Ezekiel 20:1--23:49
seventh <07637> [A.M. 3411. B.C. 593. in the seventh.]
The seventh year of the captivity of Jeconiah, and according to Usher, Monday, Aug. 27, 3411.
some <0582> [that certain.]
sat <03427> [and sat.]
coming <0935> [Are.]
surely <02416> [As I.]
pronounce ....... pronounce judgment son ..... confront <08199 01121 03045> [judge them. or, plead for them.]
confront <03045> [cause.]
day ....................... land <03117 0776> [In the.]
swore ...................... swore <03027 05375> [lifted up mine hand. or, sware. (and so ver. 6, etc.]
Ex 6:8, 9.)
known <03045> [and made.]
Lord <03068> [I am.]
swore <05375> [lifted.]
out <03318> [to bring.]
land ...... land ..................... lands <0776> [into.]
flowing <02100> [flowing.]
beautiful <06643> [which is.]
get rid of <07993> [Cast.]
detestable idols <08251> [the abominations.]
defile <02930> [defile.]
Lord <03068> [I am.]
rebelled <04784> [they rebelled.]
one <0376> [they did.]
<0559> [then I.]
acted <06213> [I wrought.]
before .............. bringing <05869> [in whose.]
gave <05414> [I gave.]
revealed ... regulations <03045 04941> [shewed them. Heb. made them to know. which.]
gave <05414> [I gave.]
reminder <0226> [to be.]
Lord <03068> [I am.]
rebelled <04784> [rebelled.]
rejected <03988> [and they.]
one <0120> [which.]
Sabbaths <07676> [and my.]
decided <0559> [I said.]
swore <05375> [I lifted.]
flowing <02100> [flowing.]
rejected <03988> [they.]
hearts <03820> [for their.]
They still had a hankering after the idolatries they had learned in Egypt, to which they added new idols, which they had seen in countries through which they had travelled, as those of the Midianites, Amorites, etc.
<05869> [mine.]
make <06213> [neither.]
said <0559> [I said.]
practices <02706> [the statutes.]
defile <02930> [defile.]
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
<03212> [walk.]
children <01121> [the children.]
one <0120> [if a man.]
pour out <08210> [I would.]
vent <03615> [accomplish.]
refrained from <07725> [I withdrew.]
acted <06213> [wrought.]
swore <05375> [lifted.]
scatter <06327> [that I.]
The predictions of the dispersion of Israel, delivered by Moses just before his death, are evidently here referred to: they received a partial accomplishment at the Babylonian captivity, but are more exactly fulfilling at this day.
observe <06213> [they had.]
eyes <05869> [their eyes.]
gave <05414> [I gave.]
The simple meaning of this place is, that when the Israelites had rebelled against God, despised his statutes, and polluted his sabbaths, in effect cast him off, and given themselves up wholly to their idols, then He, in a just judgment for their disobedience, abandoned them, "gave them up to a reprobate mind," (Ro 1:28,) and suffered them to walk after the idolatrous, cruel, and impious customs and ordinances of the heathen; by which they were ripened for the destruction which he intended to bring upon them, that they might learn to know God by his judgments, seeing they had despised his mercies. In the same sense God is said judicially to "send a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie," to those who "received not the love of the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."
defiled <02930> [polluted.]
pass through <05674> [in that.]
first born <06363> [all that.]
know <03045> [to the end.]
speak <01696> [speak.]
fathers <01> [Yet.]
unfaithful <04603> [committed. Heb. trespassed.]
brought <0935> [when I.]
swore <05375> [the which.]
saw <07200> [they saw.]
aroma <05207> [their sweet.]
said <0559> [I said, etc. or, I told them what the high place was, or,]
Bamah. And the.
defile <02930> [Are ye.]
present <05375> [ye offer.]
seek ...................... seek <01875> [and shall.]
plan <05927> [that which.]
happen ...... be <01961> [We will.]
serve <08334> [to serve.]
powerful ..... outstretched <02389> [surely.]
bring <0935> [I will.]
judgment <08199> [and there.]
pass <05674> [pass.]
pass ......... bring <05674 0935> [I will.]
bond <04562> [the bond. or, a delivering.]
eliminate <01305> [I will purge.]
come <0935> [they shall.]
know <03045> [and ye.]
profaned <02490> [but.]
holy ............................................. holy things <06944> [in mine.]
These predictions received a partial accomplishment by the restoration of the Jews from the Babylonian captivity; but they seem chiefly to relate to the establishment of the Christian church, and more especially to the future conversion of the Jews, and their restoration to their own land.
house <01004> [there shall.]
choice <07225> [first-fruits. or, chief.]
aroma <05207> [with your.]
soothing aroma <07381 05207> [sweet savour. Heb. savour of rest. I bring.]
holiness among <06942> [and I will.]
know <03045> [ye shall.]
bring <0935> [when I.]
swore <05375> [for the which.]
remember <02142> [shall ye.]
despise <06962> [and ye shall.]
know <03045> [And ye shall.]
deal <06213> [when I.]
word <01697> [Moreover.]
This is the beginning of another prophecy, and properly belongs to the following chapter.
turn <07760> [set.]
south ....... south <01870 01864> [toward.]
Towards Judea, which lay south of Mesopotamia, where the prophet now dwelt.
speak out <05197> [and drop.]
open scrub <03293> [the forest.]
The city of Jerusalem, as full of inhabitants as the forest is of trees.
start a fire <03341> [I will kindle.]
I will send war; and it shall destroy all ranks and characters of the people.
green <03892> [green.]
flaming <03852> [the flaming.]
Negev ....................................................... Negev <05045> [from the south.]
speak <04911> [Doth.]
Is it not his usual custom to deal in enigmas? His figures are not to be understood; we should not trouble ourselves with them. God therefore commands the prophet to declare, in the next chapter, the same things in the plainest terms, so that they should not complain of his parables.
turn <07760> [set.]
speak <05197> [and drop.]
land <0127> [against.]
draw <03318> [Behold.]
draw <03318> [will draw.]
righteous <06662> [the righteous.]
everyone <01320> [against.]
everyone <01320> [all.]
sheathed <07725> [it shall.]
groan ........ groan <0584> [Sigh.]
aching <07670> [with the.]
eyes <05869> [before.]
groaning <0584> [Wherefore.]
report <08052> [For the.]
heart ............ everyone <03820 07307> [and every.]
hand <03027> [all hands.]
limp <03543> [faint.]
urine <04325 03212> [weak as water. Heb. go into water.]
come ............................. coming <0935> [it cometh.]
sword ... sword <02719> [A sword.]
sharpened <02300> [sharpened.]
<04178> [it is furbished.]
<0176> [should.]
scepter .... son ..... despises ... tree <03988 07626 01121 06086> [it contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree. or, it is the rod of my son, it despiseth every tree.]
gave ................... giving <05414> [to give.]
moan <03213> [howl.]
delivered up to <04048 0413> [terrors by reason of the shall be upon my. or, they are thrust down to the sword with my. smite.]
This was an expression of deep affliction.
testing <0974> [Because, etc. or, When the trial hath been, what then? shall they not also belong to the despising rod? a trial.]
despises <03988> [contemn.]
declares <05002> [it shall.]
strike <05221> [smite.]
hands ...... strike <05221 03709> [hands together. Heb. hand to hand. let the.]
surrounding <02314> [entereth.]
slaughter <019> [point. or, glittering, or fear. against.]
hearts <03820> [that their.]
made <06213> [it is made.]
drawn <04593> [wrapped up. or, sharpened.]
Cut sharply <0258> [Go.]
Swing <07760> [either.]
left <08041> [or on the left. Heb. set thyself, take the left hand.]
<05221> [smite.]
rage <02534> [and I.]
Rabbah <07237> [Rabbath.]
[Rabbah. the defenced.]
king <04428> [the king.]
fork <0517> [parting. Heb. mother. to use.]
arrows <02671> [he made.]
Or, as the Vulgate, "he mingled his arrows:" "They wrote on several arrows," says Jerome, "the names of the cities they intended to assault; and then putting them altogether promiscuously in a quiver, they drew then out thence as lots are drawn; and that city whose name was written on the arrow first drawn, was the city they first made war on."
arrows <02671> [arrows. or, knives. images. Heb. teraphim.]
battering rams ................. battering rams <03733> [captains. or battering rams. Heb. rams.]
shout out <07311> [to lift.]
set up ................. set up <07760> [to appoint.]
<07723> [as a.]
sworn solemn <07650 07621> [to them that have sworn oaths. or, for the oaths made unto them.]
accuse <02142> [but.]
accuse <02142> [call.]
transgressions <06588> [your transgressions.]
taken <08610> [ye shall.]
profane <02491> [profane.]
day <03117> [whose.]
off <05493> [Remove.]
<01361> [exalt.]
total ruin <05754> [I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it. Heb. Perverted, perverted, perverted, will I make it.]
arrives <0935> [until.]
son ................ Ammonites <01121> [concerning the.]
sword ... sword <02719> [The sword.]
seeing <02372> [they see.]
place <05414> [to bring.]
day <03117> [whose.]
Return <07725> [Shall I cause it to return. or, Cause it to return.]
judge <08199> [I will.]
place ......... land <04725 0776> [in the.]
pour <08210> [pour.]
blow <06315> [I will blow.]
<01197> [brutish. or, burning. and skilful.]
fuel <0402> [for fuel.]
blood <01818> [thy blood.]
remembered <02142> [thou shalt be no.]
This prophecy against the Ammonites was fulfilled about five years after the taking of Jerusalem; and their name has utterly perished from the face of the earth.
Lord <03068> [for I.]
pronounce judgment .... bloody <08199> [judge. or, plead for.]
bloody city <05892 01818> [bloody city. Heb. city of bloods.]
Then confront <03045> [thou shalt.]
[shew her. Heb. make her know. her abominations.]
spills <08210> [sheddeth.]
doom <06256> [that her.]
makes <06213> [and maketh.]
shed <08210> [that thou.]
day <03117> [and thou hast.]
make <05414> [have I.]
bad ... full ... turmoil <07227 04103 02931> [infamous and much vexed. Heb. polluted of name, much in vexation.]
princes <05387> [the princes.]
authority <02220> [power. Heb. arm.]
contempt <07043> [set.]
<06213> [dealt.]
oppressed <06233> [oppression. or, deceit.]
Slanderous men <07400 0582> [men that carry tales. Heb. men of slanders.]
eat <0398> [they eat.]
acts <06213> [they commit.]
sex <01540> [discovered.]
violate <06031> [humbled.]
obscenely <0376> [one. or, every one. committed.]
obscenely <0376> [another. or, every one. hath lewdly. or, hath by lewdness.]
sister <0269> [his sister.]
take bribes ............ charge <07810 03947> [taken gifts.]
take ............. charge .... extort <03947 01214> [thou hast.]
extort <01214> [greedily.]
forgotten <07911> [and hast.]
strike <05221> [I have.]
dishonest profit <01215> [thy dishonest.]
bloodshed <01818> [and at.]
heart <03820> [Thine heart.]
Lord <03068> [I the.]
scatter <06327> [scatter.]
<08552> [consume.]
profaned ...... sight <02490 05869> [take thine inheritance in thyself. or, be profaned in thyself.]
know <03045> [thou shalt know.]
house <01004> [the house.]
bronze <05178> [brass.]
in <08432> [in the midst.]
slag ..................... slag <05509> [dross. Heb. drosses.]
gather <06908> [I will.]
Jerusalem is here represented as the fining pot; all the people, who had become dross, are to be gathered together in it; and the fire of the Chaldeans, blown by the wrath of God, is to melt the whole. No ordinary means will avail to purge their impurities; the most violent must therefore be resorted to.
gathered <06910> [As they gather. Heb. According to the gathering. to blow.]
anger <0639> [in mine.]
blow <05301> [and blow.]
melted <05413> [and ye.]
know <03045> [ye shall know.]
princes <07195> [a conspiracy.]
roaring <07580> [like.]
tearing <02963> [ravening.]
That is, from the Saxon {reafian}, seizing and devouring it with eagerness and rapacity.
devoured <0398> [they have devoured.]
priests <03548> [priests.]
abuse <02554> [violated. Heb. offered violence to. profaned.]
distinguish <0914> [put no.]
ignore <05956 05869> [hid their.]
desecrated ................................ profaned <02490> [I am profaned.]
officials <08269> [princes.]
get dishonest <01214> [to get.]
prophets <05030> [prophets.]
The prophets employed all their ingenuity to varnish over the crimes of the princes, (the antecedent to them,) to palliate their offences, and to conceal their faults, while they were like ravening wolves, and took bribes to shed innocent blood. By these means they shared the dishonest gains with the princes, or availed themselves of their authority to gratify their avarice or revenge.
see <02374> [seeing.]
saying ...... sovereign ... says <0559 0136> [Thus saith the Lord.]
people <05971> [people.]
practiced extortion .............. oppressed <06231> [oppression. or, deceit. oppressed.]
justice <04941> [wrongfully. Heb. without right.]
looked <01245> [I sought.]
God, speaking after the manner of men, sought for some Moses, Phinehas, or Samuel, to stand in the gap on this occasion; but as he found none, its destruction was inevitable.
repair <01443> [make.]
poured <08210> [have I poured.]
hereby <01870> [their own.]
two <08147> [two.]
Egypt <04714> [in Egypt.]
youth <05271> [in their.]
name ........ name <08034> [the names.]
The kingdom of Israel, of which Samaria was the capital, containing ten tribes, and occupying a larger extent of country than that of Judah, is therefore called "her elder sister;" and Aholah, the name given to her, implies that the whole religious establishment in Israel was a human invention, a temple and service of their own, and not of God's appointment. Aholibah, the name given to Judah, implies that the worship established there was from God, and that His temple was truly at Jerusalem.
older <01419> [the elder.]
birth <03205> [they were.]
Oholah .......................... Oholah <0170> [Aholah. that is, His tent, or tabernacle.]
Oholibah ...................... Oholibah <0172> [Aholibah. that is, My tabernacle in her.]
Oholah <0170> [Aholah.]
The Israelites, in addition to their former gross idolatries, received the impure idolatrous worship of the Assyrians, who became their neighbours by the conquest of Syria.
lusted <05689> [doted.]
Assyrians <0804> [on the.]
desirable <02531> [all of.]
bestowed ... sexual favors <08457 05414> [committed her whoredoms with them. Heb. bestowed her whoredoms upon them.]
choicest young men ... Assyria <01121 0804 04005> [the chosen men of Assyria. Heb. the choice of the children of Asshur.]
idols <01544> [with all their.]
prostitution ..................... ravished <08457> [whoredoms.]
exposed <01540> [discovered.]
seized ........ her <03947> [they took.]
notorious <08034> [famous. Heb. a name.]
sister .............................. sister <0269> [her sister.]
corrupt .... lust <05691 07843> [was more corrupt in her inordinate love than she. Heb. she corrupted her inordinate love more than she. her sister in her whoredoms. Heb. the whoredoms of her sister.]
Assyrians ............ horses <01121 05483> [upon.]
governors <06346> [captains.]
both <08147> [that they.]
carved ......... carved <02707 02710> [pourtrayed.]
bright red <08350> [vermilion.]
belts <0232> [with girdles.]
officers <07991> [all of.]
looking like <04758> [look to.]
That is, "princes in appearance;" which seem to have been the deified men worshipped by the Chaldeans. The inhabitants of Judah, like the Israelites, connected themselves with the Assyrians, and were enamoured with their idols; and then with the Chaldeans, and followed their idols; still retaining their attachment to the Egyptians and their idolatrous rites.
saw <05869 04758> [as soon as she saw them with her eyes. Heb. at the sight of her eyes.]
sent <07971> [and sent.]
Babylonians <01121> [Babylonians. Heb. children of Babel.]
<05315> [and her.]
disgusted <03363> [alienated. Heb. loosed, or disjointed.]
exposed <01540> [discovered.]
I <05315> [then.]
increased <07235> [multiplied.]
remembering <02142> [in calling.]
stir <05782> [I will raise.]
<05315> [from.]
bring <0935> [and I.]
Babylonians ............. Assyrians <01121> [Babylonians.]
Chaldeans <03778> [the Chaldeans.]
Pekod <06489> [Pekod.]
Babylonians ............. Assyrians <01121> [the Assyrians.]
desirable <02531> [desirable.]
weapons <02021> [with chariots.]
assign <05414> [I will set.]
direct <05414> [I will set.]
cut off <05493> [they shall take away.]
This refers to the severe vengeance which enraged husbands took on their faithless wives: and implies that God would employ the Chaldeans to destroy the princes and priests of Judah, for violating their covenants and treaties. Such punishments were anciently common; and such is the present practice in one of the South Sea Islands.
seize ... sons <03947 01121> [they shall take thy.]
survivors ................ survivors <0319> [thy residue.]
strip <06584> [strip.]
beautiful jewelry <03627 08597> [fair jewels. Heb. instruments of thy decking.]
obscene <02154> [will I.]
prostitution <02184> [and thy.]
practiced <05375> [so that.]
These severe judgments shall effectually deter you from idolatry, and make you abhor the least approaches to it. This often repeated prediction has received a most wonderful accomplishment. For neither the authority, frowns, examples, or favour of their conquerors or powerful neighbours, nor their own fears, hopes, interests, or predilection for the sensual worship of idols, could prevail with them to run into gross idolatry, either during the captivity, or ever afterwards, to the present day, a period of 2,414 years.
hate <08130> [whom thou.]
treat <06213> [deal.]
nakedness <06172> [the nakedness.]
prostitution <02181> [thou hast.]
polluting <02930> [because thou art.]
followed ....... so <01980> [walked.]
cup <03563> [her.]
drink <08354> [drink.]
scorned <06712> [thou shalt be.]
overcome <04390> [filled.]
cup ........ cup ... horror <03563 08047> [with the cup of astonishment.]
drain ... dry <08354> [drink.]
tear out <05423> [and pluck.]
forgotten <07911> [Because.]
completely disregarded <07993> [and cast.]
says ............. bear <0559 05375> [therefore.]
willing ... pronounce <08199> [wilt.]
willing ... pronounce <08199> [judge. or, plead for.]
Oholah <0170> [Aholah.]
declare <05046> [declare.]
adultery ........... adultery ...... their <05003> [they have.]
blood <01818> [and blood.]
sons <01121> [have also.]
done ........... desecrated <06213 02930> [they have.]
profaned <02490> [and have.]
came <0935> [they came.]
done <06213> [thus.]
sent ............. set out <07971> [ye have.]
arrived <0935> [to come. Heb. coming.]
bathed <07364> [thou didst.]
painted <03583> [paintedst.]
{Kachalt aineych,} rendered by the LXX. [estibizou tous ophthalmous sou;] "thou didst paint thine eyes with stibium," and Vulgate {circumlinisti stibio oculos tuos,} "thou didst paint round thine eyes with stibium," or lead ore; whence it is called in Arabic {kochl,} and in Syriac {kecholo,} and {koochlo.}
decorated yourself <05710> [and deckedst.]
magnificent <03520> [stately. Heb. honourable.]
table <07979> [a table.]
placed <07760> [whereupon.]
sound <06963> [a voice.]
This seems to be an account of an idolatrous festival, perhaps that of Bacchus; in which a riotous and drunken multitude assembled, adorned with bracelets and chaplets, accompanied with music, songs, and dances.
men <07230> [common sort. Heb. multitude of men. were brought.]
<05436> [Sabeans. or, drunkards. bracelets.]
worn out <01087> [old.]
immoral acts <08457> [whoredoms with her. Heb. her whoredoms.]
had sex .............. had sex <0935> [so went.]
But ....... appropriately <06662> [the righteous.]
The Chaldeans, so called, because appointed by God to execute his judgment on these criminals.
adulteresses <05003 04941> [after the manner of adulteresses.]
adulteresses <05003> [because.]
up <05927> [I will.]
terror ... plunder <0957 02189> [to be removed and spoiled. Heb. for a removing and spoil.]
army <06951> [the company.]
slash ..... swords <01254 02719> [dispatch them. or, single them out.]
kill <02026> [shall slay.]
burn <08313> [and burn.]
obscene ................... obscene <02154> [I cause.]
women <0802> [that.]
repay <05414> [they shall.]
punished <05375> [ye shall bear.]
know <03045> [and ye shall know.]
