XXI. This chapter consists of three distinct but closely-connected prophecies, which together may be called the prophecy of the sword. The first, Ezekiel 21:2, re-states, in comparatively plain language, the enigmatical denunciation of the last verses of Ezekiel 20; the second, Ezekiel 21:8, substa... [ Continue Reading ]
SET THY FACE... DROP THY WORD... PROPHESY. — These expressions, with the “say to the land” of Ezekiel 21:3, connect this with 20:46, 47; but there they were followed by figurative terms, while here we have plainly “Jerusalem,” “the holy places,” and “the land of Israel.”... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED. — This explains _the green tree_ and _the dry_ of Ezekiel 20:47; and “all flesh” of Ezekiel 21:4, corresponds to “all faces” of the same. These expressions are meant to show the universality of the approaching desolation. The actual separation in God’s sight between the... [ Continue Reading ]
IT SHALL NOT RETURN ANY MORE — _i.e.,_ until it has fully accomplished its purpose. Other judgments upon Israel had been arrested in mercy — the sword had been returned to the scabbard while its work was still incomplete. This will go on to the end.... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH THE BREAKING OF THY LOINS. — The loins were regarded as the seat of strength (Job 40:16); and the breaking of these, therefore, expresses entire prostration. Comp. Psalms 66:11; Psalms 69:23; Isaiah 21:3; Nahum 2:10. The prophet was to do this “before their eyes,” _i.e.,_ was in some way to exp... [ Continue Reading ]
(8-17) This second prophecy is an expansion of the last, Ezekiel 21:8 corresponding to 2-5, and Ezekiel 21:14 to Ezekiel 21:6. In several of its clauses modern criticism has been able to improve the translation, and make it clearer.... [ Continue Reading ]
MAKE MIRTH. — The answer to this question has already been given in Ezekiel 21:6, and is repeated in Ezekiel 21:12. CONTEMNETH THE ROD OF MY SON. — This refers to Genesis 49:9, in which Jacob addresses Judah as “my son,” and foretells that “the sceptre shall not depart from” him until Shiloh come. T... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SLAYER is here mentioned indefinitely, but in the next and more circumstantial prophecy (Ezekiel 21:19) is declared to be the king of Babylon.... [ Continue Reading ]
SMITE THEREFORE UPON THY THIGH. — A mark of extreme grief, see Jeremiah 31:19. The connection of Ezekiel 21:11 with the objection in Ezekiel 21:10 is this: you think there is security for you in the promise to Judah; do not deceive yourselves, but prepare for sorrow and desolation.... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE IT IS A TRIAL. — Here again the original is obscure from its conciseness and abruptness, leading to great variety of interpretation. Neither the text nor the margin of our translation is quite intelligible. The words for “rod” and “contemn” are the same as in Ezekiel 21:10, and must be taken... [ Continue Reading ]
SMITE THINE HANDS TOGETHER. — A gesture of strong emotion (see Ezekiel 21:17; Ezekiel 22:13, and comp. Note on Ezekiel 6:11; Numbers 24:10). LET THE SWORD BE DOUBLED THE THIRD TIME. — The exact translation is here also obscure and difficult, but the meaning is plain that the activity of the sword i... [ Continue Reading ]
THE POINT. — The Hebrew word occurs only here. The marginal rendering comes nearer its sense, but the exact meaning is the glance or the whirl of the sword. The glancing or the whirling motion of the sword was to be everywhere, “against all their gates.” THEIR RUINS BE MULTIPLIED. — Literally, _the... [ Continue Reading ]
GO THEE ONE WAY OR OTHER. — An address to the sword, the animation of which is singularly lost in our version; the sword is addressed as a host, to be prepared for instant action in every quarter: “Gather thyself up (close up ranks) right; set thyself, left.”... [ Continue Reading ]
MY FURY TO REST. — As in Ezekiel 16:42, because it has accomplished its purpose and has nothing more to do. (Comp. Ezekiel 5:13; Ezekiel 14:13.) At Ezekiel 21:18 the third and final prophecy of the chapter begins, and, besides being much more explicit than the others, includes also a new subject (E... [ Continue Reading ]
APPOINT THEE TWO WAYS. — Or, _set before thee._ The prophet is directed to represent Nebuchadnezzar as about to go forth with his armies, and hesitating whether he should take first the road to Jerusalem or to the capital of the Ammonites. His choice of the former is determined, as he supposes, by h... [ Continue Reading ]
TO USE DIVINATION. — Various particular forms of divination are mentioned just afterwards. This is a general term to include them all. Divination was always resorted to by the heathen on occasions of important questions. In this case, while Nebuchadnezzar thought in this way to determine his action,... [ Continue Reading ]
AT HIS RIGHT HAND WAS. — This is too exactly literal. The sense is, _into his right hand came_ the divination which determined his course towards Jerusalem. “Captains” should be as in the margin, _battering. rams_ (see Ezekiel 4:2), for the siege of Jerusalem; the same word is so translated farther... [ Continue Reading ]
AS A FALSE DIVINATION IN THEIR SIGHT. — The divination of the Babylonians seemed false to the Jews, primarily, because they were determined not to believe it; yet, doubtless, there was mingled with this a secret consciousness of the worthlessness of the idolatries which they themselves practised, an... [ Continue Reading ]
IN ALL YOUR DOINGS YOUR SINS DO APPEAR. — But one particular has just been mentioned, their rebellion and perjury; but this was only the last act of a long course of sin in many ways. These have been spoken of at large in previous Chapter s, and therefore, when this last sin is exposed, it may well... [ Continue Reading ]
PROFANE. — The prophet now turns from the people as a whole to the individual prince at their head. The word for _“_profane” is the same as is translated “slain” in Ezekiel 21:14; it would be better rendered here, as there, _overthrown._ What is close at hand is described as accomplished. WHEN INIQU... [ Continue Reading ]
REMOVE THE DIADEM. — The word translated “diadem” is rendered in every other place in which it occurs (Exodus 28:4; Exodus 28:37 _bis,_ Exodus 28:39; Exodus 29:6 _bis,_ Exodus 39:28; Exodus 39:31; Leviticus 8:9 _bis_, Exodus 16:4) _the mitre_ of the high priest, and undoubtedly has the same sense h [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL BE NO MORE. — Literally, _this also shall not be._ After the emphatic repetition of “over-turn” at the beginning of the verse, it is now added that the condition which follows the overthrow shall not be permanent; “the foundations” shall be put “out of course,” and everything thrown int... [ Continue Reading ]
CONCERNING THE AMMONITES. — At the opening of this prophecy (Ezekiel 21:19) the king of Babylon was represented as hesitating whether to attack Jerusalem or Rabbah, and as being led to the determination of attacking the former. This would leave the inference that the Ammonites might escape altogethe... [ Continue Reading ]
SEE VANITY UNTO THEE. — “See” is used in the sense of the utterances of the “seer,” or prophet. The Ammonites also had false prophets among them. THEE UPON THE NECKS OF THEM THAT ARE SLAIN. — Judah is to fall first, then Ammon immediately after, as it were, upon the necks of those already slain. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL I CAUSE IT TO RETURN? — There is nothing in the original to indicate either a question, or that this is spoken in the first person. It is addressed to the Ammonites, “Return it” (the sword) “into his sheath;” and it means that all resistance will be vain, the coming destruction cannot be avert... [ Continue Reading ]
MINE INDIGNATION. — The figure of the sword, which has been kept up through the entire chapter, is here dropped; but the language immediately falls into another figure, already employed in Ezekiel 20:47, “I will blow against thee in” (rather, _with_) “the fire of my wrath.” (Comp. the same expressio... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALT BE NO MORE REMEMBERED. — Ammon should be utterly destroyed, as fuel in the fire; the life-blood of the nation should be poured out, and her name vanish. For her there should be no future, like that promised to Israel in Ezekiel 21:27.... [ Continue Reading ]