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Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Ezekiel 20:4

wilt thou judge The interr. seems to have the sense of an impatient imperative, and the repetition gives stronger expression to the imperative, cf. ch. Ezekiel 22:2; Ezekiel 23:36. "Judge" is explained by "cause them to know the abominations of their fathers." To rehearse the history of the fathers is to hold the mirror up to themselves.

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See also Ezekiel 20:4 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Ezekiel 20:4. _WILT THOU JUDGE THEM_] If thou wilt _enter into any_ _discussion with them_, show them _the abomination of their fathers_. The whole chapter is a consecutive history of the _unfa...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    WILT THOU JUDGE THEM? - We should rather say, Wilt thou not judge them? i. e., wilt thou not pronounce sentence upon them? Compare Ezekiel 22:2....

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER S 20-24 Further and Final Predictions Concerning the judgment of Jerusalem _ 1. Jehovah rehearses His mercies bestowed upon Israel (Ezekiel 20:1) _ 2. The impending judgment announced (Ezek...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    EZEKIEL 20. THE WICKED PAST AND THE BLESSED FUTURE. Ezekiel 20:1. A Sketch of Israel's Early Idolatries. It is now 590 B.C. Almost a year has elapsed since the last incident that was dated (Ezekiel 8:...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    WILT THOU... WILT THOU... ? Note the Figure of speech _Epizeuxis_ (App-6), for emphasis....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    WILT THOU JUDGE THEM, &C.?— _Wilt thou not judge them,_ &c.? Lowth. _Make thyself, son of man, make thyself their judge: declare to them the abominations,_ &c. Houbigant. This whole chapter is a kind...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    CHAPTER TEN ISRAEL: PAST AND FUTURE 20:1-21:32 Eleven months intervene between Ezekiel's last series of oracles and the present utterances. He has effectively shattered Judah's insane hope that judg...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers: WILT THOU JUDGE THEM, SON OF MAN? WILT THOU JUDGE THEM? The emphatic repetition express...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF Some four years before the fall of Jerusalem the elders of Tel-abib again came to consult Ezekiel, who declared that God had no answer to give them. The reason was that their...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    § 5. A FINAL SERIES OF PROPHECIES ON THE NECESSITY OF ISRAEL'S PUNISHMENT AND THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM (EZEKIEL 20-24) Date, Aug.-Sept. 590 b.c. to Jan.-Feb. 587 b.c. This group includes a warning...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    EZEKIEL: ‘THEY SHALL KNOW THAT I AM GOD’ THE *SIN OF JUDAH AND THE JUDGEMENT OF GOD EZEKIEL CHAPTER S 1 TO 24 _IAN MACKERVOY_ CHAPTER 20 * God is patient. He gives people every opportunity to *...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    WILT THOU JUDGE THEM? — The form of the repeated question is equivalent to an imperative — judge them. Instead of allowing their enquiry and entreaty for the averting of judgment, the prophet is direc...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    הֲ תִשְׁפֹּ֣ט אֹתָ֔ם הֲ תִשְׁפֹּ֖וט בֶּן ־אָד

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    JEHOVAH'S CONTROVERSY WITH ISRAEL Ezekiel 20:1 BY far the hardest trial of Ezekiel's faith must have been the conduct of his fellow-exiles. It was amongst them that he looked for the great spiritual...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    In this final section of the prophecies dealing with reprobation, the prophet in a series of messages set forth the righteousness thereof. In the seventh year of the reign of Jehoiachin, that is four...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge [them]? cause (b) them to know the abominations of their fathers: (b) This declares the great leniency and patience of God who calls sinners to repen...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Judgest them; or, if thou wilt enter into the cause, and plead against them. (Challoner) --- Lay before them the iniquities of their fathers, and their own, which bring on the reprobation of the grea...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    The Lord seems to appeal to the Prophet for his judgment to decide the equity of the Lord's cause; and, in order to enable the Prophet so to do, the Lord enters upon their history, from the servitude...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    The context flows very well if we embrace this sense, that God swears that the Israelites did not come to be subject to his Prophet, and to submit themselves modestly to his instructions. If this sens...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 20 AND 21. Chapter 20 begins a new prophecy, which, with its subdivisions, continues to the end of chapter 23. It will have been remarked that the general div...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    WILT THOU JUDGE THEM, SON OF MAN?.... Excuse them, patronise them, defend their cause, and plead for them? surely thou wilt not; or rather, wilt thou not reprove and correct them, judge and condemn th...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge [them]? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers: Ver. 4. _Wilt thou judge them?_] Or, Wilt thou excuse them? or, Wilt thou intercede for...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Wilt thou judge them_ Or, rather, _Wilt thou not judge them?_ Wilt thou not reprove, or condemn them? Wilt thou not denounce my judgments against them? _Cause them to know the abominations of their f...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    IN THE EARLY DAYS...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them? the question showing the impatience of the Lord in pronouncing sentence upon the unrepentant sinners. CAUSE THEM TO KNOW THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    JUDGE THEM: Or, plead for them...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    WILT THOU JUDGE THEM? either, Wilt thou judge charitably, and, supposing they are upright and teachable, wilt thou plead with me for them? as EZEKIEL 14:3, or as JEREMIAH 14:9. Or else thus, Wilt thou...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Ezekiel 20:4 judge H8199 (H8799) son H1121 man H120 judge H8199 (H8799) known H3045 (H8685) abominations...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    “Will you judge them, son of man? Will you judge them? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers.” Instead Ezekiel must pass His judgment on them. He was to show them why, as with their fa...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Jehovah vindicated in the chastising of Israel. Israel's future judgment. Parable of the forest of the south field. CHARACTERS: God, Ezekiel. CONCLUSION: God takes it as an affront when tho...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Ezekiel 20:1. _The elders of Israel came to enquire of the Lord, and sat before me._ They still respected the divine καρισματα, or holy anointing of the Spirit; but they sought it for a reverse of the...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Certain of the elders. .. sat before me._ THE ELDERS BEFORE EZEKIEL 1. True religion is emphatically a walking with God, not a mere occasional coming to Him. The precise manner in which the date is...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 20:1 This lengthy oracle has two main parts: a review of Israel’s history of offending the Lord (vv. Ezekiel 20:1), and a preview of her future restoration (vv....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF ISRAEL (Chap. 20.) EXEGETICAL NOTES.—The date given in Ezekiel 20:1 applies also to chap. 20–23. (compare chap. Ezekiel 24:1). These four Chapter s are bound together...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION EZEKIEL 20:1 A new date is given, and includes what follows to Ezekiel 23:49. The last note of time was in Ezekiel 8:1, and eleven months and five days had passed, during which the prop

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and sat before me (Ezekiel 20:1). Now this e...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 6:2; Acts 7:51; Acts 7:52; Ezekiel 14:14; Ezekiel 14:20

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Wilt thou — Wilt thou not convince and reprove them? And denounce my judgments against them? The abominations — What their fathers have done, they approve, and have outdone; by that let them know what...

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