6 Not to many H7227 people H5971 of a strange H6012 speech H8193 and of an hard H3515 language, H3956 whose words H1697 thou canst not understand. H8085 Surely, had I sent H7971 thee to them, they would have hearkened H8085 unto thee.
So the people H582 of Nineveh H5210 believed H539 God, H430 and proclaimed H7121 a fast, H6685 and put H3847 on sackcloth, H8242 from the greatest H1419 of them even to the least H6996 of them. For word H1697 came H5060 unto the king H4428 of Nineveh, H5210 and he arose H6965 from his throne, H3678 and he laid H5674 his robe H155 from him, and covered H3680 him with sackcloth, H8242 and sat H3427 in ashes. H665 And he caused it to be proclaimed H2199 and published H559 through Nineveh H5210 by the decree H2940 of the king H4428 and his nobles, H1419 saying, H559 Let neither man H120 nor beast, H929 herd H1241 nor flock, H6629 taste H2938 any thing: H3972 let them not feed, H7462 nor drink H8354 water: H4325 But let man H120 and beast H929 be covered H3680 with sackcloth, H8242 and cry H7121 mightily H2394 unto God: H430 yea, let them turn H7725 every one H376 from his evil H7451 way, H1870 and from the violence H2555 that is in their hands. H3709 Who can tell H3045 if God H430 will turn H7725 and repent, H5162 and turn away H7725 from his fierce H2740 anger, H639 that we perish H6 not? And God H430 saw H7200 their works, H4639 that they turned H7725 from their evil H7451 way; H1870 and God H430 repented H5162 of the evil, H7451 that he had said H1696 that he would do H6213 unto them; and he did H6213 it not.
Then G5119 began he G756 to upbraid G3679 the cities G4172 wherein G1722 G3739 most G4118 of his G846 mighty works G1411 were done, G1096 because G3754 they repented G3340 not: G3756 Woe G3759 unto thee, G4671 Chorazin! G5523 woe G3759 unto thee, G4671 Bethsaida! G966 for G3754 if G1487 the mighty works, G1411 which G3588 were done G1096 in G1722 you, G5213 had been done G1096 in G1722 Tyre G5184 and G2532 Sidon, G4605 they would have repented G3340 long ago G302 G3819 in G1722 sackcloth G4526 and G2532 ashes. G4700 But G4133 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 It shall be G2071 more tolerable G414 for Tyre G5184 and G2532 Sidon G4605 at G1722 the day G2250 of judgment, G2920 than G2228 for you. G5213 And G2532 thou, G4771 Capernaum, G2584 which G3588 art exalted G5312 unto G2193 heaven, G3772 shalt be brought down G2601 to G2193 hell: G86 for G3754 if G1487 the mighty works, G1411 which G3588 have been done G1096 in G1722 thee, G4671 had been done G1096 in G1722 Sodom, G4670 it would have remained G302 G3306 until G3360 this day. G4594 But G4133 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 That G3754 it shall be G2071 more tolerable G414 for the land G1093 of Sodom G4670 in G1722 the day G2250 of judgment, G2920 than G2228 for thee. G4671
The men G435 of Nineveh G3536 shall rise G450 in G1722 judgment G2920 with G3326 this G5026 generation, G1074 and G2532 shall condemn G2632 it: G846 because G3754 they repented G3340 at G1519 the preaching G2782 of Jonas; G2495 and, G2532 behold, G2400 a greater than G4119 Jonas G2495 is here. G5602 The queen G938 of the south G3558 shall rise up G1453 in G1722 the judgment G2920 with G3326 this G5026 generation, G1074 and G2532 shall condemn G2632 it: G846 for G3754 she came G2064 from G1537 the uttermost parts G4009 of the earth G1093 to hear G191 the wisdom G4678 of Solomon; G4672 and, G2532 behold, G2400 a greater than G4119 Solomon G4672 is here. G5602
For G1063 as G2531 Jonas G2495 was G1096 a sign G4592 unto the Ninevites, G3536 so G3779 shall G2071 also G2532 the Son G5207 of man G444 be G2071 to this G5026 generation. G1074 The queen G938 of the south G3558 shall rise up G1453 in G1722 the judgment G2920 with G3326 the men G435 of this G5026 generation, G1074 and G2532 condemn G2632 them: G846 for G3754 she came G2064 from G1537 the utmost parts G4009 of the earth G1093 to hear G191 the wisdom G4678 of Solomon; G4672 and, G2532 behold, G2400 a greater than G4119 Solomon G4672 is here. G5602 The men G435 of Nineve G3535 shall rise up G450 in G1722 the judgment G2920 with G3326 this G5026 generation, G1074 and G2532 shall condemn G2632 it: G846 for G3754 they repented G3340 at G1519 the preaching G2782 of Jonas; G2495 and, G2532 behold, G2400 a greater than G4119 Jonas G2495 is here. G5602
And G2532 sounded, G1001 and found G2147 it twenty G1501 fathoms: G3712 and G1161 when they had gone G1339 a little further, G1024 they sounded G1001 again, G3825 and G2532 found G2147 it fifteen G1178 fathoms. G3712
What G5101 shall we say G2046 then? G3767 That G3754 the Gentiles, G1484 which G3588 followed G1377 not G3361 after righteousness, G1343 have attained G2638 to righteousness, G1343 even G1161 the righteousness G1343 which G3588 is of G1537 faith. G4102 But G1161 Israel, G2474 which followed G1377 after the law G3551 of righteousness, G1343 hath G5348 not G3756 attained G5348 to G1519 the law G3551 of righteousness. G1343 Wherefore? G1302 Because G3754 they sought it not G3756 by G1537 faith, G4102 but G235 as G5613 it were by G1537 the works G2041 of the law. G3551 For G1063 they stumbled G4350 at that stumblingstone; G3037 G4348 As G2531 it is written, G1125 Behold, G2400 I lay G5087 in G1722 Sion G4622 a stumblingstone G3037 G4348 and G2532 rock G4073 of offence: G4625 and G2532 whosoever G3956 believeth G4100 on G1909 him G846 shall G2617 not G3756 be ashamed. G2617
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ezekiel 3
Commentary on Ezekiel 3 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 3
Eze 3:1-27. Ezekiel Eats the Roll. Is Commissioned to Go to Them of the Captivity and Goes to Tel-abib by the Chebar: Again Beholds the Shekinah Glory: Is Told to Retire to His House, and Only Speak when God Opens His Mouth.
1. eat … and … speak—God's messenger must first inwardly appropriate God's truth himself, before he "speaks" it to others (see on Eze 2:8). Symbolic actions were, when possible and proper, performed outwardly; otherwise, internally and in spiritual vision, the action so narrated making the naked statement more intuitive and impressive by presenting the subject in a concentrated, embodied form.
3. honey for sweetness—Compare Ps 19:10; 119:103; Re 10:9, where, as here in Eze 3:14, the "sweetness" is followed by "bitterness." The former being due to the painful nature of the message; the latter because it was the Lord's service which he was engaged in; and his eating the roll and finding it sweet, implied that, divesting himself of carnal feeling, he made God's will his will, however painful the message that God might require him to announce. The fact that God would be glorified was his greatest pleasure.
5. See Margin, Hebrew, "deep of lip, and heavy of tongue," that is, men speaking an obscure and unintelligible tongue. Even they would have listened to the prophet; but the Jews, though addressed in their own tongue, will not hear him.
6. many people—It would have increased the difficulty had he been sent, not merely to one, but to "many people" differing in tongues, so that the missionary would have needed to acquire a new tongue for addressing each. The after mission of the apostles to many peoples, and the gift of tongues for that end, are foreshadowed (compare 1Co 14:21 with Isa 28:11).
had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened—(Mt 11:21, 23).
7. will not hearken unto thee: for … not … me—(Joh 15:20). Take patiently their rejection of thee, for I thy Lord bear it along with thee.
8. Ezekiel means one "strengthened by God." Such he was in godly firmness, in spite of his people's opposition, according to the divine command to the priest tribe to which he belonged (De 33:9).
9. As … flint—so Messiah the antitype (Isa 50:7; compare Jer 1:8, 17).
10. receive in … heart … ears—The transposition from the natural order, namely, first receiving with the ears, then in the heart, is designed. The preparation of the heart for God's message should precede the reception of it with the ears (compare Pr 16:1; Ps 10:17).
11. thy people—who ought to be better disposed to hearken to thee, their fellow countryman, than hadst thou been a foreigner (Eze 3:5, 6).
12. (Ac 8:39). Ezekiel's abode heretofore had not been the most suitable for his work. He, therefore, is guided by the Spirit to Tel-Abib, the chief town of the Jewish colony of captives: there he sat on the ground, "the throne of the miserable" (Ezr 9:3; La 1:1-3), seven days, the usual period for manifesting deep grief (Job 2:13; see Ps 137:1), thus winning their confidence by sympathy in their sorrow. He is accompanied by the cherubim which had been manifested at Chebar (Eze 1:3, 4), after their departure from Jerusalem. They now are heard moving with the "voice of a great rushing (compare Ac 2:2), saying, Blessed be the glory of the Lord from His place," that is, moving from the place in which it had been at Chebar, to accompany Ezekiel to his new destination (Eze 9:3); or, "from His place" may rather mean, in His place and manifested "from" it. Though God may seem to have forsaken His temple, He is still in it and will restore His people to it. His glory is "blessed," in opposition to those Jews who spoke evil of Him, as if He had been unjustly rigorous towards their nation [Calvin].
13. touched—literally, "kissed," that is, closely embraced.
noise of a great rushing—typical of great disasters impending over the Jews.
14. bitterness—sadness on account of the impending calamities of which I was required to be the unwelcome messenger. But the "hand," or powerful impulse of Jehovah, urged me forward.
15. Tel-Abib—Tel means an "elevation." It is identified by Michaelis with Thallaba on the Chabor. Perhaps the name expressed the Jews' hopes of restoration, or else the fertility of the region. Abib means the green ears of corn which appeared in the month Nisan, the pledge of the harvest.
I sat, &c.—This is the Hebrew Margin reading. The text is rather, "I beheld them sitting there" [Gesenius]; or, "And those that were settled there," namely, the older settlers, as distinguished from the more recent ones alluded to in the previous clause. The ten tribes had been long since settled on the Chabor or Habor (2Ki 17:6) [Havernick].
17. watchman—Ezekiel alone, among the prophets, is called a "watchman," not merely to sympathize, but to give timely warning of danger to his people where none was suspected. Habakkuk (Hab 2:1) speaks of standing upon his "watch," but it was only in order to be on the lookout for the manifestation of God's power (so Isa 52:8; 62:6); not as Ezekiel, to act as a watchman to others.
18. warning … speakest to warn—The repetition implies that it is not enough to warn once in passing, but that the warning is to be inculcated continually (2Ti 4:2, "in season, out of season"; Ac 20:31, "night and day with tears").
save—Eze 2:5 had seemingly taken away all hope of salvation; but the reference there was to the mass of the people whose case was hopeless; a few individuals, however, were reclaimable.
die in … iniquity—(Joh 8:21, 24). Men are not to flatter themselves that their ignorance, owing to the negligence of their teachers, will save them (Ro 2:12, "As many as have sinned without law, shall also perish without law").
19. wickedness … wicked way—internal wickedness of heart, and external of the life, respectively.
delivered thy soul—(Isa 49:4, 5; Ac 20:26).
20. righteous … turn from … righteousness—not one "righteous" as to the root and spirit of regeneration (Ps 89:33; 138:8; Isa 26:12; 27:3; Joh 10:28; Php 1:6), but as to its outward appearance and performances. So the "righteous" (Pr 18:17; Mt 9:13). As in Eze 3:19 the minister is required to lead the wicked to good, so in Eze 3:20 he is to confirm the well-disposed in their duty.
commit iniquity—that is, give himself up wholly to it (1Jo 3:8, 9), for even the best often fall, but not wilfully and habitually.
I lay a stumbling-block—not that God tempts to sin (Jas 1:13, 14), but God gives men over to judicial blindness, and to their own corruptions (Ps 9:16, 17; 94:23) when they "like not to retain God in their knowledge" (Ro 1:24, 26); just as, on the contrary, God makes "the way of the righteous plain" (Pr 4:11, 12; 15:19), so that they do "not stumble." Calvin refers "stumbling-block" not to the guilt, but to its punishment; "I bring ruin on him." The former is best. Ahab, after a kind of righteousness (1Ki 21:27-29), relapsed and consulted lying spirits in false prophets; so God permitted one of these to be his "stumbling-block," both to sin and its corresponding punishment (1Ki 22:21-23).
his blood will I require—(Heb 13:17).
22. hand of the Lord—(Eze 1:3).
go … into the plain—in order that he might there, in a place secluded from unbelieving men, receive a fresh manifestation of the divine glory, to inspirit him for his trying work.
23. glory of the Lord—(Eze 1:28).
24. set me upon my feet—having been previously prostrate and unable to rise until raised by the divine power.
shut thyself within … house—implying that in the work he had to do, he must look for no sympathy from man but must be often alone with God and draw his strength from Him [Fairbairn]. "Do not go out of thy house till I reveal the future to thee by signs and words," which God does in the following chapters, down to the eleventh. Thus a representation was given of the city shut up by siege [Grotius]. Thereby God proved the obedience of His servant, and Ezekiel showed the reality of His call by proceeding, not through rash impulse, but by the directions of God [Calvin].
25. put bands upon thee—not literally, but spiritually, the binding, depressing influence which their rebellious conduct would exert on his spirit. Their perversity, like bands, would repress his freedom in preaching; as in 2Co 6:12, Paul calls himself "straitened" because his teaching did not find easy access to them. Or else, it is said to console the prophet for being shut up; if thou wert now at once to announce God's message, they would rush on thee and bind them with "bands" [Calvin].
26. I will make my tongue … dumb—Israel had rejected the prophets; therefore God deprives Israel of the prophets and of His word—God's sorest judgment (1Sa 7:2; Am 8:11, 12).
27. when I speak … I will open thy mouth—opposed to the silence imposed on the prophet, to punish the people (Eze 3:26). After the interval of silence has awakened their attention to the cause of it, namely, their sins, they may then hearken to the prophecies which they would not do before.
He that heareth, let him hear … forbear—that is, thou hast done thy part, whether they hear or forbear. He who shall forbear to hear, it shall be at his own peril; he who hears, it shall be to his own eternal good (compare Re 22:11).