Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Ezekiel » Chapter 20 » Verse 36

Ezekiel 20:36 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

36 Like as I pleaded H8199 with your fathers H1 in the wilderness H4057 of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 so will I plead H8199 with you, saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069

Cross Reference

Numbers 11:1-35 STRONG

And when the people H5971 complained, H596 it displeased H7451 H241 the LORD: H3068 and the LORD H3068 heard H8085 it; and his anger H639 was kindled; H2734 and the fire H784 of the LORD H3068 burnt H1197 among them, and consumed H398 them that were in the uttermost parts H7097 of the camp. H4264 And the people H5971 cried H6817 unto Moses; H4872 and when Moses H4872 prayed H6419 unto the LORD, H3068 the fire H784 was quenched. H8257 And he called H7121 the name H8034 of the H1931 place H4725 Taberah: H8404 because the fire H784 of the LORD H3068 burnt H1197 among them. And the mixt multitude H628 that was among H7130 them fell a lusting: H183 H8378 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 also wept H1058 again, H7725 and said, H559 Who shall give us flesh H1320 to eat? H398 We remember H2142 the fish, H1710 which we did eat H398 in Egypt H4714 freely; H2600 the cucumbers, H7180 and the melons, H20 and the leeks, H2682 and the onions, H1211 and the garlick: H7762 But now our soul H5315 is dried away: H3002 there is nothing at all, beside H1115 this manna, H4478 before our eyes. H5869 And the manna H4478 was as coriander H1407 seed, H2233 and the colour H5869 thereof as the colour H5869 of bdellium. H916 And the people H5971 went about, H7751 and gathered H3950 it, and ground H2912 it in mills, H7347 or beat H1743 it in a mortar, H4085 and baked H1310 it in pans, H6517 and made H6213 cakes H5692 of it: and the taste H2940 of it was as the taste H2940 of fresh H3955 oil. H8081 And when the dew H2919 fell H3381 upon the camp H4264 in the night, H3915 the manna H4478 fell H3381 upon it. Then Moses H4872 heard H8085 the people H5971 weep H1058 throughout their families, H4940 every man H376 in the door H6607 of his tent: H168 and the anger H639 of the LORD H3068 was kindled H2734 greatly; H3966 Moses H4872 also was displeased. H7489 H5869 And Moses H4872 said H559 unto the LORD, H3068 Wherefore hast thou afflicted H7489 thy servant? H5650 and wherefore have I not found H4672 favour H2580 in thy sight, H5869 that thou layest H7760 the burden H4853 of all this people H5971 upon me? Have I conceived H2029 all this people? H5971 have I begotten H3205 them, that thou shouldest say H559 unto me, Carry H5375 them in thy bosom, H2436 as a nursing father H539 beareth H5375 the sucking child, H3243 unto the land H127 which thou swarest H7650 unto their fathers? H1 Whence H370 should I have flesh H1320 to give H5414 unto all this people? H5971 for they weep H1058 unto me, saying, H559 Give H5414 us flesh, H1320 that we may eat. H398 I am not able H3201 to bear H5375 all this people H5971 alone, H905 because it is too heavy H3515 for me. And if thou deal H6213 thus with me, kill H2026 me, I pray thee, out of hand, H2026 if I have found H4672 favour H2580 in thy sight; H5869 and let me not see H7200 my wretchedness. H7451 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Gather H622 unto me seventy H7657 men H376 of the elders H2205 of Israel, H3478 whom thou knowest H3045 to be the elders H2205 of the people, H5971 and officers H7860 over them; and bring H3947 them unto the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 that they may stand H3320 there with thee. And I will come down H3381 and talk H1696 with thee there: and I will take H680 of the spirit H7307 which is upon thee, and will put H7760 it upon them; and they shall bear H5375 the burden H4853 of the people H5971 with thee, that thou bear H5375 it not thyself alone. And say H559 thou unto the people, H5971 Sanctify H6942 yourselves against to morrow, H4279 and ye shall eat H398 flesh: H1320 for ye have wept H1058 in the ears H241 of the LORD, H3068 saying, H559 Who shall give us flesh H1320 to eat? H398 for it was well H2895 with us in Egypt: H4714 therefore the LORD H3068 will give H5414 you flesh, H1320 and ye shall eat. H398 Ye shall not eat H398 one H259 day, H3117 nor two days, H3117 nor five H2568 days, H3117 neither ten H6235 days, H3117 nor twenty H6242 days; H3117 But even a whole month, H2320 H3117 until it come out H3318 at your nostrils, H639 and it be loathsome H2214 unto you: because H3282 that ye have despised H3988 the LORD H3068 which is among H7130 you, and have wept H1058 before H6440 him, saying, H559 Why came we forth H3318 out of Egypt? H4714 And Moses H4872 said, H559 The people, H5971 among H7130 whom I am, are six H8337 hundred H3967 thousand H505 footmen; H7273 and thou hast said, H559 I will give H5414 them flesh, H1320 that they may eat H398 a whole H3117 month. H2320 Shall the flocks H6629 and the herds H1241 be slain H7819 for them, to suffice H4672 them? or shall all the fish H1709 of the sea H3220 be gathered together H622 for them, to suffice H4672 them? And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Is the LORD'S H3068 hand H3027 waxed short? H7114 thou shalt see H7200 now whether my word H1697 shall come to pass H7136 unto thee or not. And Moses H4872 went out, H3318 and told H1696 the people H5971 the words H1697 of the LORD, H3068 and gathered H622 the seventy H7657 men H376 of the elders H2205 of the people, H5971 and set H5975 them round about H5439 the tabernacle. H168 And the LORD H3068 came down H3381 in a cloud, H6051 and spake H1696 unto him, and took H680 of the spirit H7307 that was upon him, and gave H5414 it unto the seventy H7657 elders: H2205 H376 and it came to pass, that, when the spirit H7307 rested H5117 upon them, they prophesied, H5012 and did not cease. H3254 But there remained H7604 two H8147 of the men H582 in the camp, H4264 the name H8034 of the one H259 was Eldad, H419 and the name H8034 of the other H8145 Medad: H4312 and the spirit H7307 rested H5117 upon them; and they were of them that were written, H3789 but went not out H3318 unto the tabernacle: H168 and they prophesied H5012 in the camp. H4264 And there ran H7323 a young man, H5288 and told H5046 Moses, H4872 and said, H559 Eldad H419 and Medad H4312 do prophesy H5012 in the camp. H4264 And Joshua H3091 the son H1121 of Nun, H5126 the servant H8334 of Moses, H4872 one of his young men, H979 answered H6030 and said, H559 My lord H113 Moses, H4872 forbid H3607 them. And Moses H4872 said H559 unto him, Enviest H7065 thou for my sake? would God that all the H5414 LORD'S H3068 people H5971 were prophets, H5030 and that the LORD H3068 would put H5414 his spirit H7307 upon them! And Moses H4872 gat H622 him into the camp, H4264 he and the elders H2205 of Israel. H3478 And there went forth H5265 a wind H7307 from the LORD, H3068 and brought H1468 quails H7958 from the sea, H3220 and let them fall H5203 by the camp, H4264 as it were a day's H3117 journey H1870 on this side, H3541 and as it were a day's H3117 journey H1870 on the other side, H3541 round about H5439 the camp, H4264 and as it were two cubits H520 high upon the face H6440 of the earth. H776 And the people H5971 stood up H6965 all that day, H3117 and all that night, H3915 and all the next H4283 day, H3117 and they gathered H622 the quails: H7958 he that gathered least H4591 gathered H622 ten H6235 homers: H2563 and they spread H7849 them all abroad H7849 for themselves round about H5439 the camp. H4264 And while the flesh H1320 was yet H2962 between their teeth, H8127 ere it was chewed, H3772 the wrath H639 of the LORD H3068 was kindled H2734 against the people, H5971 and the LORD H3068 smote H5221 the people H5971 with a very H3966 great H7227 plague. H4347 And he called H7121 the name H8034 of that place H4725 Kibrothhattaavah: H6914 because there they buried H6912 the people H5971 that lusted. H183 And the people H5971 journeyed H5265 from Kibrothhattaavah H6914 unto Hazeroth; H2698 and abode at Hazeroth. H2698

1 Corinthians 10:5-10 STRONG

But G235 with G1722 many G4119 of them G846 God G2316 was G2106 not G3756 well pleased: G2106 for G1063 they were overthrown G2693 in G1722 the wilderness. G2048 Now G1161 these things G5023 were G1096 our G2257 examples, G5179 to the intent G1519 we G2248 should G1511 not G3361 lust after evil G2556 things, G1938 as G2531 they also G2548 lusted. G1937 Neither G3366 be ye G1096 idolaters, G1496 as G2531 were some G5100 of them; G846 as G5613 it is written, G1125 The people G2992 sat down G2523 to eat G5315 and G2532 drink, G4095 and G2532 rose up G450 to play. G3815 Neither G3366 let us commit fornication, G4203 as G2531 some G5100 of them G846 committed, G4203 and G2532 fell G4098 in G1722 one G3391 day G2250 three G5140 and twenty G1501 thousand. G5505 Neither G3366 let us tempt G1598 Christ, G5547 as G2531 some G5100 of them G846 also G2532 tempted, G3985 and G2532 were destroyed G622 of G5259 serpents. G3789 Neither G3366 murmur ye, G1111 as G2531 some G5100 of them G846 also G2532 murmured, G1111 and G2532 were destroyed G622 of G5259 the destroyer. G3644

Exodus 32:7-35 STRONG

And the LORD H3068 said H1696 unto Moses, H4872 Go, H3212 get thee down; H3381 for thy people, H5971 which thou broughtest H5927 out of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 have corrupted H7843 themselves: They have turned H5493 aside quickly H4118 out of the way H1870 which I commanded H6680 them: they have made H6213 them a molten H4541 calf, H5695 and have worshipped H7812 it, and have sacrificed H2076 thereunto, and said, H559 These be thy gods, H430 O Israel, H3478 which have brought thee up H5927 out of the land H776 of Egypt. H4714 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 I have seen H7200 this people, H5971 and, behold, it is a stiffnecked H7186 H6203 people: H5971 Now therefore let me alone, H3240 that my wrath H639 may wax hot H2734 against them, and that I may consume H3615 them: and I will make H6213 of thee a great H1419 nation. H1471 And Moses H4872 besought H2470 H6440 the LORD H3068 his God, H430 and said, H559 LORD, H3068 why doth thy wrath H639 wax hot H2734 against thy people, H5971 which thou hast brought forth H3318 out of the land H776 of Egypt H4714 with great H1419 power, H3581 and with a mighty H2389 hand? H3027 Wherefore should the Egyptians H4714 speak, H559 and say, H559 For mischief H7451 did he bring H3318 them out, to slay H2026 them in the mountains, H2022 and to consume H3615 them from the face H6440 of the earth? H127 Turn H7725 from thy fierce H2740 wrath, H639 and repent H5162 of this evil H7451 against thy people. H5971 Remember H2142 Abraham, H85 Isaac, H3327 and Israel, H3478 thy servants, H5650 to whom thou swarest H7650 by thine own self, and saidst H1696 unto them, I will multiply H7235 your seed H2233 as the stars H3556 of heaven, H8064 and all this land H776 that I have spoken H559 of will I give H5414 unto your seed, H2233 and they shall inherit H5157 it for ever. H5769 And the LORD H3068 repented H5162 of the evil H7451 which he thought H1696 to do H6213 unto his people. H5971 And Moses H4872 turned, H6437 and went down H3381 from the mount, H2022 and the two H8147 tables H3871 of the testimony H5715 were in his hand: H3027 the tables H3871 were written H3789 on both H8147 their sides; H5676 on the one side and on the other were they written. H3789 And the tables H3871 were the work H4639 of God, H430 and the writing H4385 was the writing H4385 of God, H430 graven H2801 upon the tables. H3871 And when Joshua H3091 heard H8085 the noise H6963 of the people H5971 as they shouted, H7452 he said H559 unto Moses, H4872 There is a noise H6963 of war H4421 in the camp. H4264 And he said, H559 It is not the voice H6963 of them that shout H6030 for mastery, H1369 neither is it the voice H6963 of them that cry H6030 for being overcome: H2476 but the noise H6963 of them that sing H6031 do I hear. H8085 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh H7126 unto the camp, H4264 that he saw H7200 the calf, H5695 and the dancing: H4246 and Moses' H4872 anger H639 waxed hot, H2734 and he cast H7993 the tables H3871 out of his hands, H3027 and brake H7665 them beneath H8478 the mount. H2022 And he took H3947 the calf H5695 which they had made, H6213 and burnt H8313 it in the fire, H784 and ground H2912 it to powder, H1854 and strawed H2219 it upon H6440 the water, H4325 and made the children H1121 of Israel H3478 drink H8248 of it. And Moses H4872 said H559 unto Aaron, H175 What did H6213 this people H5971 unto thee, that thou hast brought H935 so great H1419 a sin H2401 upon them? And Aaron H175 said, H559 Let not the anger H639 of my lord H113 wax hot: H2734 thou knowest H3045 the people, H5971 that they are set on mischief. H7451 For they said H559 unto me, Make H6213 us gods, H430 which shall go H3212 before H6440 us: for as for this Moses, H4872 the man H376 that brought us up H5927 out of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 we wot H3045 not what is become of him. And I said H559 unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, H2091 let them break H6561 it off. So they gave H5414 it me: then I cast H7993 it into the fire, H784 and there came out H3318 this calf. H5695 And when Moses H4872 saw H7200 that the people H5971 were naked; H6544 (for Aaron H175 had made them naked H6544 unto their shame H8103 among their enemies:) H6965 Then Moses H4872 stood H5975 in the gate H8179 of the camp, H4264 and said, H559 Who is on the LORD'S H3068 side? let him come unto me. And all the sons H1121 of Levi H3878 gathered H622 themselves together unto him. And he said H559 unto them, Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 Put H7760 every man H376 his sword H2719 by his side, H3409 and go H5674 in and out H7725 from gate H8179 to gate H8179 throughout the camp, H4264 and slay H2026 every man H376 his brother, H251 and every man H376 his companion, H7453 and every man H376 his neighbour. H7138 And the children H1121 of Levi H3878 did H6213 according to the word H1697 of Moses: H4872 and there fell H5307 of the people H5971 that day H3117 about three H7969 thousand H505 men. H376 For Moses H4872 had said, H559 Consecrate yourselves H4390 H3027 to day H3117 to the LORD, H3068 even H3588 every man H376 upon his son, H1121 and upon his brother; H251 that he may bestow H5414 upon you a blessing H1293 this day. H3117 And it came to pass on the morrow, H4283 that Moses H4872 said H559 unto the people, H5971 Ye have sinned H2398 a great H1419 sin: H2401 and now I will go up H5927 unto the LORD; H3068 peradventure H194 I shall make an atonement H3722 for H1157 your sin. H2403 And Moses H4872 returned H7725 unto the LORD, H3068 and said, H559 Oh, H577 this people H5971 have sinned H2398 a great H1419 sin, H2401 and have made H6213 them gods H430 of gold. H2091 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive H5375 their sin—; H2403 and if not, blot H4229 me, I pray thee, out of thy book H5612 which thou hast written. H3789 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Whosoever H834 hath sinned H2398 against me, him will I blot out H4229 of my book. H5612 Therefore now go, H3212 lead H5148 the people H5971 unto the place of which I have spoken H1696 unto thee: behold, mine Angel H4397 shall go H3212 before H6440 thee: nevertheless in the day H3117 when I visit H6485 I will visit H6485 their sin H2403 upon them. And the LORD H3068 plagued H5062 the people, H5971 because H834 they made H6213 the calf, H5695 which H834 Aaron H175 made. H6213

Numbers 14:1-45 STRONG

And all the congregation H5712 lifted up H5375 their voice, H6963 and cried; H5414 and the people H5971 wept H1058 that night. H3915 And all the children H1121 of Israel H3478 murmured H3885 against Moses H4872 and against Aaron: H175 and the whole congregation H5712 said H559 unto them, Would God H3863 that we had died H4191 in the land H776 of Egypt! H4714 or would God H3863 we had died H4191 in this wilderness! H4057 And wherefore hath the LORD H3068 brought H935 us unto this land, H776 to fall H5307 by the sword, H2719 that our wives H802 and our children H2945 should be a prey? H957 were it not better H2896 for us to return H7725 into Egypt? H4714 And they said H559 one H376 to another, H251 Let us make H5414 a captain, H7218 and let us return H7725 into Egypt. H4714 Then Moses H4872 and Aaron H175 fell H5307 on their faces H6440 before H6440 all the assembly H6951 of the congregation H5712 of the children H1121 of Israel. H3478 And Joshua H3091 the son H1121 of Nun, H5126 and Caleb H3612 the son H1121 of Jephunneh, H3312 which were of them that searched H8446 the land, H776 rent H7167 their clothes: H899 And they spake H559 unto all the company H5712 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 The land, H776 which we passed H5674 through to search H8446 it, is an exceeding H3966 H3966 good H2896 land. H776 If the LORD H3068 delight H2654 in us, then he will bring H935 us into this land, H776 and give H5414 it us; a land H776 which floweth H2100 with milk H2461 and honey. H1706 Only rebel H4775 not ye against the LORD, H3068 neither fear H3372 ye the people H5971 of the land; H776 for they are bread H3899 for us: their defence H6738 is departed H5493 from them, and the LORD H3068 is with us: fear H3372 them not. But all the congregation H5712 bade H559 stone H7275 them with stones. H68 And the glory H3519 of the LORD H3068 appeared H7200 in the tabernacle H168 of the congregation H4150 before all the children H1121 of Israel. H3478 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 How long will this people H5971 provoke H5006 me? and how long will it be ere H3808 they believe H539 me, for all the signs H226 which I have shewed H6213 among H7130 them? I will smite H5221 them with the pestilence, H1698 and disinherit H3423 them, and will make H6213 of thee a greater H1419 nation H1471 and mightier H6099 than they. And Moses H4872 said H559 unto the LORD, H3068 Then the Egyptians H4714 shall hear H8085 it, (for thou broughtest up H5927 this people H5971 in thy might H3581 from among H7130 them;) And they will tell H559 it to the inhabitants H3427 of this land: H776 for they have heard H8085 that thou LORD H3068 art among H7130 this people, H5971 that thou LORD H3068 art seen H7200 face H5869 to face, H5869 and that thy cloud H6051 standeth H5975 over them, and that thou goest H1980 before H6440 them, by day time H3119 in a pillar H5982 of a cloud, H6051 and in a pillar H5982 of fire H784 by night. H3915 Now if thou shalt kill H4191 all this people H5971 as one H259 man, H376 then the nations H1471 which have heard H8085 the fame H8088 of thee will speak, H559 saying, H559 Because the LORD H3068 was not H1115 able H3201 to bring H935 this people H5971 into the land H776 which he sware H7650 unto them, therefore he hath slain H7819 them in the wilderness. H4057 And now, I beseech thee, let the power H3581 of my Lord H136 be great, H1431 according H834 as thou hast spoken, H1696 saying, H559 The LORD H3068 is longsuffering, H750 H639 and of great H7227 mercy, H2617 forgiving H5375 iniquity H5771 and transgression, H6588 and by no means H5352 clearing H5352 the guilty, visiting H6485 the iniquity H5771 of the fathers H1 upon the children H1121 unto the third H8029 and fourth H7256 generation. Pardon, H5545 I beseech thee, the iniquity H5771 of this people H5971 according unto the greatness H1433 of thy mercy, H2617 and as thou hast forgiven H5375 this people, H5971 from Egypt H4714 even until now. H2008 And the LORD H3068 said, H559 I have pardoned H5545 according to thy word: H1697 But as truly H199 as I live, H2416 all the earth H776 shall be filled H4390 with the glory H3519 of the LORD. H3068 Because all those men H582 which have seen H7200 my glory, H3519 and my miracles, H226 which I did H6213 in Egypt H4714 and in the wilderness, H4057 and have tempted H5254 H853 me now these ten H6235 times, H6471 and have not hearkened H8085 to my voice; H6963 Surely they shall not H518 see H7200 the land H776 which I sware H7650 unto their fathers, H1 neither shall any of them that provoked H5006 me see H7200 it: But my servant H5650 Caleb, H3612 because H6118 he had another H312 spirit H7307 with him, and hath followed H310 me fully, H4390 him will I bring H935 into the land H776 whereinto he went; H935 and his seed H2233 shall possess H3423 it. (Now the Amalekites H6003 and the Canaanites H3669 dwelt H3427 in the valley.) H6010 To morrow H4279 turn H6437 you, and get H5265 you into the wilderness H4057 by the way H1870 of the Red H5488 sea. H3220 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses H4872 and unto Aaron, H175 saying, H559 How long shall I bear with this evil H7451 congregation, H5712 which murmur H3885 against me? I have heard H8085 the murmurings H8519 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 which they murmur H3885 against me. Say H559 unto them, As truly as H3808 I live, H2416 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 as ye have spoken H1696 in mine ears, H241 so will I do H6213 to you: Your carcases H6297 shall fall H5307 in this wilderness; H4057 and all that were numbered H6485 of you, according to your whole number, H4557 from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and upward, H4605 which have murmured H3885 against me, Doubtless ye shall not H518 come H935 into the land, H776 concerning which I sware H3027 H5375 to make you dwell H7931 therein, save Caleb H3612 the son H1121 of Jephunneh, H3312 and Joshua H3091 the son H1121 of Nun. H5126 But your little ones, H2945 which ye said H559 should be a prey, H957 them will I bring in, H935 and they shall know H3045 the land H776 which ye have despised. H3988 But as for you, your carcases, H6297 they shall fall H5307 in this wilderness. H4057 And your children H1121 shall wander H7462 in the wilderness H4057 forty H705 years, H8141 and bear H5375 your whoredoms, H2184 until your carcases H6297 be wasted H8552 in the wilderness. H4057 After the number H4557 of the days H3117 in which ye searched H8446 the land, H776 even forty H705 days, H3117 each day H3117 for a year, H8141 H3117 H8141 shall ye bear H5375 your iniquities, H5771 even forty H705 years, H8141 and ye shall know H3045 my breach of promise. H8569 I the LORD H3068 have said, H1696 I will surely H518 H3808 do H6213 it H2063 unto all this evil H7451 congregation, H5712 that are gathered together H3259 against me: in this wilderness H4057 they shall be consumed, H8552 and there they shall die. H4191 And the men, H582 which Moses H4872 sent H7971 to search H8446 the land, H776 who returned, H7725 and made all the congregation H5712 to murmur H3885 H3885 against him, by bringing up H3318 a slander H1681 upon the land, H776 Even those H582 men H582 that did bring up H3318 the evil H7451 report H1681 upon the land, H776 died H4191 by the plague H4046 before H6440 the LORD. H3068 But Joshua H3091 the son H1121 of Nun, H5126 and Caleb H3612 the son H1121 of Jephunneh, H3312 which were of the men H1992 H582 that went H1980 to search H8446 the land, H776 lived H2421 still. And Moses H4872 told H1696 these sayings H1697 unto all the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 and the people H5971 mourned H56 greatly. H3966 And they rose up early H7925 in the morning, H1242 and gat them up H5927 into the top H7218 of the mountain, H2022 saying, H559 Lo, H2009 we be here, and will go up H5927 unto the place H4725 which the LORD H3068 hath promised: H559 for we have sinned. H2398 And Moses H4872 said, H559 Wherefore now do ye transgress H5674 the commandment H6310 of the LORD? H3068 but it shall not prosper. H6743 Go not up, H5927 for the LORD H3068 is not among H7130 you; that ye be not smitten H5062 before H6440 your enemies. H341 For the Amalekites H6003 and the Canaanites H3669 are there before H6440 you, and ye shall fall H5307 by the sword: H2719 because ye are turned H7725 away H310 from the LORD, H3068 therefore the LORD H3068 will not be with you. But they presumed H6075 to go up H5927 unto the hill H2022 top: H7218 nevertheless the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD, H3068 and Moses, H4872 departed H4185 not out H7130 of the camp. H4264 Then the Amalekites H6003 came down, H3381 and the Canaanites H3669 which dwelt H3427 in that hill, H2022 and smote H5221 them, and discomfited H3807 them, even unto Hormah. H2767

Numbers 16:1-50 STRONG

Now Korah, H7141 the son H1121 of Izhar, H3324 the son H1121 of Kohath, H6955 the son H1121 of Levi, H3878 and Dathan H1885 and Abiram, H48 the sons H1121 of Eliab, H446 and On, H203 the son H1121 of Peleth, H6431 sons H1121 of Reuben, H7205 took H3947 men: And they rose up H6965 before H6440 Moses, H4872 with certain H582 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 two hundred H3967 and fifty H2572 princes H5387 of the assembly, H5712 famous H7148 in the congregation, H4150 men H582 of renown: H8034 And they gathered themselves together H6950 against Moses H4872 and against Aaron, H175 and said H559 unto them, Ye take too much H7227 upon you, seeing all the congregation H5712 are holy, H6918 every one of them, and the LORD H3068 is among H8432 them: wherefore then lift ye up H5375 yourselves above the congregation H6951 of the LORD? H3068 And when Moses H4872 heard H8085 it, he fell H5307 upon his face: H6440 And he spake H1696 unto Korah H7141 and unto all his company, H5712 saying, H559 Even to morrow H1242 the LORD H3068 will shew H3045 who are his, and who is holy; H6918 and will cause him to come near H7126 unto him: even him whom he hath chosen H977 will he cause to come near H7126 unto him. This do; H6213 Take H3947 you censers, H4289 Korah, H7141 and all his company; H5712 And put H5414 fire H784 therein, H2004 and put H7760 incense H7004 in them before H6440 the LORD H3068 to morrow: H4279 and it shall be that the man H376 whom the LORD H3068 doth choose, H977 he shall be holy: H6918 ye take too much H7227 upon you, ye sons H1121 of Levi. H3878 And Moses H4872 said H559 unto Korah, H7141 Hear, H8085 I pray you, ye sons H1121 of Levi: H3878 Seemeth it but a small thing H4592 unto you, that the God H430 of Israel H3478 hath separated H914 you from the congregation H5712 of Israel, H3478 to bring you near H7126 to himself to do H5647 the service H5656 of the tabernacle H4908 of the LORD, H3068 and to stand H5975 before H6440 the congregation H5712 to minister H8334 unto them? And he hath brought thee near H7126 to him, and all thy brethren H251 the sons H1121 of Levi H3878 with thee: and seek H1245 ye the priesthood H3550 also? For which cause H3651 both thou and all thy company H5712 are gathered together H3259 against the LORD: H3068 and what is Aaron, H175 that ye murmur H3885 H3885 against him? And Moses H4872 sent H7971 to call H7121 Dathan H1885 and Abiram, H48 the sons H1121 of Eliab: H446 which said, H559 We will not come up: H5927 Is it a small thing H4592 that H3588 thou hast brought us up H5927 out of a land H776 that floweth H2100 with milk H2461 and honey, H1706 to kill H4191 us in the wilderness, H4057 except thou make H8323 thyself altogether H8323 a prince H8323 over us? Moreover H637 thou hast not brought H935 us into a land H776 that floweth H2100 with milk H2461 and honey, H1706 or given H5414 us inheritance H5159 of fields H7704 and vineyards: H3754 wilt thou put out H5365 the eyes H5869 of these men? H582 we will not come up. H5927 And Moses H4872 was very H3966 wroth, H2734 and said H559 unto the LORD, H3068 Respect H6437 not thou their offering: H4503 I have not taken H5375 one H259 ass H2543 from them, neither have I hurt H7489 one H259 of them. And Moses H4872 said H559 unto Korah, H7141 Be thou and all thy company H5712 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 thou, and they, and Aaron, H175 to morrow: H4279 And take H3947 every man H376 his censer, H4289 and put H5414 incense H7004 in them, and bring H7126 ye before H6440 the LORD H3068 every man H376 his censer, H4289 two hundred H3967 and fifty H2572 censers; H4289 thou also, and Aaron, H175 each H376 of you his censer. H4289 And they took H3947 every man H376 his censer, H4289 and put H5414 fire H784 in them, and laid H7760 incense H7004 thereon, and stood H5975 in the door H6607 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation H4150 with Moses H4872 and Aaron. H175 And Korah H7141 gathered H6950 all the congregation H5712 against them unto the door H6607 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation: H4150 and the glory H3519 of the LORD H3068 appeared H7200 unto all the congregation. H5712 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses H4872 and unto Aaron, H175 saying, H559 Separate H914 yourselves from among H8432 this congregation, H5712 that I may consume H3615 them in a moment. H7281 And they fell H5307 upon their faces, H6440 and said, H559 O God, H410 the God H430 of the spirits H7307 of all flesh, H1320 shall one H259 man H376 sin, H2398 and wilt thou be wroth H7107 with all the congregation? H5712 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559 Speak H1696 unto the congregation, H5712 saying, H559 Get you up H5927 from about H5439 the tabernacle H4908 of Korah, H7141 Dathan, H1885 and Abiram. H48 And Moses H4872 rose up H6965 and went H3212 unto Dathan H1885 and Abiram; H48 and the elders H2205 of Israel H3478 followed H3212 him. H310 And he spake H1696 unto the congregation, H5712 saying, H559 Depart, H5493 I pray you, from the tents H168 of these wicked H7563 men, H582 and touch H5060 nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed H5595 in all their sins. H2403 So they gat up H5927 from the tabernacle H4908 of Korah, H7141 Dathan, H1885 and Abiram, H48 on every side: H5439 and Dathan H1885 and Abiram H48 came out, H3318 and stood H5324 in the door H6607 of their tents, H168 and their wives, H802 and their sons, H1121 and their little children. H2945 And Moses H4872 said, H559 Hereby ye shall know H3045 that the LORD H3068 hath sent H7971 me to do H6213 all these works; H4639 for I have not done them of mine own mind. H3820 If these men die H4191 the common death H4194 of all men, H120 or if they be visited H6485 after the visitation H6486 of all men; H120 then the LORD H3068 hath not sent H7971 me. But if the LORD H3068 make H1254 a new thing, H1278 and the earth H127 open H6475 her mouth, H6310 and swallow them up, H1104 with all that appertain unto them, and they go down H3381 quick H2416 into the pit; H7585 then ye shall understand H3045 that these men H582 have provoked H5006 the LORD. H3068 And it came to pass, as he had made an end H3615 of speaking H1696 all these words, H1697 that the ground H127 clave asunder H1234 that was under them: And the earth H776 opened H6605 her mouth, H6310 and swallowed them up, H1104 and their houses, H1004 and all the men H120 that appertained unto Korah, H7141 and all their goods. H7399 They, and all that appertained to them, went down H3381 alive H2416 into the pit, H7585 and the earth H776 closed H3680 upon them: and they perished H6 from among H8432 the congregation. H6951 And all Israel H3478 that were round about H5439 them fled H5127 at the cry H6963 of them: for they said, H559 Lest the earth H776 swallow us up H1104 also. And there came out H3318 a fire H784 from the LORD, H3068 and consumed H398 the two hundred H3967 and fifty H2572 men H376 that offered H7126 incense. H7004 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559 Speak H559 unto Eleazar H499 the son H1121 of Aaron H175 the priest, H3548 that he take up H7311 the censers H4289 out H996 of the burning, H8316 and scatter H2219 thou the fire H784 yonder; H1973 for they are hallowed. H6942 The censers H4289 of these sinners H2400 against their own souls, H5315 let them make H6213 them broad H7555 plates H6341 for a covering H6826 of the altar: H4196 for they offered H7126 them before H6440 the LORD, H3068 therefore they are hallowed: H6942 and they shall be a sign H226 unto the children H1121 of Israel. H3478 And Eleazar H499 the priest H3548 took H3947 the brasen H5178 censers, H4289 wherewith they that were burnt H8313 had offered; H7126 and they were made broad H7554 plates for a covering H6826 of the altar: H4196 To be a memorial H2146 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 that H834 H4616 no stranger, H376 H2114 which is not of the seed H2233 of Aaron, H175 come near H7126 to offer H6999 incense H7004 before H6440 the LORD; H3068 that he be not as Korah, H7141 and as his company: H5712 as the LORD H3068 said H1696 to him by the hand H3027 of Moses. H4872 But on the morrow H4283 all the congregation H5712 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 murmured H3885 against Moses H4872 and against Aaron, H175 saying, H559 Ye have killed H4191 the people H5971 of the LORD. H3068 And it came to pass, when the congregation H5712 was gathered H6950 against Moses H4872 and against Aaron, H175 that they looked H6437 toward the tabernacle H168 of the congregation: H4150 and, behold, the cloud H6051 covered H3680 it, and the glory H3519 of the LORD H3068 appeared. H7200 And Moses H4872 and Aaron H175 came H935 before H6440 the tabernacle H168 of the congregation. H4150 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559 Get you up H7426 from among H8432 this congregation, H5712 that I may consume H3615 them as in a moment. H7281 And they fell H5307 upon their faces. H6440 And Moses H4872 said H559 unto Aaron, H175 Take H3947 a censer, H4289 and put H5414 fire H784 therein from off H6440 the altar, H4196 and put H7760 on incense, H7004 and go H3212 quickly H4120 unto the congregation, H5712 and make an atonement H3722 for them: for there is wrath H7110 gone out H3318 from the LORD; H3068 the plague H5063 is begun. H2490 And Aaron H175 took H3947 as Moses H4872 commanded, H1696 and ran H7323 into the midst H8432 of the congregation; H6951 and, behold, the plague H5063 was begun H2490 among the people: H5971 and he put H5414 on incense, H7004 and made an atonement H3722 for the people. H5971 And he stood H5975 between the dead H4191 and the living; H2416 and the plague H4046 was stayed. H6113 Now they that died H4191 in the plague H4046 were fourteen H702 H6240 thousand H505 and seven H7651 hundred, H3967 beside them that died H4191 about the matter H1697 of Korah. H7141 And Aaron H175 returned H7725 unto Moses H4872 unto the door H6607 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation: H4150 and the plague H4046 was stayed. H6113

Numbers 25:1-18 STRONG

And Israel H3478 abode H3427 in Shittim, H7851 and the people H5971 began H2490 to commit whoredom H2181 with the daughters H1323 of Moab. H4124 And they called H7121 the people H5971 unto the sacrifices H2077 of their gods: H430 and the people H5971 did eat, H398 and bowed down H7812 to their gods. H430 And Israel H3478 joined H6775 himself unto Baalpeor: H1187 and the anger H639 of the LORD H3068 was kindled H2734 against Israel. H3478 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Take H3947 all the heads H7218 of the people, H5971 and hang them up H3363 before H5048 the LORD H3068 against the sun, H8121 that the fierce H2740 anger H639 of the LORD H3068 may be turned away H7725 from Israel. H3478 And Moses H4872 said H559 unto the judges H8199 of Israel, H3478 Slay H2026 ye every H376 one H376 his men H582 that were joined H6775 unto Baalpeor. H1187 And, behold, one H376 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 came H935 and brought H7126 unto his brethren H251 a Midianitish woman H4084 in the sight H5869 of Moses, H4872 and in the sight H5869 of all the congregation H5712 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 who were weeping H1058 before the door H6607 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation. H4150 And when Phinehas, H6372 the son H1121 of Eleazar, H499 the son H1121 of Aaron H175 the priest, H3548 saw H7200 it, he rose up H6965 from among H8432 the congregation, H5712 and took H3947 a javelin H7420 in his hand; H3027 And he went H935 after H310 the man H376 of Israel H3478 into the tent, H6898 and thrust H1856 both H8147 of them through, the man H376 of Israel, H3478 and the woman H802 through H413 her belly. H6897 So the plague H4046 was stayed H6113 from the children H1121 of Israel. H3478 And those that died H4191 in the plague H4046 were twenty H6242 and four H702 thousand. H505 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559 Phinehas, H6372 the son H1121 of Eleazar, H499 the son H1121 of Aaron H175 the priest, H3548 hath turned H7725 my wrath H2534 away H7725 from the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 while he was zealous H7065 for my sake H7068 among H8432 them, that I consumed H3615 not the children H1121 of Israel H3478 in my jealousy. H7068 Wherefore say, H559 Behold, I give H5414 unto him my covenant H1285 of peace: H7965 And he shall have it, and his seed H2233 after H310 him, even the covenant H1285 of an everlasting H5769 priesthood; H3550 because H834 he was zealous H7065 for his God, H430 and made an atonement H3722 for the children H1121 of Israel. H3478 Now the name H8034 of the Israelite H376 that was slain, H5221 even that was slain H5221 with the Midianitish woman, H4084 was Zimri, H2174 the son H1121 of Salu, H5543 a prince H5387 of a chief H1 house H1004 among the Simeonites. H8099 And the name H8034 of the Midianitish H4084 woman H802 that was slain H5221 was Cozbi, H3579 the daughter H1323 of Zur; H6698 he was head H7218 over a people, H523 and of a chief H1 house H1004 in Midian. H4080 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559 Vex H6887 the Midianites, H4084 and smite H5221 them: For they vex H6887 you with their wiles, H5231 wherewith they have beguiled H5230 you in the matter H1697 of Peor, H6465 and in the matter H1697 of Cozbi, H3579 the daughter H1323 of a prince H5387 of Midian, H4080 their sister, H269 which was slain H5221 in the day H3117 of the plague H4046 for Peor's H6465 sake. H1697

Psalms 106:15-48 STRONG

And he gave H5414 them their request; H7596 but sent H7971 leanness H7332 into their soul. H5315 They envied H7065 Moses H4872 also in the camp, H4264 and Aaron H175 the saint H6918 of the LORD. H3068 The earth H776 opened H6605 and swallowed up H1104 Dathan, H1885 and covered H3680 the company H5712 of Abiram. H48 And a fire H784 was kindled H1197 in their company; H5712 the flame H3852 burned up H3857 the wicked. H7563 They made H6213 a calf H5695 in Horeb, H2722 and worshipped H7812 the molten image. H4541 Thus they changed H4171 their glory H3519 into the similitude H8403 of an ox H7794 that eateth H398 grass. H6212 They forgat H7911 God H410 their saviour, H3467 which had done H6213 great things H1419 in Egypt; H4714 Wondrous works H6381 in the land H776 of Ham, H2526 and terrible things H3372 by the Red H5488 sea. H3220 Therefore he said H559 that he would destroy H8045 them, had not H3884 Moses H4872 his chosen H972 stood H5975 before H6440 him in the breach, H6556 to turn away H7725 his wrath, H2534 lest he should destroy H7843 them. Yea, they despised H3988 the pleasant H2532 land, H776 they believed H539 not his word: H1697 But murmured H7279 in their tents, H168 and hearkened H8085 not unto the voice H6963 of the LORD. H3068 Therefore he lifted up H5375 his hand H3027 against them, to overthrow H5307 them in the wilderness: H4057 To overthrow H5307 their seed H2233 also among the nations, H1471 and to scatter H2219 them in the lands. H776 They joined H6775 themselves also unto Baalpeor, H1187 and ate H398 the sacrifices H2077 of the dead. H4191 Thus they provoked him to anger H3707 with their inventions: H4611 and the plague H4046 brake in H6555 upon them. Then stood up H5975 Phinehas, H6372 and executed judgment: H6419 and so the plague H4046 was stayed. H6113 And that was counted H2803 unto him for righteousness H6666 unto all H1755 generations H1755 for H5704 evermore. H5769 They angered H7107 him also at the waters H4325 of strife, H4808 H4809 so that it went ill H3415 with Moses H4872 for their sakes: Because they provoked H4784 his spirit, H7307 so that he spake unadvisedly H981 with his lips. H8193 They did not destroy H8045 the nations, H5971 concerning whom the LORD H3068 commanded H559 them: 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 Therefore was the wrath H639 of the LORD H3068 kindled H2734 against his people, H5971 insomuch that he abhorred H8581 his own inheritance. H5159 And he gave H5414 them into the hand H3027 of the heathen; H1471 and they that hated H8130 them ruled H4910 over them. Their enemies H341 also oppressed H3905 them, and they were brought into subjection H3665 under their hand. H3027 Many H7227 times H6471 did he deliver H5337 them; but they provoked H4784 him with their counsel, H6098 and were brought low H4355 for their iniquity. H5771 Nevertheless he regarded H7200 their affliction, H6862 when he heard H8085 their cry: H7440 And he remembered H2142 for them his covenant, H1285 and repented H5162 according to the multitude H7230 of his mercies. H2617 He made H5414 them also to be pitied H7356 of H6440 all those that carried them captives. H7617 Save H3467 us, O LORD H3068 our God, H430 and gather H6908 us from among the heathen, H1471 to give thanks H3034 unto thy holy H6944 name, H8034 and to triumph H7623 in thy praise. H8416 Blessed H1288 be the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 from everlasting H5769 to everlasting: H5769 and let all the people H5971 say, H559 Amen. H543 Praise H1984 ye the LORD. H3050

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ezekiel 20

Commentary on Ezekiel 20 Matthew Henry Commentary


Chapter 20

In this chapter,

  • I. The prophet is consulted by some of the elders of Israel (v. 1).
  • II. He is instructed by his God what answer to give them. He must,
    • 1. Signify God's displeasure against them (v. 2, 3). And,
    • 2. He must show them what just cause he had for that displeasure, by giving them a history of God's grateful dealings with their fathers and their treacherous dealings with God.
    • 3. He must denounce the judgments of God against them (v. 33-36).
    • 4. He must tell them likewise what mercy God had in store for them, when he would bring a remnant of them to repentance, re-establish them in their own land, and set up his sanctuary among them again (v. 37-44).
    • 5. Here is another word dropped towards Jerusalem, which is explained and enlarged upon in the next chapter (v. 45-49).

Eze 20:1-4

Here is,

  • 1. The occasion of the message which we have in this chapter. That sermon which we had ch. 18 was occasioned by their presumptuous reflections upon God; this was occasioned by their hypocritical enquiries after him. Each shall have his own. This prophecy is exactly dated, in the seventh year of the captivity, about two years after Ezekiel began to prophesy. God would have them to keep account how long their captivity lasted, that they might see how the years went on towards their deliverance, though very slowly. Certain of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the Lord, not statedly (as those ch. 8:1), but, as it should seem, occasionally, and upon a particular emergency. Whether they were of those that were now in captivity, or elders lately come from Jerusalem upon business to Babylon, is not certain; but, by what the prophet says to them (v. 32), it should seem, their enquiry was whether now that they were captives in Babylon, at a distance from their own country, where they had not only no temple, but no synagogue, for the worship of God, it was not lawful for them, that they might ingratiate themselves with their lords and masters, to join with them in their worship and do as the families of these countries do, that serve wood and stone. This matter was palliated as well as it would bear, like Naaman's pleading with Elisha for leave to bow in the house of Rimmon, in compliment to the king; but we have reason to suspect that their enquiry drove at this. Note, Those hearts are wretchedly hardened which ask God leave to go on in sin, and that when they are suffering for it. They came and sat very demurely and with a show of devotion before the prophet, ch. 33:31.
  • 2. The purport of this message.
    • (1.) They must be made to know that God is angry with them; he takes it as an affront that they come to enquire of him when they are resolved to go on still in their trespasses: As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be enquired of by you, v. 3. Their shows of devotion shall be neither acceptable to God nor advantageous to themselves. God will not take notice of their enquiries, nor give them any satisfactory answers. Note, A hypocritical attendance on God and his ordinances is so far from being pleasing to him that it is provoking.
    • (2.) They must be made to know that God is justly angry with them (v. 4): "Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them? Thou art a prophet, surely thou wilt not plead for them, as an intercessor with God; but surely thou wilt pass sentence on them as a judge for God. See, I have set thee over the nation; wilt thou not declare to them the judgments of the Lord? Cause them therefore to know the abominations of their fathers.' So the orders run now, as before (ch. 16:2) he must cause them to know their own abominations. Though their own abominations were sufficient to justify God in the severest of his proceedings against them, yet it would be of use for them to know the abominations of their fathers, that they might see what a righteous thing it was with God now at last to cut them off from being a people, who from the first were such a provoking people.

Eze 20:5-9

The history of the ingratitude and rebellion of the people of Israel here begins as early as their beginning; so does the history of man's apostasy from his Maker. No sooner have we read the story of our first parents' creation than we immediately meet with that of their rebellion; so we see here it was with Israel, a people designed to represent the body of mankind both in their dealings with God and in his with them. Here is,

  • I. The gracious purposes of God's law concerning Israel in Egypt, where they were bond-slaves to Pharaoh. Be it spoken, be it written, to the immortal honour of free grace, that then and there,
    • 1. He chose Israel to be a peculiar people to himself, though their condition was bad and their character worse, that he might have the honour of mending both. He therefore chose them, because they were the seed of the house of Jacob, the posterity of that prince with God, that he might keep the oath which he had sworn unto their fathers, Deu. 7:7, 8.
    • 2. He made himself known to them by his name Jehovah (a new name, Ex. 6:3), when by reason of their servitude they had almost lost the knowledge of that name by which he was known to their fathers, God Almighty. Note, As the foundation of our blessedness is laid in God's choosing us, so the first step towards it is God's making himself known to us. And whatever distance we are at, whatever distress we are in, he that made himself known to Israel even in the land of Egypt can find us out, and follow us with the gracious discoveries and manifestations of his favour.
    • 3. He made over himself to them as their God in covenant: I lifted up my hand unto them, saying it, and confirming it with an oath. "I am the Lord your God, to whom you are to pay your homage, and from whom and in whom you are to expect your bliss.'
    • 4. He promised to bring them out of Egypt; and made good what he promised. He lifted up his hand, that is, he swore unto them, that he would deliver them; and, they being very unworthy, and their deliverance very unlikely, it was requisite that the promise of it should be confirmed by an oath. Or, He lifted up his hand, that is, he put forth his almighty power to do it; he did it with an outstretched arm, Ps. 136:12.
    • 5. He assured them that he would put them in possession of the land of Canaan. He therefore brought them out of Egypt, that he might bring them into a land that he had spied out for them, a second garden of Eden, which was the glory of all lands. So he found it, the climate being temperate, the soil fruitful, the situation pleasant, and every thing agreeable (Deu. 8:7; 11:12); or, however this might be, so he made it, by setting up his sanctuary in it.
  • II. The reasonable commands he gave them, and the easy conditions of his covenant with them at that time. Having told them what they might expect from him, he next tells them what was all he expected from them; it was no more than this (v. 7): "Cast you away every man his images that he uses for worship, that are the adorations, but should be the abominations, of his eyes. Let him abominate them, and put them out of his sight, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt.' Of these, it seems, many of them were fond; the golden calf was one of them. It was just, and what might reasonably be expected, that, being delivered from the Egyptian slavery, they should quit the Egyptian idolatry, especially when God, at bringing them out, executed judgment upon the gods of Egypt (Num. 33:4) and thereby showed himself above them. And, whatever other idols they might have an inclination to, one would think they should have had a rooted aversion to the gods of Egypt for Egypt's sake, which had been to them a house of bondage. Yet, it seems, they needed this caution, and it is backed with a good reason: I am the Lord your God, who neither need an assistant nor will admit a rival.
  • III. Their unreasonable disobedience to these commands, for which God might justly have cut them off as soon as ever they were formed into a people (v. 8): They rebelled against God, not only refused to comply with his particular precepts, but shook off their allegiance, and in effect told him that they should be at liberty to worship what God they pleased. And even then when God came down to deliver them, and sent Moses for that purpose, yet they would not forsake the idols of Egypt, which perhaps made them speak so affectionately of the onions of Egypt (Num. 11:5), for among other things the Egyptians worshipped an onion. It was strange that all the plagues of Egypt would not prevail to cure them of their affection to the idols of Egypt. For this God said he would pour out his fury upon them, even while they were yet in the midst of the land of Egypt. Justly might he have said, "Let them die with the Egyptians.' This magnifies the riches of God's goodness, that he was pleased to work so great a salvation for them even when he saw them ripe for ruin. Well might Moses tell them, It is not for your righteousness, Duet. 9:4, 5.
  • IV. The wonderful deliverance which God wrought for them, notwithstanding. Though they forfeited the favour while it was in the bestowing, and when God would have healed them then their iniquity was discovered (Hos. 7:1), yet mercy rejoiced against judgment, and God did what he designed purely for his own name's sake, v. 9. When nothing in us will furnish him with a reason for his favours he furnishes himself with one. God made himself known to them in the sight of the heathen when he ordered Moses publicly to say to Pharaoh, Israel is my son, my first-born, let them go, that they may serve me. Now, if he had left them to perish for their wickedness as they deserved, the Egyptians would have reflected upon him for it, and his name would have been polluted, which ought to be sanctified and shall be so. Note, The church is secured, even when it is corrupt, because God will secure his own honour.

Eze 20:10-26

The history of the struggle between the sins of Israel, by which they endeavoured to ruin themselves, and the mercies of God, by which he endeavoured to save them and make them happy, is here continued: and the instances of that struggle in these verses have reference to what passed between God and them in the wilderness, in which God honoured himself and they shamed themselves. The story of Israel in the wilderness is referred to in the New Testament (1 Co. 10 and Heb. 3), as well as often in the Old, for warning to us Christians; and therefore we are particularly concerned in these verses. Observe,

  • I. The great things God did for them, which he puts them in mind of, not as grudging them his favours, but to show how ungrateful they had been. And we say, If you call a man ungrateful, you can call him no worse. It was a great favour,
    • 1. That God brought them forth out of Egypt (v. 10), though, as it follows, he brought them into the wilderness and not into Canaan immediately. It is better to be at liberty in a wilderness than bond-slaves in a land of plenty, to enjoy God and ourselves in solitude than to lose both in a crowd; yet there were many of them who had such base servile spirits as not to understand this, but, when they met with the difficulties of a desert, wished themselves in Egypt again.
    • 2. That he gave them the law upon Mount Sinai (v. 11), not only instructed them concerning good and evil, but by his authority bound them from the evil and to the good. He gave them his statutes, and a valuable gift it was. Moses commanded them a law that was the inheritance of the congregation of Israel, Deu. 33:4. God made them to know his judgments, not only enacted laws for them, but showed them the reasonableness and equity of those laws, with what judgment they were formed. The laws he gave them they were encouraged to observe and obey; for, if a man do them, he shall even live in them; in keeping God's commandments there is abundance of comfort and a great reward. Christ says, If thou wilt into enter life, and enjoy it, keep the commandments. Though those who are the most strict in their obedience are thus far unprofitable servants that they do no more than is their duty to do, yet it is thus richly recompensed: This do, and thou shalt live. The Chaldee says, He shall live an eternal life in them. St. Paul quotes this (Gal. 3:12) to show that the law is not of faith, but proposes life upon condition of perfect obedience, which we are not capable of rendering, and therefore must have recourse to the grace of the gospel, without which we are all undone.
    • 3. That he revived the ancient institution of the sabbath day, which was lost and forgotten while they were bond-slaves in Egypt; for their task-masters there would by no means allow them to rest one day in seven. In the wilderness indeed every day was a day of rest; for what need had those to labour who lived upon manna, and whose raiment waxed not old? But one day in seven must be a holy rest (v. 12): I gave them my sabbaths to be a sign between me and them (the institution of the sabbath was a sign of God's good-will to them, and their observance of it a sign of their regard to him), that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them. By this God made it to appear that he had distinguished them from the rest of the world, and designed to model them for a peculiar people to himself; and by their attendance on God in solemn assemblies on sabbath days they were made to increase in the knowledge of God, in an experimental knowledge of the powers and pleasures of his sanctifying grace. Note,
      • (1.) Sabbaths are privileges, and are so to be accounted; the church acknowledges as a great favour, in that chapter which is parallel to this and seems to have a reference to this (Neh. 9:14), Thou madest known unto them thy holy sabbaths.
      • (2.) Sabbaths are signs; it is a sign that men have a sense of religion, and that there is some good correspondence between them and God, when they make conscience of keeping holy and sabbath day.
      • (3.) Sabbaths, if duly sanctified, are the means of our sanctification; if we do the duty of the day, we shall find, to our comfort, it is the Lord that sanctifies us, makes us holy (that is, truly happy) here, and prepares us to be happy (that is, perfectly holy) hereafter.
  • II. Their disobedient undutiful conduct towards God, for which he might justly have thrown them out of covenant as soon as he had taken them into covenant (v. 13): They rebelled in the wilderness. There where they received so much mercy from God, and had such a dependence upon him, and were in their way to Canaan, yet there they broke out in many open rebellions against the God that led them and fed them. They did not only not walk in God's statutes, but they despised his judgments as not worth observing; instead of sanctifying the sabbaths, they polluted them, greatly polluted them; one gathered sticks, many went out to gather manna on this day. Hereupon God was ready sometimes to cut them off; he said, more than once, that he would consume them in the wilderness. But Moses interceded, so did God's own mercy more powerfully, and most of all a concern for his own glory, that his name might not be polluted and profaned among the heathen (v. 14), that the Egyptians might not say that for mischief he brought them thus far, or that he was not able to bring them any further, or that he had no such good land as was talked of to bring them to, Ex. 32:12; Num. 14:13, etc. Note, God's strongest reasons for his sparing mercy are those which are fetched from his own glory.
  • III. God's determination to cut off that generation of them in the wilderness. He who lifted up his hand for them (v. 6) now lifted up his hand against them; he who by an oath confirmed his promise to bring them out of Egypt now by an oath confirmed his threatenings that he would not bring them into Canaan (v. 15, 16): I lifted up my hand unto them, saying, As truly as I live, these men who have tempted me these ten times shall never see the land which I swore unto their fathers, Num. 14:22, 23; Ps. 95:11. By their contempt of God's laws, and particularly of his sabbaths, they put a bar in their own door; and that which was at the bottom of their disobedience to God, and their neglect of his institutions, was a secret affection to the gods of Egypt: Their heart went after their idols. Note, The bias of the mind towards the world and the flesh, the money and the belly (those two great objects of spiritual idolatry), is the root of bitterness from which springs all disobedience to the divine law. The heart that goes after those idols despises God's judgments.
  • IV. The reservation of a seed that should be admitted upon a new trial, and the instructions given to that seed, v. 17. Though they thus deserved ruin, and were doomed to it, yet my eye spared them. When he looked upon them he had compassion on them, and did not make an end of them, but reprieved them till a new generation was reared. Note, It is owing purely to the mercy of God that he has not long ago made an end of us. This new generation is well educated. Moses in Deuteronomy reported and enforce the laws which had been given to those that came out of Egypt, that their children might have them as it were sounding in their ears afresh when they entered Canaan (v. 18): "I said unto their children in the wilderness, in the plains of Moab, Walk in the statutes of your God and walk not in the statutes of your fathers; do not imitate their superstitious usages nor retain their foolish wicked customs; away with their vain conversation, which has nothing else to say for itself but that it was received by the tradition of your fathers, 1 Pt. 1:18. Defile not yourselves with their idols, for you see how odious they rendered themselves to God by them. But keep my judgments and hallow my sabbaths,' v. 19, 20. Note, If parents be careless, and do not give their children good instructions as they ought, the children ought to make up the want by studying the word of God so much the more carefully and diligently themselves when they grow up; and the bad examples of parents must be made use of by their children for admonition, and not for imitation.
  • V. The revolt of the next generation from God, by which they also made themselves obnoxious to the wrath of God (v. 21): The children rebelled against me too. And the same that was said of the fathers' rebellion is here said of the children's, for they were a seed of evil-doers. Moses told them that he knew their rebellion and their stiff neck, Deu. 31:27. And Deu. 9:24, You have been rebellious against the Lord from the day that I knew you. They walked not in my statutes (v. 21); nay, they despised my statutes, v. 24. Those who disobey God's statutes despise them, they show that they have a mean opinion of them and of him whose statutes they are. They polluted God's sabbaths, as their fathers. Note, The profanation of the sabbath day is an inlet to all impiety; those who pollute holy time will keep nothing pure. It was said of the fathers (v. 16) that their heart went after their idols; they worshipped idols because they had an affection for them. It is said of the children (v. 24) that their eyes went after their fathers' idols; they had grown atheistical, and had no affection for any gods at all, but they worshipped their fathers' idols because they were their fathers' and they had them before their eyes. They were used to them; and, if they must have gods, they would have such as they could see, such as they could manage. And that which aggravated their disobedience to God's statutes was that, if they had done them, they might have lived in them (v. 21), might have been a happy thriving people. Note, Those that go contrary to their duty go contrary to their interest; they will not obey, will not come to Christ, that they may have life, Jn. 5:40. And it is therefore just that those who will not live and flourish as they might in their obedience should die and perish in their disobedience. Now the great instance of that generation's rebellion and inclination to idolatry was the iniquity of Peor, as that of their fathers was the golden calf. Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, Num. 25:3. Then there was a plague in the congregation of the Lord, which, if it had not been seasonably stayed by Phinehas's zeal, had cut them all off; and yet they owned, in Joshua's time, We ware not cleansed from that iniquity unto this day, Jos. 22:17; Ps. 106:29. Then it was that God said he would pour out his fury upon them (v. 21), that he lifted up his hand unto them in the wilderness, when they were a second time just ready to enter Canaan, that he would scatter them among the heathen. This very thing he said to them by Moses in his parting song, Deu. 32:20. Because they provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, he said, I will hide my face form them; and (v. 26, 27) he said, I would scatter them into corners, were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy, which explains this (v. 21, 22), I said I would pour out my fury upon them, but I withdrew my hand for my name's sake. Note, When the corruptions of the visible church are such, and so provoking, that we have reason to fear its total extirpation, yet then we may be confident of this, to our comfort, that God will secure his own honour, by making good his purpose, that while the world stands he will have a church in it.
  • VI. The judgments of God upon them for their rebellion. They would not regard the statutes and judgments by which God prescribed them their duty, but despised them, and therefore God gave them statutes and judgments which were not good, and by which they should not live, v. 25. By this we may understand the several ways by which God punished them while they were in the wilderness-the plague that broke in upon them, the fiery serpent, and the like-which, in allusion to the law they had broken, are called judgments, because inflicted by the justice of God, and statutes, because he gave orders concerning them and commanded desolations as sometimes he had commanded deliverances, and appointed Israel's plagues as he had done the plagues of Egypt. When God said, I will consume them in a moment (Num. 16:21), when he said, Take the heads of the people and hang them up (Num. 25:4), when he threatened them with the curse and obliged them to say Amen to every curse (Deu. 27:26), then he gave them judgments by which they should not live. More is implied than is expressed; they are judgments by which they should die. Those that will not be bound by the precepts of the law shall be bound by the sentence of it; for one way or other the word of God will take hold of men, Zec. 1:6. Spiritual judgments are the most dreadful; and these God punished them with. The statutes and judgments which the heathen observed in the worship of their idols were not good, and in practising them they could not live; and God gave them up to those. He made their sin to be their punishment, gave them up to a reprobate mind, as he did the Gentile idolaters (Rom. 1:24, 26), gave them up to their own heart's lusts (Ps. 81:12), punished them for those superstitious customs which were against the written law by giving them up to those which were against the very light and law of nature; he left them to themselves to be guilty of the most impure idolatries, as in the worship of Baal-peor (he polluted them, that is, her permitted them to pollute themselves, in their own gifts, v. 26), and of the most barbarous idolatries, as in the worship of Moloch, when they caused their children, especially their first-born, which God challenged a particular property in (the first-born of thy sons shalt thou give unto me), to pass through the fire, to be sacrificed to their idols; that thus he might make them desolate, not only that he might justly do it, but that he might do it by their own hands; for this must needs be a great weakening to their families and a diminution of the honour and strength of their country. Note, God sometimes makes sin to be its own punishment, and yet is not the author of sin; and there needs no more to make men miserable than to give them up to their own vile appetites and passions. Let them be put into the hand of their own counsels, and they will ruin themselves and make themselves desolate. And thus God makes them know that he is the Lord, and that he is a righteous God, which they themselves will be compelled to own when they see how much their wilful transgressions contribute to their own desolations. Note, Those who will not acknowledge God as the Lord their ruler shall be made to acknowledge him as the Lord their judge when it is too late.

Eze 20:27-32

Here the prophet goes on with the story of their rebellions, for their further humiliation, and shows,

  • I. That they had persisted in them after they were settled in the land of Canaan. Though God had so many times testified his displeasure against their wicked courses, "yet in this (that is, in the very same thing) your fathers have blasphemed me, continued to affront me, that they also have trespassed a trespass against me,' v. 27. Note, It is a great aggravation of sin when men will not take warning by the mischievous consequences of sin in those that have gone before them: this is blaspheming God; it is speaking reproachfully of his judgments, as if they were of no significancy and were not worth regarding.
    • 1. God had made good his promise: I brought them into the land that I had sworn to give them. Though their unbelief and disobedience had made the performance slow, and much retarded it, yet it did not make the promise of no effect. They were often very near being cut off in the wilderness, but a step between them and ruin, and yet they came to Canaan at last. Note, Even God's Israel get to heaven by hell-gates; so many are their transgressions, and so strong their corruptions, that it is a miracle of mercy they are happy at last; as hypocrites go to hell by heaven-gates. The righteous scarcely are saved. Per tot discrimina rerum tendimus ad coelum-Ten thousand dangers fill the road to haven.
    • 2. They had broken his precept by their abominable idolatries. God had appointed them to destroy all the monuments of idolatry, that they might not be tempted to desert his sanctuary; but, instead of defacing them, they fell in love with them, and when they saw every high hill whence they had the most delightful prospects, and all the thick trees where they had the most delightful shades (the former to show forth their pompous idolatries, the latter to conceal their shameful ones), there they offered their sacrifices and made their sweet savour, which should have been presented upon God's altar only. There they presented the provocation of their offering (v. 28), that is, their offerings, which, instead of pacifying God, or pleasing him, were highly provoking-sacrifices which, though costly, yet being misplaced, were an abomination to the Lord.
    • 3. They obstinately persisted herein notwithstanding all the admonitions that were given them (v. 29): "Then I told them, by my servants the prophets, told them where the high place was, to which they went; nay, I put them upon considering it, and asking their own consciences concerning it, by putting this question to them, Which is the high place whereunto you go? What do you find there so inviting that you will leave God's altars, where he requires your attendance, to frequent such places as he has forbidden you to worship in? Do you not know that those high places are of a heathenish extraction, and that the things which the Gentiles sacrificed they sacrificed to devils and not to God? Did not Moses tell you so? Deu. 32:17. And will you have fellowship with devils? What is that high place to which you go when you turn your back on God's altars? O foolish Israelites, who or what has bewitched you, that you will forsake the fountain of life for broken cisterns, that worship which God appoints, and will accept, for that which he forbids, which he abhors, and which he will punish?' And yet the name is called Bamah unto this day; they will have their way, let God and his prophets say what they please to the contrary. They are wedded to their high places; even in the best reigns those were not taken away; you could not prevail to take away the name of Bamah-the high place, out of their mouths, but still they would have that in the place of their worship. The sin and the sinner are with difficulty parted.
  • II. That this generation, after they were unsettled, continued under the dominion of the same corrupt inclinations to idolatry, v. 30. He must say to the present house of Israel, some of whose elders were now sitting before him, "Are you polluted after the manner of your fathers? After all that God has said against you by a succession of prophets, and done against you by a series of judgments, yet will you take no warning? Will you still be as bad as your fathers were, and commit the same abominations that they committed? I see you will; you are bent upon returning to the old abominations; you offer your gifts in the high places, and you make your sons to pass through the fire; either you actually do it or you do it in purpose and imagination, and so you continue idolaters to this day.' These elders seem now to have been projecting a coalition with the heathen; their hearts they will reserve for the God of Israel, but their knees they will be at liberty to bow to the gods of the nations among whom they live, that they may have the more respect and the fairer quarter among them. Now the prophet is here ordered to tell those who were forming this scheme, and were for compounding the matter between God and Baal, that they should have no comfort or benefit from either.
    • 1. They should have no benefit by their consulting in private with the prophets of the Lord; for, because they were hearkening after idols, God would have nothing to do with them (v. 31): As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be enquired of by you. What he had said before (v. 3), having largely shown how just it was, he here repeats, as that which he would abide by. Let them not think that they honoured him by their enquiries, nor expect an answer of peace from him, as long as they continued in love and league with their idols. Note, Those reap no benefit by their religion that are not entire and sincere in it; nor can we have any comfortable communion with God in ordinances of worship unless we be inward and upright with him therein. We make nothing of our profession if it be but a profession. Nay,
    • 2. They should have no benefit from their conforming in public to the practice of their neighbours (v. 32): "That which comes into your mind as a piece of refined politics in the present difficult juncture, and which you would be advised to for your own preservation, and that you may not by being singular expose yourselves to abuses, it shall not be at all, it shall turn to no account to you. You say, 'We will be as the heathen, we will join with them in worshipping their gods, though at the same time we do not believe them to be gods, but wood and stone, and then we should be taken as the families of the countries; they will not know, or in a little while will have forgotten, that we are Jews, and will allow us the same privileges with their own countrymen.' Tell them,' says God, "that this project shall never prosper. Either their neighbours will not admit them to join with them in their worship, or, if they do, will think never the better, but the worse, of them for it, and will look upon them as dissemblers, and not fit to be trusted, who are thus false to their God, and put a cheat upon their neighbours.' Note, There is nothing got by sinful compliances; and the carnal projects of hypocrites will stand them in no stead. It is only integrity and uprightness that will preserve men, and recommend them to God and man.

Eze 20:33-44

The design which was now on foot among the elders of Israel was that the people of Israel, being scattered among the nations, should lay aside all their peculiarities and conform to those among whom they lived; but God had told them that the design should not take effect, v. 32. Now, in these verses, he shows particularly how it should be frustrated. They aimed at the mingling of the families of Israel with the families of the countries; but it will prove in the issue that the wicked Israelites, notwithstanding their compliances, shall not mingle with them in their prosperity, but shall be distinguished from them for destruction; for idolatrous Israelites, that are apostates from God, shall be sooner and more sorely punished than idolatrous Babylonians that never knew the way of righteousness. Read and tremble at the doom here passed upon them; it is backed with an oath not to be reversed: As I live, saith the Lord God, thus and thus will I deal with you. They think to make both Jerusalem and Babylon their friends by halting between two; but God threatens that neither of them shall serve for a rest or refuge for them.

  • I. Babylon shall not protect them, nor any of the countries of the heathen; for God will cast them out of his protection and then what prince, what people, what place, can serve to be a sanctuary to them? God was Israel's King of old, and had they continued his loyal subjects he would have ruled over them with care and tenderness for their good, but now with a stretched-out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over them, v. 33. That power which should have been exerted fore their protection shall be exerted for their destruction. Note, There is no shaking off God's dominion; rule he will, either with the golden sceptre or with the iron rod; and those that will not yield to the power of his grace shall be made to sink under the power of his wrath. Now when God is angry with them, though they may think that they shall be lost in the crowd of the heathen among whom they are scattered, they will be disappointed; for (v. 34) I will gather you out of the countries wherein you are scattered, as, when the rebels are dispersed in battle, those that have escaped the sword of war are pursued and brought together out of all the places whither they were scattered, to be punished by the sword of justice. They shall be brought into the wilderness of the people (v. 35), either into Babylon, which is called a wilderness (ch. 19:13), and the desert of the sea (Isa. 21:1), or into some place which, though full of people, shall be to them as the wilderness was to Israel after they came out of Egypt, a place where God will plead with them face to face, as he pleaded with their fathers in the wilderness of Egypt (v. 36),-where their carcases shall fall and where he will swear concerning them that they shall never return to Canaan, as he did swear concerning their fathers that they should never come into Canaan,-where he will avenge the breach of his law with as much terror as that with which he gave it in the wilderness of Sinai. Note, God has a good action against apostates, and will find not only time, but a proper place, to plead with them in upon that action, a wilderness even in the midst of the people for that purpose.
  • II. Israel shall be no more able to protect them than Babylon could; nor shall their relation to God's people stand them in any more stead for the other world than their compliance with idolaters shall for this world; nor shall they stand in the congregation of the righteous any more than in the congregation of evil-doers; for there will come a distinguishing day, when God will separate between the precious and the vile; he will cause them, as the shepherd causes his sheep, to pass under the rod, when he tithes them (Lev. 27:32), that he may mark which is for God. God will take particular notice of each of them, one by one, as sheep are counted, and he will bring them into the bond of the covenant (v. 37); he will try them and judge of them according to the tenour of the covenant, and the difference made between some and others by the blessings and curses of the covenant. Or it may refer to those among them that repented and reformed; he will cause them to pass under the rod of affliction, and, having done them good by it, he will bring them again into the bond of the covenant, will be to them a God in covenant, and use them again as heirs of promise.
    • 1. He will separate the wicked from among them (v. 38): "I will purge out from among you the rebels, who have been a grief and scandal to you, and who have by their rebellions brought all these calamities upon you.' The judgments of God shall find them out, and their naming the name of Israel shall be no shelter to them. They shall be brought out of the countries where they sojourn, and shall not have that rest in them which they promised themselves. But they shall not enter into the land of Israel, nor enjoy the benefit of that rest which God has promised to his people. Note, Though godly people may share with the wicked in the calamities of the world, yet wicked people shall have no share with the godly in the heavenly Canaan; but it shall be part of the blessedness of that world that they shall be purged out from among them, the tares from the wheat, the chaff from the corn, ch. 13:9. But wherever these idolaters of the house of Israel were contriving to worship both God and their idols, thinking to please both, God here protests against it (v. 39), as Elijah had done in his name: "If the Lord be God, then follow him, but, if Baal, then follow him; if you will serve your idols, do, and take what comes of it; but then do not pretend relation to God and a religious regard to him, nor pollute his holy name with your gifts at his altar.' Spiritual judgments are the sorest judgments. Two of that kind of judgments are threatened in this verse against those that were for dividing between the God of Israel and the gods of the nations:-
      • (1.) That they should be given up to the service of their idols. To them he said ironically, "Since you will not hearken unto me, go you, serve every one his idols, now that you think it will be for your interest, and hereafter also. You shall go on in it. Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone; let him take his course, and see what he will get by it at last.' Note, Those who think to serve themselves by sin will find in the end that they have but enslaved themselves to sin.
      • (2.) That they should be cut off from the service of God and communion with God: "You shall not pollute my holy name with your vain oblations, Isa. 1:11. You bring your gifts in your hands, wherewith you pretend to honour me, but at the same time you bring your idols in your hearts, and therefore you do but pollute me, which I will not suffer any more,' Amos 5:21, 22. Note, Those are justly forbidden God's house that profane his house.
    • 2. He will separate them to himself again.
      • (1.) He will gather them in mercy out of the countries whither they were scattered, to be monuments of mercy, as the incorrigible were gathered to be vessels of wrath, v. 41. Not one of God's jewels shall be lost in the lumber of this world.
      • (2.) He will bring them to the land of Israel, which he had promised to give to their fathers; and the discontinuance of their possession shall be no defeasance of their right; it is the land of Israel still, and thither God will bring them safely again, v. 42.
      • (3.) He will re-establish his ordinances among them, will set up his sanctuary in his holy mountain, which is here called the mountain of the height of Israel; for, though the Mount Zion was none of the highest mountains, yet the temple there was one of the highest honours of Israel. It is promised that those who preserved their integrity, and would not serve idols, in other lands, shall return to their prosperity and shall serve the true God in their own land: All of them in the land shall serve me. Note, It is the true happiness of a people, and a sure token for good to them, when there is a prevailing disposition in them to serve God. Whereas God had forbidden the idolaters to bring their gifts to his altar, of these he will require offerings and first-fruits, and will accept them, v. 40. What he does not require he will not accept, but what is done with a regard to his precepts he will be well pleased with. He will accept them with their sweet savour, or savour of rest (v. 41), as being very grateful to him and what he takes a complacency in; whereas, to hypocritical worshippers, he says, I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.
      • (4.) He will give them true repentance for their sins, v. 43. When they find how gracious God is to them they will be overcome with his kindness, and blush to think of their bad behaviour towards so good a God: "There, in my holy mountain, when you come to enjoy the privileges of that again, there shall you remember your doings, wherein you have been defiled.' Note, The more conversant we are with God's holiness the more we shall see of the odious nature of sin. There you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight. Note, Ingenuous evangelical repentance makes people loathe themselves for their sins, as Job 42:5, 6.
      • (5.) He will give them the knowledge of himself: They shall know by experience that he is the Lord, that he is a God of almighty power and inexhaustible goodness, kind to his people and faithful to his covenant with them. Note, All the favours we receive from God should lead us into a more intimate acquaintance with him.
      • (6.) He will do all this for his own name's sake, notwithstanding their undeservings and ill-deservings (v. 44); he has wrought with them, that is, wrought for them, wrought in favour of them, wrought in concurrence with them, they doing their endeavour; he has wrought with them purely for his name's sake. His reasons were all fetched from himself. Had he dealt with them according to their wicked ways and their corrupt doings, though they were the better and sounder part of the house of Israel, he would have left them to be scattered and lost with the rest; but he recovered and restored them for the sake of his own name, not only that it might not be polluted (v. 14), but that he might be sanctified in them before the heathen (v. 41), that he might sanctify himself (so the word is); for it is God's work to glorify his own name. He will do well for his people that he may have the glory of it, that he may manifest himself to be a God pardoning sin and so keeping promise, that his people may praise him, and that their neighbours may likewise take notice of him, as they did when God burned again their captivity, Ps. 126:3. Then said they among the heathen, The Lord has done great things for them.

Eze 20:45-49

We have here a prophecy of wrath against Judah and Jerusalem, which would more fitly have begun the next chapter than conclude this; for it has no dependence on what goes before, but that which follows in the beginning of the next chapter is the explication of it, when the people complained that this was a parable which they understood not. In this parable,

  • 1. It is a forest that is prophesied against, the forest of the south field, Judah and Jerusalem. These lay south from Babylon, where Ezekiel now was, and therefore he is directed to set his face towards the south (v. 46), to intimate to them that God had set his face against them, was displeased with them, and determined to destroy them. But, though it be a message of wrath which he has to deliver, he must deliver it with mildness and tenderness; he must drop his word towards the south; his doctrine must distil as the rain (Deu. 32:2), that people's hearts might be softened by it, as the earth by the river of God, which drops upon the pastures of the wilderness (Ps. 65:12) and which a south land more especially calls for, Jos. 15:19. Judah and Jerusalem are called forests, not only because they had been full of people, as a wood of trees, but because they had been empty of fruit, for fruit-trees grow not in a forest; and a forest is put in opposition to a fruitful field, Isa. 32:15. Those that should have been as the garden of the Lord, and his vineyard, had become like a forest, all overgrown with briers and thorns; and those that are so, that bring not forth the fruits of righteousness, God's word prophesies against.
  • 2. It is a fire kindled in his forest that is prophesied of, v. 47. All those judgments which wasted and consumed both the city and the country-sword, famine, pestilence, and captivity, are signified by this fire.
    • (1.) It is a fire of God's own kindling: I will kindle a fire in thee; the breath of the Lord is not as a drop, but as a stream, of brimstone to set it on fire, Isa. 30:33. He that had been himself a protecting fire about Jerusalem is now a consuming fire in it. All flesh shall see by the fury of this fire, and the desolations it shall make, especially when they compare it with the sins which had made them fuel for this fire, that it is the Lord that has kindled it (v. 48), as a just avenger of his own injured honour.
    • (2.) This conflagration shall be general: all orders and degrees of men shall be devoured by it-young and old, rich and poor, high and low. Even green trees, which the fire does not easily fasten upon, shall be devoured by this fire; even good people shall some of them be involved in these calamities; and if this be done in the green trees, what shall be done in the dry? The dry trees shall be as tinder and touch-wood to this fire. All faces (that is, all that covers the face of the earth) from the south of Canaan to the north, from Beer-sheba to Dan, shall be burnt therein.
    • (3.) The fire shall not be quenched; no attempts to give check to the dissolution shall prevail. When God will ruin a nation, who or what can save it?

Now observe,

  • 1. The people's reflection upon the prophet on occasion of this discourse. They said, Does he not speak parables? This was the language either of their ignorance or infidelity (the plainest truths were as parables to them), or of their malice and ill-will to the prophet. Note. It is common for those who will not be wrought upon by the word to pick quarrels with it; it is either too plain or too obscure, too fine or too homely, too common or too singular; something or other is amiss in it.
  • 2. The prophet's complaint to God: Ah, Lord God! they say so and so of me. Note, It is a comfort to us, when people speak ill of us unjustly, that we have a God to complain to.