Ezekiel 8:18

These abominations will assuredly bring down the unsparing chastisements of heaven. The phrase "shall not spare nor pity" is common in the prophet, ch. Ezekiel 5:11; Ezekiel 7:4; Ezekiel 7:9; Ezekiel 9:5; Ezekiel 9:10.

cry… with a loud voice Comp. ch. Ezekiel 11:13, and for the general idea of vain appeal to heaven, Isaiah 1:15; Jeremiah 11:11; Proverbs 1:28.

This passage contains much that is difficult to estimate. The fact that the things described were seen in the "visions of God," the symbolical form in which Jehovah appeared, and the analogy of ch. 9, 10, lead to the conclusion that there is at least an ideal and symbolical element in the representation of the idolatries practised in the temple. The view of Hitz., Kuen. (Onders. ii. 278) that the idolatrous practices are to be taken literally but referred to the time of Manasseh is not natural. The prophet would hardly be shewn things once but no longer in existence, though of course he might take a continuous view of Israel's practice, as he often does. The tense in Ezekiel 8:17 "which they have committed here" is scarcely evidence for a former generation. It is not easy to say how far the representation that the idolatrous usages were practised inthe temple is to be taken literally. Such practices are not referred to by Jeremiah nor other prophets of the time. It is possible that the chambers and cells about the gateways, which appear in some cases to have belonged to private persons, may have been used for illegitimate purposes, but that sun-worship was actually practised between the temple and the altar has little probability. And the scene in the chamber of imagery is obviously ideal. The prophet certainly desires to shew that idolatry both public and in private was practised by all classes, the elders representing the nation, the women, and perhaps also the priests; and that at these idolatries were not only the old native ones of Israel, but new imports at this period from all the nations around. The representation, however, that such things were done inthe temple may rather be ideal. The temple was the dwelling-place of Jehovah, and every impurity done not only there but in the land and in the houses of the people was felt in the place of his abode, which it defiled, causing him to withdraw from it (Ezekiel 8:6, cf. Leviticus 15:31; Leviticus 20:3; Numbers 19:13; Numbers 19:20; and the elaborate precautions to guard against defilement adopted in ch. 40 48). On the other hand those privileged to dwell in the land or have access to the temple are spoken of as dwelling inthe house, Psalms 23:6; Psalms 27:4; Psalms 84:5 &c. See preliminary remarks to the chapter.