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A. C. 594.

of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.

24 ¶ Afterwards the spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from

me.

25 Then I spake unto them of the captivity all the things that the LORD had shewed me.

EZEKIEL XII.

17

1 The type of Ezekiel's removing. 8 It shewed the captivity of Zedekiah. Ezekiel's trembling sheweth the Jews' desolation. 21 The Jews' presumptuons proverb is reproved. 26 The speediness of the vision.

1 The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying,

Chapter xiv. is a denunciation of the divine judgments against the idolatrous elders and their false prophets (1—11), and against the Jews for their obstinate impenitency (12-21); a remnant of whom, it is promised, shall be saved, (22, 23.)

Chapter xv. Under the parable of an unfruitful and unprofitable vine, is set forth the utter rejection of Jerusalem.

Chapter xvi. from 1-15, describes the mercy of God towards the church and nation of the Jews (here represented by Jerusalem) under the emblem of a person that should take an exposed infant, bring her up with great tenderness, and afterwards marry her. The Jews are then upbraided (under the figure of a woman who proves false to a tender and indulgent husband) with their monstrous ingratitude in departing from God's worship, and polluting themselves with heathen idolatries (15-34). But, notwithstanding all these provocations, God promises in the end to shew them mercy under his new and everlasting covenant (44-63). The figurative mode of describing adultery, which is of frequent occurrence in the prophets, is pursued with great force, and at considerable length, both in this and the 23d chapter.

In the 17th chapter, under the allegory of two eagles and a vine, the prophet figuratively expresses the carrying away of Jehoiakim into captivity by the king of Babylon (the first eagle), who made Zedekiah king in his stead. Zedekiah afterwards revolting from the Babylonian monarch, whose vassal he was, and making an alliance with the king of Egypt (the other eagle), God threatens him with captivity to the king from whom he had revolted (1-21). The preaching of the Gospel, and the universal kingdom of the Messiah, are foretold. (22-24).

The Jews, in Ezekiel's time, having complained (xviii. 1, 2.) that God dealt hardly with them in punishing them for the sins of their forefathers, this chapter of Ezekiel vindicates the divine equity, and shews that God punishes no one eternally for the sins of any other person (3-32.)

Under the parable of a lion's whelps, are foretold the cruelty and captivity of Jehoahaz, who was deposed by the king of Egypt (2 Kings xxiii. 33. and 2 Chron. xxxvi. 4.) and of Jehoiakim, who was deposed by the king of Babylon (xix. 1-9.) And under the parable of a wasted vine, are set forth the desolation and captivity of the whole Jewish people, (10-14.)-Horne's Crit. Introd.

2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious A.C. 594. house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.

ments.

3 Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee* stuff for re- * Or, instrumoving, and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight: it may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious house.

4 Then shalt thou bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing: and thou shalt go forth at even in their sight, as they that go forth into captivity.

+ Heb. as the goings forth of

5 Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry captivity out thereby.

6 In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulders, and carry it forth in the twilight: thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground: for I have set thee for a sign. unto the house of Israel.

thee.

7 And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for captivity, and in the even I $digged through the wall with mine hand; I brought it Heb. digged forth in the twilight, and I bare it upon my shoulder in their sight.

8 And in the morning came the word of the LORD unto me, saying,

9 Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou?

10 Say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; This burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel that are among them.

for me.

11 Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove and go into cap- Heb. by retivity.

12 And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes.

29

moving go into captivity.

13 Mynet also will I spread upon him, and he shall bch. xvii, 20,

29 We are informed by Josephus, that the prophecy (ver. 13 of this chapter) that Zedekiah should be brought to Babylon," yet he shall not see it though he die there;" (which was delivered about six years before the event, and was probably told to the king by some messenger from Babylon), was considered by that monarch as inconsistent with subsequent prophecies of Jeremiah (Jer. xxxii. 4. and xxxiv. 3.) "thine eyes shall behold the king of Babylon, and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and thou shalt go to Babylon." Zedekiah, on discovering this apparent inconsistency, refused to believe either. Both pro

A.C. 594. be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though

* Heb. men of number.

he shall die there.

14 And I will scatter toward every wind all that are about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the sword after them.

15 And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the countries.

16 But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen whither they come; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

17 ¶ Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

18 Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness;

19 And say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord GOD of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel; They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water with astonishment, that her land may be +Heb. the ful- desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein.

ness thereof.

20 And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

21 ¶ And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 22 Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?

23 Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision.

24 For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel.

25 For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD.

26¶ Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

phecies, however, were fulfilled.
indeed at Babylon, but at Riblah.

Zedekiah did see the king of Babylon, not His eyes were there put out, and he was carried to Babylon, yet he did not behold the city.-2 Kings xxv. 4-8.; Jer. lii. 8-11.; Josephus, Ant. Jud. lib. x. c. 8. § 2.

27 Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, A.C. 594. The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off.

28 Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord GOD.

EZEKIEL XIII.

1 The reproof of lying prophets, 10 and their untempered morter. 17 Of prophetesses and their pillows.

1 And the word of the LORD came unto me saying,

that are prophets out of their own

2 Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out Heb. them of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD; 3 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!

4 O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. 5 Ye have not gone up into the § gaps, neither up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle the day of the LORD.

made
in

6 They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.

7 Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken?

8 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD.

hearts.
Jer. xxiii.

16.

+ Heb. walk after.

things which

Or, and they have not

seen.

Or, breaches. Heb. hedged the hedge.

or, council,

9 And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the as- * Or, secret, sembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.

10 Because, even because they have seduced my peo

d

ple, saying, a Peace; and there was no peace; and one d Jer. vi. 14. built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered + Or, a slight

morter:

11 Say unto them which daub it with untempered morter, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it.

[blocks in formation]

wall.

A.C. 594.

12 Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it?

13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in my fury to consume it.

14 So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered morter, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

15 Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered morter, and will say unto you, The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it;

16 To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord GOD.

17 Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them,

18 And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Woe to the * Or, elbows. women that sew pillows to all * armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive. that come unto you?

dens.

19 And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies?

20 Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am Or, into gar- against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls † to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly.

21 Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

22 Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return Or, that I from his wicked way, § by promising him life: 23 Therefore shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

should save his

life.

Heb. by quickening

him.

ye

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