Ezekiel 47

Chap. XLVII. Ver. 1—12. The vision of the holy waters and mystic trees.—We now approach the close of this extraordinary vision, and various circumstances lead us to consider it in many parts of mystic import. Though the temple itself may not in magnitude exceed that of Solomon, yet the grand scale on which the surrounding courts and adjacent grounds are laid out, seems strongly to intimate a great increase of the true church of God, principally by the accession of the Gentiles. So in this chapter the mighty stream of waters flowing from the sanctuary, though it may have some reference to the waters formerly supplied from an adjacent spring or two for the priest’s use, are in volume so far greater, and in virtue so perfectly distinct and superior, that he must be a dreaming expositor indeed, who can explain this literally of water only to cleanse the sacrifices and

sacrificial instruments. Besides, this water ran from the temple—increased as it proceeded, and brought life and health and blessing wherever its streams went. Nothing is more common in the Holy Scriptures than to represent the influences of the Holy Spirit under the emblem of water; and, in perfect accordance with this remark, the spread of knowledge, truth, and righteousness, is often expressed by the image of flowing streams,—streams that, uniting and continuing to spread, we are led to believe shall cover the earth with the knowledge and glory of the Lord as the waters cover the immense basis of the sea. These waters, too, agreeably to the nature of fructifying streams, convey fertility and verdure wherever they may spread.

Moreover, these waters have a singular power of conveying life and salubrity to the dead sea itself: a lake which, after discarding all the fables of credulous travellers, is confessedly barren of living creatures. If we allegorize these streams, it seems natural that the dead sea should also be emblematical of the state of both the Jewish and heathen world prior to the promulgation of the gospel. The religion of the Jews and the science of the Greeks were alike dead. To what good purpose did the former apply their rabbinical lore? or the latter their admired wisdom? The former sunk into the most ridiculous superstitions, and the latter into the most gross idolatries, which, at the same time as they practised and recommended to the vulgar, they ridiculed themselves.

But these healing streams, wherever they flowed, evangelized the former, and rationalized the latter. “‘Christ crucified,” was indeed “to the Jews a stumbling-block” till the veil was taken from their hearts; and then they read the gospel in all the books of Moses. The same doctrine was “to the Greeks foolishness,” till they also were enlightened; and then they saw in the doctrine of redemption a display of divine wisdom, and felt its power in the renovation of their hearts and lives. Thus the dead sea is filled with living fish, and the trees which grow upon its banks, instead of the fabled apples of Sodom, produce trees of perpetual verdure, and fruits of immortality ever new and ever fresh, while its leaves shall heal all the disorders of human life.

Chap. XLVIII. Ver. 1—35. The division of the land, and the gates of the city.—There is as much prudence as modesty, in not attempting to explain what we cannot comprehend; and those commentators who have been most anxious to remove all obscurities, have been compelled to confess themselves nonplused in the visions of Ezekiel. The great outlines of the allegory are as much as we dare hope to understand; but the fulfilment of these predictions may, as in other instances, render intelligible what now seems most obscure. Though the return from the Babylonish captivity included but a very small part of the ten tribes of Israel, there is reason to believe a remnant of them is still preserved in some of the Eastern countries, and will be forthcoming whenever the God of Israel shall give the word.

What is meant by the “Holy oblation” it is difficult to explain, since it is neither confined to the Temple, nor the holy city; nor does it extend to the whole of the holy land. The best idea we can form of its extent (as Dr. Boothroyd suggests) is by conceiving a square, of 25,000 cubits each way, or about seven English miles in length and breadth; and this square divided lengthwise into three parts (or rectangles) thus: 10,000 for the priests, 10,000 for the Levites, and 5000 for the city; with the temple in the midst of the whole plot of ground. A part also was to be added for the king’s palace and pleasure grounds. The reasons of this proportion are to us far from evident; but the portions of the priests and Levites probably included pasture grounds, and perhaps vineyards, for the use of the Temple.

The increase of the number of gates (double those of the former city) is a circumstance we by no means understand; but it is copied by St. John in his Apocalyptical description of the New Jerusalem. (Revelation 21:21.) The descriptive name here given to the city, Jehovah SHAMMAH, is sufficiently definite, as implying God’s continual presence with his church, under every

Notes on the verses

Ver. 5. Waters were risen.—Heb. “Swollen;” LXX, “Lifted up their proud waves.” “These waters beautifully represent the gradual progress of the gospel. See (Isaiah 2:2-4). Compare (Joel 3:18); (Zechariah 14:8); (Isaiah 55:1); (John 7:38).” Newcome.

Ver. 7. Bank.—Heb. “lip;” Newcome, “Brink;” the same word as is so rendered in ver. 6.

Ver. 8. Brought forth into the sea.—[This was the dead sea, or sea of Sodom, east of Jerusalem, in which it is said no living creature is found; or, at least, from its extreme saltness, it does not abound with fish like other seas. The healing of these waters perhaps denotes the calling of the Gentiles.]—Bagster. It is called the dead sea on account of a tradition which, though disputed, has never been refuted, that no fish can live in it.

This may be partly owing to its excessive saltness, containing (as ascertained by recent experiments) one fourth of its weight in salt, which renders it singularly buoyant and bitter, and may account for its being uninhabited. See Modern Trav.

Ver. 9. Every thing that liveth, which moveth.—Newcome, “Every living thing which moveth.”—Whithersoever the rivers.—Heb. “Two rivers;” but as we read of but one in the context, Michaelis (by only dividing one Hebrew word into two,) reads, “Whithersoever the river shall come, the sea shall live.” But in Hebrew, the plural is often used for the singular, and here may perhaps intend the spreading streams of this sacred water.

Ver. 10. From En-gedi unto En-eglam.—The former place lay nearly due east from Jerusalem, the latter at the northern extremity of the dead sea, where the Jordan flows into it: from 15 to 20 miles of coast.—As the fish of the great sea.—This implies, not that the water shall become fresh, (like the sea of Gennesareth,) but like the ocean, its deleterious qualities are purged by the accession of these sacred waters.

[Great quantities of all kinds of fish usually caught in the Mediterranean—genuine converts of all nations, kindreds, and people.]—Bagster.

Ver. 11. The marishes (or marshes) shall not be healed.—The south end, where Sodom stood on the south-west, and “the valley of salt” on the southeast. They shall be given (up) to salt.—And this may figuratively represent those nations that utterly refuse the healing streams of salvation.

Ver. 12. Shall grow (Heb. “spring up”) all trees for food.—Here is an evident allusion to the trees of paradise. See our note on (Genesis 2:9).—[Probably, believers, “trees of righteousness,” who still bring forth “fruit unto holiness,” and “whose end is eternal life.”]—Bagster.—The leaf thereof for medicine.—Newcome, “Healing.” The medical art in the East is still chiefly confined to external applications.

Ver. 13. This shall be the border.—The precise situation of many of the places named in this and the following chapter, can hardly now be ascertained. It is, however, evident, that provision is here made for the return of all the tribes, though many did not come.

Ver. 16. Hauran.—[The district of Auranitis, now Haouran, S. W. of Damascus. See Burckhardt’s Travels in Syria, &c. p. 285, described, extend-

Ver. 17. Border from the sea.—[The Holy Land, as here described, extended from about 31° to 35° N. lat. and from 34° to 37° E. long.; being bounded on the north by a line drawn from the Mediterranean to Hamath; on the east, by Damascus, Hauran, Gilead, and the land of Israel east of Jordan, unto the south of the Dead sea; on the south, by Tamar and Kadesh, unto the river of Rhinocorura; and on the west by the Mediterranean sea, from the same point, northward “till a man come over against Hamath;”

and its length from north to south would be about 280 miles, and its breadth about 150 miles. The ten tribes, as well as Judah and Benjamin, were to be admitted to a full share in this inheritance, which seems to imply, that the future restoration to the promised land is predicted; while the admission of strangers who sojourned in the land, to a share in the inheritance, as if native born, plainly intimates the calling of the Gentiles into the church, and their joint inheritance of its privileges, and of the heavenly felicity.]—Bagster.

Chap. XLVIII. Ver. 4. By the border of Naphtali.—[In this division of the Holy Land, a portion is laid out for each of the twelve tribes directly across the country, from east to west; and deducting the square of 25,000 reeds, or about 50 miles on each side, between Judah and Benjamin, for the priests, Levites, city, and temple, with the inheritance of the prince to the east and west (see ch. xlv. 1.) from 280 miles, the length of the country from north to south, there will remain for each tribe a portion of less than 20 miles in breadth, by 150 miles in length. This division of the land entirely differs from that which was made in the days of Joshua, in which the tribes were not only differently placed, but confused and intermixed: while here distinct lots are assigned to each of the twelve tribes, in a regular mathematical form. Literally such a division never took place, nor is it probable that it ever should: it seems to express the equality of privileges which subsists among all the tribes of the Hebrew nation, and whatever their previous character may have been.]

Ver. 8. Twenty thousand reeds.—Rather, “Cubits.” See note on ver. 11.

Ver. 11. It shall be for the priests that are sanctified.—See on ch. xliv. 10. It appears as if the priests generally adhered to the God of Israel, and one motive, probably, for the defection of the latter, might be their being promoted to the priesthood among idolaters. See (Judges 17:11–13).

Ver. 15. Profane place for the city.—[The holy oblation of 25,000 square reeds, or near fifty square miles, was divided into three parts from north to south (see on ch. xlv. 1.):—a portion on the north of 10,000 reeds in width, and 25,000 in length, for the priests in the midst of which was the sanctuary or temple, surrounded by a wall 500 reeds square, (v. 9, 10. see on ch. xiii. 15,) next to this another portion of the same dimensions for the Levites, (v. 13, 14;) and on the south another portion of the same length, but only 5000 reeds in breadth, for the city, (v. 15.) The city was situated in the midst of this portion, being 4500 reeds, or about nine miles square, (see on ver. 30.) having a suburb of 250 reeds, or about half a mile, on each side, (v. 17.) leaving 10,000 reeds, or nearly 10 miles on the east side, and the same on the west side, for the profit of those who serve the city out of all the tribes, (v. 18, 19.) On the east and west sides of this square of 25,000 reeds, is the portion of the prince; each of which, estimating the breadth of the land at 150 miles, would form a square of fifty miles. Thus the whole plan of the division of the country, laying out of the city, temple, and all its appendages, is perfectly regular and uniform; and would therefore convey to the minds of the Jews the most complete idea they were capable of conceiving of the most perfect church, commonwealth, city, temple and conveniences, on the largest and grandest scale for the Divine worship; and it doubtless ultimately points out the land of Immanuel, the city of the New Jerusalem, and his temple, the Christian church, the house of the living God.]—Bagster.

Ver. 30. Four thousand and five hundred measures.—[It is certainly most obvious to interpret these measures, not of cubits, but of the measuring reed which the prophet’s conductor had in his hand; according to which, the city would be about 36 miles in circumference, and nine miles on each side of the square.]

[THE character of Ezekiel, as a writer and a poet, is thus admirably drawn by the masterly hand of Bp. Lowth: “Ezekiel is much inferior to Jeremiah in elegance; in sublimity, he is not even excelled by Isaiah; but his sublimity is of a totally different kind. He is deep, vehement, tragical; the only sensation he affects to excite is the terrible; his sentiments are elevated, animated, full of fire and indignation; his imagery is crowded, magnificent, terrific, and sometimes bordering on indelicacy; his language is grand, solemn, austere, rough, and at times unpolished; he abounds in repetitions, not for the sake of grace or elegance, but from vehemence and indignation.]

Whatever subject he treats of, that he sedulously pursues; from that he rarely departs, but cleaves, as it were, to it; whence the connexion is in general evident and well preserved. In other respects, he may perhaps be exceeded by the other prophets; but, for that species of composition to which he seems adapted by nature, the forcible, impetuous, grave, and grand, not one of the sacred writers is superior to him. His diction is sufficiently perspicuous; all his obscurity arises from the nature of his subjects. Visions (as for instance among others, those of Hosea, Amos, and Zechariah,) are necessarily dark and confused. The greater part of Ezekiel, particularly towards the middle of the book, is poetical, whether we regard the matter or the language.

But some passages are so rude and unpolished, that we are frequently at a loss to what species of writing we ought to refer them.’ Michaelis, however, so far from esteeming him as equal to Isaiah in sublimity, is inclined to think, that he displays more art and luxuriance in amplifying and decorating his subject than are consistent with the poetical fervour, or indeed with true sublimity; and pronounces him to be in general an imitator, who has the art of giving an air of novelty and ingenuity, but not of grandeur and sublimity, to all his compositions; and that, as he lived at a period when the Hebrew language was visibly on the decline, so if we compare him with the Latin poets who succeeded the Augustan age, we may find some resemblance in the style, something that indicates the old age of poetry.

But, as Abp. Newcome judiciously observes, the prophet is not to be considered merely as a poet, or as a framer of those august and as- THE BOOK OF THE DANIEL is the last of those usually called the four greater Prophets, not for their superior excellence or authority, but for their contents; the book of Daniel is, however, much shorter than either of the other three. Indeed, some of the minor Prophets, as Hosea and Zechariah, contain more chapters than Daniel, though not more matter. Daniel was of noble descent, and probably, as the Jews assert, related to the royal family of Judah. He was carried captive to Babylon at an early age, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, A. M. 3398, and in the 606th year

before the Christian era. Having been initiated into the mysterious learning of the Chaldeans, he was found qualified for the highest offices in the courts of Babylon and Persia; he did not defile himself with their idolatries, but became eminent for his piety as well as his wisdom. In consequence of his interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, he was established governor square; which was nearly nine times larger than the greatest extent to which Jerusalem ever attained. (See on ver. 15. and ch. xlii. 16.) ‘The large dimensions of the city and land were perhaps intended to intimate the extensive and glorious propagation of the Gospel in the times predicted; and the land was not called Canaan, nor the city Jerusalem, probably because they were figurative of spiritual blessings to the church and to Israel.

]—Bagster. tonishing visions, and of those admirable poetical representations, which he committed to writing; but as an instrument in the hands of God, who vouchsafed to reveal himself, through a long succession of ages, not only in divers parts constituting a magnificent and uniform whole, but also in different manners, as by voice, by dreams, by inspiration, and by plain or enigmatical vision. “Ezekiel is a great poet, full of originality; and, in my opinion, whoever censures him as if he were only an imitator of the old prophets, can never have felt his power. He must not, in general, be compared with Isaiah, and the rest of the old prophets. ‘Those are great, Ezekiel is also great; those in their manner of poetry, Ezekiel in his; which he had invented for himself, if we may form our judgment from the Hebrew monuments still extant.”

To justify this character, the learned prelate descends to particulars, and gives apposite examples, not only of the clear, flowing, and nervous, but also of the sublime; and concludes his observations on his style, by stating it to be his deliberate opinion, that if his “style is the old age of the Hebrew language and composition, it is a firm and vigorous one, and should induce us to trace its youth and manhood with the most assiduous attention.” As a prophet, Ezekiel must ever be allowed to occupy a very high rank; and few of the prophets have left a more valuable treasure to the church of God than he has. It is true, he is in several places obscure; but this resulted either from the nature of his subjects, or the events predicted being still unfulfilled: and, when time has rolled away the mist of futurity, successive generations will then perceive with what heavenly wisdom this much esteemed prophet has spoken.

There is, however, a great proportion of his work which is free from every obscurity, and highly edifying. He has so accurately and minutely foretold the fate and condition of various nations and cities, that nothing can be more interesting than to trace the exact accomplishment of these prophecies in the accounts furnished by historians and travellers; while, under the elegant type of a new temple to be erected, a new worship to be introduced, and a new Jerusalem to be built, with new land to be allotted to the twelve tribes, may be discovered the vast extent and glory of the New Testament Church. ]—Bagster. PROPHET DANIEL. of the province of Babylon, and chief of the wise men; and he seems to have continued in an exalted station, and in offices of great trust and power, through all the subsequent period of the Chaldean monarchy, and afterwards under Darius the Mede, and Cyrus the Persian.

He was contemporary with Ezekiel, who mentions his extraordinary piety and wisdom, (ch. xiv. 14, 20,) the latter of which, even at that time, seems to have become proverbial, (ch. xxviii. 3.) He lived throughout the seventy years’ captivity, but it does not appear that he returned to his own country; and as the last of his visions, of which we have any account, took place in the third year of Cyrus, about B. C. 534, when he was about ninety-four years of age, and resided at Susa, or Shouster, it is not improbable that he died and was buried there, as some Asiatic authors affirm, where his tomb is still shown! { i‘ Though Daniel’s name is not prefixed to this book, be yorebete often in the