Commentary on the Holy Bible

Verse 7. Defile the house'] A dreadful sentence. Let it be polluted, I wLU no more dwell in it; I now utterly forsake it.

Verse 8. Wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel, in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem.'] These destroyers had slain the seventy elders, the twenty-five adorers of the sun, and the women that mourned for Tanunuz; and on seeing this slaughter the prophet fell on his face, and began to make intercession.

Verse 9. For they say. The Lord hath forsaken the earth] pNTI nx eth haarets, " this land." He has no

9 Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and ' the land is " full of blood, and the city full of '^pen'erseness: for they say, "The Lord hath forsaken the earth, and ''the Lord seeth not.

10 And as for me also, mine ''eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, hut ^ I will recompense their way upon their head.

11 And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, ^ reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.

more place in Israel; he has quite abandoned it; he neither sees nor cares, and he can be no longer the object of worship to any man in Israel. This seems to be the meaning; and God highly resents it, because it was bringing him on a level with idols and provincial deities, who had, according to supposition, regency only in some one place.

Verse 10. Mine eye shall not spare] They say, the Lord seeth not: this is false; 1 have seen all their iniquities, and do see all their abominations; and I will bring deserved judgment upon them, and then that eye which now sees will neither pity nor spare.

Verse 11./ have done as thou hast commanded me.] Angels and men must all give account of their conduct to God; for although he is every where, and his eye sees all things, yet they must personally account for all that they have done. I have done as thou hast commanded me. The penitents are all signed; the penitents are all safe. This is good news for them that

The same august vision which appeared to the prophet at first, is repeated here; and coals of fire are scattered over the city to intimate that it toas to be burned. The symbol of the Divine presence is lUceioise represented as removing farther and farther from the temple, to signify that God's protection was about to be ivithdraicn from it, 1-22. It may not be improper to remark, that zvhatever is particularly intended by the ckenthim, wheels, firmament, throne, cj-c, described in this and the first chapter, the prophet several times informs us, (chap. i. 28; iii. 25; viii. 4; x. 4, 18,) that his vision ivas a manifestation or similitude of the GLORY of Jehovah; or, in other words, consisted of a set of hieroglyphics by which this glory was in some measure represented. It is also worthy of observation, that the faces of the living creatures, of which we have an account in the fourth chapter of the Apocalypse, are precisely the same with those of EzekicVs cherubim; and we may readily collect, as Mr. Mede remarks, the quarter of the heavens in which each cherub loas situated in reference to the other three, from the consideration that as Ezekiel saw the vision proceeding from the north, (see chap. i. 4, 10,) the human face of the cherubim was totvards him, or the south; on his right hand, or the east, was the face of a lion; on his left hand, or the west, the face of an ox; and tmcards the north, the face of an eagle.

Tarquiiiii Prisci, above tlic head of the cherubims R. Roman., 23. ^j^^j.^ appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.

2 ■> And he spake vmto the man clothed with linen, and said. Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill " thine hand with '' coals of fire from between the cherubims, and ' scatter them over the city. And he went in my sight.

3 Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.

4 '' Then the glory of the Lord « went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and ^ the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the Lord's glory.

5 And the • sound of the cherubims' wings was heard even to the outer court, as '' the

Verse 1.,4^ it were a sapphire slone^ See the note on chap. i. 22, 26. The chariot, here mentioned by the prophet, was precisely the same as that which he saw at the river Chchar, as himself tells us, ver. 15, of which see the description in chap. i.

Verse 2. Coals ofjtre] These were to signify the burning of the city by the Chaldeans. It seems that the space between the four wheels, which was aU on fire, was that from which those coals were taken.

Verse 3. On the right side of the house'\ The right hand ahvays marked the south among the Hebrews.

The house was filed with the cloud] This is a fact similar to what occurred frequently at the tahernacle in the wilderness, and in the dedication of the temple by Solomon. What is mentioned here was the Divine shechinah, the symbolical representation of the majesty of God.

Verse 5. As the voice of the Almighty God] That is, as thunder; for this was called the voice of God.

Verse 8. The form of a man's hand under their loings.] I am still of opinion that the hands and wings were not distinct. The arms were feathered like wings, and the hand teiminated the arm; but as the long front feathers of the wings would extend much beyond the fingers, hence the hands would appear to he under the wings. See on chap. i. 8. The human hand might be intended to show that God helps and punishes mxin by man; and that, in the general operations of his providence, he makes use of human agency.

6 And It came to pass, that Tarquinil Prlsci.

when he had commanded the man R- Koman., 23 clothed with linen, saying. Take fire from between the wheels, from between tiie cherubims; then he went in, and stood beside the wheels.

7 And one cherub ' stretched forth his hand from between the cherubims unto the fire that was between the cherubims, and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that ~ was clothed with linen: who took it, and went out.

S " And there appeared in the cherubims, the form of a man's hand under their wings.

9 " And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a ° beryl stone.

10 And as for their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel.

eben Tarshish, " the stone of Tarshish." The Vulgate translates it chrysolith; Symmachus, the jacinct; the Septuagint, the carbuncle. In the parallel place, chap. i. 16, it is ly'tyin \y2 keeyn Tarshish, "like the eye of Tarshish;" i. e., the colour of tarshish, or the stone so called, which the Vulgate translates visio maris, " like the sea," i. e., azure. The beryl is a gem of a green colour, passing from one side into blue, on the other side into yellow. The chrysolith is also green, what is called pistachio green; but the chrysolith of the ancients was our topaz, which is of a fine wine yellow. The beryl, or chrysolith, is most likely what is here meant by tarshish. One name among the ancients served for several kinds of gems that were nearly of the same colour. The moderns go more by chemical characters than by colour.

Verse 10. A tvheel had been in the midst of a wheel.] It is difficult to comprehend this description. It is generally supposed to mean one wheel within another, cutting each other at right angles. This, in my opinion, will not account for the motions attributed to tliese wheels; nor can I see how, on this supposition, they could have any motion; for if one was moved on its axis, the other must be dragged contrary to its axis. I have conjectured it rather to mean a wheel within a wheel, or a wheel with two rims, working on tlie same axis. See on chap.#. 16-18. It is however no matter of faith; and the reader may judge as he thinks proper. For other matters relative to this chariot, u-heels, cherubim, toings, &c., I must refer to llie notes on the frst chapter. And perhaps from the whole of this vision and its difficulties, he will sec tlic propriety of the council of rabbins ordering Rabbi Ananias three

lliey followed it; they turned not as they went.

12 And their whole ibody, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and "■ the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had.

13 As for the wheels, ^ it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel.

14 ' And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a hon, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

15 And the cherubims were lifted up. This IS "the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar.

16" And when the cherubims went, the wheels went by them: and when the cherubims lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also turned not from beside them.

18 Then ^ the glor\' of the Lord ^departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims.

19 And »thc cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also were beside them, and every one stood at the door of the cast gate of the Lord's house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.

20 '^' This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel ■= by the river of Chebar; and I knew that tliey ivere the cherubims.

21 '' Every one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings; " and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.

22 And f the likeness of their faces luas the same faces which I saw by the river of Chebar, their appearances and themselves: s ihey went every one straight forward.

hundred barrels of oil to light his lamp during the time It would be necessary for him to employ in explaining this one vision.

Verse 13. As for the wheels, it was cried unto them — O loheel.] Never was there a more unfortunate and unmeaning translation. The word '7j'7Jn haggalgal, may signify, simply, the rotter, or a chariot, or roU on, or the swift roller. Jdnb Ije riepi&e ilfiC to!)CCll.6( boli; We, oc tutninge about. Old MS. Bible. Any of these will do: " and as to the wheels," □"IDIn'i taovhannim, " they were called in my hearing" hihm haggalgal, " the chariot." The gentleman who toolf for his text " O wheel!" and made God's decree of eternal predestination out of it, must have borrowed some of Rabbi Ananias's three hundred barrels of oil! But such working of God's word cannot be too severely reprehended.

As these wheels are supposed to represent Divine Providence, bringing about the designs of the Most High, how like is the above S:'7jn haggalgal, taken as a verb, " roll on," to those words of Virgil in his Pollio:—

Talia saecla, suis dixerunt, currite, fusis, Concordes stabili fatorum numine Parcae. " The Fates, when they this happy web have spun, Shall bless the sacred clue, and bid it swiftly nin." Verse 14. The first — v.'a.s the face of a cherub] In chap, i 10, this is called the "face of an ox;" here, the " face of a cherub:" hence, a cherub was in the likeness of an ox, at least, as to its head. 3113 kentb never occurs as a verb; and its meaning cannot be precisely ascertained. Parkhurst thinks the 3 caph to be here the note of similitude; and then translates 3 lie, "like," 3T rah or 311 rob, "the mighty one;" and, in consequence, makes the cherubim an emblem of the Holy Trinity. See his lengthy Dissertation under 313 in his Hebrew and English Lexicon.

Verse 20. And I knew that they were the cherubims.] This formation of the plural is quite improper. In general, Hebrew nouns of the masculine gender end in D' im, in the plural; the s, therefore, should never be added to such. Cherub is singular; cherubim is plural. The s should be uniformly expunged.

1 have already referred to the end of this chapter for farther information relative to this glorious chariot of Jehovah; but I must say that I have met with nothing on the subject that entirely satisfies myself. Tn the preceding notes I have endeavoured to make the literal meaning as plain as possible; and have occasionally given some intimations relative to the general design of this sublime vision. My readers are already apprised that 1 do not like conjectures on Divine things; many points, that had originally no other origin, are now incorporated with creeds of which it is deemed sinful to doubt. Because some learned and pious men have \\Titten to prove that this symbolical compound figure is a representation of the Holy Trinity; therefore, the sentiment now passes current. Now this is not proved; and I suppose never can be proved. The continuator of the Historical Discourses of Saurin has made some sensible remarks on the subject of this vision; and these I shall lay here before the intelligent reader. They deserve attention.

This intelligent WTiter obser^'es: " For the right interpretation of this vision, the following rules should be laid down: —

" The Jirsl rule is this: — An explanation, which accounts for all the parts contained in the vision, is much more probable than those which explain only one part. " The second is this: — An explanation which is conformable to the present circumstances of the prophet, and of the people to whom he is sent, a-s well as to the nature of tlie things which he is called upon to say to them, is incomparably more probable than those explanations which go in quest of past or future events, which have no connexion with the immediate circumstances of the prophet, nor with the end of his mission. These rules, whicli appear incontestable, being laid dowm, we observe, that their opinion who think that God here draws out a plan of the government of his providence, applied to the present state of the Jews, accounts for all that Ezekiel saw; and that in a manner which refers to the end of the prophet's mission, and all that he had to say to this rebellious people. Why wish God to represent to his prophet the future state of the Christian Church, which was not to be founded till after a series of time, rather than the state of the Jewish Church, and the chastisements which hung over the heads of that hardened people! The people having revohed from God, and persevering obstinately in that revolt, notwithstanding the menaces of the prophet, it was proper to show to Ezekiel, in order that he might declare it to the rebellious, that Providence had its eyes open to all that had been done, all that had hitherto happened, and that it had seized upon the rod to smite. The people imagined, but too much according to the errors of infidelity, that God saw every thing with inditference and had given the world up to chance. It was necessary, tlierefore, to divest them of these fatal prejudices; and to teach them that the Supreme Being did not behold with the same eye order and disorder, contempt of his laws and submission to his will; and that all the revolutions of states are directed by a superior intelligence, which cannot be imposed upon. The Jewish people imagined but too much that the prophets exaggerated when they threatened them with the severest chastisements. They repeated with emphasis and complacency the promises of God made to the patriarchs; that their ])osterity should not only be more numerous than the stars of heaven, and the sand which covers the sea-shore; but that it should subsist for ever and ever. God had declared to Abraham, ' I will establish mv covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God 'into thee and thy seed after thee,' Gen. xvii. 7. It was proper, therefore, to show this stiff-necked people that the threatcnings of God and his promises were not contradictory. That the people, conformable to the promises given by God to the patriarchs, should not be destroyed: but that, notwithstanding, they should be severely chastised, to correct them for their propensity to idolatry, and their scandalous irregularities. "These suppositions, which are reasonable, being

granted, we shall have no difficulty to perceive the sense of tliis celebrated vision. We shall not foUow the order observed by Ezekiel, in the description of what he saw; he raises himself from the nearest to the most distant objects, going back from effects to their general cause. We will begin with the First Cause w^hich gives motion to all that happens, traces out the plan, and procures the execution, according to the rules of his ineffable wisdom, and agreeably to the nature of those creatures which are the object of his agency. Next, we will proceed to consider the effects of this universal Providence, and the intelligent secondary causes which he frequently employs in the administration of the government of the universe.

" ' Ezekiel saw a fu-mament which was above the heads of the animals; there was the resemblance of a throne like a sapphire stone; and over the resemblance of the throne, there was. as it were, the resemblance of a man.' This vast transparent /n/ja/neni represents to us the heaven, the peculiar residence of the Lord of the earth; and where he hath established the throne of his empire. This ' appearance of a man ' was the emblem of Providence or God; considered as taking care of all the creatures whom he hath made. Man is the symbol of intelligence. The mind of man, with respect to his knowledge and wisdom, is a weak sketch of that mind which knows all things, and whose wisdom is unbounded. And yet, of all sublunary beings, there is none that approaches so near to the Divine nature as man. Under this emblem also it is that God, considered as seeing all things, and directing all, would be represented. This resemblance of man was seated upon a throne, to show that God governs all things as Lord, and that without agitation and without labour.

" The shining metal, and the /ire which surrounded him who sat on the throne, were the symbol of his glory and his judgments, which are poured upon the wicked as a fire which nothing can withstand; agreeably to Isaiah, chap, xxxiii. 14.

" The Jews acknowledged that there was a Providence which governs the whole universe with infinite wisdom. The psalmist gives us a description of it, equally just and pathetic, in Psa. civ. 27, &c. Chris tians, no less than Jews, admit this important truth; and the Gospel establishes it no less strongly than the law. See Matt. vi. 26; x. 29, 30. To raise the mind of the prophet up to the first Mover of those events whicli strike and admonish us in all the revolutions which happen to individuals, families, and states, God shows him/o!;r u-hccls above the firmament, over which the emblem of Providence was placed on a throne. These wheels are a symbol of those perpetual revolu tions, which are observed in the earth; and which, hy turns, lift up and abase individuals and nations. They are of a prodigious height, to show that man cannot fathom or know all that is great, wonderful, and astonishing', in the ways of Providence See Job xi. 7, 8: Rom. xi 33, 'si: Isa. Iv. 8, 9. These wheels move themselves every way, and are full of eyes in the vast circle of their felloes. This shows, that all which God does he effects without pain; and that the eye of his wisdom ordercth aU events. The wheeLs did not move of themselves; but they followed the impulse of the four living creatures; " when the living

Ezekiel prophesies against

the elders of Israel.

creatures went, they went.' This shows that, in the government of the world, all the living creatures are subject to Providence; and that God subordinates the creatures one to another. He directs what those holy intelligences ought to do, who serve him as ministers, and are here represented by the four animals. And these intelligences, enlightened and supported by the Supreme Wisdom, contribute, as far as is suitable, to all that happens to mankind. The angels whom Ezekiel saw were in number _/b«r, in reference to the /our cardinal points of the world; to show that their ministry extends every where, and that there is no part of the universe which the Providence of God does not govern in an immediate manner, or by the means of his ministers. The extraordinary shape of these angels, which appeared to the prophet in vision, is symbolical; for it is not to be supposed that those heavenly ministers ate really thus formed. The ' four faces, wings, and arms of a man,' denote the sublime qualities of these immediate ministers of the Deity; qualities entirely essential to fill up the extent of their duty. The face of a man denotes their intelligence; of a Hon, their intrepid courage; of an oi, their patience and perseverance in labour; and of an eagle, their great penetration, their sublime sight into heavenly things, and their readiness to rise up into all that is great and Divine. The ' wings being stretched out,' signifies that they are always ready to set forward, and run with rapidity wherever the commands of their great Master call them. The ' wings bent down,' are a symbol of that profound respect in which these heavenly ministers stand before the Lord of the universe. Under the wings there were men's arms, to show that zeal produces application and labour. Labour, without zeal, can never be supported; and zeal, without application, is only a hypocritical ardour, which amounts to nothing with that supreme Master who requires sincere homage from those who serve him. If God chose to make known to Ezekiel that his providence extends to all things, and that even in this life it often takes up the rod to chastise nations and individuals, he would also show beforehand that he wished not the destruction of

the Jewish people, whom he was about to visit in his anger, but only its correction and amendment. This is signified by the ' precious metal,' which the prophet found unmelted in the midst of the fiery cloud. This cloud of fire, urged on by a whirlwind, and involving on all sides the metal, represented the judgments of God which were about to fall upon this rebellious nation, not to destroy, but to humble and purify it. Nothing is more proper than afilictions to bring men back to their duty. As fire purifies metals, so the paternal chastisements of God have a tendency to purify the soul and heart, if the man be not entirely incorrigible. The people upon whom God was about to pour the vials of his anger, were not worthy of his lenity. But that great God, who is firm in his promises, remembers the covenant of peace he had made with the patriarchs. This covenant is made sensible to the prophet under the image of a rainbow, which was round about him who appeared upon the throne. Every one knows, that this splendid phenomenon, which seems to join heaven and earth together, was given to Noah and his posterity as a symbol of the covenant which God then made with mankind, and by which he declared to them that the earth should undergo a deluge no more. Thus, the Pagans considered the Iris as the messenger of the gods. See Virgil, JEn. lib. iv. ver. 694. But whereas the rainbow to the Jews was a symbol of peace, the Iris of the Pagans was a messenger of trouble. On the sight of this bow, the symbol of grace, Ezekiel was to be encouraged; and persuaded that his people were not threatened with an utter destruction. The event fully justified all that the prophet had contemplated, with surprise, in this enigmatical picture. The Chaldeans, the rod of the Lord's just severity, ravaged Judea; the people were carried away captive; they groaned for seventy years in a foreign land: but they were protected in a miraculous manner against the bloody designs of the cruel Haman; and at length, favoured with various decrees of the kings of Persia, they had permission, not only to return to their own country, but also to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple." See Dr. Dodd's notes on this place

This chapter denounces the judgments of God against those wiclted persons who remained in Jerusalem, and made a mock of the types and predictions of the prophets, 1—13; compare ver. 3 ivith Jer. i. 13. God promises to favour those who were gone into captivity, and intimates their restoration from the Babylonish yoke, 14-21. Then the shechinah, or symbol of the Divine Presence, is represented forsaking the city, as in the foregoing chapter it did the temple, 22, 23; and the prophet returns in vision to the place from which he set out, (chap. viii. 1, &e.,) in order to comimmicate his instructions to his brethren of the captivity, 24, 25.

NOTES ON CHAP. XI. Verse 1. At the door of the gate five and twenty men] The same persons, no doubt, who appear, chap. viii. 16, worshipping the sun.

Jaazaniah the son of Azur] In chap. viii. 16 we find a Jaaznniah the son of Shaphan. If Shaphan was also called Azur, they may be the same person. But it is most likely that there were

2 Then said he unto me, Son of man, these are the men that devise mischief, and give wicked counsel in this city:

3 Wliich say, ^ It is not " near; let us build houses: ^ this city is the caldron, and we he the flesh.

4 Tlierefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man.

5 And s the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the Lord; Thtis have ye said, O house of Israel: for I kuow the things that come into your mind, every one of them.

6 "^ Ye have multiplied your slain in this city, and ye have filled the streets thereof with the slain.

7 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; ' Yoiur slain whom ye have laid in the midst of it, they are the flesh, and this city is the caldron: '' but I will bring you forth out of the midst of it.

8 Ye have feared the sword, and I will bring a sword upon you, saith the Lord God.

9 Ajid I will bring you out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and ' will execute judgments among

10 "Ye shall fall by the sword; I will judge

This city is the caldron, and we be the flesh.'] See the vision of the seething pot, Jer. i. 13. These infidels seem to say: " We will run all risks, we will abide in the city. Though it be the caldron, and we the jlesh, yet we will share its fate: if it perish, we will perish with it." Or they may allude to the above prediction of Jeremiah, in order to ridicule it: " We were to have been boiled long ago: but the fulfilment of that prediction is not near yet."

Verse 7. Your slain— they me the flesh] Jerusalem is the caldron, and those who have been slain in it, they are the flesh; and though ye purpose to stay and share its fate, ye shall not be permitted to do so; ye cdiall be carried into captivity.

your caldron, neither shall ye be the flesh in the midst thereof; but I will judge you in the border of Israel:

12 And lye shall know that I urn the Lord: ■■ for ye have not walked in my statutes, neither executed my judgments, but ^ have done after the manners of the heathen that are round about you.

13 And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that ' Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then " fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said. Ah, Lord God! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?

15 Son of man, thy brethren, even thy brethren, the men of thy kindred, and all the house of Israel wholly, are they unto whom the inl:iabitants of Jerusalem have said. Get you far from the Lord: unto us is this land given in possession.

16 Therefore say. Thus saith the Lord God; Although I have cast them far oft" among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, " yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come.

17 Therefore say. Thus saith the Lord

Verse 11. / loill judge you in the harder of Israel.] Though Riblah was in Syria, yet it was on the very frontiers of Israel; and it was here that Zedekiah's sons were slain, and his own eyes put out.

Verse 13. Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died.] Most probably he was struck dead the very hour in which Ezekiel prophesied against him. His death appears to have resembled that of Ananias and Sapphira, Acts V. 1, &c.

Verse 15. Get you far from the Lord] The.se are the words of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, again.st those of Israel who had been carried away to Babylon with Jeconiah. Go ye far from the Lord: but a.s for us, the land of Israel is given to us for a possession; we shall never be removed from it, and they shall never return to it.

TarquirUPrisci, jou out of the Countries where R. Roman., 23. yg have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.

1 8 And they shall come thither, and ^ they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence.

19 And ^ I will give them one heart, and I will put ^ a new spirit within you; and I will take " the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh:

20 '' That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: " and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

21 But as for them whose heart walketh

tuary] Though thus exiled from their own land, yet not forgotten by their God. While in their captivity, I will dispense many blessings to them; and I will restore them to their own land, ver. 17, from which they shall put away all idolatry, ver. 18.

Verse 19. And I icill give them, one heart] A whole system of renewed affections.

And I wiL put a new spirit within you] To direct and influence these new aflfections.

And I tvill talte the stony heart out of their flesh] That which would not receive the impressions of my Spirit.

And loill give them a heart of flesh] One that is capable of receiving and retaining these impressions.

Verse 20. That they may loalk in my statutes] The holiness of their lives shall prove the work of God upon their hearts. Then it shall appear that / am their God, because I have done such things in them and for them; and their holy conduct shall show that they are my people. See on chap, xxxvi. 25, &c.

after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, ■' I will recompense their way upon Tar™' their own heads, saith the Lord ^- ^

22 Then did the cherubims * lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel icas over them above.

23 And 'the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood ^ upon the mountain '■ which is on the east- side of the city.

24 Afterwards ' the spirit took me vip, 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 showed me.

Them whose affections are attached to idolatry, they shall have such reward as their idols can give them, and such a recompense as Divine justice shall awaid

Verse 23. The glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city] This vision is no mean proof of the long-suffering of God. He did not abandon this people all at once; he departed by little and little. First, he left the temple. Secondly, he stopped a little at the gate of the city. Thirdly, he departed entirely from the city and went to the Mount of Olives, which lay on the east side of the city. Having tarried there for some time to see if they would repent and turn to him, — Fourthly, he departed to heaven. The vision being now concluded, the prophet is taken away by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, and there announces to the captive Israelites what God had showed him in the preceding visions, and the good that he had spoken concerning them; who at first did not seem to profit much by them, which the prophet severely reproves.

The prophet proceeds, by a variety of types and parables, to convince those of the captivity that their brethren who were left behind to sustain the miseries of a siege and tlie insults of a conqueror, would be in a much worse condition than they ivho were already settled in a foreign land. In the beginning of litis chapter he foretells the approaching captivity of Judah by action instead of words, 1-7. He predicts particularly the flight, capture, captivity, and sufferings of Zedekiah and his folloiOers, 8—16, compared with Jer. Iii. 11. He is to eat his food ivith trembling and signs of terror, as an emblem of the consternation of the Jews when surrounded by their enemies, 17—20; and then he answers the objections and lyxvords of scoffers and infidels, who either disbelieved his threatenings, or supposed the accomplishment of them very distant, 21-38. Josephus (Antiq. xi. 10) tells us that Zedekiah thought the prophecy of Ezekiel in the thirteenth verse inconsistent with that of Jeremiah, (chap, xxxiv. 3,) and resolved to believe neither. Both, hoivever, were literally fulfilled; and the event convinced him that they were not irreconcilable. Thus, blinded by infidelity, sinners rush on to that destruction against which they are sufficiently warned the approaching captivity

T^HE word of the Lord also

2 Son of man, thou dwcllest in the midst of '' a rebelhous house, which '' have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: ° for they are a rebelhous house.

3 Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee ^ stuff for removing, 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 he 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.

5 f Dig thou through the wall in tlieir sight, and carry out thereby.

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

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 forth in me twilight, and I bare it upon my shoulder in their sight.

' Heb. as the goings forth of captivity. ' Heb. Dig for thee.

Verse 3. Which have eyes to.•!€€, and see not] It is not want of grace that brings them to destruction. They have eyes to see, but they will not use them. No man is lost because he had not sufficient grace to save him, but because he abused that grace.

Verse 3. Prepare thee stuff for removing] Get carriages to transport thy goods to another place; signifying by this the captivity that was at hand.

Verse 5. Dig thou through the wait] This refers to the manner in which Zedekiah and his family would escape from the city. They escaped by night through a breach in the wall. See Jer. xxxix. 2-4; and 2 Kings xxv. 4.

Verse 6. Thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground] Referring to the blinding of Zedekiah: even the covering of I lie face might be intended to signify that in tliis way Zedekiah should be carried 10 Babylon on men^s shoulders in some sort of palanijuin, with a cloth tied over his eyes, because of the recent wounds made by extracting them. All the

8 And in the morning came the word of the Lord unto me,

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

1 0 Say thou unto tlicm. Thus saith the Lord God; This ' burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel that are among them.

1 1 Say, "" I a?n your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: "' they " shall remove and go into captivity.

12 And "tlie prince that is among them sliall 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.

13 My inet also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and "■ I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, thougii lie shall die there.

14 And =1 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 tliem among the nations, and disperse them in the countries.

prophecies from this to the tivenlieth chapter are supposed to have been delivered in the sixth year of Zedekiah, five years before the taking of Jerusalem. How accurate the prediction! and how exactly fulfilled!

Verse 10. This burden] This prediction concerning the prince. By this I point out the capture, misery, and ruin of Zedekiah.

Verse 13. I will bring him to Babylon — 7/et shall he not see it] Because Nebuchadnezzar caused him lo have his eyes put out at Riblah. To Babylon he was carried in his blind stale, and there he died. In saying, My net also will I spread upon him, there is probably a reference to an ancient manner of fighting. One, who was called the rctiarius, had a small ca.sting net, which if he could throw over his antagonist's head, he then despatched him with his sword; if he missed his tlirow, he was obliged to run in order to get his net once more adjusted for another throw. In the mean time the other pursued him with all his speed to prevent this, and to despatch him • heiino he

01. XLVi. 3. men of tliem from the sword, Tarqu.niiPrisci, from the famine, and from the

R. Roman., 23. pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen whither they come; and they shall know that I am the Lord.

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 ybe desolate from ^ all that is therein, •■'because of the violence of all them that dwell therein.

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

21 And the word of the Lord came unto

22 Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, '^ The

Verse 18. Eat thy bread toith quaking] Assume the manner of a person who is every moment afraid of his life, who has nothing but a morsel of bread to eat, and a little water to drink. Thus signifving the siege, and the straits to which they should be reduced. See this explained, ver. 19.

A' erse 93. The days are prolottged, and every vision faileth.?] These are the words of the infidels and scoffers, who, because vengeance was not speedUy e.\ecuted on an evil work, set their heart to do iniquity. " These predictions either will not come in our days, or will wholly fail; why then should we disquiet ourselves about them V Strange, that the very

23 Tell them, therefore. Thus Tarquini^Prisci, saith the Lord God; I will make «■ Roman.. 23. 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.

27 s Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, 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

means used by the most gracious God to bring sinners to repentance, should be made by them the very instruments of their own destruction! See 2 Pet. iii. 4.

Verse 23. The days are at hand] Far fiomfailing or being prolonged, time is posting on, and the destruction threatened is at the door.

Verse 25. In your days — will I say the word, and ivill perform it] Even these mockers shall live to see and feel this desolation. This is more particularly intimated in the following verses.

Verse 28. There shall none of my words le prolonged any morel H^ l'^'^ waited to be gracious; they abused his mercy; and at last the protracted wrath rushed upon them with irresistible force

This chapter denounces heavy judgments against the lying prophets who flattered the people, in the midsi of their sin and danger, with false hopes of peace and security, 19. The ivork of these deceivers is beautifully compared to a frail and insufficient piece of building, which can never stand against the battering elements of heaven, {the Chaldean forces,) which God will commission against it, 10-16. In tht remaining part of the chapter woes are denounced against false prophetesses tvho practised vain ri!e3 aaa divinations, with the view of promoting their own gain by deceiving the people, 17-23.

Targuinii Prisci, 2 bon 01 man, prophcsy agamst R. Roman., 23. jj^g pj-Qpijets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto '^ them ^ that prophesy out of their own " hearts. Hear ye the word of the Lord;

3 Thus saith the Lord God; Wo unto the fooHsli 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 ■ made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the

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?

a Ver. 17. b Heb. them that are prophets out of their own

«0r, and things which they have not seen. '"Cant. ii. 15.

NOTES ON CHAP. XIII. Verse 2. That prophesy out of their own heart.i] Who are neither inspired nor sent by me. They are prophets out of their own hearts. They liave their mission from their own assumption, and proceed in it from their own presumption. Such either go of themselves, or are sent by man. Such prophets, ministers, preachers, and clergy have been a curse to the Church and to the world for some thousands of years.

Verse 4. Thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.] The cunning of the /oar in obtaining his prey has been long proverbial. These false prophets are represented as the foxes who, having got their prey by great subtlety, run to the desert to hide both themselves and it. So the false prophets, when the event did not answer to their prediction, got out of the way, that they might not be overwhelmed with the reproaches and indignation of the people.

Verse 5. Ye have not gone up into the gaps] Far from opposing sinners, wlio are bringing down the ■HTath of fJod upon the place, you prevent their repentance by your flattering promises and false predictions. Ye have neither by prayers, example, nor advice, contributed any thing for the preservation of the place, or the salvation of the people's souls.

Verse 9. They shall not he in the assembly of my people] They shall not be reputed members of my Church. They shall not be reckoned in the genealogy

8 Therefore thus saith the %^c^b^i Lord God; Because ye have 01. XLVi. a.

spoken vanity, and seen hes, Tarmiinii Prisci, therefore, behold, I am against RR""'^"-^^: you, saith the Lord God.

9 And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the ' assembly 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 ain the Lord God.

10 Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, p Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up i a wall, and, lo, others ' daubed it with untempered mortar:

1 1 Say unto them which daub it with untempered mortar, that it shall fall: ' there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it.

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

13 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; I

of true Israelites that return from captivity; and they shall never have a possession in the land; they shall be exhereditated and expatriated. They shall all perish in the siege, by the sword, the famine, and the pestilence.

Verse 10. One huilt up a wall] A true prophet is as a wall of defence to the people. These false prophets pretend to be a wall of defence; but their wali is bad, and their mortar is worse. One gives a lying vision, another pledges himself that it is true; and the people believe what they say, and trust not in God, nor turn from their sins. The city is about to be besieged; it needs stronger fortifications than what it possesses. The prophet should be as a brazen wall for its defence; and such my prophets would have been had the people received the word from my mouth. But ye have prevented this by your lying vanilies; and when you have perverted the people, you pretend to raise up a rampart of specious prophecy, full of fine promises, for their defence. What one false prophet says, another confirms; and this is like daubing over a had icall with bad mortar, which prevents its blemishes and weaknesses being discovered, though it has no tendency to strengthen the building.

14 So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered mortar, 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 a?« the

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

16 To luif, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which " see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace,

17 Likewise, thou son of man, ''set thy face against the daughters of thy people, " which

18 And say, Thus saith the Tarqumii Prisci, Lord God; Wo to the women R- Roman., 23. that sew pillows to all ^ arm holes, 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?

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 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 yoiu- hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted;

built with unbaked bricks, desolations of this kind are often occasioned by tempestuous rains. Of this sort of materials were the walls of ancient cities made, and hence the reason why no vestige of them remains. Witness Babylon, which was thus built. See the note on chap. iv. 1.

Verse 17. Set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy] From this it appears that there were prophetesses in the land of Israel, that were really inspired by the Lord: for as a false religion necessarily implies a true one, of which it is the ape; so false prophetesses necessarily imply true ones, whom they endeavoured to imitate.

That there were true prophetesses among the Jews is evident enough from such being mentioned in the sacred writings. Miriam, the sister of Moses, Exod. XV. 20; Num. xii. 2; Deborah, Judg. iv. 4; Huldah, 2 Kings xxii. 14; Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, Luke ii. 36; the /oar daughters of Philip the deacon, Acts xxi. 9.

Cahnet observes that there was scarcely a heresy in the primitive Church that was not supported and fomented by seducing women.

Verse 18. Thai sew pillows to all arm holes'] I believe this refers to those cushions which are so copiously provided in the eastern countries for the apartments of women; on which they sit, lean, rest their heads, and prop up their arms. I have several drawings of eastern ladies, who are represented on sofas; and often with their arm thrown over a pilloiv, which is thereby pressed close to their side, and against which they thus recline. The prophet's discourse seems to point out that state of softness and eifeminacy to which the predictions of those false prophetesses allured the inhabitants of Jerusalem. A careless voluptuous life is that which is here particularly reprehended.

And make kerchiefs] The word kerchief is French, couvre chef, that which covers the head; hence handkerchief and neck handkerchief, and pocket handkerchief, are pitifully improper; because none of them is used to cover the head, from which alone that article of dress has its name. But what are we to understand by kerchiefs here '\ Probably some kind of ornamental dress which rendered women more enticing, so that they could the more successfully hunt or inveigle souls (men) into the worship of their false gods. These they put on heads of every stature — icomen of all ages, DOlp komah, of every woman that rose up to inveigle men to idolatry.

The word ninDDO mispachoth, translated here kerchiefs, and by the Vulgate cervicalia, holsters, Calmet contends, means a sort of nets used in hunting, and in every place where it occurs it will bear this meaning: and hence the wse to which it is here said to be applied, to hunt souls.

Verse 20. The souls that ye hunt to make ihemfiy.] r^m-^-h Irphorechoth, into the fotcer gardens, says Park/iurst. Tliese false prophetesses decoyed men into these gardens, where probably some imjiure rites of worship were performed, as in that of mkVN Asherah or Venus. See Parkhurst under m3.

22 Because with lies ye have

made the heart of the righteous sad, wliom I have not made sad; and ■^ strengthened the hands of the wicked, that

Verse 22. With lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad] Here is the ministry of these false prophetesses, and its effects. They told lies: they would speak, and they had no truth to tell; and therefore spoke falsities. They " saddened the souls of the righteous, and strengthened the hands of the wicked." They promised them life, and prevented them from repenting and turning from >heir sins.

23 Ihoreiore 'ye shall see no Tarquinn Prisci, more vanity, nor divine divina- ■ omm.. 23. tions: for I will deliver my people out of your hand e and ye shall know that I am the Lokd.

Verse 23. Ye shall sec no more vanity] They pretended visions; but they were empty of reality.

Nor divine divinations] As God would not speak to them, they employed demoyis. Where God is not, because of the iniquity of the people, the devil is, to strengthen and support that iniquity. And if he cannot have his priests, he will have his priestesses; and tliese will have a Church like themselves, full of lying doctrines, and bad works.

Here God threatens those hypocrites tvho pretended to loorship him, while they loved and piactised idoiatry, 1-11. He declares his irreversible purpose of punishing so guilty a nation, in behalf of vhich no intercession of the people of God shall be of any avail. The gross idolaters of Jerusalem and Judah shall be visited tvith God's four sore judgments, famine, 12-14; wilfl beasts, 15, 16; the sword, 17, 18; and pestilence, 19-21. -4 remnant shall be delivered from the wrath coming upon the whole land, 22, 23.

Tarquinii Prisci, sat before me. R. feoman,, 23. ^ Aiid the word of the Lord

3 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put ''the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: "^ should I be inquired of at all by them?

4 Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and puttelli the stumbling-block of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to

the prophet; I the Lord will "^g c' sgf' answer him that cometh accord- oi.XLVi. 3.

ing to the multitude of his Tarminii Prisci,

Verse 1. Then came certain of the ciders of Israel unto mc] These probably came to tempt him, or get iiim to say something that would embroil him with the government. They were bad men, as we shall see in the tliird verse.

Verse 3. These men have set vp their idols in their heart] Not only in their houses; in the streets; but they had them in their hearts. These were stumblingblocks of iniquity; they fell over them, and broke the neck of their souls. And should God be inquired of by such miscreants as these 1

Verse 4. According to the multitude of his idols] I will treat him as an idolater, as a flagrant idolater.

5 That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.

6 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Repent, and turn '' yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.

7 For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his

I the Lord icill answer him by myself] I shall discover to him, by my own true prophet, what shall be the fruit of his ways. So, while their false prophets were assuring them of peace and prosperity, God's prophets were predicting the calamities that afterwards fell upon them. Yet they believed ].\ie false prophets in preference to the true. Ahab, about to engage with the Syrians, who had possession of Ramoth-Gilead, asked Micaiah, the prophet of the Lord, concerning the event; who told him he should lose the battle. He then inquired of Zedekiah, a false prophet, who promised him a glorious victory. Ahab be-

8 And " I will set my face against that man, and will make him a ^sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people;? and ye shall know that I am the

9 And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the Lord ^ have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

10 And tliey shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him;

1 1 That the house of Israel may ' go no more astray from me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions; ^ but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord God.

12 The word of the Lord came again to

13 Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will

heved the latter, marched against the enemy, was routed, and slain in the battle, 1 Kings xxii. 10, &c.

Verse 9. I the Lord have deceived that prophet] That is, he ran before he was sent; he willingly became the servant of Satan's illusions; and I suffered this to take place, because he and his followers refused to consult and serve me. I have often had occasion to remark that it is common in the Hebrew language to state a thing as done by the Lord which he only suffers or permits to be done; for so absolute and universal is the government of God, that the smallest occurrence cannot take place without his toill or permission.

Verse 10. The punishment of the prophet] They are both equally guilty; both have left the Lord, and both shall be equally punished.

Verse 13. By trespassing grievously] Having been frequently warned, and having refused to leave their sin, and so filled up the measure of their iniquity.

thereof, and will send famine upon Oi. XLVi. 3. it, and will cut off man and beast Tarquinii Prisci, from it: R.Roman.. 23.

14 "Though these tliree men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls " by their righteousness, saith

15 If I cause <" noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they p spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass tlnrough because of the beasts:

1 6 '1 Tliough these three men were "■ in it, a$ I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.

17 Oi if ^1 bring a sword upon that land, and say. Sword, go through the land; so that I ' cut off man and beast from it:

IS" Tiiough these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neitlier sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves.

19 Or if\ send 'a pestilence into that land, and " pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast:

20 ^ Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, ivere in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness

intercession even of the holiest of men shall not avert my judgments. Noah, though a righteous man, could not by his intercession preserve the old world from being drowned. Job, though a righteous man, could not preserve his children from being killed by the fall of their house. Daniel, though a righteous man, could not prevent the captivity of his country. Daniel must have been contemporary with Ezekiel. He was taken captive in the third year of Jehoiakim, Dan. i. 1. After this Jehoiakim reigned eight years, 2 Kings xxiii. 36. And this prophecy, as appears from chap, viii. 1, was uttered in the sixth year of Jehoiachin's captivity, who succeeded Jehoiakim, and reigned only three months, 2 Kings xxiv. fi, 8. Therefore at this time Daniel had been fourteen years in captivity..See Newcome. Even at this time he had gained much public celebrity. From this account we may infer that Job was as real a person as Noah or Daniel; and of their identity no man has pretended to doubt. When God, as above, has deteimined to punish a nation, no intercession shall avail. Personal kolinas alone can

AjM-34^0- 21 For thus saith the Lord 01. XLVI.3. God; ^How much more when Tarquinii Prisci, ^I Send my four sore judgments R. Roman., 23. ypgjj Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?

22 " Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come fortli

Verse d 1. My four sore judgments] Sword, war. Famine, occasioned by drought. Pestilence, epidemic diseases which sweep off a great part of the inhabitants of a land. The noisome beast, the multiplication of wild leasts in consequence of the general destruction of the inhabitants.

Verse 23. Behold, they shall come forth unto you] Though there shall be great desolations in the land of Judea, yet a remnant shall be left that shall come here also as captives; and their account of the abominations of the people shall prove to you with what pro- shall be comiorted concernmg the Tarquinii Prisci, evil that I have brought upon Je- «■ ""'"""•■ ^3- rusalcm, even concerning all that I have brought upon it.

23 And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done •= without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord God.

priety I have acted in abandoning them to such general destruction. This speech is addressed to those who were already in captivity; i. e., those who had been led to Babylon with their king Jeconiah.

Verse 23. Ye shall know that I have not done without cause] There is no part of the conduct of God towards man that is not dictated by the purest principles o( justice, equity, and truth. He does nothing but what is right; and whatever is right to be done, that ought to be done. In God's justice there is no severity; in God's mercy there is no caprice. He alone doth all things well; for he is the Fountain of justice and mercy.

The Jewish nation, about to be destroyed by the Chaldeans, compared to a barren vine which is fit for nothing but to be cast into the fire, 1—8.

the fire devoureth both the ends

Tarquinii Prisr.i, 2 Son of man. What is the vine tree more than anj' tree, or than a branch wiiich is among the trees of the forest?

3 Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will 7nen take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?

4 Behold, ' it is cast into the fire for fuel;

Verse 2. What is the vine tree more than any tree] It is certain that the vine is esteemed only on account of its fruit. In some countries, it is true, it grows to a considerable size and thickness: but, even then, it is not of a sufficient density to work inio furniture. But whatever may be said of the stock of the vine, it is the branch that the prophet speaks of here; and I scarcely know the branch of any tree in the forest more useless than is the branch of the vine. Out of it who can even make a pin to drive into a mud wall, or hang any vessel on? A vine would never be cultivated for the sake of its wood; it is really worthless hut as it bears /nn(. Wliat is Israel? Good for no-

of it, and the midst of it is 01. XLVI.3.

5 Behold, when it was whole, it was " meet for no work: how much less shall it be meet yet for amy work, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned?

6 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; As the vine tree among the trees of the forest.

thing, but as God influenced them to bring forth fruit to his glory. But now that they have ceased to be fruitful, they are good for nothing, but, like a withered branch of the vine, to be burnt.

Verse 4. The fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned.] Judea is like a vine branch thrown into the fire, which seizes on both the ends, and scorches the middle: so both the e.\tremitics of the land is wasted; and the middle, Jerusalem, is now threatened with a siege, and by and by will be totally destroyed.

Verse 6. Therefm-e thus saith the Lord] \s surely as I have allotted such a vine branch, or vuie branches, (or fuel; so surely have I appointed the inhabitants of Jerusalem to be consumed.

which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

7 And "^ I will set my face

against them: " they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them; ^ and

The design of this parable is to abate the pride of the Jews; to show them that, in their best estate, they had nothing but what they had received, and therefore deserved nothing; and now, having fallen from all righteousness, they can have no expectation of any thing but judgment unmixed with mercy.

Verse 7. They shall go out from one fire, and another ^iVc shall devour them] If they escape the sword, they shall perish by the famine; if they escape the famine, they shall be led away captives. To escape ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I set my face against

8 And I will make the- land "■■ "°""'"' '^'■'- desolate, because they have ^ committed a trespass, saith the Lord God.

Verse 8. They have committed a trespass'] They have prevaricated; they are the worst of sinners, and shall have the heaviest of punishments. Can men suppose that it is possible to hide even their dark hearts from God?

]n this chapter the mercy of God to Jerusalem, (or the Jewish Church and nation,) is set forth by the em blem of a person that should take up an exposed infant, bring her up with great tenderness, and afterwards many her, 1-14. She is then upbraided with her monstrous ingratitude in departing from the worship of God, and polluting herself with the idolatries of the nations around her, under the figure of a woman that proves false to a tender and indulgent husband, 15-52. But, notivithstanding these her heinous provocations, God promises, after she should suffer due correction, to restore her again to his favour, 53—63. The mode of describing apostasy from the true religion to the worship of idols under the emblem of adultery, (a figure very frequent in the sacred canon,) is pursued ivith great force, and at considerable length, both in this and the twenty-third chapter; and is excellently calculated to excite in the Church of God the highest detestation of all false worship.

2 Son of man, '^ cause Jerusalem to know her abomi-

Verse 2. Cause Jerusalem to knoiv her abominations] And such a revelation of impurity never was seen before or since. Surely the state of the Jews, before the Babylonish captivity, was the most profligate and corrupt of all the nations of the earth. This chapter contains God's manifesto against this most abominable people; and although there are many metaphors here, yet all is not metaphorical. AVhere there was so much idolatry, there must have been adulteries, fornications, prostitutions, and lewdness of every description. The description of the prophet is sufEciently clear, except where there is a reference to ancient and obsolete customs. What a description of crimes! The sixth satire of Juvenal is its counterpart. General remarks are all that a commentator is justified in bestowing on this very long, very circumstantial, and caustic invective. For its key, see on the thirteenth and sixty-third verses.

Verse 3. Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan] It would dishonour Abraham to say

3 And say, Thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem; Thy ^ birth

that you sprung from him: ye are rather Canuaiiites than Israelites. The Canaanites were accursed; so are ye.

Thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother a Hittite.] These tribes were the most famous, and pro bably the most corrupt, of all the Canaanites. So Isaiah calls the princes of Judah rulers of Sodom, chap. i. 10; and John the Baptist calls the Pharisees a generation or brood nf vipers. Matt. iii. 7. There is a fine specimen of this kind of catachresis in Dido's invective against ^Eneas: —

Nee tibi Diva parens, generis nee Dardanus auctor, Perfide, sed duris genuit te cautibus horrens Caucasus, Hyrcanaeque admorunt ubera tigres.

" False as thou art, and more than false, forsivorn;

Not sprung from noble blood, nor goddess born:

But hewn from hardened entrails of a rock, —

And rough Hyrcanian tigers gave thee suck."

The wretched and ea-posed 01. XLVi. 3. tlic day ihou wast born, thy navel

Tarqu.nuPrisci, was iiot cut, neither wast thou R. Roman., 23. ^y^shcd in Water ^to supple Mee; tliou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.

5 None eye pitied thee, to do any of these luito thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to llie loathing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born.

6 And when I passed by thee, and saw thee s polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood. Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood. Live.

7 '' I have ' caused thee to multiply as the Dud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to '' excellent ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou toast naked and bare.

This is strong: but the invective of the prophet exceeds it far. It is the essence of degradation to its subject; and shows the Jews to be as base and contemptible as they were abominable and disgusting.

Verse 4. As for thy nativity, <^c.] This verse refers to what is ordinarily done for every infant on its birth. The timbilical cord, by which it received all its nourishment while in the womb, being no longer necessary, is cut at a certain distance from the abdomen: on tliis part a knot is tied, which firmly uniting the sides of the tubes, they coalesce, and incarnate ogether. The e.vtra part of the cord on the outside of the ligature, being cut off from the circulation by which it was originally fed, soon drops ofl", and the part where the ligature was is called the navel. In many places, when this was done, the infant was plunged into cold water; in all cases washed, and sometimes with a mixture of salt and water, in order to give a greater firmness to the skin, and constringe the pores. The last process was swathing the body, to support mechanically the tender muscles till they should acquire sufficient strength to support the body. But among savages this latter process is either wholly neglected, or done very slightly: and the less it is done, the better for the infant; as this kind of unnatural compression greatly impedes the circulation of the blood, the pulsation of the heart, and the due inflation of the lungs; respiration, in many cases, being rendered oppressive by the tightness of these bandages.

Verse 5. Thou toast cast out iti the openficld] This is an allusion to the custom of some heathen and barbarous nations, who e.'cposed those children in the open fields to be devoured by wild beasts who had any kind of deformity, or whom they could not support.

covered thy nakedness: yea, I swarc unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and "'thou becamest mine.

9 Then washed I thee with water; yea, I tliroughly washed away thy ■" blood from thee and 1 anointed thee with oil.

10 I clothed thee also with broidered work and shod thee with badgers' skin, and 1 girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk.

Ill decked thee also with ornaments, and I "put bracelets upon thy hands, •'and a chain on thy neck.

1 2 And I put a jewel on thy i forehead, and ear-rings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head.

13 Thus wast thou decked with gold and

Verse 6. / said — Live^ I received the exposed child from the death that awaited it, while in such a state as rendered it at once an object of horror, and also of compassion.

I spread my shirt over thee] 1 espotisedihee. This was one of their initiatory marriage ceremonies. See Ruth iii. 9.

I — entered into a covenant with thee] Married thee. Espousing preceded marriage.

Verse 10. / clothed thee also with broidered work] Cloth on which various figures, in various colours, were wrought by the needle.

With badgers'" skin] See Exod. xxv. 5. The same kind of skin with which the tabernacle was covered.

Fine linen] WW2 heshesh, with cotton. I have seen cloth of this kind enveloping the finest mummies.

/ covered thee with silk.] "B'D mesht. Very probably the produce of the silk-worm.

Verse 12. I put a jewel on thy forehead] ^Sii 7^ al appech, upon thy nose. This is one of the most common ornaments among ladies in the east. European translators, not knowing what to make of a ring in the nose, have rendered it, a jewel on thy forehead or mouth, (though they have sometimes a piece oi gold ox jewel fastened to the centre of their/o/c/icni/.) I have already spoken of this Asiatic custom, so often referred to in the sacred writings: see Gen. xxiv. 22, •J2; E.xod. xxxii. 2; Job xlii. 11; Prov. xi. 22; Isa. iii. 21; IIos. ii. 13.

14 And ' thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it ivas perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God.

15" But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, ^ and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was.

16 ■" And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places witli divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so.

17 Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given

18 And tookest thy broidered « Roman., 23. garments, and coveredst them: and thou hast set mine oil and mine incense before them.

19 y My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, ivhereivith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before tliem for ^ a sweet savoiu:: and thus it was, saith the Lord

20 » Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them '' to be devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter,

21 That thou hast slain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for them?

22 And in all thine abominations and thy

gum understands all this of the tabernacle service, the book of the law, the sacerdotal vestments, &c.

Thou didst prosper into a /lingdom.] Here the figure explains itself: by this wretched infant, the low estate of the Jewish nation in its origin is pointed out; by the growing up of this child into woman''s estate, the increase and multiplication of the people; by her being decked out and ornamented, her tabernacle service, and religious ordinances; by her betrothing and consequent marriage, the covenant which God made with the Jews; by her fornication and adidteries, their apostasy from God, and the establishment of idolatrous worship, with all its abominable rites; by her fornication and whoredoms with the Egyptians and Assyrians, the sinful alliances which the Jews made with those nations, and the incorporation of their idolatrous worship with that of Jehovah; by her lovers being brought against her, and stripping her naked, the delivery of the Jews into the hands of the Egyptians, x\ssyrians, and Chaldeans, who stripped them of all their excellencies, and at last carried them into

This is the key to the whole of this long chapter of metaphors; and the reader will do well to forget ^e figures, and look at the /ac/.s. The language 3.\\A figures may in many places appear to us exceptionable: but these are quite in conformity to those times and places, and to every reader and hearer would appear perfectly appropriate, nor would engender either a thought or passion of an irregular or improper kind. Custom sanctions the mode, and prevents the abuse. Among naked savages irregular passions and propensities are not known to predominate above those in civiized life. And why 1 Because such sights are customary, and therefore in themselves innocent. And the same may be said of the language by which such states and circumstances of life are described. Had Ezekiel spoken in such language as would have been called chaste and unexceptionable among us, it would have appeared to his auditors as a strange dialect, and would have lost at least one half of its power and effect. Let this be the prophet's apology for the apparent indelicacy of his metaphors; and mine, for not entering into any particular discussion concerning them. See also on ver. 63.

Verse 15. Thou didst trust in thine oicn beauty\ Riches, strength, alliances, &c.; never considering that all they possessed came from God; therefore it icas his comeliness which he had put upon them. Witness their original abject state, and the degree of eminence to which they had arrived afterwards through the protecting power of God.

Verse 17. And madest to thyself images of men] IDt '37S tsalmey zachar, male images. Priapi are here meant, which were can-ied about in the ceremonies of Osiris, Bacchus, and Adonis; and were something like the lingam among the Hindoos. Herodotus, lib. ii, c. 48, 49, gives us an account of these male images^ ITrij^uaia ayaXj^aTa veopoiva.ffra, <ra fEpxpo^EouUi xaTa xufiaj rai yuvaixsj, vEuov to ai5oiov, ou iroXXto Tsifi sXarftTov £ov Tou aXXou Cwfj-aroc. This was done at the worship of Bacchus in Egypt: and they who wish to see more may consult Herodotus as above. In this phallic worship the women were principally concerned.

Verse 18. Hast set mine oil and mine incense befure them.] It appears that they had made use of the lioly vestments, and the different kinds of offerings which belonged to the Lord, to honour their idols.

23 And it came to pass after all thy wickedness, (wo, wo unto thee! saith the Lord God;)

24 That ° thou hast also built unto thee an f eminent place, and " hast made thee a high place in every street.

25 Thou hast built thy high place ^ at every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredoms.

26 Thou hast also committed fornication with ' the Egyptians thy neighboius, great of flesh; and hast increased thy whoredoms, to provoke me to anger.

27 Behold, therefore, I have stretc'ued out my hand over thee, and have diminished thine ordinary food, and delivered thee unto the will of them that hate thee, '' the ' daughters of tlie Philistines, wliich are ashamed of thy lewd way.

28 " Thou hast played the whore also with the Assyrians, because thou wast unsatiable; yea, thou hast played the harlot with them, and yet couldest not be satisfied.

29 Thou hast moreover multiplied thy fornication in the land of Canaan " unto Chaldea; and yet thou wast not satisfied herewith.

30 How weak is thine heart, saith the Lord God, seeing thou doest all these things, the

^p. Newcome quotes a very apposite passage from Dionysius Halicarnass. Ant. Rom. lib. i., s. 88, p. 72, and marg. p. 75, Edit. Hudson: Msra. Ss touto, itu^- xaioLg *^o Tuv ffx/ivuv ysvsiidai xeXsuiag, s^ayei tov XS(.iv ras (pXoyag ij*sp^putfxovTa, rrig otjiudsus tuv fjiia(I'(jiaTWV hsxa. " And after this, having ordered that iires should be made before the tents, be brings out the people to leap over the flames, for the purifying of their pollutions." This example shows that we are not always to take passing through the fire for being entirely consumed by it. Among the Israelites this appears to have been used as a rite of consecration.

Verse 24. Thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place] 3J gab, a stew or brothel; Vulg. tupanar; Septuag. oi)(*)|xa cropvixov. So my old MS. Bible, a barbel 1)0U;SE. " Thou hast buUded tliy stewes and bordcU houses in every place." — Covcrdale^s Bible, 1535. Bordel is an Italian word: how it got so early

31 ° In that P thou buildest thine Tarnumii Prisd, eminent place in the head of every ' "'"*"•'

way, and makest thine high place in every street; and hast not been as a harlot, in that thou scornest hire;

32 But as a wife that committeth adultery, which takcth strangers instead of her husband!

33 They give gifts to all whores: but 'i thou givest thy gifts to all thy lovers, and ' hirest them, that they may come unto thee on every side for thy whoredom.

34 And the contrary is in thee from other women in thy whoredoms, whereas none followelh thee to commit whoredoms: and in that thou givest a reward, and no reward is given unto thee, therefore thou art contrary.

35 Wherefore, 0 harlot, hear the word of the Lord:

36 Thus saith the Lord God; Because thy fillhiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, 'and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by = the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them;

37 Behold, therefore ' I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them round about against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness.

into our language I know not. Our modern word brothel is a corruption of it. Diodati translates, Tu hai edificato un bordello, " Thou hast built a brothel." Houses of this kind were of a very ancient date.

Verse 26. Great of fiesh] The most extensive idolaters. Bene vasatis — longa mensura incognita nervi. — Juv. Sat. ix. 34. This is the allusion.

Verse 27. Have diminished thine ordinary] "jpn chutckech means here the household provision made for a wife — food, clothing, and money.

Verse 36. Thy fillhiness teas poured out] "JiliiTlJ nechushtech. As this word signifies a sort of metal (brass.) it is generally supposed to mean money. They had given money literally to these heathen nations to procure their friendship and assistance; but the word also means verdigris, the poisonous rust of copper or brass. It is properly translated in our version filthi- [ness, poisonous filth. Does it not refer to that vent-

Tlie crirne and punishnent

39 And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down ^ thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places: y they shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take ^ thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and bare.

40 '' They shall also bring up a company against thee, '' and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords.

41 And they shall '^ burn thine houses with fire, and '^ execute judgments upon thee in the sight of many women: and I will cause thee to ^ cease from playing the harlot, and thou also shall give no hire any more.

42 So f will I make my fury toward thee to rest, and my jealousy shall depart from thee, and I will be quiet, and will be no ihore angry.

43 Because ^ thou hast not remembered the daj'S of thy youth, but hast fretted me in all these things; behold, therefore, '' I also will recompense thy way upon thine head, saith the Lord God: and thou shalt not commit this lewdness above all thine abominations.

44 Behold, every one that useth proverbs

Verse 39. They shall strip thee also of thy clothes — thy fair jetvels] Alluding to a lot common enough to prostitutes, their maintainers in the end stripping them of all they had given them.

Verse 42. I will be quiet, and will be no more angry.'\ I will completely abandon thee; have nothing more to do with thee; think no more of thee. When God in judgment ceases to reprehend, this is the severest judgment.

Verse 43. Thou hast not rememlered the days of thy youth'] Thy former low beginning, when God made thee a people, who wast no people. He who maintains not a proper recollection of past mercies is not likely to abide steadfast in the faith. Ingratitude to Uod is the commencement, if not the parent, of many crimes.

Verse 44. As is the mother, so is her daughter.^ nn3 DDNJ keimmah bittah, " As the mother, her daughter." As is the cause, so is the effect. As is the shall use this proverb against -^ ''■ ^t'"- thee, saying. As is the mother, 01. XLVi. 3. so is her daughter. Tarquin"i"piisci,

45 Thou arnhy mother's daugh- «■■ ^-^^-^ 23- ter, that loathed her husband and her children; and thou art the sister of thy sisters, which loathed their husbands and their children: ^ your mother was a Hittite, and your father an Amorite.

46 And thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand: and ''thy 'younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters.

47 Yet hast thou not walked after their ways, nor done after their abominations: but " as z/" that were a very little thing, " thou wast corrupted more than they in all thy ways.

48 As I live, sailh the Lord God, ° Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters.

49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, f fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness, was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

50 And they were haughty, and 1 committed abomination before me: therefore ' I took them away, as I saw good.

5 1 Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abo-

1 Heb. lesser than thou. " Or, that was loathed as a small thing.

breeding, so is the practice. A sMen purse cannot be made out of a sioine's ear. AVhat is bred in the bone seldom comes out of the flesh. All such proverbs show the necessity of early holy precepts, supported by suitable example.

Verse 46. Thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left] It is supposed that the prophet by Sodom in this place means the Israelites that dwelt beyond Jordan, in the land of tlie Moabiles and Ammonites; or rather of the Moabites and Ammonites themselves. Literally, Sodom could not be called the younger sister of Jerusalem, as it existed before Jerusalem had a name. In looking east from Jerusalem, Samaria was on the left, and Sodom on the right hand; that is, t\ie first was on the north, the second on the south of Jerusalem.

Verse 49. This was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom] If we are to take this place literally, Sodom was guilty of other crimes besides that for which she appears to have been especially punished; in addition to lier unnatural crime, she is charged with pride, luxury, idle- { 30* >

■^ "n' sgi"' minations more than they, and

52 Thou also, which hast judged thy sisters, bear thine own shame for thj' sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they: ihey arc more righteous than thou: yea, be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters.

53 'When I shall bring again their captivity, " the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then ivill I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them.

54 That thou mayest bear thine own shame, and mayest be confounded in all that thou hast done, in that thou art ' a comfort unto

55 When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall retiu-n to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate.

56 For thy sister Sodom was not " mentioned by thy mouth in the day of thy "^ pride,

57 Before thy wickedness was discovered, as

at the time of thj y reproach of ^j- ^^', ^lo. the daughters of ^ Syria, and all oi. XLVi. 3. that are round about her, "the TarqumiiPnsci, daughters of the Piiilistines, which R- "°°"'". •-'-3 ' "^ despise thee round about.

58 ■■■ Tiiou hast "^ borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith the Lord.

59 For thus saith the Lord God; I wilt even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast " despised ^ the oath in breaking the covenant.

60 Nevertheless I will s remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will estabhsh unto thee ^ an e\ erlasting covenant.

6 1 Then ' thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for '' daughters, ' but not by thy covenant.

62 "" And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that T am the Lord:,■

63 That thou mayest " remember, and be confounded, ° and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith

ness, and uncharilableness; and these were sufficient to sink any city to tlie bottomless pit.

A'erse 52. They are more righteous than thou] I^ID nJpni'n tetsuddaknah mimmech, " They shall be justified more than thou." They are less guilty in the sight of God, for their crimes were not accompanied with so many aggravations. This phrase casts light on Luke xviii. 14: " This man went down to his house justified rather than the other." Less blame in the sigiit of God was attached to him. He always had fewer advantages, and now he was a true penitent; while the other was boasting of what he had done, and wliat ho had not done.

Verse 60. / will remember my covenant] That is, the covenant I made with Abraham in the day of thy youth, when in him thou didst begin to be a nation.

Verse 01. Thy sislers,'thi!te elder and thy younger] The Gentiles, who were before the Jews were called, and after the Jews were cast off, are here termed the elder and younger sister. These were to be given to Jerusalem for daughters; the latter should be converted to God by the ministry of men who should spring out of the Jewish Church. The former, who were patriarchs, &c., profited by the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world. Among the latter the Gospel was preached, first by Christ and his apostles, and since by persons raised up from among themselves.

But not by thy covenant.] This was the ancient covenant, the conditions of which they broke, and the blessings of which they forfeited; but by that new covenant, or the renetval to the Gentiles of that covenant that was made originally with Abraham while he was a Gentile, promising that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed; that covenant which respected the incarnation of Christ, and was ratified by the blood of his cross.

Averse 63. When I am pacified toward thee] This intimates that the Jews shall certainly share in the blessings of the Gospel covenant, and that they shall bo restored to the favour and image of God. And when shall this be 1 Whenever they please. They might have enjoyed them eighteen hundred years ago; but they would not come, though all things were then ready. They may enjoy them now; but they still choose to shut their eyes against the light, and contradict and blaspheme. As they do 7iot turn to the Lord, the veil still continues on their hearts. Let their elder brethren pray for them.

For a key to the principal metaphors in this chapter, the reader is referred to the note on the thirteenth verse, which, if he regard not, he will neither do justice to himself nor to the prophet. The whole chapter is a tissue of invective; sharp, cutting, and confounding; every where well sustained, in every respect richly merited; and in no case leaving any room to the delinquent for justification or response.

This chapter begins U'ith a new allegory or parable, 1—10; to u-hich an explanation is immediately subjmned, 11-21. In the remaining verses the prophet, by a beautiful metaphor, makes an easy and natural transition to the Messiah, and predicts the security, increasing prosperity, and ultimate universality of his kingdom, 22—24. From the beauty of its images, the elegance of its composition, the perspicuity of its language, the rich variety of its matter, and the easy transition from one part of the subject to another, thii chapter forms one of the most beautiful and perfect pieces of its kind that can possibly be conceived in so small a compass; and then the unexpected change from objects that presented nothing to the view hut gloom and horror, to a prospect of ineffable glory and beauty, has a most happy effect. Every lowering cloud is dispelled, and the fields again smile in the beams of midday. The traveller, who this moment trembled as he looked around for shelter, now proceeds on his way rejoicing.

2 Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;

3 And say, Thus saith the Lord God; "A great eagle with great wings, long-winged, full of feathers, which had '' divers coloiu-s, came unto Lebanon, and ■= took the highest branch of the cedar;

4 He cropped off the top of

Verse 2. Son of man, put forth a riddle] Riddle, pfEsrel or TiGsoel)-, Anglo-Saxon, from apeanan, to divine; a thing that must be curiously investigated and sifted, to find out the meaning; and hence, riddle, a sort of coarse sieve to clean corn, to separate coarse chaff and straws from the pure grain. An instrument formerly used for divination. This is not far removed from the Hebrew DTn chidah, from nn chad, to penetrate; not that which penetrates the mind, but which we must penetrate to find out the sense.

5 He took also of the seed of TarquiniiPrisci,

fruitful field; he placed it by great waters,

6 And it grew, and became a spreading vine s of low statiu'e, whose branches turned toward him, and the roots thereof were under him: so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs.

was the most celebrated of all the cities of the east. Its situation procured it innumerable advantages; its two rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, and the Persian Gulf, gave it communication with the richest and the most distant nations.

Placed it by great u'alers] Put him under the protection of Babylon, situated on the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates.

And set it as a willow tree] Made him dependent on this city of great waters, as the willow is on humidity.

Verse 6. A spreading vine of lotu stature] The Jewish state having then no height of dominion, it must abide under the wings or branches of the Chaldean king.

Whose branches turned toward him, and the roots — tinder him] Zedekiah was wholly dependent on Nebuchadnezzar, both for his elevation to the throne, and his support on it.

that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation.

8 It was planted in a good ' soil by great waters, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly vine.

9 Say thou. Thus saith the Lord God; Shall it prosper? '' shall he not pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it wither? it shall wither in all the leaves of her spring, even without great power, or many people to pluck it up by the roots thereof.

10 Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? ' shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew.

1 1 Moreover the word of the Lord came

1 2 Say now to " the rebellious house. Know ye not what these things mean? tell them, Behold, " the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to Babylon:

13 "And hath taken of the king's seed, and made a covenant with him, f and hath 1 taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land:

Did bend her roots] Looked to him for support in her intended rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar.

Verse 8. It was planted in a good soil] Though he depended on Babylon, he lived and reigned as Nebuchadnezzar's vicegerent in the land of Judea.

Verse 9. Shall it prosper 1] Shall Zedekiah succeed in casting off the yoke of the king of Babylon, to whom he had sworn fealty?

Verse 10. Shall — utterly wither] The re^a/ government shall be no more restored. Zedekiah shall be the last king, and the monarchy shall finally terminate with him.

15 But ' he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, " that they might give him horses and much people. ^ Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doelh such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?

16 As I live, saith the Lord God, surely ''in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die.

17 ''Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and gi'eat company make for him in the war, 5' by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons:

18 Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had ^ given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escfape.

19 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head.

20 And I will '^ spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and ^ will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me.

Verse 14. That the kingdom might he hose] Have no political consequence; and at last sink into a miserable government under Gedaliah.

Verse 15. Sending his ambassadors into Egypt] Zedekiah must have sent his ambassadors into Egypt, between the sixth month of his sixth year, and the fflh month of his seventh year. Compare chap. viii. 1, with chap. xx. 1. — See Neiocome.

Verse 16. In the midst of Babylon he shall die.] His eyes were put out; he was carried to Babylon, and never returned.

Verse 18. Seeing he despised the oath] This God particularly resents. He had bound himself by oath, in the presence of Jehovah, to be faithful to the covenant that he made w^ith Nebuchadnezzar, and he took the first opportunity to break it; therefore he shall not escape.

Verse 20. / will spread my net upon him] See the note on chap. xii. 13.

21 And " all his fugitives with [ will I plant it: and it shall bring

all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds:

22 Thus saith the Lord God; I will also take of the highest '^ branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from tlie top of his young twigs " a tender one, and will f plant it upon a high mountain and eminent:

A'^erse 21. All his fugitives] All who attempted to escape with him, and all that ran to Egypt, &c., shall fall by the sword.

Verse 32. / will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar] I wiU raise up another monarchy, which shall come in the line of David, namely, the Messiah; who shall appear as a tender plant, as to his incarnation; but he shall be high and eminent; his Church, the royal city, the highest and purest ever seen on the face of the earth.

Verse 23. In the mountain of the height of Israel] He shall make his appearance at the temple, and found his Church at Jerusalem.

Shall bring forth boughs] Apostles, evangelists, and their successors in the Gospel ministry.

Atid bear fruit] Multitudes of souls shall be converted by their preaching.

And under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing] All the nations of the earth shall receive his Gospel.

In the shadoiv of the branches thereof shall they dwell.] Trust in him alone for salvation, and be saved in their trusting.

lorth boughs, and bear fruit,' and 01. XLVi. 3. be a goodly cedar: and ^ under TarqumiiPrisci, it shall dwell all fowl of every R- Roman., 23. wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell.

24 And all the trees of the field sliall know that I the Lord ' have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: ''I the Lord have spoken and have done it.

Verse 24. All the trees of the field shall hnow] All the people of Israel and of Chaldea.

I the Lord have brought down the high tree] Have dethroned Jehoiaehin.

Have exalted the loiv tree] Put Zedekiah, brother of Jehoiaehin, in his place.

Have dried up the green tree] Zedekiah, who had numerous children, but who were all slain before his eyes at Riblah.

And have made the dry tree to flourish] Have raised up a rod out of the stem of Jesse, the family of David being then apparently dried up and extinct. This was the promised Messiah, of the increase and government of whose kingdom and peace there shall be no end; upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order and establish it with judgment and with justice, from henceforth, even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform

Tlie high and green tree, says Newcome, refers to Nebuchadnezzar; the loio and the dry tree, to the Jews.

The Jews, in EzekieVs time, complained of God's dealing hardly loith them in punishing them for the sms of their forefathers, 1,2; their temporal calamities having been long threatened as the consequence of the national guilt, (Jer. xv. 4, &c.;) and, from the general complexion of this chapter, it appears that the Jews so interpreted the second commandment of the Decalogue and other passages of like import, as if the sins of the forefathers were visited upon the children,Andependently of the moral conduct of the latter, not only in this luorld, but in that which is to come. To remove every foundation for such an umvorthy idea of the Divine government, God assures them, with an oath, that he had no respect of persons, 3, 4; strongly intimating that the great mysteries in Providence, {mysterious only on account of the limited capacity of man,) are results of the most impartial administration of justice; and that this would be particularly manifested in the rewards and punishments of another life; ivhen every ligament that at present connects societies and nations together shall be dissolved, and each person receive according to his work, and bear his own burden. This is illustrated by a variety of examples: such as that of a just or righteous man, 5-9; his wicked son, 10-13; and again the just son of this wicked person, 14-20. Then a wicked man lepenting, and finding mercy, whose former wickedness shall be no impediment to his salvation, 21-23; and a righteous man revolting, and dying in his sins, whose former righteousness shall be of no avail, 24. The conduct of the Divine Providence is then vindicated, 25-29; and all persons, without any exception, most earnestly exhorted to repentance, 30, 31; because the Lord hath no pleasure in the death of the sinner, 32. As the lohole of this chapter is taken up with the illustration of a doctrine nearly connected

The children shall not bear CHAP. XVIII. the iniquity of Ihcir fathers with the comfort of man, and the honour of the Divine government, the prophet, with great propriety, lavs aside his usual mode of figure and allegory, and treats his subject with the utmost plainness and per spicuity.