Ezekiel 4 - Introduction
_UNDER THE TYPE OF A SIEGE, IS SHEWED THE TIME FROM THE DEFECTION OF JEROBOAM TO THE CAPTIVITY. BY THE PROVISION OF THE SIEGE IS SHEWED THE HARDNESS OF THE FAMINE._ _Before Christ 594._... [ Continue Reading ]
_UNDER THE TYPE OF A SIEGE, IS SHEWED THE TIME FROM THE DEFECTION OF JEROBOAM TO THE CAPTIVITY. BY THE PROVISION OF THE SIEGE IS SHEWED THE HARDNESS OF THE FAMINE._ _Before Christ 594._... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE THEE A TILE— _A slate._ See Jeremiah 1:11; Jeremiah 13:4. Maimonides, not attending to the primitive mode of information made use of by Ezekiel here, by Jeremiah in the passages referred to, and by several other of the prophets, is much scandalised at several of these actions, unbecoming, as he... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE THOU UNTO THEE AN IRON PAN— The prophet takes to him an iron pot or vessel, such as fire was wont to be carried in before the Chaldean and Persian generals, when they went to battle. And he _puts it for a wall of iron between him and the city,_ to signify the force and strength of that army who... [ Continue Reading ]
LAY THE INIQUITY OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL UPON IT— By the _iniquity_ is meant the punishment of the iniquity of the house of Israel; and though several commentators interpret this passage of what was past, there seems no doubt that it was intended to foretel and pre-signify what was future; namely, ho... [ Continue Reading ]
_EZEKIEL 4:5_.— _Three hundred and ninety days_] This number of years, see Ezekiel 4:6 will take us back, with sufficient exactness, from the year in which Jerusalem was sacked by Nebuchadrezzar to the first year of Jeroboam's reign, when national idolatry began in Israel.... [ Continue Reading ]
FORTY DAYS— Reckon near fifteen years and six months in the reign of Manasseh, two years in that of Amon, three months in that of Jehoahaz, eleven years in that of Jehoiakim, three months and ten days in that of Jehoiachin, and eleven years in that of Zedekiah; and there arises a period of forty yea... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THINE ARM SHALL BE UNCOVERED— _Shall be extended._ Houbigant. The habits of the ancients were so contrived, that the right hand was disengaged from the upper garment, that they might be more ready for action. See Isaiah 52:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DAYS OF THY SIEGE— That is, the three hundred and ninety days' siege of Jerusalem, mentioned in the preceding verse. That siege, from the beginning to the ending of it, lasted seventy-seven months, as appears from 2 Kings 25:1. But the king of Egypt coming to relieve the city occasioned the rais... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE—WHEAT, &C.— In time of scarcity, it is usual to mix a great deal of the coarse kinds of grain with a little of the better sort, to make the provisions last the longer. Ezekiel was commanded to do this, to signify the scarcity which the inhabitants should suffer during the siege. The _twenty she... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM TIME TO TIME SHALT THOU EAT IT— _And thou shalt eat it at certain hours:_ that is to say, at the different and stated hours of the day. Houbigant.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SIXTH PART OF AN HIN— An hin was about ten pints. The prophet was to take this pittance from day to day, and in small portions from time to time of the same day, while he subjected himself to public notice. At other seasons he might be left to his natural liberty. The act denoted scarcity during... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT BAKE, &C.— See Lamentations 4:5 and 1 Samuel 2:8 where the applicableness of the account concerning the frequent burning of dung in the East, to the case of Ezekiel, is visible. Commentators have remarked something of it; but I do not remember to have met with any who have thoroughly ente... [ Continue Reading ]
EAT THEIR DEFILED BREAD, &C.— The prophet, speaking above of eating and drinking by weight and measure, foretels the famine in Jerusalem; now, in the bread baked with dung is pre-signified the unclean bread which the children of Israel were to eat among the Gentiles; as also the three hundred and ni... [ Continue Reading ]
ABOMINABLE FLESH— This probably means whatever was unclean and particularly forbidden by the Mosaic law. See Leviticus 7:18; Leviticus 19:7. Isaiah 65:4. REFLECTIONS.—1st, Whether the transactions mentioned in this chapter were done in reality or in vision only is disputed (see the Critical Annotati... [ Continue Reading ]