12 And ye shall know H3045 that I am the LORD: H3068 for ye have not walked H1980 in my statutes, H2706 neither executed H6213 my judgments, H4941 but have done H6213 after the manners H4941 of the heathen H1471 that are round about H5439 you.
Behold, every one that useth proverbs H4911 shall use this proverb H4911 against thee, saying, H559 As is the mother, H517 so is her daughter. H1323 Thou art thy mother's H517 daughter, H1323 that lotheth H1602 her husband H376 and her children; H1121 and thou art the sister H269 of thy sisters, H269 which lothed H1602 their husbands H582 and their children: H1121 your mother H517 was an Hittite, H2850 and your father H1 an Amorite. H567 And thine elder H1419 sister H269 is Samaria, H8111 she and her daughters H1323 that dwell H3427 at thy left hand: H8040 and thy younger H6996 sister, H269 that dwelleth H3427 at thy right hand, H3225 is Sodom H5467 and her daughters. H1323 Yet hast thou not walked H1980 after their ways, H1870 nor done H6213 after their abominations: H8441 but, as if that were a very H6985 little H4592 H6962 thing, thou wast corrupted H7843 more than they H2004 in all thy ways. H1870
But were mingled H6148 among the heathen, H1471 and learned H3925 their works. H4639 And they served H5647 their idols: H6091 which were a snare H4170 unto them. Yea, they sacrificed H2076 their sons H1121 and their daughters H1323 unto devils, H7700 And shed H8210 innocent H5355 blood, H1818 even the blood H1818 of their sons H1121 and of their daughters, H1323 whom they sacrificed H2076 unto the idols H6091 of Canaan: H3667 and the land H776 was polluted H2610 with blood. H1818 Thus were they defiled H2930 with their own works, H4639 and went a whoring H2181 with their own inventions. H4611
But did H6213 that which was evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD, H3068 like unto the abominations H8441 of the heathen, H1471 whom the LORD H3068 had cast out H3423 before H6440 the children H1121 of Israel. H3478 For he built H1129 again H7725 the high places H1116 which Hezekiah H3169 his father H1 had broken down, H5422 and he reared up H6965 altars H4196 for Baalim, H1168 and made H6213 groves, H842 and worshipped H7812 all the host H6635 of heaven, H8064 and served H5647 them. Also he built H1129 altars H4196 in the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 whereof the LORD H3068 had said, H559 In Jerusalem H3389 shall my name H8034 be for ever. H5769 And he built H1129 altars H4196 for all the host H6635 of heaven H8064 in the two H8147 courts H2691 of the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068 And he caused H5674 his children H1121 to pass through H5674 the fire H784 in the valley H1516 of the son H1121 of Hinnom: H2011 also he observed times, H6049 and used enchantments, H5172 and used witchcraft, H3784 and dealt H6213 with a familiar spirit, H178 and with wizards: H3049 he wrought H6213 much H7235 evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD, H3068 to provoke him to anger. H3707 And he set H7760 a carved image, H6459 the idol H5566 which he had made, H6213 in the house H1004 of God, H430 of which God H430 had said H559 to David H1732 and to Solomon H8010 his son, H1121 In this house, H1004 and in Jerusalem, H3389 which I have chosen H977 before all the tribes H7626 of Israel, H3478 will I put H7760 my name H8034 for ever: H5865 Neither will I any more H3254 remove H5493 the foot H7272 of Israel H3478 from out H5921 of the land H127 which I have appointed H5975 for your fathers; H1 so that H518 they will take heed H8104 to do H6213 all that I have commanded H6680 them, according to the whole law H8451 and the statutes H2706 and the ordinances H4941 by the hand H3027 of Moses. H4872 So Manasseh H4519 made H8582 Judah H3063 and the inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem H3389 to err, H8582 and to do H6213 worse H7451 than the heathen, H1471 whom the LORD H3068 had destroyed H8045 before H6440 the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
And there they burnt incense H6999 in all the high places, H1116 as did the heathen H1471 whom the LORD H3068 carried away H1540 before H6440 them; and wrought H6213 wicked H7451 things H1697 to provoke the LORD H3068 to anger: H3707 For they served H5647 idols, H1544 whereof the LORD H3068 had said H559 unto them, Ye shall not do H6213 this thing. H1697 Yet the LORD H3068 testified H5749 against Israel, H3478 and against Judah, H3063 by H3027 all the prophets, H5030 and by all the seers, H2374 saying, H559 Turn H7725 ye from your evil H7451 ways, H1870 and keep H8104 my commandments H4687 and my statutes, H2708 according to all the law H8451 which I commanded H6680 your fathers, H1 and which I sent H7971 to you by H3027 my servants H5650 the prophets. H5030 Notwithstanding they would not hear, H8085 but hardened H7185 their necks, H6203 like to the neck H6203 of their fathers, H1 that did not believe H539 in the LORD H3068 their God. H430 And they rejected H3988 his statutes, H2706 and his covenant H1285 that he made H3772 with their fathers, H1 and his testimonies H5715 which he testified H5749 against them; and they followed H3212 H310 vanity, H1892 and became vain, H1891 and went after H310 the heathen H1471 that were round about H5439 them, concerning whom the LORD H3068 had charged H6680 them, that they should not do H6213 like them. And they left H5800 all the commandments H4687 of the LORD H3068 their God, H430 and made H6213 them molten images, H4541 even two H8147 calves, H5695 and made H6213 a grove, H842 and worshipped H7812 all the host H6635 of heaven, H8064 and served H5647 Baal. H1168 And they caused their sons H1121 and their daughters H1323 to pass H5674 through the fire, H784 and used H7080 divination H7081 and enchantments, H5172 and sold H4376 themselves to do H6213 evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD, H3068 to provoke him to anger. H3707 Therefore the LORD H3068 was very H3966 angry H599 with Israel, H3478 and removed H5493 them out of his sight: H6440 there was none left H7604 but the tribe H7626 of Judah H3063 only. Also Judah H3063 kept H8104 not the commandments H4687 of the LORD H3068 their God, H430 but walked H3212 in the statutes H2708 of Israel H3478 which they made. H6213 And the LORD H3068 rejected H3988 all the seed H2233 of Israel, H3478 and afflicted H6031 them, and delivered H5414 them into the hand H3027 of spoilers, H8154 until he had cast H7993 them out of his sight. H6440 For he rent H7167 Israel H3478 from the house H1004 of David; H1732 and they made Jeroboam H3379 the son H1121 of Nebat H5028 king: H4427 and Jeroboam H3379 drave H5080 H5077 Israel H3478 from following H310 the LORD, H3068 and made them sin H2398 a great H1419 sin. H2401 For the children H1121 of Israel H3478 walked H3212 in all the sins H2403 of Jeroboam H3379 which he did; H6213 they departed H5493 not from them; Until the LORD H3068 removed H5493 Israel H3478 out of his sight, H6440 as he had said H1696 by H3027 all his servants H5650 the prophets. H5030 So was Israel H3478 carried away H1540 out of their own land H127 to Assyria H804 unto this day. H3117
And king H4428 Ahaz H271 went H3212 to Damascus H1834 to meet H7125 Tiglathpileser H8407 king H4428 of Assyria, H804 and saw H7200 an altar H4196 that was at Damascus: H1834 and king H4428 Ahaz H271 sent H7971 to Urijah H223 the priest H3548 the fashion H1823 of the altar, H4196 and the pattern H8403 of it, according to all the workmanship H4639 thereof. And Urijah H223 the priest H3548 built H1129 an altar H4196 according to all that king H4428 Ahaz H271 had sent H7971 from Damascus: H1834 so Urijah H223 the priest H3548 made H6213 it against king H4428 Ahaz H271 came H935 from Damascus. H1834
Take heed H8104 to thyself that thou be not snared H5367 by following H310 them, after H310 that they be destroyed H8045 from before H6440 thee; and that thou enquire H1875 not after their gods, H430 saying, H559 How did these nations H1471 serve H5647 their gods? H430 even so will I do H6213 likewise. H1571 Thou shalt not do H6213 so unto the LORD H3068 thy God: H430 for every abomination H8441 to the LORD, H3068 which he hateth, H8130 have they done H6213 unto their gods; H430 for even their sons H1121 and their daughters H1323 they have burnt H8313 in the fire H784 to their gods. H430
Defile H2930 not ye yourselves in any of these things: H428 for in all these the nations H1471 are defiled H2930 which I cast out H7971 before H6440 you: And the land H776 is defiled: H2930 therefore I do visit H6485 the iniquity H5771 thereof upon it, and the land H776 itself vomiteth out H6958 her inhabitants. H3427 Ye shall therefore keep H8104 my statutes H2708 and my judgments, H4941 and shall not commit H6213 any of these abominations; H8441 neither any of your own nation, H249 nor any stranger H1616 that sojourneth H1481 among H8432 you: (For all these H411 abominations H8441 have the men H582 of the land H776 done, H6213 which were before H6440 you, and the land H776 is defiled;) H2930 That the land H776 spue not you out H6958 also, when ye defile H2930 it, as it spued out H6958 the nations H1471 that were before H6440 you.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ezekiel 11
Commentary on Ezekiel 11 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 11
Eze 11:1-25. Prophecy of the Destruction of the Corrupt "Princes of the People;" Pelatiah Dies; Promise of Grace to the Believing Remnant; Departure of the Glory of God from the City; Ezekiel's Return to the Captives.
1. east gate—to which the glory of God had moved itself (Eze 10:19), the chief entrance of the sanctuary; the portico or porch of Solomon. The Spirit moves the prophet thither, to witness, in the presence of the divine glory, a new scene of destruction.
five and twenty men—The same as the twenty-five (that is, twenty-four heads of courses, and the high priest) sun-worshippers seen in Eze 8:16. The leading priests were usually called "princes of the sanctuary" (Isa 43:28) and "chiefs of the priests" (2Ch 36:14); but here two of them are called "princes of the people," with irony, as using their priestly influence to be ringleaders of the people in sin (Eze 11:2). Already the wrath of God had visited the people represented by the elders (Eze 9:6); also the glory of the Lord had left its place in the holy of holies, and, like the cherubim and flaming sword in Eden, had occupied the gate into the deserted sanctuary. The judgment on the representatives of the priesthood naturally follows here, just as the sin of the priests had followed in the description (Eze 8:12, 16) after the sin of the elders.
Jaazaniah—signifying "God hears."
son of Azur—different from Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan (Eze 8:11). Azur means "help." He and Pelatiah ("God delivers"), son of Benaiah ("God builds"), are singled out as Jaazaniah, son of Shaphan, in the case of the seventy elders (Eze 8:11, 12), because their names ought to have reminded them that "God" would have "heard" had they sought His "help" to "deliver" and "build" them up. But, neglecting this, they incurred the heavier judgment by the very relation in which they stood to God [Fairbairn].
2. he—the Lord sitting on the cherubim (Eze 10:2).
wicked counsel—in opposition to the prophets of God (Eze 11:3).
3. It is not near—namely, the destruction of the city; therefore "let us build houses," as if there was no fear. But the Hebrew opposes English Version, which would require the infinitive absolute. Rather, "Not at hand is the building of houses." They sneer at Jeremiah's letter to the captives, among whom Ezekiel lived (Jer 29:5). "Build ye houses, and dwell in them," that is, do not fancy, as many persuade you, that your sojourn in Babylon is to be short; it will be for seventy years (Jer 25:11, 12; 29:10); therefore build houses and settle quietly there. The scorners in Jerusalem reply, Those far off in exile may build if they please, but it is too remote a concern for us to trouble ourselves about [Fairbairn], (Compare Eze 12:22, 27; 2Pe 3:4).
this city … caldron … we … flesh—sneering at Jer 1:13, when he compared the city to a caldron with its mouth towards the north. "Let Jerusalem be so if you will, and we the flesh, exposed to the raging foe from the north, still its fortifications will secure us from the flame of war outside; the city must stand for our sakes, just as the pot exists for the safety of the flesh in it." In opposition to this God says (Eze 11:11), "This city shall not be your caldron, to defend you in it from the foe outside: nay, ye shall be driven out of your imaginary sanctuary and slain in the border of the land." "But," says God, in Eze 11:7, "your slain are the flesh, and this city the caldron; but (not as you fancy, shall ye be kept safe inside) I will bring you forth out of the midst of it"; and again, in Eze 24:3, "Though not a caldron in your sense, Jerusalem shall be so in the sense of its being exposed to a consuming foe, and you yourselves in it and with it."
4. prophesy … prophesy—The repetition marks emphatic earnestness.
5. Spirit … fell upon me—stronger than "entered into me" (Eze 2:2; 3:24), implying the zeal of the Spirit of God roused to immediate indignation at the contempt of God shown by the scorners.
I know—(Ps 139:1-4). Your scornful jests at My word escape not My notice.
6. your slain—those on whom you have brought ruin by your wicked counsels. Bloody crimes within the city brought on it a bloody foe from without (Eze 7:23, 24). They had made it a caldron in which to boil the flesh of God's people (Mic 3:1-3), and eat it by unrighteous oppression; therefore God will make it a caldron in a different sense, one not wherein they may be safe in their guilt, but "out of the midst of" which they shall be "brought forth" (Jer 34:4, 5).
7. The city is a caldron to them, but it shall not be so to you. Ye shall meet your doom on the frontier.
8. The Chaldean sword, to escape which ye abandoned your God, shall be brought on you by God because of that very abandonment of Him.
9. out of the midst thereof—that is, of the city, as captives led into the open plain for judgment.
10. in the border of Israel—on the frontier: at Riblah, in the land of Hamath (compare 2Ki 25:19-21, with 1Ki 8:65).
ye shall know that I am the Lord—by the judgments I inflict (Ps 9:16).
11. (See on Eze 11:3).
12. (De 12:30, 31).
13. Pelaliah—probably the ringleader of the scorners (Eze 11:1); his being stricken dead (like Ananias, Acts 5. 5) was an earnest of the destruction of the rest of the twenty-five, as Ezekiel had foretold, as also of the general ruin.
fell … upon … face—(See on Eze 9:8).
wilt thou make a full end of the remnant—Is Pelatiah's destruction to be the token of the destruction of all, even of the remnant? The people regarded Pelatiah as a mainstay of the city. His name (derived from a Hebrew root, "a remnant," or else "God delivers") suggested hope. Is that hope, asks Ezekiel, to be disappointed?
15. thy brethren … brethren—The repetition implies, "Thy real brethren" are no longer the priests at Jerusalem with whom thou art connected by the natural ties of blood and common temple service, but thy fellow exiles on the Chebar, and the house of Israel whosoever of them belong to the remnant to be spared.
men of thy kindred—literally, "of thy redemption," that is, the nearest relatives, whose duty it was to do the part of Goel, or vindicator and redeemer of a forfeited inheritance (Le 25:25). Ezekiel, seeing the priesthood doomed to destruction, as a priest, felt anxious to vindicate their cause, as if they were his nearest kinsmen and he their Goel. But he is told to look for his true kinsmen in those, his fellow exiles, whom his natural kinsmen at Jerusalem despised, and he is to be their vindicator. Spiritual ties, as in the case of Levi (De 33:9), the type of Messiah (Mt 12:47-50) are to supersede natural ones where the two clash. The hope of better days was to rise from the despised exiles. The gospel principle is shadowed forth here, that the despised of men are often the chosen of God and the highly esteemed among men are often an abomination before Him (Lu 16:15; 1Co 1:26-28). "No door of hope but in the valley of Achor" ("trouble," Ho 2:15), [Fairbairn].
Get you far … unto us is this land—the contemptuous words of those left still in the city at the carrying away of Jeconiah to the exiles, "However far ye be outcasts from the Lord and His temple, we are secure in our possession of the land."
16. Although—anticipating the objection of the priests at Jerusalem, that the exiles were "cast far off." Though this be so, and they are far from the outer temple at Jerusalem, I will be their asylum or sanctuary instead (Ps 90:1; 91:9; Isa 8:14). My shrine is the humble heart: a preparation for gospel catholicity when the local and material temple should give place to the spiritual (Isa 57:15; 66:1; Mal 1:11; Joh 4:21-24; Ac 7:48, 49). The trying discipline of the exile was to chasten the outcasts so as to be meet recipients of God's grace, for which the carnal confidence of the priests disqualified them. The dispersion served the end of spiritualizing and enlarging the views even of the better Jews, so as to be able to worship God everywhere without a material temple; and, at the same time, it diffused some knowledge of God among the greatest Gentile nations, thus providing materials for the gathering in of the Christian Church among the Gentiles; so marvellously did God overrule a present evil for an ultimate good. Still more does all this hold good in the present much longer dispersion which is preparing for a more perfect and universal restoration (Isa 2:2-4; Jer 3:16-18). Their long privation of the temple will prepare them for appreciating the more, but without Jewish narrowness, the temple that is to be (Eze 40:1-44:31).
a little—rather, "for a little season"; No matter how long the captivity may be, the seventy years will be but as a little season, compared with their long subsequent settlement in their land. This holds true only partially in the case of the first restoration; but as in a few centuries they were dispersed again, the full and permanent restoration is yet future (Jer 24:6).
17. (Eze 28:25; 34:13; 36:24).
18. They have eschewed every vestige of idolatry ever since their return from Babylon. But still the Shekinah glory had departed, the ark was not restored, nor was the second temple strictly inhabited by God until He came who made it more glorious than the first temple (Hag 2:9); even then His stay was short, and ended in His being rejected; so that the full realization of the promise must still be future.
19. I will give them—lest they should claim to themselves the praise given them in Eze 11:18, God declares it is to be the free gift of His Spirit.
one heart—not singleness, that is, uprightness, but oneness of heart in all, unanimously seeking Him in contrast to their state at that time, when only single scattered individuals sought God (Jer 32:39; Zep 3:9) [Hengstenberg]. Or, "content with one God," not distracted with "the many detestable things" (Eze 11:18; 1Ki 18:21; Ho 10:2) [Calvin].
new spirit—(Ps 51:10; Jer 31:33). Realized fully in the "new creature" of the New Testament (2Co 5:17); having new motives, new rules, new aims.
stony heart—like "adamant" (Zec 7:12); the natural heart of every man.
heart of flesh—impressible to what is good, tender.
20. walk in my statutes—Regeneration shows itself by its fruits (Ga 5:22, 25).
they … my people, … I … their God—(Eze 14:11; 36:28; 37:27; Jer 24:7). In its fullest sense still future (Zec 13:9).
21. whose heart … after … heart of … detestable things—The repetition of "heart" is emphatic, signifying that the heart of those who so obstinately clung to idols, impelled itself to fresh superstitions in one continuous tenor [Calvin]. Perhaps it is implied that they and their idols are much alike in character (Ps 115:8). The heart walks astray first, the feet follow.
recompense … way upon … heads—They have abandoned Me, so will I abandon them; they profaned My temple, so will I profane it by the Chaldeans (Eze 9:10).
23. The Shekinah glory now moves from the east gate (Eze 10:4, 19) to the Mount of Olives, altogether abandoning the temple. The mount was chosen as being the height whence the missiles of the foe were about to descend on the city. So it was from it that Jesus ascended to heaven when about to send His judgments on the Jews; and from it He predicted its overthrow before His crucifixion (Mt 24:3). It is also to be the scene of His return in person to deliver His people (Zec 14:4), when He shall come by the same way as He went, "the way of the east" (Eze 43:2).
24. brought me in a vision—not in actual fact, but in ecstatic vision. He had been as to the outward world all the time before the elders (Eze 8:3) in Chaldea; he now reports what he had witnessed with the inner eye.
25. things … showed me—literally, "words"; an appropriate expression; for the word communicated to him was not simply a word, but one clothed with outward symbols "shown" to him as in the sacrament, which Augustine terms "the visible word" [Calvin].