24 According to their uncleanness H2932 and according to their transgressions H6588 have I done H6213 unto them, and hid H5641 my face H6440 from them.
For so it was, that the children H1121 of Israel H3478 had sinned H2398 against the LORD H3068 their God, H430 which had brought them up H5927 out of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 from under the hand H3027 of Pharaoh H6547 king H4428 of Egypt, H4714 and had feared H3372 other H312 gods, H430 And walked H3212 in the statutes H2708 of the heathen, H1471 whom the LORD H3068 cast out H3423 from before H6440 the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and of the kings H4428 of Israel, H3478 which they had made. H6213 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 did secretly H2644 those things H1697 that were not right against the LORD H3068 their God, H430 and they built H1129 them high places H1116 in all their cities, H5892 from the tower H4026 of the watchmen H5341 to the fenced H4013 city. H5892 And they set them up H5324 images H4676 and groves H842 in every high H1364 hill, H1389 and under every green H7488 tree: H6086 And there they burnt incense H6999 in all the high places, H1116 as did the heathen H1471 whom the LORD H3068 carried away H1540 before H6440 them; and wrought H6213 wicked H7451 things H1697 to provoke the LORD H3068 to anger: H3707 For they served H5647 idols, H1544 whereof the LORD H3068 had said H559 unto them, Ye shall not do H6213 this thing. H1697 Yet the LORD H3068 testified H5749 against Israel, H3478 and against Judah, H3063 by H3027 all the prophets, H5030 and by all the seers, H2374 saying, H559 Turn H7725 ye from your evil H7451 ways, H1870 and keep H8104 my commandments H4687 and my statutes, H2708 according to all the law H8451 which I commanded H6680 your fathers, H1 and which I sent H7971 to you by H3027 my servants H5650 the prophets. H5030 Notwithstanding they would not hear, H8085 but hardened H7185 their necks, H6203 like to the neck H6203 of their fathers, H1 that did not believe H539 in the LORD H3068 their God. H430 And they rejected H3988 his statutes, H2706 and his covenant H1285 that he made H3772 with their fathers, H1 and his testimonies H5715 which he testified H5749 against them; and they followed H3212 H310 vanity, H1892 and became vain, H1891 and went after H310 the heathen H1471 that were round about H5439 them, concerning whom the LORD H3068 had charged H6680 them, that they should not do H6213 like them. And they left H5800 all the commandments H4687 of the LORD H3068 their God, H430 and made H6213 them molten images, H4541 even two H8147 calves, H5695 and made H6213 a grove, H842 and worshipped H7812 all the host H6635 of heaven, H8064 and served H5647 Baal. H1168 And they caused their sons H1121 and their daughters H1323 to pass H5674 through the fire, H784 and used H7080 divination H7081 and enchantments, H5172 and sold H4376 themselves to do H6213 evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD, H3068 to provoke him to anger. H3707 Therefore the LORD H3068 was very H3966 angry H599 with Israel, H3478 and removed H5493 them out of his sight: H6440 there was none left H7604 but the tribe H7626 of Judah H3063 only. Also Judah H3063 kept H8104 not the commandments H4687 of the LORD H3068 their God, H430 but walked H3212 in the statutes H2708 of Israel H3478 which they made. H6213 And the LORD H3068 rejected H3988 all the seed H2233 of Israel, H3478 and afflicted H6031 them, and delivered H5414 them into the hand H3027 of spoilers, H8154 until he had cast H7993 them out of his sight. H6440 For he rent H7167 Israel H3478 from the house H1004 of David; H1732 and they made Jeroboam H3379 the son H1121 of Nebat H5028 king: H4427 and Jeroboam H3379 drave H5080 H5077 Israel H3478 from following H310 the LORD, H3068 and made them sin H2398 a great H1419 sin. H2401 For the children H1121 of Israel H3478 walked H3212 in all the sins H2403 of Jeroboam H3379 which he did; H6213 they departed H5493 not from them; Until the LORD H3068 removed H5493 Israel H3478 out of his sight, H6440 as he had said H1696 by H3027 all his servants H5650 the prophets. H5030 So was Israel H3478 carried away H1540 out of their own land H127 to Assyria H804 unto this day. H3117
For he put on H3847 righteousness H6666 as a breastplate, H8302 and an helmet H3553 of salvation H3444 upon his head; H7218 and he put on H3847 the garments H899 of vengeance H5359 for clothing, H8516 and was clad H5844 with zeal H7068 as a cloke. H4598 According to H5921 their deeds, H1578 accordingly he will repay, H7999 fury H2534 to his adversaries, H6862 recompence H1576 to his enemies; H341 to the islands H339 he will repay H7999 recompence. H1576
We have sinned, H2398 and have committed iniquity, H5753 and have done wickedly, H7561 and have rebelled, H4775 even by departing H5493 from thy precepts H4687 and from thy judgments: H4941 Neither have we hearkened H8085 unto thy servants H5650 the prophets, H5030 which spake H1696 in thy name H8034 to our kings, H4428 our princes, H8269 and our fathers, H1 and to all the people H5971 of the land. H776 O Lord, H136 righteousness H6666 belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion H1322 of faces, H6440 as at this day; H3117 to the men H376 of Judah, H3063 and to the inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem, H3389 and unto all Israel, H3478 that are near, H7138 and that are far off, H7350 through all the countries H776 whither thou hast driven H5080 them, because of their trespass H4604 that they have trespassed H4603 against thee. O Lord, H136 to us belongeth confusion H1322 of face, H6440 to our kings, H4428 to our princes, H8269 and to our fathers, H1 because we have sinned H2398 against thee. To the Lord H136 our God H430 belong mercies H7356 and forgivenesses, H5547 though we have rebelled H4775 against him; Neither have we obeyed H8085 the voice H6963 of the LORD H3068 our God, H430 to walk H3212 in his laws, H8451 which he set H5414 before H6440 us by H3027 his servants H5650 the prophets. H5030
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ezekiel 39
Commentary on Ezekiel 39 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 39
Eze 39:1-29. Continuation of the Prophecy against Gog.
1. Repeated from Eze 38:3, to impress the prophecy more on the mind.
2. leave but the sixth part of thee—Margin, "strike thee with six plagues" (namely, pestilence, blood, overflowing rain, hailstones, fire, brimstone, Eze 38:22); or, "draw thee back with an hook of six teeth" (Eze 38:4), the six teeth being those six plagues. Rather, "lead thee about" [Ludovicus De Dieu and Septuagint]. As Antiochus was led (to his ruin) to leave Egypt for an expedition against Palestine, so shall the last great enemy of God be.
north parts—from the extreme north [Fairbairn].
3. bow—in which the Scythians were most expert.
4, 5. (Compare Eze 39:17-20).
upon the mountains of Israel—The scene of Israel's preservation shall be that of the ungodly foe's destruction.
6. carelessly—in self-confident security.
the isles—Those dwelling in maritime regions, who had helped Gog with fleets and troops, shall be visited with the fire of God's wrath in their own lands.
7. not let them pollute my holy name—by their sins bringing down judgments which made the heathen think that I was unable or unwilling to save My people.
8. it is come … it is done—The prediction of the salvation of My people, and the ruin of their enemy, is come to pass—is done: expressing that the event foretold is as certain as if it were already accomplished.
9, 10. The burning of the foe's weapons implies that nothing belonging to them should be left to pollute the land. The seven years (seven being the sacred number) spent on this work, implies the completeness of the cleansing, and the people's zeal for purity. How different from the ancient Israelites, who left not merely the arms, but the heathen themselves, to remain among them [Fairbairn], (Jud 1:27, 28; 2:2, 3; Ps 106:34-36). The desolation by Antiochus began in the one hundred and forty-first year of the Seleucidæ. From this date to 148, a period of six years and four months ("2300 days," Da 8:14), when the temple-worship was restored (1 Maccabees 4:52), God vouchsafed many triumphs to His people; from this time to the death of Antiochus, early in 149, a period of seven months, the Jews had rest from Antiochus, and purified their land, and on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month celebrated the Encænia, or feast of dedication (Joh 10:22) and purification of the temple. The whole period, in round numbers, was seven years. Mattathias was the patriotic Jewish leader, and his third son, Judas, the military commander under whom the Syrian generals were defeated. He retook Jerusalem and purified the temple. Simon and Jonathan, his brothers, succeeded him: the independence of the Jews was secured, and the crown vested in the Asmonean family, in which it continued till Herod the Great.
11. place … of graves—Gog found only a grave where he had expected the spoils of conquest.
valley—So vast were to be the masses that nothing but a deep valley would suffice for their corpses.
the passengers on the east of the sea—those travelling on the high road, east of the Dead Sea, from Syria to Petra and Egypt. The publicity of the road would cause many to observe God's judgments, as the stench (as English Version translates) or the multitude of graves (as Henderson translates, "it shall stop the passengers") would arrest the attention of passers-by. Their grave would be close to that of their ancient prototypes, Sodom and Gomorrah in the Dead Sea, both alike being signal instances of God's judgments.
13. I … glorified—in destroying the foe (Eze 28:22).
14. with the passengers—The men employed continually in the burying were to be helped by those happening to pass by; all were to combine.
after the end of seven months shall they search—to see if the work was complete [Munster].
15. First "all the people of the land" engaged in the burying for seven months; then special men were employed, at the end of the seven months, to search for any still left unburied. The passers-by helped them by setting up a mark near any such bones, in order to keep others from being defiled by casually touching them, and that the buriers might come and remove them. Denoting the minute care to put away every relic of heathen pollution from the Holy Land.
16. A city in the neighborhood was to receive the name Hamonah, "multitude," to commemorate the overthrow of the multitudes of the foe [Henderson]. The multitude of the slain shall give a name to the city of Jerusalem after the land shall have been cleansed [Grotius]. Jerusalem shall be famed as the conqueror of multitudes.
17. (Re 19:17).
sacrifice—Anciently worshippers feasted on the sacrifices. The birds and beasts of prey are invited to the sacrificial feast provided by God (compare Isa 18:6; 34:6; Zep 1:7; Mr 9:49). Here this sacrifice holds only a subordinate place in the picture, and so is put last. Not only shall their bones lie long unburied, but they shall be stripped of the flesh by beasts and birds of prey.
18. rams … lambs … goats—By these various animal victims used in sacrifices are meant various ranks of men, princes, generals, and soldiers (compare Isa 34:6).
fatlings of Bashan—ungodly men of might (Ps 22:12). Bashan, beyond Jordan, was famed for its fat cattle. Fat implies prosperity which often makes men refractory towards God (De 32:14, 15).
20. my table—the field of battle on the mountains of Israel (Eze 38:8, 20).
chariots—that is, charioteers.
22. So the house of Israel shall know … Lord—by My interposition for them. So, too, the heathen shall be led to fear the name of the Lord (Ps 102:15).
23. hid I my face—(De 31:17; Isa 59:2).
25. bring again the captivity—restore from calamity to prosperity.
the whole house of Israel—so "all Israel" (Ro 11:26). The restorations of Israel heretofore have been partial; there must be one yet future that is to be universal (Ho 1:11).
26. After that they have borne their shame—the punishment of their sin: after they have become sensible of their guilt, and ashamed of it (Eze 20:43; 36:31).
27. sanctified in them—vindicated as holy in My dealings with them.
28. The Jews, having no dominion, settled country, or fixed property to detain them, may return at any time without difficulty (compare Ho 3:4, 5).
29. poured out my Spirit upon … Israel—the sure forerunner of their conversion (Joe 2:28; Zec 12:10). The pouring out of His Spirit is a pledge that He will hide His face no more (2Co 1:22; Eph 1:14; Php 1:6).