1 Moreover the spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the east gate of the LORD's house, which looketh eastward: and behold at the door of the gate five and twenty men; among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.
2 Then said he unto me, Son of man, these are the men that devise mischief, and give wicked counsel in this city:
3 Which say, It is not near; let us build houses: this city is the caldron, and we be the flesh.
4 Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man.
5 And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the LORD; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them.
6 Ye have multiplied your slain in this city, and ye have filled the streets thereof with the slain.
7 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Your slain whom ye have laid in the midst of it, they are the flesh, and this city is the caldron: but I will bring you forth out of the midst of it.
8 Ye have feared the sword; and I will bring a sword upon you, saith the Lord GOD.
9 And I will bring you out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you.
10 Ye shall fall by the sword; I will judge you in the border of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
11 This city shall not be your caldron, neither shall ye be the flesh in the midst thereof; but I will judge you in the border of Israel:
12 And ye shall know that I am the LORD: for ye have not walked in my statutes, neither executed my judgments, but have done after the manners of the heathen that are round about you.
13 And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?
14 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
15 Son of man, thy brethren, even thy brethren, the men of thy kindred, and all the house of Israel wholly, are they unto whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Get you far from the LORD: unto us is this land given in possession.
16 Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come.
17 Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.
18 And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence.
19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:
20 That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
21 But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord GOD.
22 Then did the cherubims lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
23 And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.
24 Afterwards the spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me.
25 Then I spake unto them of the captivity all the things that the LORD had shewed me.
1 Moreover the spirit H7307 lifted me up, H5375 and brought H935 me unto the east H6931 gate H8179 of the LORD'S H3068 house, H1004 which looketh H6437 eastward: H6921 and behold at the door H6607 of the gate H8179 five H2568 and twenty H6242 men; H376 among H8432 whom I saw H7200 Jaazaniah H2970 the son H1121 of Azur, H5809 and Pelatiah H6410 the son H1121 of Benaiah, H1141 princes H8269 of the people. H5971
2 Then said H559 he unto me, Son H1121 of man, H120 these are the men H582 that devise H2803 mischief, H205 and give H3289 wicked H7451 counsel H6098 in this city: H5892
3 Which say, H559 It is not near; H7138 let us build H1129 houses: H1004 this city is the caldron, H5518 and we be the flesh. H1320
4 Therefore prophesy H5012 against them, prophesy, H5012 O son H1121 of man. H120
5 And the Spirit H7307 of the LORD H3068 fell H5307 upon me, and said H559 unto me, Speak; H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 Thus have ye said, H559 O house H1004 of Israel: H3478 for I know H3045 the things that come H4609 into your mind, H7307 every one of them.
6 Ye have multiplied H7235 your slain H2491 in this city, H5892 and ye have filled H4390 the streets H2351 thereof with the slain. H2491
7 Therefore thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Your slain H2491 whom ye have laid H7760 in the midst H8432 of it, they are the flesh, H1320 and this city is the caldron: H5518 but I will bring you forth H3318 out of the midst H8432 of it.
8 Ye have feared H3372 the sword; H2719 and I will bring H935 a sword H2719 upon you, saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069
9 And I will bring you out H3318 of the midst H8432 thereof, and deliver H5414 you into the hands H3027 of strangers, H2114 and will execute H6213 judgments H8201 among you.
10 Ye shall fall H5307 by the sword; H2719 I will judge H8199 you in the border H1366 of Israel; H3478 and ye shall know H3045 that I am the LORD. H3068
11 This city shall not be your caldron, H5518 neither shall ye be the flesh H1320 in the midst H8432 thereof; but I will judge H8199 you in the border H1366 of Israel: H3478
12 And ye shall know H3045 that I am the LORD: H3068 for ye have not walked H1980 in my statutes, H2706 neither executed H6213 my judgments, H4941 but have done H6213 after the manners H4941 of the heathen H1471 that are round about H5439 you.
13 And it came to pass, when I prophesied, H5012 that Pelatiah H6410 the son H1121 of Benaiah H1141 died. H4191 Then fell I down H5307 upon my face, H6440 and cried H2199 with a loud H1419 voice, H6963 and said, H559 Ah H162 Lord H136 GOD! H3069 wilt thou make H6213 a full end H3617 of the remnant H7611 of Israel? H3478
14 Again the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came unto me, saying, H559
15 Son H1121 of man, H120 thy brethren, H251 even thy brethren, H251 the men H582 of thy kindred, H1353 and all the house H1004 of Israel H3478 wholly, are they unto whom the inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem H3389 have said, H559 Get you far H7368 from the LORD: H3068 unto us is this land H776 given H5414 in possession. H4181
16 Therefore say, H559 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Although I have cast them far off H7368 among the heathen, H1471 and although I have scattered H6327 them among the countries, H776 yet will I be to them as a little H4592 sanctuary H4720 in the countries H776 where they shall come. H935
17 Therefore say, H559 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 I will even gather H6908 you from the people, H5971 and assemble H622 you out of the countries H776 where ye have been scattered, H6327 and I will give H5414 you the land H127 of Israel. H3478
18 And they shall come H935 thither, and they shall take away H5493 all the detestable things H8251 thereof and all the abominations H8441 thereof from thence.
19 And I will give H5414 them one H259 heart, H3820 and I will put H5414 a new H2319 spirit H7307 within H7130 you; and I will take H5493 the stony H68 heart H3820 out of their flesh, H1320 and will give H5414 them an heart H3820 of flesh: H1320
20 That they may walk H3212 in my statutes, H2708 and keep H8104 mine ordinances, H4941 and do H6213 them: and they shall be my people, H5971 and I will be their God. H430
21 But as for them whose heart H3820 walketh H1980 after the heart H3820 of their detestable things H8251 and their abominations, H8441 I will recompense H5414 their way H1870 upon their own heads, H7218 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069
22 Then did the cherubims H3742 lift up H5375 their wings, H3671 and the wheels H212 beside H5980 them; and the glory H3519 of the God H430 of Israel H3478 was over them above. H4605
23 And the glory H3519 of the LORD H3068 went up H5927 from the midst H8432 of the city, H5892 and stood H5975 upon the mountain H2022 which is on the east side H6924 of the city. H5892
24 Afterwards the spirit H7307 took me up, H5375 and brought H935 me in a vision H4758 by the Spirit H7307 of God H430 into Chaldea, H3778 to them of the captivity. H1473 So the vision H4758 that I had seen H7200 went up H5927 from me.
25 Then I spake H1696 unto them of the captivity H1473 all the things H1697 that the LORD H3068 had shewed H7200 me.
1 Moreover the Spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the east gate of Jehovah's house, which looketh eastward: and behold, at the door of the gate five and twenty men; and I saw in the midst of them Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.
2 And he said unto me, Son of man, these are the men that devise iniquity, and that give wicked counsel in this city;
3 that say, `The time' is not near to build houses: this `city' is the caldron, and we are the flesh.
4 Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man.
5 And the Spirit of Jehovah fell upon me, and he said unto me, Speak, Thus saith Jehovah: Thus have ye said, O house of Israel; for I know the things that come into your mind.
6 Ye have multiplied your slain in this city, and ye have filled the streets thereof with the slain.
7 Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Your slain whom ye have laid in the midst of it, they are the flesh, and this `city' is the caldron; but ye shall be brought forth out of the midst of it.
8 Ye have feared the sword; and I will bring the sword upon you, saith the Lord Jehovah.
9 And I will bring you forth out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you.
10 Ye shall fall by the sword; I will judge you in the border of Israel; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.
11 This `city' shall not be your caldron, neither shall ye be the flesh in the midst thereof; I will judge you in the border of Israel;
12 and ye shall know that I am Jehovah: for ye have not walked in my statutes, neither have ye executed mine ordinances, but have done after the ordinances of the nations that are round about you.
13 And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord Jehovah! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?
14 And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
15 Son of man, thy brethren, even thy brethren, the men of thy kindred, and all the house of Israel, all of them, `are they' unto whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Get you far from Jehovah; unto us is this land given for a possession.
16 Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Whereas I have removed them far off among the nations, and whereas I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them a sanctuary for a little while in the countries where they are come.
17 Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: I will gather you from the peoples, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.
18 And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence.
19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh;
20 that they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
21 But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord Jehovah.
22 Then did the cherubim lift up their wings, and the wheels were beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
23 And the glory of Jehovah went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.
24 And the Spirit lifted me up, and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me.
25 Then I spake unto them of the captivity all the things that Jehovah had showed me.
1 And lift me up doth a spirit, and it bringeth me in unto the east gate of the house of Jehovah, that is facing the east, and lo, at the opening of the gate twenty and five men, and I see in their midst Jaazaniah son of Azzur, and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, heads of the people.
2 And He saith unto me, `Son of man, these `are' the men who are devising iniquity, and who are giving evil counsel in this city;
3 who are saying, It `is' not near -- to build houses, it `is' the pot, and we the flesh.
4 Therefore prophesy concerning them, prophesy, son of man.'
5 And fall upon me doth the Spirit of Jehovah, and He saith unto me, `Say: Thus said Jehovah: Rightly ye have said, O house of Israel, And the steps of your spirit I have known.
6 Ye multiplied your wounded in this city, And filled its out-places with the wounded.
7 Therefore, thus said the Lord Jehovah: Your wounded whom ye placed in its midst, They `are' the flesh, and it `is' the pot, And you he hath brought out from its midst.
8 A sword ye have feared, And a sword I bring in against you, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.
9 And I have brought you out of its midst, And given you into the hand of strangers, And I have done among you judgments.
10 By the sword ye do fall, On the border of Israel I do judge you, And ye have known that I `am' Jehovah.
11 It is not to you for a pot, Nor are ye in its midst for flesh, At the border of Israel I do judge you.
12 And ye have known that I `am' Jehovah, For in My statutes ye have not walked, And My Judgments ye have not done, And according to the judgments of the nations Who are round about you -- ye have done!'
13 And it cometh to pass, at my prophesying, that Pelatiah son of Benaiah is dying, and I fall on my face, and cry -- a loud voice -- and say, `Ah, Lord Jehovah, an end Thou art making of the remnant of Israel.'
14 And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying,
15 `Son of man, thy brethren, thy brethren, men of thy kindred, and all the house of Israel -- all of it, `are' they to whom inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Keep far off from Jehovah;
16 it `is' ours, the land hath been given for an inheritance; therefore say: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Because I put them afar off among nations, And because I scattered them through lands, I also am to them for a little sanctuary, In lands whither they have gone in.
17 Therefore say: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: And I have assembled you from the peoples, And I have gathered you from the lands, Into which ye have been scattered, And I have given to you the ground of Israel.
18 And they have gone in thither. And turned aside all its detestable things, And all its abominations -- out of it.
19 And I have given to them one heart, And a new spirit I do give in your midst, And I have turned the heart of stone out of their flesh, And I have given to them a heart of flesh.
20 So that in My statutes they walk, And My judgments they keep, and have done them, And they have been to me for a people, And I am to them for God.
21 As to those whose heart is going unto the heart Of their detestable and their abominable things, Their way on their head I have put, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.'
22 And the cherubs lift up their wings, and the wheels `are' over-against them, and the honour of the God of Israel `is' over them above.
23 And the honour of Jehovah goeth up from off the midst of the city, and standeth on the mountain, that `is' on the east of the city.
24 And a spirit hath lifted me up, and bringeth me in to Chaldea, unto the Removed, in a vision, by the Spirit of God, and go up from off me doth the vision that I have seen;
25 and I speak unto the Removed all the matters of Jehovah that He hath shewed me.
1 And the Spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the east gate of Jehovah's house, which looketh eastward; and behold, at the door of the gate were five and twenty men; and I saw in the midst of them Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.
2 And he said unto me, Son of man, these are the men that devise iniquity, and give wicked counsel in this city:
3 who say, It is not the time to build houses: this is the cauldron, and we are the flesh.
4 Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, son of man.
5 And the Spirit of Jehovah fell on me, and said unto me, Speak, Thus saith Jehovah: Thus have ye said, O house of Israel; and the things that come into your mind, I know them.
6 Ye have multiplied your slain in this city, and ye have filled the streets thereof with the slain.
7 Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Your slain whom ye have laid in the midst of it, they are the flesh, and it is the cauldron; but you will I bring forth out of the midst of it.
8 Ye have feared the sword, and I will bring a sword upon you, saith the Lord Jehovah.
9 And I will bring you out of the midst of it, and give you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you.
10 Ye shall fall by the sword; I will judge you in the borders of Israel; and ye shall know that I [am] Jehovah.
11 This shall not be your cauldron, neither shall ye be the flesh in the midst of it: I will judge you in the borders of Israel;
12 and ye shall know that I [am] Jehovah, in whose statutes ye have not walked, neither have done mine ordinances, but have done after the ordinances of the nations that are round about you.
13 And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. And I fell down on my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah, Lord Jehovah! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?
14 And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
15 Son of man, [it is] thy brethren, thy brethren, the men of thy kindred, and all the house of Israel, the whole of it, unto whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem say, Get you far from Jehovah: unto us is this land given for a possession.
16 Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Although I have removed them far off among the nations, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries whither they are come.
17 Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: I will even gather you from the peoples, and assemble you out of the countries where ye are scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.
18 And they shall come thither, and they shall take away from thence all its detestable things and all its abominations.
19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh;
20 that they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
21 But as for them whose heart walketh well-pleased with their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their heads, saith the Lord Jehovah.
22 And the cherubim lifted up their wings, and the wheels were beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
23 And the glory of Jehovah went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.
24 And the Spirit lifted me up, and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity; and the vision that I had seen went up from me.
25 And I spoke unto them of the captivity all the things that Jehovah had shewn me.
1 Moreover the Spirit lifted me up, and brought me to the east gate of Yahweh's house, which looks eastward: and see, at the door of the gate twenty-five men; and I saw in the midst of them Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.
2 He said to me, Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity, and who give wicked counsel in this city;
3 who say, [The time] is not near to build houses: this [city] is the caldron, and we are the flesh.
4 Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, son of man.
5 The Spirit of Yahweh fell on me, and he said to me, Speak, Thus says Yahweh: Thus have you said, house of Israel; for I know the things that come into your mind.
6 You have multiplied your slain in this city, and you have filled the streets of it with the slain.
7 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Your slain whom you have laid in the midst of it, they are the flesh, and this [city] is the caldron; but you shall be brought forth out of the midst of it.
8 You have feared the sword; and I will bring the sword on you, says the Lord Yahweh.
9 I will bring you forth out of the midst of it, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you.
10 You shall fall by the sword; I will judge you in the border of Israel; and you shall know that I am Yahweh.
11 This [city] shall not be your caldron, neither shall you be the flesh in the midst of it; I will judge you in the border of Israel;
12 and you shall know that I am Yahweh: for you have not walked in my statutes, neither have you executed my ordinances, but have done after the ordinances of the nations that are round about you.
13 It happened, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down on my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord Yahweh! will you make a full end of the remnant of Israel?
14 The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
15 Son of man, your brothers, even your brothers, the men of your relatives, and all the house of Israel, all of them, [are they] to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Get you far from Yahweh; to us is this land given for a possession.
16 Therefore say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Whereas I have removed them far off among the nations, and whereas I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them a sanctuary for a little while in the countries where they are come.
17 Therefore say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: I will gather you from the peoples, and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.
18 They shall come there, and they shall take away all the detestable things of it and all the abominations of it from there.
19 I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh;
20 that they may walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
21 But as for them whose heart walks after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their way on their own heads, says the Lord Yahweh.
22 Then did the cherubim lift up their wings, and the wheels were beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
23 The glory of Yahweh went up from the midst of the city, and stood on the mountain which is on the east side of the city.
24 The Spirit lifted me up, and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me.
25 Then I spoke to them of the captivity all the things that Yahweh had shown me.
1 And the wind, lifting me up, took me to the east doorway of the Lord's house, looking to the east: and at the door I saw twenty-five men; and among them I saw Jaazaniah, the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah, the son of Benaiah, rulers of the people.
2 Then he said to me, Son of man, these are the men who are designing evil, who are teaching evil ways in this town:
3 Who say, This is not the time for building houses: this town is the cooking-pot and we are the flesh.
4 For this cause be a prophet against them, be a prophet, O son of man.
5 And the spirit of the Lord came on me, and he said to me, Say, These are the words of the Lord: This is what you have said, O children of Israel; what comes into your mind is clear to me.
6 You have made great the number of your dead in this town, you have made its streets full of dead men.
7 For this reason the Lord has said: Your dead whom you have put down in its streets, they are the flesh, and this town is the cooking-pot: but I will make you come out from inside it.
8 You have been fearing the sword, and I will send the sword on you, says the Lord.
9 I will make you come out from inside the town and will give you up into the hands of men from other lands, and will be judge among you.
10 You will come to your death by the sword; and I will be your judge in the land of Israel; and you will be certain that I am the Lord.
11 This town will not be your cooking-pot, and you will not be the flesh inside it; I will be your judge at the limit of the land of Israel;
12 And you will be certain that I am the Lord: for you have not been guided by my rules or given effect to my orders, but you have been living by the orders of the nations round about you.
13 Now while I was saying these things, death came to Pelatiah, the son of Benaiah. Then falling down on my face and crying out with a loud voice, I said, Ah, Lord! will you put an end to all the rest of Israel?
14 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
15 Son of man, your countrymen, your relations, and all the children of Israel, all of them, are those to whom the people of Jerusalem have said, Go far from the Lord; this land is given to us for a heritage:
16 For this reason say, This is what the Lord has said: Though I have had them moved far off among the nations, and though I have sent them wandering among the countries, still I have been a safe place for them for a little time in the countries where they have come.
17 Then say, This is what the Lord has said: I will get you together from the peoples, and make you come out of the countries where you have been sent in flight, and I will give you the land of Israel.
18 And they will come there, and take away all the hated and disgusting things from it.
19 And I will give them a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in them; and I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh:
20 So that they may be guided by my rules and keep my orders and do them: and they will be to me a people, and I will be to them a God.
21 But as for those whose heart goes after their hated and disgusting things, I will send on their heads the punishment of their ways, says the Lord.
22 Then the wings of the winged ones were lifted up, and the wheels were by their side; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them on high.
23 And the glory of the Lord went up from inside the town, and came to rest on the mountain on the east side of the town.
24 And the wind, lifting me up, took me in the visions of God into Chaldaea, to those who had been taken away as prisoners. So the vision which I had seen went away from me.
25 Then I gave an account to those who had been taken prisoners of all the things which the Lord had made me see.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ezekiel 11
Commentary on Ezekiel 11 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 11
Eze 11:1-25. Prophecy of the Destruction of the Corrupt "Princes of the People;" Pelatiah Dies; Promise of Grace to the Believing Remnant; Departure of the Glory of God from the City; Ezekiel's Return to the Captives.
1. east gate—to which the glory of God had moved itself (Eze 10:19), the chief entrance of the sanctuary; the portico or porch of Solomon. The Spirit moves the prophet thither, to witness, in the presence of the divine glory, a new scene of destruction.
five and twenty men—The same as the twenty-five (that is, twenty-four heads of courses, and the high priest) sun-worshippers seen in Eze 8:16. The leading priests were usually called "princes of the sanctuary" (Isa 43:28) and "chiefs of the priests" (2Ch 36:14); but here two of them are called "princes of the people," with irony, as using their priestly influence to be ringleaders of the people in sin (Eze 11:2). Already the wrath of God had visited the people represented by the elders (Eze 9:6); also the glory of the Lord had left its place in the holy of holies, and, like the cherubim and flaming sword in Eden, had occupied the gate into the deserted sanctuary. The judgment on the representatives of the priesthood naturally follows here, just as the sin of the priests had followed in the description (Eze 8:12, 16) after the sin of the elders.
Jaazaniah—signifying "God hears."
son of Azur—different from Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan (Eze 8:11). Azur means "help." He and Pelatiah ("God delivers"), son of Benaiah ("God builds"), are singled out as Jaazaniah, son of Shaphan, in the case of the seventy elders (Eze 8:11, 12), because their names ought to have reminded them that "God" would have "heard" had they sought His "help" to "deliver" and "build" them up. But, neglecting this, they incurred the heavier judgment by the very relation in which they stood to God [Fairbairn].
2. he—the Lord sitting on the cherubim (Eze 10:2).
wicked counsel—in opposition to the prophets of God (Eze 11:3).
3. It is not near—namely, the destruction of the city; therefore "let us build houses," as if there was no fear. But the Hebrew opposes English Version, which would require the infinitive absolute. Rather, "Not at hand is the building of houses." They sneer at Jeremiah's letter to the captives, among whom Ezekiel lived (Jer 29:5). "Build ye houses, and dwell in them," that is, do not fancy, as many persuade you, that your sojourn in Babylon is to be short; it will be for seventy years (Jer 25:11, 12; 29:10); therefore build houses and settle quietly there. The scorners in Jerusalem reply, Those far off in exile may build if they please, but it is too remote a concern for us to trouble ourselves about [Fairbairn], (Compare Eze 12:22, 27; 2Pe 3:4).
this city … caldron … we … flesh—sneering at Jer 1:13, when he compared the city to a caldron with its mouth towards the north. "Let Jerusalem be so if you will, and we the flesh, exposed to the raging foe from the north, still its fortifications will secure us from the flame of war outside; the city must stand for our sakes, just as the pot exists for the safety of the flesh in it." In opposition to this God says (Eze 11:11), "This city shall not be your caldron, to defend you in it from the foe outside: nay, ye shall be driven out of your imaginary sanctuary and slain in the border of the land." "But," says God, in Eze 11:7, "your slain are the flesh, and this city the caldron; but (not as you fancy, shall ye be kept safe inside) I will bring you forth out of the midst of it"; and again, in Eze 24:3, "Though not a caldron in your sense, Jerusalem shall be so in the sense of its being exposed to a consuming foe, and you yourselves in it and with it."
4. prophesy … prophesy—The repetition marks emphatic earnestness.
5. Spirit … fell upon me—stronger than "entered into me" (Eze 2:2; 3:24), implying the zeal of the Spirit of God roused to immediate indignation at the contempt of God shown by the scorners.
I know—(Ps 139:1-4). Your scornful jests at My word escape not My notice.
6. your slain—those on whom you have brought ruin by your wicked counsels. Bloody crimes within the city brought on it a bloody foe from without (Eze 7:23, 24). They had made it a caldron in which to boil the flesh of God's people (Mic 3:1-3), and eat it by unrighteous oppression; therefore God will make it a caldron in a different sense, one not wherein they may be safe in their guilt, but "out of the midst of" which they shall be "brought forth" (Jer 34:4, 5).
7. The city is a caldron to them, but it shall not be so to you. Ye shall meet your doom on the frontier.
8. The Chaldean sword, to escape which ye abandoned your God, shall be brought on you by God because of that very abandonment of Him.
9. out of the midst thereof—that is, of the city, as captives led into the open plain for judgment.
10. in the border of Israel—on the frontier: at Riblah, in the land of Hamath (compare 2Ki 25:19-21, with 1Ki 8:65).
ye shall know that I am the Lord—by the judgments I inflict (Ps 9:16).
11. (See on Eze 11:3).
12. (De 12:30, 31).
13. Pelaliah—probably the ringleader of the scorners (Eze 11:1); his being stricken dead (like Ananias, Acts 5. 5) was an earnest of the destruction of the rest of the twenty-five, as Ezekiel had foretold, as also of the general ruin.
fell … upon … face—(See on Eze 9:8).
wilt thou make a full end of the remnant—Is Pelatiah's destruction to be the token of the destruction of all, even of the remnant? The people regarded Pelatiah as a mainstay of the city. His name (derived from a Hebrew root, "a remnant," or else "God delivers") suggested hope. Is that hope, asks Ezekiel, to be disappointed?
15. thy brethren … brethren—The repetition implies, "Thy real brethren" are no longer the priests at Jerusalem with whom thou art connected by the natural ties of blood and common temple service, but thy fellow exiles on the Chebar, and the house of Israel whosoever of them belong to the remnant to be spared.
men of thy kindred—literally, "of thy redemption," that is, the nearest relatives, whose duty it was to do the part of Goel, or vindicator and redeemer of a forfeited inheritance (Le 25:25). Ezekiel, seeing the priesthood doomed to destruction, as a priest, felt anxious to vindicate their cause, as if they were his nearest kinsmen and he their Goel. But he is told to look for his true kinsmen in those, his fellow exiles, whom his natural kinsmen at Jerusalem despised, and he is to be their vindicator. Spiritual ties, as in the case of Levi (De 33:9), the type of Messiah (Mt 12:47-50) are to supersede natural ones where the two clash. The hope of better days was to rise from the despised exiles. The gospel principle is shadowed forth here, that the despised of men are often the chosen of God and the highly esteemed among men are often an abomination before Him (Lu 16:15; 1Co 1:26-28). "No door of hope but in the valley of Achor" ("trouble," Ho 2:15), [Fairbairn].
Get you far … unto us is this land—the contemptuous words of those left still in the city at the carrying away of Jeconiah to the exiles, "However far ye be outcasts from the Lord and His temple, we are secure in our possession of the land."
16. Although—anticipating the objection of the priests at Jerusalem, that the exiles were "cast far off." Though this be so, and they are far from the outer temple at Jerusalem, I will be their asylum or sanctuary instead (Ps 90:1; 91:9; Isa 8:14). My shrine is the humble heart: a preparation for gospel catholicity when the local and material temple should give place to the spiritual (Isa 57:15; 66:1; Mal 1:11; Joh 4:21-24; Ac 7:48, 49). The trying discipline of the exile was to chasten the outcasts so as to be meet recipients of God's grace, for which the carnal confidence of the priests disqualified them. The dispersion served the end of spiritualizing and enlarging the views even of the better Jews, so as to be able to worship God everywhere without a material temple; and, at the same time, it diffused some knowledge of God among the greatest Gentile nations, thus providing materials for the gathering in of the Christian Church among the Gentiles; so marvellously did God overrule a present evil for an ultimate good. Still more does all this hold good in the present much longer dispersion which is preparing for a more perfect and universal restoration (Isa 2:2-4; Jer 3:16-18). Their long privation of the temple will prepare them for appreciating the more, but without Jewish narrowness, the temple that is to be (Eze 40:1-44:31).
a little—rather, "for a little season"; No matter how long the captivity may be, the seventy years will be but as a little season, compared with their long subsequent settlement in their land. This holds true only partially in the case of the first restoration; but as in a few centuries they were dispersed again, the full and permanent restoration is yet future (Jer 24:6).
17. (Eze 28:25; 34:13; 36:24).
18. They have eschewed every vestige of idolatry ever since their return from Babylon. But still the Shekinah glory had departed, the ark was not restored, nor was the second temple strictly inhabited by God until He came who made it more glorious than the first temple (Hag 2:9); even then His stay was short, and ended in His being rejected; so that the full realization of the promise must still be future.
19. I will give them—lest they should claim to themselves the praise given them in Eze 11:18, God declares it is to be the free gift of His Spirit.
one heart—not singleness, that is, uprightness, but oneness of heart in all, unanimously seeking Him in contrast to their state at that time, when only single scattered individuals sought God (Jer 32:39; Zep 3:9) [Hengstenberg]. Or, "content with one God," not distracted with "the many detestable things" (Eze 11:18; 1Ki 18:21; Ho 10:2) [Calvin].
new spirit—(Ps 51:10; Jer 31:33). Realized fully in the "new creature" of the New Testament (2Co 5:17); having new motives, new rules, new aims.
stony heart—like "adamant" (Zec 7:12); the natural heart of every man.
heart of flesh—impressible to what is good, tender.
20. walk in my statutes—Regeneration shows itself by its fruits (Ga 5:22, 25).
they … my people, … I … their God—(Eze 14:11; 36:28; 37:27; Jer 24:7). In its fullest sense still future (Zec 13:9).
21. whose heart … after … heart of … detestable things—The repetition of "heart" is emphatic, signifying that the heart of those who so obstinately clung to idols, impelled itself to fresh superstitions in one continuous tenor [Calvin]. Perhaps it is implied that they and their idols are much alike in character (Ps 115:8). The heart walks astray first, the feet follow.
recompense … way upon … heads—They have abandoned Me, so will I abandon them; they profaned My temple, so will I profane it by the Chaldeans (Eze 9:10).
23. The Shekinah glory now moves from the east gate (Eze 10:4, 19) to the Mount of Olives, altogether abandoning the temple. The mount was chosen as being the height whence the missiles of the foe were about to descend on the city. So it was from it that Jesus ascended to heaven when about to send His judgments on the Jews; and from it He predicted its overthrow before His crucifixion (Mt 24:3). It is also to be the scene of His return in person to deliver His people (Zec 14:4), when He shall come by the same way as He went, "the way of the east" (Eze 43:2).
24. brought me in a vision—not in actual fact, but in ecstatic vision. He had been as to the outward world all the time before the elders (Eze 8:3) in Chaldea; he now reports what he had witnessed with the inner eye.
25. things … showed me—literally, "words"; an appropriate expression; for the word communicated to him was not simply a word, but one clothed with outward symbols "shown" to him as in the sacrament, which Augustine terms "the visible word" [Calvin].