel will be desolate, so that no one will pass through. 29 Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I have made the land a desolate waste because of all the abominations which they have committed.
30 "Also, son of man, the children of your people are still talking against you by the walls and in the doors of the houses, speaking to one another, each one to his brother, saying, 'Please come and hear whatever word comes from the LORD.' 31 And they come to you as people will come, and they sit before you like my people, and they hear your words, but they will not do them. For with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after their selfish profit. 32 And, see, to them you are like a very lovely song of someone who has a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them.
21 And it came about in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, on the fifth day of the month, that someone who had escaped from Jerusalem came to me, saying, "The city has been taken." 22 Now before the arrival of the one who had escaped, the hand of the LORD was on me in the evening, and had opened my mouth. So when he came to me in the morning, my mouth had been opened, and I was no longer mute.
23 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 24 "Son of man, those who living in those ruins of the land of Israel speak and say, 'Abraham was one man, and he inherited the land. But we are many; the land has been given to us as an inheritance.' 25 Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord God: You eat meat with the blood, and lift up your eyes to your idols, and shed blood, and will you possess the land? 26 You depend on your sword, you commit abominations, and each one of you defiles his neighbour's wife; and will you possess the land?'
33 "And when this comes to pass (see, it will happen), then they will know that a prophet has been among them."
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed only themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? 3 You eat the fat, and you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the flock. 4 You have not strengthened the weak, nor have you healed the sick, nor have you bound up what was broken, nor have you brought back what was driven away, nor have you sought what was lost, but you have ruled the sheep with force and with cruelty. 5 And they were scattered,
27 "Say this to them, Thus says the Lord God: As I live, surely those who are in the ruins will fall by the sword, and I will give those in the open field to the beasts as food, and those who are in the strongholds and in the caves will die of the plague. 28 For I will make the land a desolate waste, and her proud strength will come to an end, and the
has unjustly taken. See Ex 22:1; Lev 6:4,5. 33:21 "Day" – January 8, 585 BC (according to the calender generally in use). The city fell and the temple was burned August 14, 586 BC. It took nearly five months for this man to reach Ezekiel in Babylon. It then became clear to the exiles that Ezekiel's prophecies were fulfilled. 33:22 3:26,27; 24:26,27. 33:24 The people who remained in the land of Israel after the final collapse of Jerusalem still did not understand what God was doing and they did not turn from their sins. 33:25 "Blood" – Gen 9:4; Lev 17:10; Deut 12:16. "Idols" – their idols had completely failed them, but still they would not give them up. 33:26 It was not people like this that God wanted in possession of His land – or wants now in His Church. 33:27-29 These spiritually blind and unrepentant sinners would get just what they desired. 33:30 The people in exile now recognized more clearly than before that Ezekiel was
God's prophet. 33:31,32 How like many Christians today who willingly hear godly preachers deliver sermons, but will not put into practice what they say. They are like the second son of Matt 21:28-32 and the man of Jam 1:2224. Blessing comes by obeying God's word, not simply by hearing it. 34:2 "Shepherds" – leaders of the people whether political or religious. For other revelations about shepherds see Ps 78:70-72; Isa 56:10,11; Jer 23:1-4; 25:34-38; 50:6,7. Compare 1 Pet 5:2-4. "Feed only themselves" – Isa 50:11; Jer 6:13. This was the great sin of the shepherds of Israel, and all too often the sin of leaders in the church today. Selfishness is rooted deeply in man's nature and only the Spirit of Christ can enable us to overcome it. 34:3,4 This is always the behavior of leaders who look out only for themselves and not for the people in their care. 34:5 "No shepherd" – there was none worthy of the name. It was the same when Jesus was on earth (Matt 9:36).
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because there was no shepherd. And when they were scattered, they became food for all the beasts of the field. 6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill. Yes, my flock was scattered over the surface of the whole earth, and no one searched for them or sought them.
17 "And as for you, O my flock, thus says the Lord God: See, I will judge between sheep and sheep, between the rams and the male goats. 18 Does it seem such a small thing to you to have eaten up the good pasture, that you must trample down the rest of the pastures with your feet? And to have drunk of the deep waters, that you must muddy the rest with your feet? 19 And as for my flock, they eat what you have trampled down with your feet, and they drink what you have muddied with your feet.
7 "Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 8 As I live, says the Lord God, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became food for every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd and my shepherds did not search for my flock, because the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed my flock, 9 therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the LORD. 10 Thus says the Lord God: See, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my flock at their hand, and put a stop to their feeding the flock. And the shepherds will not feed themselves any more, for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, so that they will not be food for them.
20 "Therefore thus says the Lord God to them: See, I, I myself, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the weak ones with your horns until you scattered them away, 22 therefore I will save my flock, and they will no longer be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. 23 And I will set over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will feed them. He will feed them, and he will be their shepherd. 24 And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them. I, the LORD, have spoken it.
11 "For thus says the Lord God: See, I, I myself, will search for my sheep, and seek them out. 12 I will seek out my sheep as a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day that he is among his scattered sheep, and I will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. 13 And I will bring them out from the peoples, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them on the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and their fold will be on the high mountains of Israel. There they will lie in a good fold, and will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, says the Lord God. 16 I will seek what was lost, and bring back what was driven away, and I will bind up what was broken, and will strengthen what was weak. But I will destroy the fat and the strong ones. I will feed them with judgment.'
25 "And I will make a covenant of peace with them, and will cause the evil beasts to cease from the land. And they will live safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. 26 And I will make them and the places around my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to fall in its season. There will be showers of blessing. 27 And the tree of the field will yield its fruit, and the earth will yield its crops. And they will be safe in their land, and will know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those who made them their servants. 28 And they will no longer be a prey to the heathen, nor will the beasts of the land devour them, but they will live safely, and no one will make them afraid. 29 And I will establish for them a famous ground for planting, and they will no longer be consumed with
34:7-10 God will hold leaders responsible for their behavior if they care only for themselves, and they should not expect to escape the judgment of God. 34:11-16 Here we see God Himself as shepherd. He will do what human leaders have failed to do. For other references to the Lord as shepherd see Ps 23:4-6; 80:1; Isa 40:11; Jer 23:3,4; John 10:1-16. 34:13 11:17; 20:34,41,42; 28:25. This is a common theme in the prophets. 34:16 "Seek" – Luke 15:1-7. "Fat and the strong" – they became so by selfishly looking out only for themselves, as we see in vs 17-22. Compare Luke 16:19-21. 34:17 Compare Matt 25:32,33. 34:23 There have been three suggested interpretations of the word "David" here –
some say the prince will be David risen from the dead. Others say he will be some descendant from David's royal house. Still others say he will be the Messiah the son of David. If "David" here is identical with the prince of 44:3 and 45:22, he cannot be the Messiah. See those verses. 34:25 "Covenant of peace" – 16:62; 37:26; Jer 31:31-34. 34:26 "My hill" – Mount Zion. "Blessing" – notes on Gen 12:3; Num 6:22-27; Ps 1:1; 119:1. What Israel needed, what the church needs, what the whole world needs, is the blessings of God falling as monsoon rains everywhere. But for such rains to do good the "soil" of men's hearts must be prepared (Hos 10:12). 34:27-29 A promise of a complete reversal
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hunger in the land, or bear the insults of the nations any more. 30 Thus they will know that I, the LORD their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, says the Lord God. 31 And you, my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, says the Lord God."
I have heard all your blasphemies, which you have spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, 'They are laid desolate, they are given to us to devour.' 13 Thus with your mouth you have boasted against me, and have multiplied your words against me. I have heard them. 14 Thus says the Lord God: When the whole earth rejoices, I will make you desolate. 15 As you rejoiced about the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was desolate, so I will do to you. You will be desolate, O mount Seir, and all Edom, all of it. And they will know that I am the LORD.
Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, set your face against mount Seir, and prophesy against it, 3 and say to it, Thus says the Lord God: See, O mount Seir, I am against you, and I will stretch out my hand against you, and I will make you a desolate waste. 4 I will lay your cities waste, and you will be desolate, and you will know that I am the LORD.
"Also, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say, You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD. 2 Thus says the Lord God: Because the enemy has said against you, 'Aha! Even the ancient high places are ours to possess.' 3 Therefore prophesy and say, Thus says the Lord God: Because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, so that you might be possessed by the rest of the nations, and because you are taken up by the lips of talkers, and are slandered by the peoples, 4 therefore, you mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God. Thus says the Lord God to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes, and to the cities that are forsaken, which became a prey and an object of derision to the rest of the surrounding nations: 5 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Surely in the fire of my jealousy I have spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, who have claimed my land for themselves as a possession, with whole-hearted joy, with spiteful minds, plundering its countryside. 6 Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, Thus says the Lord God: See, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my fury,
5 "Because you have had an ancient hatred, and have shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, at the end, at the time of the punishment of their wickedness, 6 therefore, as I live, says the Lord God, I will prepare you for blood, and blood will pursue you. Since you have not hated blood, blood will pursue you! 7 Thus I will make mount Seir a desolate waste, and cut off from it the one who leaves and the one who returns. 8 And I will fill its mountains with its slain men : those who are slain by the sword will fall on your hills, and in your valleys, and in all your rivers. 9 I will make you a permanent desolation, and your cities will not be inhabited; and you will know that I am the LORD.
10 "Because you have said, 'These two nations and these two countries will be mine, and we will possess them,' even though the LORD was there, 11 therefore, as I live, says the Lord God, I will act in accordance with your anger, and in accordance with your envy which you showed out of your hatred for them, and I will make myself known among them, when I have judged you. 12 And you will know that I am the LORD, and that
Ps 18:25,26. 35:13 "Against me" – to speak against God's people is to speak against Him, to act against them is to act against Him (Matt 25:34-45; Acts 9:4). 35:15 "Rejoiced" – 36:5; Obadiah v 12. This showed great hatred and malice toward God's people, great hardness and depravity of heart. 36:1-38 A prophecy in four parts – vengeance against the nations that ruined Israel (vs 1-7), restoration of the land itself (vs 8-15), the reason for Israel's ejection from the land (vs 16-23), the return of the people of Israel to the land (vs 24-38). 36:2 35:10. 36:3 Israel had to endure such things through much of their history. 36:6 "In my jealousy" – see 8:5; Ex 20:5,6; Song 8:6.
of their present circumstances. 34:30 11:20; 14:11; 37:27. 35:2 "Seir" – the territory of the people of Edom, descendants of Esau, Jacob's brother. For other prophecies concerning them see Isa 21:11,12; Jer 49:7-22; Amos 1:11,12; Obadiah 1-16. 35:3 "Against you" – 5:8; etc. 35:5 "Hatred" – Gen 27:41; Num 20:14-21; 2 Sam 8:13,14; 1 Kings 9:26-28. "Calamity" – Obad 11-14. 35:6 Gen 9:6. If we do not renounce something wrong we may become the victims of it. 35:9 "Permanent" – in contrast to Israel, Egypt and other lands. 35:10 "Two nations" – the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel and Judah. 35:11 Another example of God's dealing with men as they deal with others. See Matt 7:2;
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because you have had to bear the scorn of the nations. 7 Therefore thus says the Lord God: I have lifted up my hand to swear, Surely the nations which are around you will have to bear their scorn.
way and by their deeds. To me their way was like the uncleanness of a woman in her monthly impurity. 18 Wherefore I poured my fury on them, because of the blood that they had shed on the land, and because of their idols, with which they had defiled it. 19 And I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries. I judged them in accordance with their way and their deeds. 20 And when they went among the nations, wherever they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, 'These are the people of the LORD, and have left his land.' 21 But I had concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went.
8 "But you, O mountains of Israel, will put out your branches, and yield your fruit to my people Israel; for they are about to come. 9 For, see, I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you will be tilled and sown. 10 And I will multiply men on you, all the house of Israel, all of it. And the cities will be inhabited, and the waste places will be built up. 11 And I will multiply man and beast in you, and they will increase and bear fruit. And I will settle people on you as in the past, and will do more good to you than at your beginnings; and you will know that I am the LORD. 12 Yes, I will cause men, my people Israel, to walk on you, and they will possess you, and you will be their inheritance, and from then on you will no longer bereave them of men.
22 "Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: I do not do this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for my holy name's sake, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. 23 And I will show that my great name is holy, which name was profaned among the nations, which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, says the Lord God, when I am shown to be holy through you before their eyes.
13 "Thus says the Lord God: Because they say to you, 'You, O land, devour men, and bereave your nation.' 14 Therefore you will devour men no longer, nor bereave your nation any more, says the Lord God. 15 Nor will I any longer cause people to hear in you the insults of the nations, nor will you bear the reproach of the peoples any longer, nor will you cause your nation to fall any more, says the Lord God."
24 "For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness, and from all your idols. 26 Also I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you, and I will take
16 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 17 "Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their own land, they defiled it by their own
would have thought it was because Israel's God was too weak to defend them, and beneath their own gods. 36:22 God would act for the sake of His holy name. That is, He would bring Israel back to the land and make them a holy people in a restored land (vs 24-35), though they did not in any way deserve God's favor. Compare God's way with believers described in Eph 1:3-14 which results in praise of His glorious grace. Observe here in Ezekiel that God's reputation is bound up with His people. By observing them others will be influenced in their views of God. 36:23 In His dealings with Israel God would show His true holy character to the nations of the world. Compare Lev 20:7; Matt 6:9. 36:24 34:13; Isa 43:5,6; Jer 23:3. 36:25-27 This speaks of a complete change in the people similar to that described in Jer 31:31-34 and Isa 1:25; 4:3,4; etc. God promises to give this fallen people exactly what they needed – cleansing, a new heart, His own spirit and an inner strength to obey His word. All these He will give now also to the repenting sinner. Compare Ps 51:7-12. 36:25 "Sprinkle" – Lev 14:51; Num 19:18. 36:26 11:19; 18:31. God would do what the people would not, and could not, do by themselves.
36:7 God will deal with those nations as they dealt with Israel (35:11). 36:8-15 A prophecy that the land of Israel would be restored. Observe the words "no longer" in v 12 and "any more" and "any longer" in vs 14,15. This was not fulfilled at the return of the Jews from Babylon, for after that return the land was again deprived of its children (in 70 AD when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and scattered the Jews). Two comings of Christ are foretold in the Old Testament, and there is no indication that many centuries would elapse between them. So it is with two restorations of Israel. 36:16-23 The reasons for Israel's ejection from the land. 36:17 "Defiled" – the penalty for defiling the land was to be ejected from it – Lev 18:28; 20:22. 36:18 Two main ways in which Israel defiled God's land – murder and false religion. The one meant the death of people, the other meant the death of truth there. Both were done in defiance of God's laws (Exodus chapter 20). 36:19 "In accordance with" – 7:8; 24:14; 39:24. 36:20 "Profaned" – the nations would not have known the real reasons why Israel was defeated and scattered among them. They
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away the stony heart out of your flesh, and will give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes; and you will keep my judgments, and do them. 28 And you will live in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you will be my people, and I will be your God. 29 I will also save you from all your uncleanness. And I will call for the grain and increase it, and put no famine on you. 30 And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the crops of the field, that you will no longer receive reproach about famine among the nations. 31 Then you will remember your own evil ways, and your deeds that were not good, and will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your wicked deeds and for your abominations. 32 Let it be known to you that I do not do this for your sakes, says the Lord God. Be ashamed and feel disgraced for your own ways, O house of Israel.
with flocks of men; and they will know that I am the LORD."
The hand of the LORD was on me, and carried me away in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the middle of the valley. It was full of bones, 2 and he caused me to go all around among them, and I saw that there were very many in the open valley, and that they were very dry. 3 And he said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"
And I answered, "O Lord God, you know." 4 Again he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: See, I will cause breath to enter into you, and you will live. 6 And I will put sinews on you, and will bring flesh on you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you will live; and you will know that I am the LORD."
33 "Thus says the Lord God: On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to live in the cities, and the ruins will be built up. 34 And the desolate land will be tilled, instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who passed by. 35 And they will say, 'This land, which was desolate, has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted and desolate and ruined cities are fortified, and are inhabited.' 36 Then the nations that are left around you will know that I, the Lord, build the ruined places, and plant what was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will do it.
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a noise, and then a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 And when I looked I saw the sinews and the flesh coming on them, and the skin covering them, but there was no breath in them.
9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live." 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
37 "Thus says the Lord God: I will also let the house of Israel inquire of me for this, to do it for them: I will increase them with men like a flock, 38 like the holy flock, like the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts. So the ruined cities will be filled
11 Then he said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. See, they are
36:27 Heb 8:10. 36:29 37:23; Heb 9:14; 10:22. 36:31 This is certain to happen when God grants true repentance to sinful men – 6:9; 16:63; 20:43; Ps 51:3-5; Luke 18:13. 36:36 This will be done in such a way that the nations will know it is God's work, not Israel's. 36:37 God would once more hear His people (compare 14:3; 20:3,31), and what He would do would be in answer to their prayer. 37:1 1:3; 8:3; 11:1,24 – indicates a vision. "Carried me away" – may indicate that the valley of the bones was somewhere other than the place of his exile. Perhaps it signifies all the nations of 36:24 and 37:20.
to prepare us to participate in His work. 37:4 Is there any use in preaching to dead bones? Yes, if God tells us to do it. Is there any use in preaching to those who are dead in trespasses and sins? Yes, it is a part of God's work in raising them to life. 37:5,6 The bones were all separate from one another (v 2). This indicates that at the beginning of the time the vision points to, Israel would not be one nation, not a united kingdom.
"Breath" (v 5) – or "wind" or "spirit." 37:7,8 Does this possibly suggest that Israel will become a united people, a nation, before the Spirit of God gives them new life? 37:9 The Hebrew word translated "breath" also means wind and spirit. Here it is a symbol of God's Spirit (v 14). 37:10 "An exceedingly great army" – surely indicates a greater number than the number of Jews who returned from Babylon in the 5th century BC (Ezra 2:64). 37:11 "Cut off" – the KJV adds the words "for our parts", but there is no Hebrew word for parts here.
"Bones" – v 11 reveals what these bones symbolize. This chapter is a very important prophecy of the restoration of the nation Israel and their permanent blessing under the rule of God. 37:2 "Very dry" – suggests a very long time out of the land and in a hopeless condition. 37:3 Sometimes God asks us questions we cannot answer to provoke us to think, and
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saying, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost. We ourselves are cut off.' 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: See, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up from your graves, and I bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And you will know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up from your graves. 14 And I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken it, and have done it, says the LORD."
their own land. 22 And I will make them one nation in the land on the mountains of Israel. And one king will be king for all of them, and they will no longer be two nations, nor will they ever again be divided into two kingdoms. 23 Nor will they any longer defile themselves with their idols, or with their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions; but I will save them from all the dwelling places where they have sinned, and will cleanse them. So they will be my people, and I will be their God.
24 "And my servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. 25 And they will live in the land that I have given to Jacob my servant, where your fathers lived; and they will live in it, they and their children, and their children's children forever; and my servant David will be their prince forever. 26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them. It will be an everlasting covenant with them, and I will place them, and multiply them, and will establish my sanctuary in their midst forever. 27 And my tabernacle will be with them. Yes, I will be their God, and they will be my people. 28 And the nations will know that I, the LORD, sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forever."
15 The word of the LORD came again to me, saying, 16 "Moreover, son of man, take a stick and write on it, 'For Judah and for his associates among the children of Israel.' Then take another stick and write on it, 'For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all his associates among the house of Israel.' 17 And join them to each other as one stick; and they will become one in your hand.
18 "And when the children of your people speak to you, saying, 'Will you not tell us what you mean by these?' 19 Say to them, Thus says the Lord God: See, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and his associates among the tribes of Israel, and will put them with him, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will become one in my hand. 20 And the sticks which you write on will be in your hand before their eyes. 21 And say to them, Thus says the Lord God: See, I will take the children of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, set your face against Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
37:12 "Graves" – the places among the nations of the world where their hopes, their national life was buried. God is speaking of the resurrection of a nation, not of the literal dead. Verse 14 makes this clear. 37:14 36:27. The work of God's Spirit would be needed in the formation of Israel as a nation again. When it takes place the people of Israel would know that God has done it in fulfillment of His Word. 37:15-23 The people had been divided into two kingdoms since the days of Rehoboam and Jeroboam in 930 BC. This passage foretells the reuniting of all the Jews as one nation, as they had been in the days of David and Solomon. And they will be delivered from all the sins that caused God to scatter them throughout the world. 37:24-28 The same people are in view here – the Jews who had divided into two kingdoms, had been later scattered in the world, and had become like dead, dry bones. 37:24 34:23; 44:3; 45:22; Hos 3:5. 37:25 "Land that I have given to Jacob" – the emphasis here is on the literal land of Israel with the literal descendants of Jacob living in it. It is difficult to see how this verse can in any way refer to the Church of
the New Testament.
"Forever" – this word is used four times in vs 25-28. This was not fulfilled when the Jews returned to the land of Israel after the Babylonian captivity. They were again uprooted and scattered by the Romans in 70 AD. Verses 25-28 speak of a time when they will be permanently settled in their land never again to be uprooted (see Amos 9:15). 37:26 "Covenant" – 34:25. "Sanctuary" – there is much about the sanctuary in chapters 40-48. 37:27 "My tabernacle" or "my dwelling place" – note at Ex 25:8. 38:1 Chapters 38 and 39 deal with one subject – an invasion of Israel by powerful northern nations. The invasion takes place "after many days," after the regathering of Israel to their land (38:8). Presumably this is after the regathering described in chapter 37. It is not easy to determine exactly what nations are meant here or the time of the invasion. The author of these notes can only suggest possibilities. 38:2 "Gog" – evidently is a leader of this alliance of nations. In Rev 20:8 this name together with Magog seems to refer to
EZEKIEL 38:3 1118
3 and say, Thus says the Lord God: See, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, 4 and I will turn you around, and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out with all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in all sorts of armour, a great horde with large shields and small shields, all of them handling swords, 5 together with Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya, all of them with shield and helmet, 6 Gomer, and all its troops, the house of Togarmah from the far north, and all its troops, and many people with you.
been brought out of the nations, and will be living in safety, all of them. 9 You will go up and come like a storm. You will be like a cloud covering the land, you, and all your troops, and many people with you.
10 "Thus says the Lord God: It will happen on that day that thoughts will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil scheme, 11 and you will say, 'I will go up to a land of unwalled villages. I will go to those who are at rest, who are living in safety, all of them living in towns without walls, and having neither bars nor gates.' 12 You will go to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the desolate places which will then be inhabited, and against the people gathered out of the nations, who will have cattle and goods, who will be living in the center of the land. 13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all its young lions, will say to you, 'Have you come to
7 "Be prepared, and get yourself ready, you, and all the horde assembled around you, and be a guard for them. 8 After many days you will be mustered. In the latter years you will come into the land restored from the sword, gathered out of many peoples, against the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate, but its people will have
rebellious nations throughout the world, but here this does not seem to be so.
"Far north" – 38:15; 39:2. This means far north of Israel. In Ezekiel's day, if God had wanted to indicate an alliance of peoples headed up by Russia, using the names of peoples known in that day, how better could He have done so? 38:7 Addressed to Gog, the leader of this large alliance of peoples. 38:8 "After many days" – how far off the event may be is not clear. Up till now there has never been an invasion of Israel by the peoples of verses 3,5 and 6. It will take place either toward the end of this age or at the end of the millennium (Rev 20:8). The author of these notes believes that a time toward the end of this age is indicated. See 39:12,13. 38:10 "Mind" – the thoughts that come into Gog's mind will be the "hooks" God uses to draw him into Israel (v 4). Compare Prov 21:1. 38:11 This verse, with verses 8 and 14, indicates more of a time of safety and peace than Israel has enjoyed for most of its existence in the twentieth century. 38:12,13 Israel is not a rich country, and there is not much there that would attract the greed of great nations. The richest resources in Israel are in the Dead Sea which contains potential great wealth in minerals and salts. Of course Israel is at present a strategic land in the area of the world that contains so much of the world's oil reserves. Perhaps the plunder mentioned in these verses uses the language of Ezekiel's day to symbolize a different kind of benefit to be gained by seizing Israel.
"Magog" – here refers to the land of which Gog is the leader. In Gen 10:2 Magog is linked with Meshech and Tubal. All these peoples were descendants of Japheth and settled to the far north of the land of Canaan. Nearly 2000 years ago Josephus identified Magog with the Scythians, a barbarous people who lived north of the Black sea in areas close to present-day Russia.
"Prince of Rosh" – the KJV has "chief prince" (also v 3). The Hebrew word "rosh" may mean "head" or "chief," or it may indicate a place. Many scholars hold that the most natural meaning of the Hebrew phrase here is "prince of Rosh." This would mean that Rosh is a land or people (not mentioned by name anywhere else in the Bible). Its similarity in sound to Russia is obvious. There is no absolute proof that Russia is meant, but it seems very likely.
"Meshech and Tubal" – Gen 10:2. These were tribes which lived at one time in the eastern part of what is present-day Turkey but which may have moved northward beyond the Black Sea. 38:3 "Against you" – their behavior is against God and His people, so He is against them. He is opposed to their character and their purposes. 38:4 "Hooks" – v 16; 39:2. This shows God's absolute sovereignty over these nations. Compare Dan 4:35. 38:5 Persia is present-day Iran. In the Bible two lands of Cush are mentioned – an ancient land in the area of present-day Iraq, and the land usually identified with Ethiopia (or, more accurately, with parts of Sudan and parts of Ethiopia). There were also, it seems, two Puts – one present-day Libya, the other near the ancient Asian Cush. 38:6 "Gomer" – Gen 10:3. A people who lived north of the Black Sea.
"Center of the land" (v 12) – or it could be translated "middle of the earth." 38:13 Gog will not come into Israel with no one to question him. Sheba and Dedan were both in the Arabian peninsula.
"Tarshish" – a place probably located on the southern coast of Spain. It was the most western place mentioned in the Bible.
"House of Togarmah" – usually identified with present-day Armenia.
"All its young lions" – could possibly
1119 EZEKIEL 39:9
take plunder? Have you gathered your horde to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take great booty?'
execute judgment against him with the plague and with blood, and I will pour down a flooding rain on him and on his troops and on the many people who are with him, a flooding rain, and great hailstones, fire, and sulfur. 23 Thus I will exalt myself, and show myself holy, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they will know that I am the LORD.
14 "Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog, Thus says the Lord God: On that day, when my people Israel are living in safety, will you not know it ? 15 And you will come from your place out of the far north, you, and many people with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, and a mighty army. 16 And you will come up against my people Israel, like a cloud covering the land. It will happen in the latter days. And I will bring you against my land so that the nations may know me, when I reveal myself as holy through you, O Gog, before their eyes.
"Therefore, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus says the Lord God: See, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, 2 and I will turn you around, and lead you along, and cause you to come up from the far north, and will bring you onto the mountains of Israel. 3 And I will strike your bow out of your left hand, and will cause your arrows to fall from your right hand. 4 You will fall on the mountains of Israel, you, and all your troops, and the people who are with you. I will give you to birds of prey of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. 5 You will fall on the open field; for I have spoken it, says the Lord God. 6 And I will send a fire on Magog, and among those who live in safety in the coastlands; and they will know that I am the LORD.
17 "Thus says the Lord God: You are the one whom I spoke about in former days through my servants the prophets of Israel. They prophesied for years during that time that I would bring you against them.
18 "And it will come about at that time, when Gog comes against the land of Israel, says the Lord God, that my fury will come up into my face. 19 For I have spoken in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath: Surely on that day there will be a great shaking in the land of Israel, 20 so that the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field and all creeping things that creep on the earth, and all the men who are on the surface of the earth, will tremble at my presence, and the mountains will be thrown down, and the cliffs will fall, and every wall will fall to the ground. 21 And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, says the Lord God. Every man's sword will be against his brother. 22 And I will
7 "So I will make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel, and I will not let them profane my holy name any more; and the nations will know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel. 8 See, it is coming, and it will be done, says the Lord God; this is the day of which I have spoken. 9 And those who live in the cities of Israel will go out, and set the weapons on fire and burn them, both the small shields and the large shields, the
signify other nations allied with Tarshish. Together they may indicate western nations in general, although there is no proof in the context for this suggestion. 38:14 "Know it" – Gog will think he sees a good chance to conquer Israel. 38:16 Observe again that it is God who brings Gog into Israel. 38:17 Gog is not mentioned by name in any of the prophets in the Bible up to Ezekiel's day. Perhaps he is symbolized by some other person (such as the "Assyrian", or the "king of the north"), but there is no certainty about it. Or this verse may possibly refer to prophecies not recorded in the Bible but which Ezekiel knew about. 38:18 "My fury" – notes at Num 25:3; Ps 90:7-11. 38:19-23 The destruction of the armies of Gog will be partly by God's supernatural intervention and partly by sword and bloodshed (vs 21,22). Summoning a sword probably indicates bringing opposing armies. Compare Isa 34:5,6; Jer 9:16; 12:12; 25:29. 38:23 Here is one of God's good purposes
in that terrible destruction. See 39:7; etc. 39:1,2 38:1-9. "Prince of Rosh" – or "chief prince." 39:3 If these chapters foretell an event at the end of this age why speak of bows and arrows? or swords and shields (38:4)? or lances and spears (39:9)? Guns and tanks and bombs and planes had not yet been invented and the Hebrew language had no words for them. But the weapons mentioned in these chapters may signify the more destructive weapons that nations have today. The prophets had only the language of their day to speak of things far in the future. 39:4 Verses 17-20. Compare Rev 19:17, 18,21. 39:6 This speaks of the land of Gog. Sending fire suggests some terrible destructive force. God may, of course, use other nations to send the fire on Magog. 39:8 "Day" – possibly a reference to the general time called "the day of the LORD." Notes at Joel 1:15; etc. 39:9 "For seven years" – indicates an immense amount of arms left by the destroyed armies.
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bows and the arrows, and the lances and the spears, and they will be burning them in the fire for seven years, 10 so that they will not take wood from the field, or cut down any from the forests; for they will be burning the weapons in the fire. And they will plunder those who plundered them, and loot those who looted them, says the Lord God.
19 And in the sacrifice I sacrifice for you, you will eat fat until you are full, and drink blood until you are drunk. 20 Thus you will be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all the warriors, says the Lord God.'
21 "And I will set my glory among the nations, and all the nations will see my judgment that I execute, and my hand that I lay on them. 22 So the house of Israel will know from that day on that I am the LORD their God. 23 And the nations will know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity, because they were unfaithful to me. Therefore I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies, so that they all fell by the sword. 24 I acted toward them in accordance with their uncleanness and their transgressions, and hid my face from them.
11 "And it will happen in that day, that I will give to Gog a burial place there in Israel, the valley of travellers east of the Sea; and it will block the way of travellers. And there they will bury Gog and all his hordes, and they will call it The Valley of HamonGog.
12 "And the house of Israel will be burying them for seven months, to cleanse the land. 13 Yes, all the people of the land will be burying them ; and it will mean fame for them on the day that I am glorified, says the Lord God.
25 "Therefore thus says the Lord God: So I will bring Jacob back from captivity, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name, 26 after they have borne their shame, and all their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to me, when they were living in safety in their land, and no one was making them afraid. 27 When I bring them back from the peoples, and gather them out of the lands of their enemies, and show myself holy among them in the sight of many nations, 28 then they will know that I am the LORD their God, who caused them to be led away into captivity among the nations, but have gathered them to their own land, and have left none of them there any longer. 29 And I will not hide my face any more from them; for I will have poured out my Spirit on the house of Israel, says the Lord God."
14 "And they will set apart men continually employed to go throughout the land to bury those who had been coming through, who remain on the surface of the ground, to cleanse it. At the end of seven months they will make a search. 15 And as those going throughout the land go along, if anyone sees the bone of a man, he will put up a sign beside it, until those doing the burying have buried it in The Valley of Hamon-Gog. 16 And the name of the city will also be Hamonah. Thus they will cleanse the land.
17 "And, son of man, thus says the Lord God: Speak to every feathered bird, and to every beast of the field: 'Assemble and come. Gather together from every side to my sacrifice, which I sacrifice for you, a great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel, that you may eat meat and drink blood. 18 You will eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bulls, all of them fatlings of Bashan.
In the twenty-fifth year of our captivity, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the 40
39:11 "Sea" – the Dead Sea. Hamon-Gog means "multitude of Gog". 39:12,13 "Cleanse the land" – dead bodies were considered defiling (Lev 5:2; 21:1,11; Num 5:2; 6:6; 19:16; 31:19).
39:25 Isa 11:12; 37:12,21; 38:8. "Bring Jacob back from captivity" – or "restore the well-being of Jacob". See note at Ps 14:7. 39:26 "Shame" – 6:9; 20:43; 36:31. 39:27 36:23. God has determined to show the nations of the world an aspect of His character they are very prone to forget – His holiness. One instrument He will use to do this is the nation Israel. 39:28 "Have left none of them there any longer" – at present there are far more Jews living outside Israel in other countries than those living in Israel, and this has been true for a great many centuries, so this prophecy has not yet been completely fulfilled. 39:29 "Face" – v 24. "Spirit" – 36:26,27; 37:14. 40:1 Chapters 40-48 form a unit. All the material in them came in one vision in the year 573 BC. Some of the people of Judah
"Glorified" – 38:23; 39:21. God will be glorified in revealing His holiness in the destruction of evil and in rescuing His people from their enemies. These two verses seem clearly to point to a time before the new heavens and new earth, before the resurrection of the unsaved dead and eternal judgment (Rev 20:5,14,15; 21:1). 39:16 "Hamonah" – this means "horde." 39:17-19 The destruction of these godless armies will be like a feast God provides for the animal creation. 39:21 Verse 13; 38:23. 39:22 This deliverance from their enemies will have a permanent effect on Israel. 39:24 Jer 2:17,19; 4:18; Ezek 7:22.
1121 EZEKIEL 40:13
city had been destroyed, on that very day the hand of the LORD was on me, and took me there. 2 In the visions of God he took me to the land of Israel, and set me down on a very high mountain. On it, to the south, there was what appeared to be the structure of a city. 3 And he took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze, with a cord of flax and a measuring rod in his hand; and he stood at the gate. 4 And the man said to me,
of the gate, which was one rod wide; and the other threshold of the gate, which was one rod wide. 7 And each alcove was one rod long, and one rod wide, and there was a space of five cubits between the alcoves. And the threshold of the gate by the portico of the gate facing inward was one rod.
8 He also measured the portico of the gate facing inward, one rod. 9 Then he measured the portico of the gate, eight cubits; and its posts, two cubits. And the portico of the gate faced inward.
"Son of man, see with your eyes and hear with your ears and set your mind on all that I am going to show you. You have been brought here for the purpose of my showing them to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel."
10 And there were three alcoves of the gate facing east on one side and three on the other side. The three were of one size, and the posts were the same size on this side and on the other side. 11 And he measured the width of the entrance of the gate, ten cubits; and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits. 12 And the space in front of the alcoves on one side was one cubit, and the space on the other side was one cubit; and the alcoves were six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side. 13 He then measured the gate from
5 And I saw a wall all around on the outside of the temple, and in the man's hand a measuring rod of six long cubits, each a cubit and a handbreadth. So he measured the width of the wall, one rod; and the height, one rod.
6 Then he came to the gate which faced east, and went up its steps, and measured the threshold
had been in exile for 25 years. The temple at Jerusalem had been destroyed for 13 years. Now in vision Ezekiel sees a new temple. These chapters have perplexed commentators, both Jewish and Christian, all through the centuries, and they have set forth various interpretations to explain them.
40:1 "Hand of the LORD" – 1:3; 3:14,22; 8:1; 33:22; 37:1. "Took me there" – 3:14; 8:3; 11:24. 40:2 "Visions" – 1:1; 8:3. Note on vision at Gen 15:1.
"Very high mountain" – Mount Zion in Jerusalem (17:22; Isa 2:2; Micah 4:1; Zech 14:10). Zion is not a high mountain in the physical sense. But it is extremely high in regard to God's dealings with the earth. And in the future its physical altitude may be much greater than it is now. 40:3 "Bronze" – may possibly indicate that the word "man" is not to be taken literally. Angels in the Bible sometimes appeared in the form of men (Gen 19:1). A cord was used for long measurements, a rod for short measurements. 40:4 "Declare" – these closing chapters of Ezekiel were a special message for the Jews. The nation was shattered and scattered, the temple and the city were in ruins, the land was rapidly becoming a waste. These chapters speak of a complete restoration of people, land, city, and temple. 40:5-7 Quite a bit of these chapters is taken up with measurements of walls, gateways, courts, buildings, etc. At present we cannot see any spiritual significance in this (which is not to say that it has none). It may have been much more meaningful to the Jews of that day than to us. It is difficult to keep from thinking that these measurements were given to indicate something physically real and solid. 40:5 "Wall" – walls are built to keep out those who should not come in.
(a) Some scholars have taught that these chapters are altogether symbolic of the Church of the New Testament and give only spiritual lessons.
(b) Some have taught that these chapters describe how the temple and city were to be built by Israel when they were restored to their land, but that they never actually did it.
(c) Some have taught that these chapters speak of the future reign of Christ on earth and speak of a temple and city to be built after He returns and sets up His kingdom.
(d) Some have taught that these chapters speak of the future kingdom of God, after the return of Christ, using expressions of worship, etc. familiar then to the Jews, which will be fulfilled in ways impossible for us to state at present.
Each of these interpretations has its difficulties when the details of the prophecy are examined. It is the opinion of the author of these notes that these chapters describe something that will literally take place in the future. But we should remember that a "literal" fulfillment does not exclude spiritual meanings. Compare the description of the tabernacle in Exodus chapters 25-30. A literal tabernacle was built, but in all its parts it spoke of Christ and spiritual matters. We should not think it impossible that there will be something similar in the coming reign of Christ over the earth.
"Cubit" – slightly less than one half meter. "Handbreath" – about ten centimeters. 40:7 "Portico" – the Hebrew word translated portico is obscure in meaning and could mean something like a porch.
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the roof of one alcove to the roof of another. The width from door to door was twenty-five cubits. 14 He also measured the pillars, sixty cubits to the pillar of the courtyard around the gate. 15 And it was fifty cubits from the front of the entrance gate to the front of the portico of the inner gate. 16 And there were narrow windows in the alcoves, and all around inside the gate to their posts, and also in the archways; and there were windows all around inside; and there were figures of palm trees on each post.
there was a gate in the inner court facing south. And he measured from this gate to the gate facing south, a hundred cubits.
28 And he brought me to the inner courtyard at the south gate; and he measured the south gate, with these same measurements, 29 and its alcoves, and its posts, and its arches, with these same measurements. And there were windows in it and in its archways all around. It was fifty cubits long, and twenty-five cubits wide. 30 And the archways all around were twenty-five cubits long, and five cubits wide. 31 And its archways faced the outer court, and figures of palm trees were on its posts, and its ascent had eight steps.
17 Then he brought me into the outer court, and I saw that rooms were there, and pavement made all around for the courtyard. Thirty rooms were along the pavement. 18 And the pavement was by the side of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates. This was the lower pavement. 19 Then he measured the width from the front of the lower gate to the front of the outside of the inner courtyard, a hundred cubits toward the east and the north.
32 And he brought me into the inner courtyard facing east, and measured the gate with these same measurements. 33 And its alcoves, and its posts, and its archways, had these same measurements. And there were windows in it and in its archways all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 34 And its arches faced the outer court; and there were figures of palm trees on its posts, on this side, and on that side; and its ascent had eight steps.
20 And he measured the length and the width of the gate of the outer courtyard that faced the north. 21 And its alcoves were three in number on this side and three on that side, and its posts and its archways had the same measurement as the first gate. Its length was fifty cubits, and the width twenty-five cubits. 22 And their windows, and their archways, and their palm trees, had the same measurement as the gate that faced east. And its ascent was by seven steps; and its archways were in front of them. 23 And the gate of the inner court was opposite the gate facing north and the gate facing east. And he measured from gate to gate, a hundred cubits.
35 And he brought me to the north gate, and measured it with these same measurements, 36 its alcoves, its posts, its archways, and its windows all around. The length was fifty cubits, and the width twenty-five cubits. 37 And its posts faced the outer court, and there were figures of palm trees on its posts, on this side, and on that side; and its ascent had eight steps.
38 And its rooms and its entrances were by the posts of the gates, where they washed the burnt offering. 39 And in the portico of the gate there were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, for slaughtering the burnt offering and the sin offering and the trespass offering. 40 And on the outer side, as one goes up to the entrance of the north gate, were two tables, and on the other side, which was at the portico of the gate, were two tables. 41 Four tables were on this side, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate, eight tables in all, on which they killed their sacrifices. 42 And for the burnt offering the four
24 After that he brought me toward the south, and I saw a gate facing south. And he measured its posts and its archways with these same measurements. 25 And there were windows in it and in its archways all around, like those windows. The length was fifty cubits, and the width twentyfive cubits. 26 And there were seven steps going up to it, and its archways were in front of them: and it had the figures of palm trees, one on this side, and another on that side, on its posts. 27 And
40:14 "Pillars" – the meaning of the Hebrew of this verse is uncertain. 40:15 "Cubit" – the common cubit was slightly less than one half meter. 40:17 "Outer court" – inside the outer walls, but outside the temple compound with its altar, etc. 40:38-43 Three types of offering are mentioned – burnt, sin and trespass. Peace offerings and grain offerings are included in later references such as 43:27; 45:17; 46:2,12. For the meanings of these offerings see notes on Leviticus chapters 1-7.
The mention of offerings here has puzzled commentators. It points to a time when they will still be offered. If the picture in Ezekiel chapters 40-48 is of the time of the millennium, does this mean that such offerings of animals will be made then? Or should we take these references to offerings as altogether symbolic of Christ's one offering? If the offerings are altogether symbolic does this mean that all the other details of this vision – temple, city, priests, etc – are altogether symbolic and will never have a physical reality? Or is there a
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tables were of cut stone, a cubit and a half long, and a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit high. On it they also put the instruments for slaughtering the burnt offering and the sacrifice. 43 And inside were hooks, a handbreadth wide, fastened all around. And on the tables was put the flesh of the offering.
five cubits on the one side, and five cubits on the other side. And he measured its length, forty cubits; and the width, twenty cubits.
3 Then he went inside and measured the doorpost, two cubits; and the entrance, six cubits high; and the width of the entrance, seven cubits. 4 So he measured its length, twenty cubits; and the breadth, twenty cubits, beyond the sanctuary.
44 And outside the inner gate were the rooms for the singers in the inner court. One was by the north gate facing toward the south, one by the east gate facing toward the north. 45 And he said to me,
And he said to me, "This is the Most Holy Place." 5 Afterwards he measured the wall of the temple, six cubits thick; and the width of every side room, four cubits, all around the temple on every side. 6 And the side rooms had three stories, one over another, with thirty on each level. And they extended to the wall of the temple which was the wall for the side rooms all around, so that they might be supported, but they were not fastened into the wall of the temple. 7 And all around the side rooms became wider at each successive story, for the structure all around the temple went up by stages. Therefore the width of this temple structure increased going up from the lowest room to the highest through the middle one.
"This room which faces south is for the priests who have charge of the temple. 46 And the room which faces north is for the priests who have charge of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, who approach the LORD to minister to him."
47 So he measured the courtyard, a square a hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits wide, and the altar in front of the temple.
48 And he brought me to the portico of the temple, and measured each post of the portico, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side; and the width of the gate was three cubits on this side, and three cubits on that side. 49 The length of the portico was twenty cubits, and the width eleven cubits. And he brought me by the steps which went up to it; and there were pillars by the posts, one on this side, and another on that side.
8 I also saw that the temple had a raised base all around, the foundation for the side rooms. It was a full rod of six large cubits. 9 The thickness of the outside wall of the side rooms, was five cubits; and also the terrace of the side rooms inside the house. 10 And beyond the rooms was an open area twenty cubits wide all around on every side of the temple. 11 And the doors of the side rooms faced the terrace, one door toward the north, and another door toward the south. And the width of the terrace was five cubits all around.
Afterwards he brought me to the sanctuary, and measured the doorposts, six cubits wide on one side, and six cubits wide on the other side, which was the width of the tabernacle. 2 And the width of the entrance was ten cubits, and the side walls of the entrance were
12 And the building facing the separated area at its western end was seventy cubits wide, and the wall of the building was five cubits thick all
mixture of symbolic and literal language here (as in many other places in the prophets), and should we expect a literal fulfillment in general without all the details being literally fulfilled? Such questions are easy to ask, but perhaps impossible for us to answer in our present state of knowledge.
of priests, especially said to be descendants of Zadok (2 Sam 8:17), who are distinguished from other Levites and from the people in general, indicates a time other than this Christian era. Now all believers are priests and may draw near to the Lord to minister to Him (Rom 5:1,2; Heb 10:1922; 1 Pet 2:5,9). 40:47 "The altar" – 43:13-17. 40:48 "Portico" – the first main compartment of the temple. Compare 1 Kings 6:3. 41:1 "Sanctuary" – the second main compartment of the temple and the largest. Compare 1 Kings 6:3-5,17. It corresponds to the Holy Place in the tabernacle.
One thing is certain – if animal sacrifices are to be offered in the millennium they will be memorials pointing to the one sacrifice of the Lord Jesus already made, as the Lord's Supper is now. They will not be for the purpose of taking away sin, for Christ by His one offering has taken away the sins of His people forever (Heb 10:5-14). Regarding a future temple and offerings – other prophets seem to foretell that there will be such. See Isa 19:21 (vs 22-25 puts the context in the future); Isa 60:7 (in context); Isa 66:20-23; Jer 33:14-18; Hag 2:6-9; Zech 14:16-21; Mal 3:2-4. See also Matt 24:15; 2 Thess 2:4; Rev 11:1,2. 40:44-46 44:15-31. This mention of a group
"Cubits" – a cubit was slightly less than one half meter.
"Tabernacle" – or it could be translated "dwelling place" (for God). 41:3 "Inside" – the Most Holy Place. The angel could enter there, but not Ezekiel. Among men only the high priest could enter that place, and only once a year – Leviticus
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around, and its length was ninety cubits.
brought me into the room that was opposite the separated area, and which was in front of the building facing north. 2 Facing the length, which was a hundred cubits, and the width which was fifty cubits, was the north door. 3 Opposite the inner court of twenty cubits, and opposite the pavement of the outer court, was gallery facing gallery in three stories. 4 And in front of the rooms on the inner side was a walkway ten cubits wide, one cubit away; and their doors faced north. 5 Now the upper rooms were shorter, for the galleries took more space from them than the lower and middle ones of the building. 6 For they were in three stories, and did not have pillars like the pillars of the courts, therefore the building was narrower at the top than at the lower and middle levels from the ground up. 7 And the length of the outside wall that was opposite the rooms facing the outer courtyard at the front of the rooms was fifty cubits. 8 For the length of the rooms that were in the outer courtyard was fifty cubits, but, see, that facing the temple was a hundred cubits. 9 And the eastern entrance was at these rooms, as one goes into them from the outer court.
13 So he measured the temple, a hundred cubits long, and the separated area, and the building with its walls, a hundred cubits long, 14 and the width of the eastern face of the temple and of the separated area, a hundred cubits.
15 And he measured the length of the building opposite the separated area behind it, and its galleries on the one side and on the other side, a hundred cubits, with the inner temple, and the porticoes of the courtyard. 16 Their thresholds and the narrow windows and the galleries all around on their three stories, opposite the threshold, were paneled with wood all around, from the ground up to the windows (the windows being covered) 17 to the space above the door, to the inner house, and outside, and every wall all around, inside and outside, by measure. 18 And it was made with figures of cherubim and palm trees, so that a palm tree was between cherub and cherub. Each cherub had two faces, 19 so that the face of a man was facing the palm tree on the one side, and the face of a young lion faced the palm tree on the other side. They were carved all around the whole temple. 20 From the floor to the space above the door cherubim and palm trees were carved, and on the wall of the temple.
10 There were rooms in the thickness of the wall of the courtyard facing east, opposite the separated area, and opposite the building, 11 with a walkway in front of them. In appearance they were like the rooms which faced north, as long as those, and as wide as those; and all their exits were like their designs, and like their doors. 12 And corresponding to the doors of the rooms facing south was a door at the head of the walkway, the walkway directly in front of the wall to the east, as one goes into them.
21 The doorposts of the temple were square, also the one at the front of the sanctuary. The appearance of the one was the same as the appearance of the other. 22 The wooden altar was three cubits high, and its length two cubits; and its corners, and its length, and its walls, were of wood.
And he said to me, "This is the table that is before the LORD."
13 Then he said to me, "The north rooms and the south rooms, which are in front of the separated area, are holy rooms, where the priests who approach the LORD will eat the most holy things. There they will put the most holy things, and the grain offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy. 14 When the priests enter it, they will not go out of the holy place into the outer courtyard, but put there the garments in which they minister, for they are holy. And they will put on other garments, and approach the places which are for the people."
23 And the temple and the sanctuary had double doors. 24 The doors each had two leaves, two folding leaves; two leaves for one door, and two leaves for the other. 25 And on them, on the doors of the temple, were carved cherubim and palm trees, like the ones carved on the walls; and there was a wooden projection over the front of the outside portico. 26 And on the sides of the portico there were narrow windows and palm trees, on one side and on the other side, and on the side rooms of the house, and on the wooden projection.
15 Now when he had finished measuring the inner temple, he brought me out to the gate which faced toward the east, and measured it all around. 16 He measured the east side with the measuring
Then he brought me out into the outer courtyard, the way facing north; and he
chapter 16; Heb 9:7. 41:18 "Cherubim" – note at Gen 3:24; Ex 25:18-20. Compare 1 Kings 6:29-35. "Two faces" – compare 10:14. 41:22 "The altar" – a table probably for the bread that was to be kept in the Holy Place
(Ex 25:30; 1 Kings 6:20). 42:13,14 Notice again the emphasis on a special priesthood distinguished from the rest of the people. They have special rooms, special food, special clothing. It is not easy to see how this could be spiritually fulfilled
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rod, five hundred rods, all around with the measuring rod. 17 He measured all around the north side with the measuring rod, five hundred rods. 18 He measured the south side with the measuring rod, five hundred rods. 19 He came around to the west side, and measured five hundred rods with the measuring rod. 20 He measured it on the four sides. It had a wall all around, five hundred rods long, and five hundred wide, to separate the holy from the common.
name by their abominations which they committed. Therefore I consumed them in mine anger. 9 Now let them put away their prostitution, and the corpses of their kings, far from me, and I will dwell among them forever.
10 "Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their evil deeds; and let them take the measurements of the pattern. 11 And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, reveal to them the design of the temple, and its arrangement, and its exits, and its entrances, and its complete design, and all its ordinances, and all its forms and all its laws. And write it down in their sight, so that they may keep its whole design, and all of its ordinances, and do them.
Afterward he brought me to the gate, the gate facing toward the east, 2 and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the direction of the east; and his voice was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory. 3 And it was like the appearance of the vision which I had seen before, like the vision that I saw when I came for the destruction of the city; and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the Kebar River; and I went down on my face. 4 And the glory of the LORD came into the temple by the gate facing toward the east. 5 Then the Spirit lifted me up, and took me into the inner court, and I saw the glory of the LORD fill the temple.
12 "This is the law of the temple: All its surrounding area on the top of the mountain will be most holy. See, this is the law of the temple.
13 "And these are the measurements of the altar in cubits (this cubit is to be a cubit and a handbreadth): the base shall be a cubit, and the width a cubit, and its rim all around the edge shall be a span. And this shall be the height of the altar: 14 From the base on the ground to the lower ledge shall be two cubits, and the width one cubit; and from the smaller ledge to the larger ledge shall be four cubits, and the width one cubit. 15 So the altar shall be four cubits. And from the altar rising upward shall be four horns. 16 And the altar hearth shall be twelve cubits long, twelve wide, square at its four corners. 17 And the ledge shall be fourteen cubits long and fourteen wide at its four corners; and the rim around it shall be half a cubit, and its base shall be a cubit all around. And its steps shall face east."
6 And I heard him speaking to me from the temple; and the man stood beside me. 7 And he said to me, "Son of man, this is the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell among the children of Israel forever. The house of Israel will no longer defile my holy name, neither they, nor their kings, by their prostitution or by the corpses of their kings on their high places. 8 When they placed their threshold by my threshold, and their post by my post, with a wall between me and them, they defiled my holy
18 And he said to me, "Son of man, thus says
chapters speak of a permanent arrangement. This was not fulfilled in any temple the Jews ever had until this day.
either in the Church of this New Testament age, or in the eternal ages when God will dwell in the midst of believers. 43:1-5 This remarkable passage reveals the return of the glory which departed earlier. See 11:22,23. Because of the sin of His people God left His temple and His land. Here He is seen returning. Observe that the coming of this glory in the vision is after the people are in the land, after the temple is built. 43:3 See chapters 9 and 10. 43:5 Compare Ex 40:34,35; 1 Kings 8:11. 43:6 "Him" – God Himself, as is clear from the next verse. 43:7 "This is the place of my throne" – compare Jer 3:17; 17:12. In the old temple God was said to be enthroned over the ark (1 Sam 4:4; 2 Sam 6:2; Ps 80:1; 99:1).
"Prostitution" – adultery, or unfaithfulness to God in spiritual matters. See notes at 16:15-34; Ex 34:15; Lev 17:7; 2 Chron 21:11; Jer 2:20. 43:8 "In my anger" – 5:11; 18:10-12; 22:1-15. 43:11 This is one main purpose of this revelation – indeed of all revelation from God. God means for it to promote repentance and obedience.
"If" – perhaps all these chapters remain unfulfilled to this very day because this "if" has not been fulfilled.
"That they may keep" – it would seem from this that there is more in these chapters than mere symbols. They were being given definite regulations to follow. 43:12 A special area distinguished from other areas was to be most holy. 43:13-17 40:47 – the altar of burnt offerings. See Ex 27:1-8. "A handbreadth" (v 13) here means about 22 centimeters. 43:18-27 Note at 40:38-43. Observe how
"Where I will dwell" – note at Ex 25:8. "Children of Israel" – we believe literal Jews are meant because the history of literal Jews with their idolatry, high places and sins is referred to. Also in the New Testament the Church is never called "Israel."
"Forever" – v 9; 37:26-28. These
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the Lord God: These are to be the ordinances of the altar at the time they make it, to offer burnt offerings on it, and to sprinkle blood on it. 19 And you shall give a young bull as a sin offering to the priests, the Levites, who are the descendants of Zadok, who approach me to minister to me, says the Lord God. 20 And you shall take some of its blood, and put it on the four horns of the altar and on the four corners of the ledge, and all around on the rim. Thus you shall cleanse and make atonement for it. 21 Also you shall take the bull of the sin offering, and he shall burn it in the appointed place of the temple, outside the sanctuary.
shall be kept shut. It shall not be opened, and no man shall enter through it, because the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered through it; therefore it shall be kept shut. 3 As for the prince: The prince shall sit by it to eat bread before the LORD. He shall enter through the portico of the gate, and shall go out by the same way."
4 Then he brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple. And I looked and saw that the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD, and I prostrated myself.
5 And the LORD said to me, "Son of man, pay close attention, and see with your eyes, and hear with your ears all that I say to you concerning all the ordinances of the temple of the LORD, and all its laws; and pay close attention to the entrance of the temple, and all the exits of the sanctuary.
22 "And on the second day you shall offer a male goat without blemish as a sin offering; and they shall cleanse the altar, as they cleansed it with the bull. 23 When you have finished cleansing it, you shall offer a young bull without blemish, and a ram without blemish from the flock. 24 And you shall offer them before the LORD, and the priests will throw salt on them, and offer them up as a burnt offering to the LORD.
6 "And you shall say to the rebellious ones, that is, to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord God: O house of Israel, let all your abominations be enough for you. 7 For you brought foreigners into my sanctuary, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, defiling it, my house, when you offered my food, the fat and the blood, and because of all your abominations, they made my covenant void. 8 And you did not keep charge of my holy things; you put keepers in charge of my sanctuary instead of yourselves. 9 Thus says the Lord God: No foreigner, of all the foreigners among the children of Israel, uncircumcised in heart or uncircumcised in flesh, will enter my sanctuary.
25 "Each day for seven days you shall prepare a goat as a sin offering. They shall also prepare a young bull, and a ram from the flock, without blemish. 26 Seven days they shall make atonement for the altar and purify it; and they shall consecrate themselves. 27 And when these days have expired, on the eighth day and onward, it shall be that the priests will make your burnt offerings and your peace offerings on the altar, and I will accept you, says the Lord God."
10 "'And as for the Levites who went far away from me, when Israel went astray, who strayed from me after their idols, they will bear their guilt. 11 Yet they will be servants in my sanctuary, having charge of the gates of the temple, and ministering
Then he brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces east; and it was shut. 2 Then the LORD said to me, "This gate
specific and detailed these instructions are. And they were meant to be followed (v 11). These verses speak of the sprinkling of blood and atonement being made for the altar (see Ex 29:16,37). So the fulfillment of these chapters looks forward to a time when men can defile the altar by their touch – a time, that is, when the people of God would still be in the flesh and have a sinful nature. It cannot, therefore, be speaking of spiritual worship in the ages of eternity. 43:19 Zadok – 40:46. 43:21 Ex 29:14; Lev 4:12,21. 43:27 "Peace offerings" – notes at Leviticus chapter 3.
44:3 "The prince" – 34:24; 37:25. The prince in these chapters cannot be the Messiah, because he needs to offer sin offerings for himself (45:22). 44:4 43:5; Ex 40:35; 1 Kings 8:10,11. 44:5 God was impressing Ezekiel with the importance of the details of His revelation. 44:6 "Abominations" – 5:11; 7:20; 11:18,21; 37:23; Jer 16:18. 44:7 "Uncircumcised in heart" – Jer 9:26; Acts 7:51. Here this means spiritually unprepared and not in covenant relationship with God. 44:8 If we try to put off on others what God has given us to do we prove ourselves unworthy of His service. 44:9 This indicates that at the time of the fulfillment of this vision there will be such people living in the midst of Israel. There is a lesson here for our times as well. Those who are not cleansed by the blood of Christ, not in living relationship with God, should have no place in the Church. 44:10-14 "The Levites who went far away from me" – 16:18-21; 22:26; Jer 2:8; 5:31; 8:1,2; 26:7,8; 32:32.
"Accept you" – they will show their faith by their obedience to these regulations and so God will accept them. Compare 18:6-9. 44:1,2 The shut eastern gate would be a constant reminder to the people that the glory of God had entered by it. It should also remind them of God's promise not to leave again (43:7,9), as He had once done by the east gate of the old temple (10:19; 11:22).