Commentary on Ezekiel Part 2 (No. F026ii)

Chapter 5

¹"And you, O son of man, take a sharp sword; use it as a barber's razor and pass it over your head and your beard; then take balances for weighing, and divide the hair. ²A third part you shall burn in the fire in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are completed; and a third part you shall take and strike with the sword round about the city; and a third part you shall scatter to the wind, and I will unsheathe the sword after them. ³And you shall take from these a small number, and bind them in the skirts of your robe. ⁴And of these again you shall take some, and cast them into the fire, and burn them in the fire; from there a fire will come forth into all the house of Israel. ⁵Thus says the Lord GOD: This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the center of the nations, with countries round about her. ⁶And she has wickedly rebelled against my ordinances more than the nations, and against my statutes more than the countries round about her, by rejecting my ordinances and not walking in my statutes. ⁷Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you are more turbulent than the nations that are round about you, and have not walked in my statutes or kept my ordinances, but have acted according to the ordinances of the nations that are round about you; ⁸therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I, even I, am against you; and I will execute judgments in the midst of you in the sight of the nations. ⁹And because of all your abominations I will do with you what I have never yet done, and the like of which I will never do again. ¹⁰Therefore fathers shall eat their sons in the midst of you, and sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments on you, and any of you who survive I will scatter to all the winds. ¹¹Wherefore, as I live, says the Lord GOD, surely, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, therefore I will cut you down; my eye will not spare, and I will have no pity. ¹²A third part of you shall die of pestilence and be consumed with famine in the midst of you; a third part shall fall by the sword round about you; and a third part I will scatter to all the winds and will unsheathe the sword after them. ¹³"Thus shall my anger spend itself, and I will vent my fury upon them and satisfy myself; and they shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken in my jealousy, when I spend my fury upon them. ¹⁴Moreover I will make you a desolation and an object of reproach among the nations round about you and in the sight of all that pass by. ¹⁵You shall be a reproach and a taunt, a warning and a horror, to the nations round about you, when I execute judgments on you in anger and fury, and with furious chastisements--I, the LORD, have spoken^-- 16when I loose against you my deadly arrows of famine, arrows for destruction, which I will loose to destroy you, and when I bring more and more famine upon you, and break your staff of bread. ¹⁷I will send famine and wild beasts against you, and they will rob you of your children; pestilence and blood shall pass through you; and I will bring the sword upon you. I, the LORD, have spoken."

Intent of Chapter 5

In this chapter we are taken forward to the destruction of Jerusalem in the siege and famine, which was not to occur until 586 BCE, as we see was prophesied by God (Part 1) and then not again until 70 CE. This repeated destruction was to occur in accordance with prophecy and the time-frame allotted for the events by God (cf. The Sign of Jonah and the History of the Reconstruction of the Temple (No. 013) and Outline Timetable of the Age (No. 272)).

Preparing for the Passover (No. 190)

Fire from Heaven (No. 028)

5:1-17 The Prophecy of the Shorn Hair In this prophecy we see an ongoing prophecy which deals with Israel from the Siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians and the ongoing destruction of both Israel and Judah into the whole house of Israel over the entire period of the prophecies into the last days (see Completion of the Sign of Jonah (No. 013B)).

God has set Israel as the centre of the nations with Jerusalem as the centre of all nations (38:12) as we see from the initial occupation and the plan of God as detailed in Joshua (F006 ii, iii, iv and F006v). Because of the abominations committed in Judah and Jerusalem, God states (vv. 9-10) that the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of them, and the sons shall eat their fathers.

vv. 11-12 The population will be reduced by thirds and scattered to the winds.They will be reduced by famine and a third will die in the pestilence and famine to come and a third part will die by the sword around about them and a third will be scattered to the winds and God will unsheath the sword after them. This will occur at its most intense in the last days at the Wars of the End (No. 141C), and in the suppressions by the NWO under the Witnesses (No. 141D).

v. 13-17 This reduction by war and pestilence will continue now until the Return of the Messiah (see Return of the King (No. 282E)). It will continue until only the Holy Seed are left (Isa. 6:9-13; Amos 9:1-15).

v. 14 36:34 Compare Jeremiah 24:9-10

v. 17 14:21.

Chapter 6

¹The word of the LORD came to me: ²"Son of man, set your face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them, ³and say, You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD! Thus says the Lord GOD to the mountains and the hills, to the ravines and the valleys: Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places. ⁴Your altars shall become desolate, and your incense altars shall be broken; and I will cast down your slain before your idols. ⁵And I will lay the dead bodies of the people of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones round about your altars. ⁶Wherever you dwell your cities shall be waste and your high places ruined, so that your altars will be waste and ruined, your idols broken and destroyed, your incense altars cut down, and your works wiped out. ⁷And the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and you shall know that I am the LORD. ⁸"Yet I will leave some of you alive. When you have among the nations some who escape the sword, and when you are scattered through the countries, ⁹then those of you who escape will remember me among the nations where they are carried captive, when I have broken their wanton heart which has departed from me, and blinded their eyes which turn wantonly after their idols; and they will be loathsome in their own sight for the evils which they have committed, for all their abominations. ¹⁰And they shall know that I am the LORD; I have not said in vain that I would do this evil to them." ¹¹Thus says the Lord GOD: "Clap your hands, and stamp your foot, and say, Alas! because of all the evil abominations of the house of Israel; for they shall fall by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. ¹²He that is far off shall die of pestilence; and he that is near shall fall by the sword; and he that is left and is preserved shall die of famine. Thus I will spend my fury upon them. ¹³And you shall know that I am the LORD, when their slain lie among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, on all the mountain tops, under every green tree, and under every leafy oak, wherever they offered pleasing odor to all their idols. ¹⁴And I will stretch out my hand against them, and make the land desolate and waste, throughout all their habitations, from the wilderness to Riblah. Then they will know that I am the LORD."

Intent of Chapter 6

The Mountains of Israel (6:1-7:27)

This prophecy deals with Israel and its idolatry. The Church is not separated from the nation in all of this activity. The Church will be within the nation during all of the period of its persecution, until the Return of the Messiah.

Preparing for the Passover (No. 190)

6:1-14 Compare 36:1-15 The mountains of Israel are the nations that have sprung from its tribes in the dispersions. The High Places are the sacred altars that have been erected in service of the pagan gods and goddesses and their funerary cairns and open air pagan sancturaries. These have the oaks and other trees as the Asherahs (see also v. 13; Hos 4:13). These had the areas of the fertility Goddess such as Ashtoreth consort of Baal or Anath or the Ishtar or Easter fertility goddess equivalent which has plagued Israel until this very day and will be exterminated before the Millennium along with the cultic shrines and incense burning that accompanied them.

They have buried the carcasses of their kings and others in the holy places and so wherever they dwell these abominations will be obliterated and the idolaters among the people killed among them (vv. 5-7).

vv. 8-10 The remnant The remant here are the Holy Seed that are left finally at the end when Israel as a remnant cast among the nations is restored under Messiah as in 5:1-17.

Chapter 7

¹The word of the LORD came to me: ²"And you, O son of man, thus says the Lord GOD to the land of Israel: An end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land. ³Now the end is upon you, and I will let loose my anger upon you, and will judge you according to your ways; and I will punish you for all your abominations. ⁴And my eye will not spare you, nor will I have pity; but I will punish you for your ways, while your abominations are in your midst. Then you will know that I am the LORD. ⁵"Thus says the Lord GOD: Disaster after disaster! Behold, it comes. ⁶An end has come, the end has come; it has awakened against you. Behold, it comes. ⁷Your doom has come to you, O inhabitant of the land; the time has come, the day is near, a day of tumult, and not of joyful shouting upon the mountains. ⁸Now I will soon pour out my wrath upon you, and spend my anger against you, and judge you according to your ways; and I will punish you for all your abominations. ⁹And my eye will not spare, nor will I have pity; I will punish you according to your ways, while your abominations are in your midst. Then you will know that I am the LORD, who smite. ¹⁰"Behold, the day! Behold, it comes! Your doom has come, injustice has blossomed, pride has budded. ¹¹Violence has grown up into a rod of wickedness; none of them shall remain, nor their abundance, nor their wealth; neither shall there be preeminence among them. ¹²The time has come, the day draws near. Let not the buyer rejoice, nor the seller mourn, for wrath is upon all their multitude. ¹³For the seller shall not return to what he has sold, while they live. For wrath is upon all their multitude; it shall not turn back; and because of his iniquity, none can maintain his life. ¹⁴"They have blown the trumpet and made all ready; but none goes to battle, for my wrath is upon all their multitude. ¹⁵The sword is without, pestilence and famine are within; he that is in the field dies by the sword; and him that is in the city famine and pestilence devour. ¹⁶And if any survivors escape, they will be on the mountains, like doves of the valleys, all of them moaning, every one over his iniquity. ¹⁷All hands are feeble, and all knees weak as water. ¹⁸They gird themselves with sackcloth, and horror covers them; shame is upon all faces, and baldness on all their heads. ¹⁹They cast their silver into the streets, and their gold is like an unclean thing; their silver and gold are not able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD; they cannot satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs with it. For it was the stumbling block of their iniquity. ²⁰Their beautiful ornament they used for vainglory, and they made their abominable images and their detestable things of it; therefore I will make it an unclean thing to them. ²¹And I will give it into the hands of foreigners for a prey, and to the wicked of the earth for a spoil; and they shall profane it. ²²I will turn my face from them, that they may profane my precious place; robbers shall enter and profane it, ²³and make a desolation. "Because the land is full of bloody crimes and the city is full of violence, ²⁴I will bring the worst of the nations to take possession of their houses; I will put an end to their proud might, and their holy places shall be profaned. ²⁵When anguish comes, they will seek peace, but there shall be none. ²⁶Disaster comes upon disaster, rumor follows rumor; they seek a vision from the prophet, but the law perishes from the priest, and counsel from the elders. ²⁷The king mourns, the prince is wrapped in despair, and the hands of the people of the land are palsied by terror. According to their way I will do to them, and according to their own judgments I will judge them; and they shall know that I am the LORD."

Intent of Chapter 7

7:1-27 Prophecy of the Approaching Judgment This chapter is a prophecy of the speedy destruction of Israel being near and the judgments that would come upon them; any who escape would moan for their iniquity.

vv. 1-4 The end (see Amos 8:2); it is the sequel to the judgments of chs. 4-6.

v. 3 (comp. Ps 78:49)

The day refers to Joel 1:15 (F029); Malachi 4:1 (F039) and is the day of the Lord at the end of the period and the return of Messiah (Am. 5:18-20; Isa. 2:11,12-17).

vv. 10-23a Many think that this applies to the end of Jerusalem in the siege, with people selling what they can and the buyers having little prospect of retaining their purchases. The prophecy however is far more extensive in its scope and refers to the nations and multitudes to the day of the Lord as we see above. Because of their iniquity none shall retain his life (10-13).

vv. 14-18 The trumpet sounds but instead of battle array one sees only mourning (Jer. 16:6-9; Isa. 15:2). The gold and silver they cast to idols cannot be used to buy food and the idols themselves are useless (Jer. 2:26-28; 10:1-16; Zeph. 1:18), except as plunder for the conquerors. v. 22 My precious place – The Temple.

7:23b-27 The invasions that are to come are with the worst of the nations and they will be profaned and their houses occupied. Their holy places will be profaned. They will seek peace but there shall be none (cf. Jer. 6:14; Ezek. 22:28). Their leadership will be in disarray (Jer. 4:9-10; 13:13). Disaster follows on disaster and they are beset by rumours. They seek guidance from prophets, but the law perishes from the priests and thus there is no vision, and no counsel from the elders (vv. 26-27).

Chapter 8

¹In the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, with the elders of Judah sitting before me, the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me. ²Then I beheld, and, lo, a form that had the appearance of a man; below what appeared to be his loins it was fire, and above his loins it was like the appearance of brightness, like gleaming bronze. ³He put forth the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven, and brought me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the gateway of the inner court that faces north, where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy. ⁴And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, like the vision that I saw in the plain. ⁵Then he said to me, "Son of man, lift up your eyes now in the direction of the north." So I lifted up my eyes toward the north, and behold, north of the altar gate, in the entrance, was this image of jealousy. ⁶And he said to me, "Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations that the house of Israel are committing here, to drive me far from my sanctuary? But you will see still greater abominations." ⁷And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold, there was a hole in the wall. ⁸Then said he to me, "Son of man, dig in the wall"; and when I dug in the wall, lo, there was a door. ⁹And he said to me, "Go in, and see the vile abominations that they are committing here." ¹⁰So I went in and saw; and there, portrayed upon the wall round about, were all kinds of creeping things, and loathsome beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel. ¹¹And before them stood seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel, with Ja-azani'ah the son of Shaphan standing among them. Each had his censer in his hand, and the smoke of the cloud of incense went up. ¹²Then he said to me, "Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, every man in his room of pictures? For they say, 'The LORD does not see us, the LORD has forsaken the land.'" ¹³He said also to me, "You will see still greater abominations which they commit." ¹⁴Then he brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the house of the LORD; and behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. ¹⁵Then he said to me, "Have you seen this, O son of man? You will see still greater abominations than these." ¹⁶And he brought me into the inner court of the house of the LORD; and behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men, with their backs to the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east, worshiping the sun toward the east. ¹⁷Then he said to me, "Have you seen this, O son of man? Is it too slight a thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they commit here, that they should fill the land with violence, and provoke me further to anger? Lo, they put the branch to their nose. ¹⁸Therefore I will deal in wrath; my eye will not spare, nor will I have pity; and though they cry in my ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them."

Intent of Chapter 8

8:1-11:25 The Temple Visions

8:1-18 (593 BCE Sixth year of Jehoiachin’s captivity, not as per AORSV n): Second Vision in Jerusalem

This chapter contains a vision the prophet had of the idolatry of Israel when he was taken in the spirit to Jerusalem, which was the cause of their destruction.

8:1-4 The gateway to the inner court was the third gate leading north from the palace complex into the Temple precincts (1Kgs. 7:12; 2Kgs. 20:4 The seat was a niche for a figured slab (cf. AORSV n.)

8:7-13 The text indicates that the Sanhedrin (the 70) (v. 12) were engaging in practices from the Cult of Osiris as per the wall paintings of the Book of the Dead, assuring a happy after life (rather that the Resurrection reliant on the One True God). It was for this secret worship that Judah was sent into dispersion in 70 CE and by 135 CE.

vv. 14-15 Tammuz was the Sumero-Accadian god of vegetation (also Dumuzi). The weeping was for his descent into the underworld and the consequent decline of vegetation. Israel was steeped in the pagan rituals and to this day they still bake cakes for the goddess at the Easter festival and for which they will be punished at the Return of the King (No. 282E).

vv. 16-18 This text refers to the worship of the sun god both in Egypt and in the north in Babylonia for the sun goddess (Shams (f) among the Arabs), as consort of Sin the Moon God (see the Golden Calf (No. 222). This was also linked to the worship of Tammuz-Adonis who also was associated with the bringing forth of the spring vegetation (see Isa. 17:10). So also the branch, or vine sprout, was a symbol of the rites of the fertility cults (see also Origins of Christmas and Easter No. 235). The Easter festival entered Roman Christianity ca 154 CE under Anicetus, and by force in 192 CE under Bishop Victor forcing the Quarto-Deciman Disputes (No. 277) and the Unitarian Trinitarian Wars (No. 268).

The worship of the Goddess and the infant Sun God at the December Solstice did not enter pseudo-Christianity until 375 CE with the Dark Ice Age. These cult festivals will be completely eliminated for the Millennium. The Host under the Christ will stamp them out.

Fire from Heaven (No. 028)

Bullinger’s Notes on Ezekiel Chs. 5-8 (for KJV)

Chapter 5

Verse 1

son of man . See note on Ezekiel 2:1 .

knife = sword, as in Ezekiel 5:12 , and Ezekiel 11:8 , Ezekiel 11:10

take thee a barber's rasor = as a barber's rasor shalt thou take it. This is the sign of the Assyrian army; Isaiah 7:20 ).

thee . The 1611 edition of the Authorized Version reads "the".

Verse 2

in the midst of the city . Which he had graven on the brick See the signification in Ezekiel 5:12 ,

fulfilled = completed. Compare Ezekiel 4:8 .

a = the. Compare Ezekiel 5:1 .

in to.

wind . Hebrew ruach. App-9 .

draw out a sword , &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:33 ).

sword . Same word as "knife" (vs Ezekiel 5:1 ). App-92 .

Verse 4

the house of Israel . As in Ezekiel 4:3 .

Verse 5

the Lord GOD = Adonai Jehovah, As in Ezekiel 2:4

This is Jerusalem . Compare Ezekiel 4:1 .

Verse 6

changed = rejected, or rebelled against. Compare Ezekiel 20:8 , Ezekiel 20:13 , Ezekiel 20:21 , Numbers 20:24 ; Numbers 27:14 . Hebrew. march. Occurs forty-two times in O.T., and rendered "changed" only here. See notes on Ezekiel 2:3 , Ezekiel 2:6 .

wickedness . Hebrew. rdshii'. App-44 .

they : i.e. the nations and the countries.

Verse 7

multiplied = rebelled.

statutes . See notes on Genesis 26:5 .Deuteronomy 4:1 .

neither have kept = and have not kept.

neither have done , &c.: or, "and according to the statutes of the nations which are round about you have not done". Some codices, with two early printed editions and Syriac, omit this "not". Compare Ezekiel 11:12 .

Verse 8

Behold . Figure of speech Asterismos, App-6 .

Verse 10

the fathers shall eat , &c. = fathers shall eat, &c. (no Art.) Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:29 . Deuteronomy 28:53 ).

Verse 11

as I live . Figures of speech Deesis and Anthropopatheia. App-6 .

saith the LORD = [is] Jehovah's oracle.

hast defiled . This charge is substantiated in Ezekiel 8:0 .

diminish thee . So the Western codices. Hebrew. 'egra' (with Resh = r). But the Eastern oodices read 'egda' (with Daleth = d) =. "I shall cut off", with the former reading in margin, But some codices, with two early printed editions, read "cut off" in the text.

Mine eye, &c. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6 , Ref to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 13:8 ). Compare Ezekiel 7:4 ; Ezekiel 8:18 ; Ezekiel 9:10 . App-92 .

Verse 12

A third pert, &c. This is the signification of the sign (verses: Ezekiel 5:1-4 ).

pestilence, and with famine . Op. Josephus, Antiquities x, 8. i.

all the winds = all quarters, Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 .

Verse 13

and . Note the Figure of speech Polyeyndeton ( App-6 ).

I will be comforted. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 32:36 ). Compare Isaiah 1:24 , App-92 .

the LORD . Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

zeal = jealousy.

Verse 14

I will make thee waste . Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:31 , Leviticus 26:32 ). App-92 ,

Verse 15

be a reproach and a taunt, Sc. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 28:37 , the words being different). App-92 .

unto. Some codices, with one early printed edition, Septuagint, and Vulgate, read "in", or "among".

Verse 16

I shall sand, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 32:23 , Deuteronomy 32:24 ).

which : or, who.

break your staff of bread, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:26 ). App-92 . Compare Ezekiel 4:13 .

Verse 17

So will I send, Sc, Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:22 .Deuteronomy 32:24; Deuteronomy 32:24 ),

I will bring the sword , Re. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:25 ). App-92 . Compare Ezekiel 6:3 ; Ezekiel 11:8 ; Ezekiel 11:14 , Ezekiel 11:17 ; Ezekiel 29:8 ; Ezekiel 33:2 . Not used elsewhere in O.T.

Chapter 6

Verse 1

the LORD . Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

Verse 2

Son of man . See note on Ezekiel 2:1 .

the mountains . Specially defiled by the high places. Compare Ezekiel 6:13 .

Verse 3

the Lord GOD . Hebrew Adonai Jehovah. See note on Ezekiel 2:4 .

rivers: or, ravines . Compare Ezekiel 36:4 , s. Hebrew aphikim. See note on "channels", 2 Samuel 22:16 .

Behold , Figure of speech Asteriemos. App-6 .

bring a sword . See note on Ezekiel 5:17 .

destroy your high places . Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:30 ).

Verse 4

images = sun = images. Ref, to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:30 ). App-92 . Compare 2 Chronicles 14:5 ; 2Ch 34:4 , 2 Chronicles 34:7 , Isaiah 17:8 ; Isaiah 27:9 .

idols = manufactured gods.

Verse 5

children = sons, their. Some codices, with Vulgate, read "your".

Verse 6

waste. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:31 ). App-92 .

Verse 7

the slain = a slain one.

ye shall know that am the LORD , This formula occurs twenty-one times in Ezekiel: five times at the beginning of a verse (Ezekiel 6:13 ; Ezekiel 11:12 ; Ezekiel 20:42 , Ezekiel 20:44 ; Ezekiel 37:13 ); five times in the middle of a verse (7, 9; Ezekiel 15:7 ; Ezekiel 17:21 ; Ezekiel 22:22 ; Ezekiel 37:14 ); and eleven times at the end of the verse (Ezekiel 6:7 ; Ezekiel 7:4 ; Ezekiel 11:10 ; Ezekiel 12:20 ; Ezekiel 13:14 ; Ezekiel 14:8 ; Ezekiel 20:38 ; Ezekiel 25:5 ; Eze 25:35 , Ezekiel 25:9 ; Ezekiel 36:11 ; Ezekiel 37:6 ). In two instances, which are thus safe-guarded (see App-93 ), the verb is feminine. (Ezekiel 13:21 , Ezekiel 13:23 ). Outside Ezekiel it occurs only twice (Exodus 10:2 . 1 Kings 20:28 ). See Ginsburg's Massorah, vol. i, pp 467, 468, 122, 128. For another formula, see note on Ezekiel 6:10 , and Ezekiel 13:9 .

Verse 8

ye. The 1611 edition of the Authorized Version reads "he": i.e. Israel,

Verse 9

I am broken with. Aramaean, Syriac, and Vulgate read "I have broken".

whorish: i.e. idolatrous.

evils . Hebrew. nI's'. App-44 .

Verse 10

they shall know that I am the LORD . This expression occurs again in Ezekiel 6:14 ; Ezekiel 12:15 ; Ezekiel 20:26 ; Ezekiel 30:8 ; Eze 30:32 , Ezekiel 30:15 . Other similar passages outside Ezekiel are, first, Exodus 7:5 .Leviticus 23:43 (reference to Pentateuch); then 1Sa 17:44 , 1 Samuel 17:47 . 1 Kings 8:43 ; 1Ki 18:37 . 2 Chronicles 6:33 .Psalms 59:13 ; Psalms 83:18 ; Psalms 109:27 . Isaiah 19:12 ; Isaiah 41:20 ; Isaiah 46:6 ; Jeremiah 31:34 . See Ginsburg's Massorah, vol. i, 118, 134, 135, 137.

Verse 11

the house of Israel See note on Exodus 16:31 .

Verse 13

sweet savour = savour of appeasement, or, rest.

Verse 14

So will I : or, And I will.

stretch out My hand. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 7:6 , &c.)

Diblath = Diblathaim (Numbers 33:46 . Jeremiah 48:22 ). A Massoretic note records the fact that some MSS, read Riblah"; but many codices, with ten early printed editions, Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "Diblah".

Chapter 7

Verse 1

the LORD . Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

Verse 2

son of man . See note on Ezekiel 2:1 .

the Lord GOD = Adonai Jehovah. See note on Ezekiel 2:4 .

the land of Israel = the soil or ground of Israel. 'Ad math Israel, not 'eretz, as in the next clause. See note on Ezekiel 11:17 .

An end . . . the end . . . the end . The Figure of speech Repetitio for emphasis. Compare verses: Ezekiel 2:3 . See App-6 .

the land . Hebrew. 'eretz.

Verse 4

Mine eye . Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6 .

ye shall know , &c. See note on Ezekiel 6:7 .

Verse 6

An end . . . the end . . . it watcheth . Figure of speech Paronomasia. App-6 . Hebrew. kez . . . hakez, : . . . hekes.

it = she. Note the sudden change of gender, referring to "the morning" of Ezekiel 7:7 .

Verse 7

The morning is come = The turn (or circle) hath come round.

sounding again . Occurs only here.

Verse 8

An evil, an only evil . Figure of speech Epizeuxis. App-6 .

evil = calamity. Hebrew. raa. App-44 .

only = sole. Some codices, with four early printed editions and Aramaean, read "calamity after calamity", reading 'ahar (after) instead of 'ahad

behold . Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 .

Verse 10

the rod hath blossomed : i.e. Nebuchadnezzar's sceptre is ready.

pride = insolence, or presumption : i.e. Israel's sin, which has called for the judgment.

Verse 11

a rod of wickedness : i.e. a rod to punish the wickedness. Genitive of Relation. App-17 .

wickedness = lawlessness. Hebrew rasha. App-44 . neither shall there be wailing for them. Some codices, with four early printed editions, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "no rest for them".

Verse 13

to that : i.e. to the possession.

although they were yet alive : i.e. at the time of the redemption, when, at the jubilee, the property sold would come back to the seller. Ref to Pentateuch (Leviticus 25:0 ). App-92 .

the vision : or, indignation, if chardn is read for chazan , "wrath"; i.e. ? = R for? = D, as in Ezekiel 7:12 and Ezekiel 7:14 .

strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life : or, no man by his iniquity shall strengthen his life.

iniquity . Hebrew. avah. App-44 .

Verse 14

They have blown . Some codices, with Septuagint, and Vulgate, read "Blow ye".

Verse 15

The sword . Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , for war.

The sword is without . Reference to Pentateuch, (Deuteronomy 32:25 ).

Verse 16

iniquity . As in Ezekiel 7:13 but here is put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Effect), App-6 , for the judgment which was the consequence of it.

Verse 18

baldness. A sign of mourning.

Verse 19

deliver = rescue.

souls = cravings of their animal nature. Hebrew. nepheah. App-13 .

Verse 20

it: i.e. His Sanctuary, or His holy city Jerusalem.

and. Some codices, with Syriac and Vulgate, read this "and" in the text = "and their".

Verse 21

strangers = foreigners.

wicked = lawless. Hebrew. rasha', App-44 .

pollute = profane.

Verse 23

Make a chain. The sign of captivity, answering to the other sign in Ezekiel 7:11 - ("q").

bloody crimes = crimes of bloodshed i.e. capital crimes.

Verse 24

heathen = nations.

the strong. The Septuagint evidently read `uzzam, instead of `uzzim ("the fierce ones"), Compare Ezekiel 24:21 .

holy . See note on Exodus 3:5 .

Verse 25

Destruction : or, Cutting off.

Verse 26

Mischiefs = Calamity. Hebrew. chavah.

shall come. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 32:23 ).

rumour = hearing. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , for what is heard.

upon = after; but a special reading called Sevir ( App-34 ), reads "upon". This is followed by Authorized Version and Revised Version.

they seek. But in vain. See Ezekiel 7:25 .

the law. This was the special province of the priest (Deuteronomy 17:8-13 ; Deuteronomy 33:10 ), as the vision was that of the prophet, and counsel that of elders. Compare Jeremiah 18:18 .

ancients = elders.

Verse 27

desolation . Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), App-6 , for rent garments, which were the outward expression of inward grief.

deserts = judgments, Compare Ezekiel 7:23 .

they shall know , &c. See note on Ezekiel 6:10 ,

Chapter 8

Verse 1

the sixth year , &c. See table on p. 1105.

fifth. Some codices read "first".

the elders of Judah: i.e. of' the Jewish colony at Tel = Abib (Ezekiel 3:15 ).

the hand. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6 .

the Lord GOD . Hebrew Adonai Jehovah. See note on Ezekiel 2:4 .

Verse 2

lo. Figure of speech Asteriemos. App-6 .

Fire = a man. So the Septuagint, reading "ish ( App-14 ) instead of ' esh = fire.

Verse 3

the spirit . Probably an angel. See below. Heb, ruach . App-9 .

me. Emph.: i.e. Ezekiel himself, as Philip. Compare 1 Kings 18:12 . 2 Kings 2:16 . Acts 8:39 . 2 Corinthians 12:2 , 2 Corinthians 12:4 .Revelation 1:10 ; Revelation 4:2 ; Revelation 17:3 ; Rev 17:21 , Revelation 17:10 . Compare Ezekiel 11:24 , Ezekiel 11:25 ; Ezekiel 40:2 , Ezekiel 40:3 .

the visions of God: i, e. the visions given him by God. The Genitive of Origin ( App-17 .)

God . Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .

to Jerusalem: i.e. to the actual city itself, not a vision of it.

door . entrance.

jealousy . Pat by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Effect), App-6 , for the effect produced by it, as explained in the next clause. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 4:16 ). App-92 . Elsewhere only in 2 Chronicles 33:7 , 2 Chronicles 33:15 .

provoketh to jealousy . Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 20:5 Deuteronomy 32:16 ), App-92 .

Verse 4

behold . Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 .

the glory , &c. See note on Ezekiel 1:28 .

the God of Israel . See note on Isaiah 29:23 ,

plain = valley.

Son of man . See note on Ezekiel 2:1 .

Verse 6

seeest thou . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 .

abominations. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6 , for the idols and the sin of idolatry which Jehovah abominated.

the house of Israel . See note on Exodus 16:31 .

I should go far off. Literally to a removal far away: i.e. that they (or I) should remove, &c.

Verse 7

a = one: i.e. a single, or certain; as though it were mysterious or remarkable.

Verse 10

abominable. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 7:0 and Leviticus 11:0 ). Elsewhere only in Isaiah 66:17 . App-92 .

beasts. This animal = worship was part of Egyptian idolatry.

idols = manufactured gods.

Verse 11

seventy. The number of the elders. See Numbers 11:18 . 2 Chronicles 19:8 . Jeremiah 26:17 ,

men . Hebrew. 'ish. App-14 .

ancients = elders. Contrast Exodus 24:1 , &c.

Jaazaniah. His father, Shaphan, had taken part in Josiah's reformation (2 Kings 22:8 , &c.) Two of his sons were friendly to Jeremiah ( Ahikam, Jeremiah 26:24 ; and Gemariah, Ezekiel 36:10 , Ezekiel 36:25 ). Another Jaazaniah is mentioned in Ezekiel 11:1 .

Verse 12

in the dark. This was a special feature of this animal idolatry.

The LORD seeth us not : or, there is no Jehovah seeing us. Compare Ezekiel 9:9 .

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

Verse 14

Tammuz. With Art. An idol personifying vegetable and animal life, worshipped in Phoenicia and Babylonia.

Verse 16

between the porch and the altar . The place appointed for the priests.

five and twenty. The number of the heads of the twenty-four courses of the priests.

their backs toward the temple . Because their faces were toward the sun-rising.

worshipped the sun . This form of idolatry seen as early as Job 31:26 , Job 31:27 ; and foreseen in Deuteronomy 4:19 ; adopted as early as Asa (2 Chronicles 14:5 ); abolished by Josiah (2 Kings 23:5 , 2 Kings 23:11 ).

Verse 17

the . Some codices, with three early printed editions, read "all the".

Lo . Figure of speech Asterismce. App-6 .

the branch = the Asherah ( App-42 ), represented by a branch out to a certain shape.

their . This is one of the eighteen emendations of the Sepherim ( App-33 ), by which they record their change of'aphphi (My nostrils) of the primitive text, to' aphpham (their nostrils), in order to remove what was thought to be an indelicate and derogatory Anthropomorphism.

Verse 18

Mine eye. Mine ears . Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 13:8 ). App-92 . See Ezekiel 5:11 ; Ezekiel 7:4 , Ezekiel 7:9 ; Ezekiel 9:5 ; and compare Jeremiah 21:7 . Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6 .

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