Ezekiel 20

Chap. XX. Ver. 1—26. The Lord refuses to hear the elders of Israel, on account of their national sins.—A deputation of the elders of Israel, as was usual in their distress, waits on the Prophet, to inquire of God for them, and plead with him on their behalf. Their offended God, however, refuses to have any communication with them; but directs his servant Ezekiel, if disposed either to judge or advocate their cause, to lay before them the history of their rebellion, (they and their fathers,) from their redemption in Egypt to the then present. The expression, (ver. 25,) “I gave them statutes which were not good,” &c. is certainly obscure and much controverted. Dr. S. Clark and Bp. Warburton understand it of the ceremonial laws, not absolutely or of themselves good; but consider that the Mosaic laws are expressly here

stated (verses 11, 18, 21.) to be such that if a man did, he should live by them. Dr. Boothroyd therefore considers the expression as elliptical, and thus renders it: “I gave them [up also to observe] statutes that were not good;” that is, idolatrous institutions; and the next verse gives an instance in the sacrifice of children. And though our version here reads, “I polluted them in their own gifts,” the learned prelate himself explains this, “I suffered them to pollute themselves.” See note. The following passages may be referred to, as in some measure parallel and elucidatory. (Psalms 22:12)., lxxvii. 15.; (Acts 7:42).; (Romans 1:24, 26)., ii. 28.; (2 Thessalonians 2:11). The elders pleaded with their fathers in the wilderness of Sinai; so he promises to plead with their descendants in the wilderness of their captivity.

And as Manasseh in his captivity was “greatly humbled, and besought the Lord his God,” ((2 Chronicles 33:12).) so there is good reason to hope did many others; for there are perhaps more who learn to fear God in the school of affliction than in any other school. Of those Jews, however, who fled to Egypt on the murder of Gedaliah, though many of them were afterwards carried into Chaldea, very few or none lived to go back to the land of Judah. When the Jews are told, “Go ye, serve every one his idols,” we have a happy exposition of the difficulty considered in the former part of this chapter, and we see how it is that persons may be corrected by their own wickedness, and reproved by their own backslidings.

((Jeremiah 51:19).) The last five verses of this chapter are evidently connected with the following, and according to Newcome and others should begin it. Chap. XXI. Ver. 1—32. The prophet with a heavy heart continues his denunciations against Jerusalem and Judea.—The sword of justice is unsheathed, and, as often happens in national calamities, destroys the righteous with the wicked.—The king of Babylon, the great agent in this judgment, is represented as preparing for the expedition by consulting his diviners. He is described as standing at the parting of the roads leading to the respective capitals of the Jews and Ammonites: and, doubting which to attack first, he commits the decision to the art of divination by arrows.

This was performed by mingling arrows in a quiver, which were inscribed with the names of the different cities intended to be attacked, and drawing them promiscuously; they marched against that city whose name was written on the arrow first drawn. In this case the name Jerusalem comes forward, and therefore he first proceeds against that city. See note. The perjured Zedekiah and his nobles are then declared to be given up of God and his kingdom utterly destroyed, for his breach of faith and violation of allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar. The last five verses form a distinct prophecy, relating to the destruction of the Ammonites, who, like the Jews, took part with Egypt against Babylon. This prophecy was fulfilled about five years after Jerusalem was destroyed.

These, as well as the Jews, were deceived, as it should seem, by their false prophets and The oracle concerning Judah concludes, as we conceive, with a most important prophecy concerning the Messiah. The kingdom of Judah was now overturned, and was from this time the subject of perpetual changes and revolutions till he came whose right it is,—the Son of David and of God. See (Acts 2:30-36), compared with (Genesis 49:10).

Notes on the verses

Chap. XX. Ver. 1. Seventh year.—{The seventh year of the captivity of Jeconiah; and, according to Usher, Monday, Aug. 27, 3411.]—Bagster. Ver. 4. Wilt thou judge them?—See margin. The word shephot is used very extensively, for the office of an advocate as well as of a judge, and is here differently taken. Ver. 5. I lifted up my hand—That is, “I sware,” as the phrase always signifies, particularly in this chapter. Ver. 6. A land which I had espied—That is, had looked out, or selected for them. Ver. 8. Neither did they forsake, &c.—By this chapter, it is evident that the Jews learnt and practised idolatry in Egypt. Ver. 20. Next 12. To be a sign—That is, to distinguish them from the heathen. So Ver.

16. Went after idols.—{They still had a hankering after the idolatries they had learned in Egypt, to which they added new idols which they had seen in the countries through which they had travelled, as those of the Midianites, Amorites, &c. arose. Ver. 18. Said unto their children.—[The commands and exhortations here referred to, occupy nearly the whole of Deuteronomy; in which Moses, at the mouth of God, most pathetically addressed that generation, just before his death, which under Joshua was put in possession of Canaan.]—Bagster. Ver. 23. Scatter them.—{The predictions of the dispersion of Israel, delivered by Moses just before his death, are evidently here referred to: they received a partial accomplishment at the Babylonian captivity, but are more exactly fulfilling at this day.}—Bagster.

Ver. 25. Not good—Means decidedly bad, (Proverbs 16:29).; xvii. 26. [The simple meaning of this place is, that when the Israelites had rebelled against God, despised his statutes, and polluted his sabbaths,—in effect, cast him off, and given themselves up wholly to their idols,—then he, in a just judgment for their disobedience, abandoned them, “gave them up to a reprobate mind,”* ((Romans 1:28).) and suffered them to walk after the idolatrous, cruel, and impious customs and ordinances of the heathen; by which they were ripened for the destruction which he intended to bring upon them, that they might learn to know God by his judgments, seeing they had despised his mercies. In the same sense God is said judicially to “send a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie,” to those who “received not the love of the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”]—Bagster. Ver. 28. The provocation of their offering.—Newcome, “Their provoking oblation,” or offering.—Their sweet savour.—Heb. “The savour of their rests.” So ver. 41. Ver. 29. The high place (Heb. Bamah) whereunto ye go?—That is, “Why do ye prefer your high place to my sanctuary?”—And (or yet) the name thereof is called Bamah (or the high place) to this day.—Some think the last clause is a sort of marginal note by the transcriber; otherwise, Secker thinks it must refer to something not now to be explained. See Newcome. Ver. 30. Commit ye whoredom?—That is, idolatry. Ver. 32. Shall not be at all.—Heb.

“In being shall not be;” meaning, that they should not be wholly given up to idolatry, as were the heathen; but should be severely corrected, as in the following verses, in order to their reform and restoration, ver. 33, &c.: Ver. 35. Wilderness (or desert) of the people.—Michaelis says, this “refers to the desert in the neighbourhood of the Chaldeans,” &c. where they were stationed in the captivity. Verses 35, 36. There will I plead with, or judge you, as I pleaded with, or judged, your fathers, &c. See note on ver. 4. Ver. 37. Cause you to pass under the rod.—An allusion, probably, to the tithing of a flock. The tenth animal was devoted to the Lord, and may represent those who were brought into the bond (or discipline) of the covenant.

See next verse, and compare (Leviticus 27:32), and note. “Either referring to the manner of shepherds in that country, which tell their sheep in and out of the fold; or rather as a king, whose sceptre protects some, and dasheth others, and maintains his own right. I will difference persons and persons, that I may deal with each suitably to their state and carriage.” Pool. Ver. 38. I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and (or but) they shall not enter into the land of Judah.—Newcome thinks this refers to the Jews who fled into Egypt. See (Jeremiah 44:14). Ver. 40. In my holy mountain.—Compare Isaiah ii. 2, 3. [These predictions received a partial accomplishment by the restoration of the Jews from the Babylonian captivity; but they seem chiefly to relate to the establishment of the Christian church, and more especially to the future conversion of the Jews, and their restoration to their own land.]—Bagster. Ver. 46. The south.—Three different words are used for the south in these verses. See next chapter, ver. 2. Ezekiel being in the north of Chaldea, the whole of Judea was in the south to him.—Forest of the south field.—{The city of Jerusalem, as full of inhabitants as the forest is of trees.}—Bagster. Ver. 47. Kindle a fire.—[I will send war; and it shall destroy all ranks and characters of the people.]—B.—The flaming flame.—Heb. “Flame of flaming.”—From the south to the north—That is, the extent of Judea. Ver. 49. Doth he not speak parables?—That is, they pretended not to understand his figurative style. [Is it not his usual custom to deal in enigmas? His figures are not to be understood; we should not trouble ourselves with them.

God, therefore, commands the prophet to declare, in the next chapter, the same things in the plainest terms, so that they should not complain of his parables.]—Bagster. The whole of this chapter, and all that follows, to verse 12 of (Ezekiel 28), is considered prose. Chap. XXI. Ver. 2, 3. Toward Jerusalem.—This verse seems an exposition of ver. 46, 47, of the last chapter. Jerusalem, the holy places, the land of Israel, Newcome thinks may correspond to the three Hebrew words used for south in ver. 46, 47, of the preceding chapter. Judea may be compared to a forest, not so much for its buildings, as the rough character of its inhabitants—the green tree and the dry;” the righteous and the wicked.

Compare ver. 34 with ver. 47, of the preceding chapter. Ver. 7. All knees shall be weak as water.—Heb. “Shall go into water.” See (Ezekiel 7:17), and note. Ver. 10. It contemneth the rod.—Archbishop Newcome thinks the text corrupt, and reads, “Alas! the sceptre of my son is destroyed: it despiseth every tree.” But of this it is difficult to make sense. The text seems a highly poetical expression, signifying, that the sword of Nebuchadnezzar would make no distinction between the sceptre of royalty and the poor man’s staff; or between the very highest and lowest in Israel, here called my son, as in (Exodus 4:22). Ver. 12. Smite upon thy thigh.—This was an expression of deep affliction. So Homer, “She spake; and with expanded arms, his thighs smiting, thus sorrowful the god exclaimed.”—Cowper.

Ver. 13. Because it is a trial.—See margin. Newcome, “For it is tried.” —The rod—That is, the sceptre, as ver. 10.—It shall be no more.—Newcome, “It shall not remain;” i.e. the regal succession shall be cut off from the time of Zedekiah to the coming of Messiah. Ver. 14. Smite thy hands together.—Heb. “The palm of the hand to the palm of the hand the sword be doubled the third time”—Heb. “Double the sword, yea, treble it.”—The sword of the slain.—Newcome, “Of great slaughter.” Ver. 15. The point.—Newcome, “The terror.”—Their ruins.—Newcome, “Their overthrown.”—Wrapped up.—Newcome, “Purblished.” Ver. 16. Get thee one way or the other.—Newcome, “Different ways.”—On the right, &c.—either, and or, may be omitted.—Whithersoever thy face—Meaning, the face, or edge of the sword—is set.

Ver. 17. I will also smite “the palm,” &c. See ver. 14.—My fury to rest—That is, on thee. Ver. 19. Choose thou a place.—Heb. “A hand.” It is clear from other passages that the Hebrews were wont to erect monuments in the form of a hand. See notes on (1 Samuel 17:12). (2 Samuel 18:18). And from this place it should appear, that these hands were sometimes used as directing posts, and pointed two ways—the way to Rabbah and to Jerusalem. Ver. 20. To Judah in Jerusalem.—Newcome, “Towards Judah, against.” Ver. 21. At the parting of the way.—“The mother of the way.” Any point of a road from which two ways parted, was considered as the mother of them both.—To use divination—That is, by arrows, which Jerome thus explains: “They wrote on several arrows, the names of the cities they intended to make war against, and then putting them promiscuously into a quiver, they had them drawn out in the manner of lots, and the city whose name was on the arrow first drawn, was the first assaulted.”

Orient. Cust. No. 314.—He made his arrows bright.—Pococke and Newcome. “Mixed his arrows.” Dr. Pococke says, the Arabs usually took three arrows, on one of which was written, “My Lord hath commanded,” and on the other, “My Lord hath forbidden me,” and the third was blank. If the third happened to be first drawn, the arrows were again mingled, and a fresh drawing made, till one of the others gave a decisive answer.—Consulted with images.—See margin, That is, oracular images, in the human form. (1 Samuel 19:13-16).—He looked in the liver—That is, of the sacrifices, to predict thereby. See Potter’s Ant. of Gr. Ver. 22. To appoint captains.—“Rams;” i.e. battering rams, as in the next clause, and in ch.

iv. 2.—To open the mouth.—The ancients generally attacked with loud shouts and cries. (Jeremiah 1:4).—To cast (i.e. to cast up) a mount.—See (Jeremiah 6:6), and note. Ver. 23. To them that have sworn oaths—That is, to them that have taken the oath of allegiance to the king of Babylon. Ver. 24. With the hand—That is, without difficulty. See (Numbers 11:32). Ver. 25. Wicked prince—That is, Zedekiah. Ver. 26. This shall not be the same, &c.—Newcome, “Hath not this (i.e. Babylon) abased the exalted, and exalted the abased?” Ver. 31. Skilful to destroy.—Heb. “Artificers of destruction;” i.e. a well disciplined army. Ver. 32. No more remembered.—{This prophecy against the Ammonites was fulfilled about five years after the taking of Jerusalem, (Josephus’ Antiquities;) and their name has utterly perished from the face of the earth.}—B.