22 Yet, behold, therein shall be left H3498 a remnant H6413 that shall be brought forth, H3318 both sons H1121 and daughters: H1323 behold, they shall come forth H3318 unto you, and ye shall see H7200 their way H1870 and their doings: H5949 and ye shall be comforted H5162 concerning the evil H7451 that I have brought H935 upon Jerusalem, H3389 even concerning all that I have brought H935 upon it.
For G1063 whom G3739 the Lord G2962 loveth G25 he chasteneth, G3811 and G1161 scourgeth G3146 every G3956 son G5207 whom G3739 he receiveth. G3858 If G1487 ye endure G5278 chastening, G3809 God G2316 dealeth G4374 with you G5213 as G5613 with sons; G5207 for G1063 what G5101 son G5207 is he G2076 whom G3739 the father G3962 chasteneth G3811 not? G3756 But G1161 if G1487 ye be G2075 without G5565 chastisement, G3809 whereof G3739 all G3956 are G1096 partakers, G3353 then G686 are ye G2075 bastards, G3541 and G2532 not G3756 sons. G5207 Furthermore G1534 G3303 we have had G2192 fathers G3962 of our G2257 flesh G4561 which corrected G3810 us, and G2532 we gave them reverence: G1788 shall we G5293 not G3756 much G4183 rather G3123 be in subjection G5293 unto the Father G3962 of spirits, G4151 and G2532 live? G2198 For G1063 they verily G3303 for G4314 a few G3641 days G2250 chastened G3811 us after G2596 their own G846 pleasure; G1380 but G1161 he for G1909 our profit, G4851 that G1519 we might be partakers G3335 of his G846 holiness. G41 Now G1161 no G3956 G3756 chastening G3809 for G4314 G3303 the present G3918 seemeth G1380 to be G1511 joyous, G5479 but G235 grievous: G3077 nevertheless G1161 afterward G5305 it yieldeth G591 the peaceable G1516 fruit G2590 of righteousness G1343 unto them which are exercised G1128 thereby. G1223 G846
Yet will I leave a remnant, H3498 that ye may have some that shall escape H6412 the sword H2719 among the nations, H1471 when ye shall be scattered H2219 through the countries. H776 And they that escape H6412 of you shall remember H2142 me among the nations H1471 whither they shall be carried captives, H7617 because I am broken H7665 with their whorish H2181 heart, H3820 which hath departed H5493 from me, and with their eyes, H5869 which go a whoring H2181 after H310 their idols: H1544 and they shall lothe H6962 themselves H6440 for the evils H7451 which they have committed H6213 in all their abominations. H8441 And they shall know H3045 that I am the LORD, H3068 and that I have not said H1696 in vain H2600 that I would do H6213 this evil H7451 unto them.
And the king H4428 of Babylon H894 smote H5221 them, and put them to death H4191 in Riblah H7247 in the land H127 of Hamath. H2574 Thus Judah H3063 was carried away captive H1540 out of his own land. H776 This is the people H5971 whom Nebuchadrezzar H5019 carried away captive: H1540 in the seventh H7651 year H8141 three H7969 thousand H505 Jews H3064 and three H7969 and twenty: H6242 In the eighteenth H8083 H6240 year H8141 of Nebuchadrezzar H5019 he carried away captive H1540 from Jerusalem H3389 eight H8083 hundred H3967 thirty H7970 and two H8147 persons: H5315 In the three H7969 and twentieth H6242 year H8141 of Nebuchadrezzar H5019 Nebuzaradan H5018 the captain H7227 of the guard H2876 carried away captive H1540 of the Jews H3064 seven H7651 hundred H3967 forty H705 and five H2568 persons: H5315 all the persons H5315 were four H702 thousand H505 and six H8337 hundred. H3967
And there is H3426 hope H8615 in thine end, H319 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 that thy children H1121 shall come again H7725 to their own border. H1366 I have surely H8085 heard H8085 Ephraim H669 bemoaning H5110 himself thus; Thou hast chastised H3256 me, and I was chastised, H3256 as a bullock H5695 unaccustomed H3808 H3925 to the yoke: turn H7725 thou me, and I shall be turned; H7725 for thou art the LORD H3068 my God. H430 Surely after H310 that I was turned, H7725 I repented; H5162 and after H310 that I was instructed, H3045 I smote H5606 upon my thigh: H3409 I was ashamed, H954 yea, even confounded, H3637 because I did bear H5375 the reproach H2781 of my youth. H5271 Is Ephraim H669 my dear H3357 son? H1121 is he a pleasant H8191 child? H3206 for since H1767 I spake H1696 against him, I do earnestly H2142 remember H2142 him still: therefore my bowels H4578 are troubled H1993 for him; I will surely H7355 have mercy H7355 upon him, saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 Set thee up H5324 waymarks, H6725 make H7760 thee high heaps: H8564 set H7896 thine heart H3820 toward the highway, H4546 even the way H1870 which thou wentest: H1980 turn again, H7725 O virgin H1330 of Israel, H3478 turn again H7725 to these thy cities. H5892
A voice H6963 was heard H8085 upon the high places, H8205 weeping H1065 and supplications H8469 of the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 for they have perverted H5753 their way, H1870 and they have forgotten H7911 the LORD H3068 their God. H430 Return, H7725 ye backsliding H7726 children, H1121 and I will heal H7495 your backslidings. H4878 Behold, we come H857 unto thee; for thou art the LORD H3068 our God. H430 Truly H403 in vain H8267 is salvation hoped for from the hills, H1389 and from the multitude H1995 of mountains: H2022 truly H403 in the LORD H3068 our God H430 is the salvation H8668 of Israel. H3478 For shame H1322 hath devoured H398 the labour H3018 of our fathers H1 from our youth; H5271 their flocks H6629 and their herds, H1241 their sons H1121 and their daughters. H1323 We lie down H7901 in our shame, H1322 and our confusion H3639 covereth H3680 us: for we have sinned H2398 against the LORD H3068 our God, H430 we and our fathers, H1 from our youth H5271 even unto this day, H3117 and have not obeyed H8085 the voice H6963 of the LORD H3068 our God. H430
Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 As the new wine H8492 is found H4672 in the cluster, H811 and one saith, H559 Destroy H7843 it not; for a blessing H1293 is in it: so will I do H6213 for my servants' H5650 sakes, that I may not destroy H7843 them all. And I will bring forth H3318 a seed H2233 out of Jacob, H3290 and out of Judah H3063 an inheritor H3423 of my mountains: H2022 and mine elect H972 shall inherit H3423 it, and my servants H5650 shall dwell H7931 there.
Comfort H5162 ye, comfort H5162 ye my people, H5971 saith H559 your God. H430 Speak H1696 ye comfortably H3820 to Jerusalem, H3389 and cry H7121 unto her, that her warfare H6635 is accomplished, H4390 that her iniquity H5771 is pardoned: H7521 for she hath received H3947 of the LORD'S H3068 hand H3027 double H3718 for all her sins. H2403
And in that day H3117 it shall come to pass, that the glory H3519 of Jacob H3290 shall be made thin, H1809 and the fatness H4924 of his flesh H1320 shall wax lean. H7329 And it shall be as when the harvestman H7105 gathereth H622 the corn, H7054 and reapeth H7114 the ears H7641 with his arm; H2220 and it shall be as he that gathereth H3950 ears H7641 in the valley H6010 of Rephaim. H7497 Yet gleaning grapes H5955 shall be left H7604 in it, as the shaking H5363 of an olive tree, H2132 two H8147 or three H7969 berries H1620 in the top H7218 of the uppermost bough, H534 four H702 or five H2568 in the outmost fruitful H6509 branches H5585 thereof, saith H5002 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel. H3478
And it shall come to pass in that day, H3117 that the remnant H7605 of Israel, H3478 and such as are escaped H6413 of the house H1004 of Jacob, H3290 shall no more again H3254 stay H8172 upon him that smote H5221 them; but shall stay H8172 upon the LORD, H3068 the Holy One H6918 of Israel, H3478 in truth. H571 The remnant H7605 shall return, H7725 even the remnant H7605 of Jacob, H3290 unto the mighty H1368 God. H410 For though thy people H5971 Israel H3478 be as the sand H2344 of the sea, H3220 yet a remnant H7605 of them shall return: H7725 the consumption H3631 decreed H2782 shall overflow H7857 with righteousness. H6666
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ezekiel 14
Commentary on Ezekiel 14 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 14
Eze 14:1-23. Hypocritical Inquirers Are Answered According to Their Hypocrisy. The Calamities Coming on the People; but a Remnant Is to Escape.
1. elders—persons holding that dignity among the exiles at the Chebar. Grotius refers this to Seraiah and those sent with him from Judea (Jer 51:59). The prophet's reply, first, reflecting on the character of the inquirers, and, secondly, foretelling the calamities coming on Judea, may furnish an idea of the subject of their inquiry.
sat before me—not at once able to find a beginning of their speech; indicative of anxiety and despondency.
3. heart … face—The heart is first corrupted, and then the outward manifestation of idol-worship follows; they set their idols before their eyes. With all their pretense of consulting God now, they have not even put away their idols outwardly; implying gross contempt of God. "Set up," literally, "aloft"; implying that their idols had gained the supreme ascendancy over them.
stumbling-block of … iniquity—See Pr 3:21, 23, "Let not them (God's laws) depart from thine eyes, then … thy foot shall not stumble." Instead of God's law, which (by being kept before their eyes) would have saved them from stumbling, they set up their idols before their eyes, which proved a stumbling-block, causing them to stumble (Eze 7:19).
inquired of at all—literally, "should I with inquiry be inquired of" by such hypocrites as they are? (Ps 66:18; Pr 15:29; 28:9).
4. and cometh—and yet cometh, reigning himself to be a true worshipper of Jehovah.
him that cometh—so the Hebrew Margin reads. But the Hebrew text reading is, "according to it, according to the multitude of his idols"; the anticipative clause with the pronoun not being pleonastic, but increasing the emphasis of the following clause with the noun. "I will answer," literally, reflexively, "I will Myself (or for Myself) answer him."
according to … idols—thus, "answering a fool according to his folly"; making the sinner's sin his punishment; retributive justice (Pr 1:31; 26:5).
5. That I may take—that is, unveil and overtake with punishment the dissimulation and impiety of Israel hid in their own heart. Or, rather, "That I may punish them by answering them after their own hearts"; corresponding to "according to the multitude of his idols" (see on Eze 14:4); an instance is given in Eze 14:9; Ro 1:28; 2Th 2:11, God giving them up in wrath to their own lie.
idols—though pretending to "inquire" of Me, "in their hearts" they are "estranged from Me," and love "idols."
6. Though God so threatened the people for their idolatry (Eze 14:5), yet He would rather they should avert the calamity by "repentance."
turn yourselves—Calvin translates, "turn others" (namely, the stranger proselytes in the land). As ye have been the advisers of others (see Eze 14:7, "the stranger that sojourneth in Israel") to idolatry, so bestow at least as much pains in turning them to the truth; the surest proof of repentance. But the parallelism to Eze 14:3, 4 favors English Version. Their sin was twofold: (1) "In their heart" or inner man; (2) "Put before their face," that is, exhibited outwardly. So their repentance is generally expressed by "repent," and is then divided into: (1) "Turn yourselves (inwardly) from your idols"; (2) "Turn away your faces (outwardly) from all your abominations." It is not likely that an exhortation to convert others should come between the two affecting themselves.
7. stranger—the proselyte, tolerated in Israel only on condition of worshipping no God but Jehovah (Le 17:8, 9).
inquire of him concerning me—that is, concerning My will.
by myself—not by word, but by deed, that is, by judgments, marking My hand and direct agency; instead of answering him through the prophet he consults. Fairbairn translates, as it is the same Hebrew as in the previous clause, "concerning Me," it is natural that God should use the same expression in His reply as was used in the consultation of Him. But the sense, I think, is the same. The hypocrite inquires of the prophet concerning God; and God, instead of replying through the prophet, replies for Himself concerning Himself.
8. And I will set my face against that man—(See on Le 17:10).
and will make him a sign—literally, "I will destroy him so as to become a sign"; it will be no ordinary destruction, but such as will make him be an object pointed at with wonder by all, as Korah, &c. (Nu 26:10; De 28:37).
9. I the Lord have deceived that prophet—not directly, but through Satan and his ministers; not merely permissively, but by overruling their evil to serve the purposes of His righteous judgment, to be a touchstone to separate the precious from the vile, and to "prove" His people (De 13:3; 1Ki 22:23; Jer 4:10; 2Th 2:11, 12). Evil comes not from God, though God overrules it to serve His will (Job 12:16; Jas 1:3). This declaration of God is intended to answer their objection, "Jeremiah and Ezekiel are but two opposed to the many prophets who announce 'peace' to us." "Nay, deceive not yourselves, those prophets of yours are deluding you, and I permit them to do so as a righteous judgment on your wilful blindness."
10. As they dealt deceitfully with God by seeking answers of peace without repentance, so God would let them be dealt with deceitfully by the prophets whom they consulted. God would chastise their sin with a corresponding sin; as they rejected the safe directions of the true light, He would send the pernicious delusions of a false one; prophets would be given them who should re-echo the deceitfulness that already wrought in their own bosom, to their ruin [Fairbairn]. The people had themselves alone to blame, for they were long ago forewarned how to discern and to treat a false prophet (De 13:3); the very existence of such deceivers among them was a sign of God's judicial displeasure (compare in Saul's case, 1Sa 16:14; 28:6, 7). They and the prophet, being dupes of a common delusion, should be involved in a common ruin.
11. Love was the spring of God's very judgments on His people, who were incurable by any other process (Eze 11:20; 37:27).
12. The second part of the chapter: the effect which the presence of a few righteous persons was to have on the purposes of God (compare Ge 18:24-32). God had told Jeremiah that the guilt of Judah was too great to be pardoned even for the intercession of Moses and Samuel (Ps 99:6; Jer 14:2; 15:1), which had prevailed formerly (Ex 32:11-14; Nu 14:13-20; 1Sa 7:8-12), implying the extraordinary heinousness of their guilt, since in ordinary cases "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man (for others) availeth much" (Jas 5:16). Ezekiel supplements Jeremiah by adding that not only those two once successful intercessors, but not even the three pre-eminently righteous men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, could stay God's judgments by their righteousness.
13. staff of … bread—on which man's existence is supported as on a staff (Eze 4:16; 5:16; Le 26:26; Ps 104:15; Isa 3:1). I will send a famine.
14. Noah, Daniel … Job—specified in particular as having been saved from overwhelming calamities for their personal righteousness. Noah had the members of his family alone given to him, amidst the general wreck. Daniel saved from the fury of the king of Babylon the three youths (Da 2:17, 18, 48, 49). Though his prophecies mostly were later than those of Ezekiel, his fame for piety and wisdom was already established, and the events recorded in Da 1:1-2:49 had transpired. The Jews would naturally, in their fallen condition, pride themselves on one who reflected such glory on his nation at the heathen capital, and would build vain hopes (here set aside) on his influence in averting ruin from them. Thus the objection to the authenticity of Daniel from this passage vanishes. "Job" forms the climax (and is therefore put out of chronological order), having not even been left a son or a daughter, and having had himself to pass through an ordeal of suffering before his final deliverance, and therefore forming the most simple instance of the righteousness of God, which would save the righteous themselves alone in the nation, and that after an ordeal of suffering, but not spare even a son or daughter for their sake (Eze 14:16, 18, 20; compare Jer 7:16; 11:14; 14:11).
deliver … souls by … righteousness—(Pr 11:4); not the righteousness of works, but that of grace, a truth less clearly understood under the law (Ro 4:3).
15-21. The argument is cumulative. He first puts the case of the land sinning so as to fall under the judgment of a famine (Eze 14:13); then (Eze 14:15) "noisome beasts" (Le 26:22); then "the sword"; then, worst of all, "pestilence." The three most righteous of men should deliver only themselves in these several four cases. In Eze 14:21 he concentrates the whole in one mass of condemnation. If Noah, Daniel, Job, could not deliver the land, when deserving only one judgment, "how much more" when all four judgments combined are justly to visit the land for sin, shall these three righteous men not deliver it.
19. in blood—not literally. In Hebrew, "blood" expresses every premature kind of death.
21. How much more—literally, "Surely shall it be so now, when I send," &c. If none could avert the one only judgment incurred, surely now, when all four are incurred by sin, much more impossible it will be to deliver the land.
22. Yet … a remnant—not of righteous persons, but some of the guilty who should "come forth" from the destruction of Jerusalem to Babylon, to lead a life of hopeless exile there. The reference here is to judgment, not mercy, as Eze 14:23 shows.
ye shall see their … doings; and … be comforted—Ye, the exiles at the Chebar, who now murmur at God's judgment about to be inflicted on Jerusalem as harsh, when ye shall see the wicked "ways" and character of the escaped remnant, shall acknowledge that both Jerusalem and its inhabitants deserved their fate; his recognition of the righteousness of the judgment will reconcile you to it, and so ye shall be "comforted" under it [Calvin]. Then would follow mercy to the elect remnant, though that is not referred to here, but in Eze 20:43.
23. they shall comfort you—not in words, but by your recognizing in their manifest guilt, that God had not been unjustly severe to them and the city.