INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 5
This chapter is of the same argument with the former; and contains a
type of Jerusalem's destruction; an explanation of that type; what
were the reasons of God's judgments on that city; and the nature,
rise, and end of them. The type is in Ezekiel 5:1; the explanation of
t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU, SON OF MAN, TAKE THEE A SHARP KNIFE,.... Or, "sword" m. The
word signifies any sharp instrument, by which anything is cut off, or
cut asunder; what is here meant is explained by the following:
TAKE THEE A BARBER'S RAZOR. The Septuagint and Arabic versions read
this in conjunction with the... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU, SHALL BURN WITH FIRE A THIRD PART IN THE MIDST OF THE CITY,....
Of Jerusalem, as portrayed upon the tile, Ezekiel 4:1; or the prophet
was now in Chaldea. The burning of the third part of the hair with
fire denotes such who were destroyed by the pestilence and famine
during the siege; see Lamen... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALL ALSO TAKE THEREOF A FEW IN NUMBER,.... These are they that
were left in the land of Judea by Nebuzaradan, for vinedressers and
husbandmen, and such as returned out of Egypt into the land of Judah,
Jeremiah 44:28;
AND BIND THEM IN THY SKIRTS; in the pockets of them; signifying both
the ve... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN TAKE OF THEM AGAIN,.... Of that small number preserved:
AND CAST THEM INTO THE MIDST OF THE FIRE, AND BURN THEM IN THE FIRE:
this was fulfilled in Gedaliah and the Jews that were with him, over
whom the king of Babylon had made him governor, who were slain by
Ishmael, Jeremiah 41:1;
[FOR] THE... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD, THIS [IS] JERUSALEM,.... A type or sign of
it; it may refer to both the former and latter type. It is the city of
Jerusalem that is designed by the city portrayed upon the tile; and
the same is signified by the head of the prophet that was to be
shaved; that being not only t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHE HATH CHANGED MY JUDGMENTS INTO WICKEDNESS MORE THAN THE
NATIONS,.... So they changed their glory for that which did not
profit; and the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like
to corruptible man; and the truth of God into a lie, Jeremiah 2:11;
or, "for wickedness" q; for judgm... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD,.... Having observed their sins, and
which are still enlarged upon, the Lord proceeds to denounce his
judgments against them:
BECAUSE YE MULTIPLIED MORE THAN THE NATIONS THAT [ARE] ROUND ABOUT
YOU; not in numbers, nor in wealth and riches, or in blessings and
privi... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD, BEHOLD, EVEN I, [AM] AGAINST
THEE,.... Or, "behold, I [am] against thee, even I" u; who am the Lord
God omnipotent, great King, and a dreadful one; and a terrible thing
it is for a people to have the mighty God against them; or for any to
fall into the hands of the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL DO IN THEE THAT WHICH I HAVE NOT DONE,.... In any other
nation, or to any other people; not in the old world, when the flood
was brought upon the world of the ungodly; not in Sodom and Gomorrah,
when they were destroyed by fire from heaven; not in Egypt, when he
inflicted his plagues on P... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE THE FATHERS SHALL EAT THE SONS IN THE MIDST OF THEE,....
Which was long ago threatened by the Lord, and prophesied of by Moses,
Leviticus 26:27; and was fulfilled at several times in the people of
Israel, as at the siege of Samaria, 2 Kings 6:28; at the siege of
Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE, [AS] I LIVE, SAITH THE LORD GOD,.... This is a form of an
oath, and shows that what is after said should certainly be done; God
would not repent of it, nor revoke it:
SURELY, BECAUSE THOU HAST DEFILED MY SANCTUARY, WITH ALL THY
DETESTABLE THINGS, AND WITH ALL THINE ABOMINATIONS: that is,... [ Continue Reading ]
A THIRD PART OF THEM SHALL DIE WITH THE PESTILENCE,.... This, with
what follows, explains the division of the hair into the three parts,
and what was done with them; and shows that the burning of one third
part denotes their being destroyed by the pestilence, mentioned along
with burning coals, Haba... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SHALL MINE ANGER BE ACCOMPLISHED,.... Finished, perfected,
consummated, by bringing the above judgments upon them, pestilence,
famine, and sword, and by scattering them to every wind: what had been
threatened long, and only some drops of it were let fall in times
past, now was poured forth to t... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER I WILL MAKE THEE WASTE,.... That is, their land; which, being
without inhabitants, lay untilled; and so became barren and
unfruitful:
AND A REPROACH AMONG THE NATIONS THAT [ARE] ROUND ABOUT THEE, IN THE
SIGHT OF ALL THAT PASS BY; who, seeing it in this desolate condition,
shall throw out t... [ Continue Reading ]
SO IT SHALL BE A REPROACH AND A TAUNT,.... The subject of the
reproaches and taunts of the enemy; see Jeremiah 24:9; this is
repeated for the greater confirmation of it:
AN INSTRUCTION; or "discipline", or "correction" x. The meaning is,
that the Gentiles, seeing the judgments of God upon the Jews,... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN I SHALL SEND UPON THEM THE EVIL ARROWS OF FAMINES,.... Either
famine itself, which is as an arrow; it is taken out of the quiver of
the Lord of hosts, and is shot by him; and moves swiftly when it has a
commission; and is very destructive: or arrows which bring on a
famine, such as drought, exc... [ Continue Reading ]
SO WILL I SEND UPON YOU FAMINE, AND EVIL BEASTS,.... Famine is
repeated for the further confirmation of it; and "evil beasts" are
added, by whom are meant, not the Chaldeans, comparable to such; but
literally lions, wolves, hears, c. which are threatened the Jews, in
case of disobedience, Leviticus... [ Continue Reading ]