Ezekiel 9

J. Smith) the Prophet alludes, when he speaks of the women mourning for Tammuz: a rite well known in the mythological fables of the Greeks and Romans, under the title of Venus weeping for the death of Adonis.”—3. The Persian worship, as performed by the priests or Magi, consisted chiefly in adorations to the sun, with the faces of the worshippers directed to the East, as described by the Prophet. This also was adopted by the Jewish leaders, and in so doing, of course they turned their backs upon the temple, which was behind them. It has been a matter of debate among commentators, whether these scenes were presented to Ezekiel in vision only, or whether he was really transported from Babylon to Jerusalem.

That the prophets were sometimes locally removed is certain, from the instance of Elijah, who was wont to be thus removed: (See (1 Kings 18:12); (2 Kings 2:16):) as was also Philip the evangelist, under the New Dispensation. (See (Acts 8:39).) So we have understood the removal of Ezekiel to Tel-abib; (ch. iii. 14, 15;) and not only does there seem nothing absurd in a literal exposition of the passage now before us, but the text itself (ver. 2) appears to us to lead to such an interpretation. Was not the hand which raised him by the hair, one of the hands of the man in glory? And does not his being borne up “between the earth and the heaven,” correspond exactly with the course of this celestial chariot.

It must not be concealed, however, that Newcome, Boothroyd, and other respectable commentators, conceive the whole transaction to be in vision; and its having taken place in his own house, and before the elders, seems to favour their hypothesis. Compare (Ezekiel 11:25). Chap. IX. Ver. 1—11. A vision intimating the preservation of the pious few, and the destruction of the others.—The vision in this chapter seems intended to denote the general destruction of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, except the few pious individuals just referred to, who, in order to be delivered from the general calamity, were marked, in allusion perhaps to a very ancient eastern custom, or rather to (Exodus 12:22-23). The persons introduced ver.

2, are evidently supernatural or angelic; one appointed to be an angel of mercy, the other five angels of destruction, to execute the sentence of the Almighty on the [ungodly]. To indicate likewise, that God was soon to forsake the Temple, the Shechinah, or symbol of his presence, is seen to remove from the inner sanctuary to the threshold or door of the temple, ready to depart. The Prophet intercedes in behalf of his people; but God refuses to be entreated for them. The door of mercy was shut against them. “They, who mourn neither for their own sins, nor the sins of others, must expect no mercy: nor can any be looked on as the servants of God, who are indifferent to his cause, and unconcerned at the abominations which are committed against him.—In temporal calamities, even infants are often involved in the common destruction: in the eternal punishment of the wicked, no discrimination will be regarded, except with reference to degrees of guilt: and in this respect, those who have been nearest to God in profession, privilege, or office, will be most severely punished.—If we be saved while others perish, we must ascribe the difference wholly to the mercy of our God; for we too have deserved wrath: and we should still continue to plead in behalf of our fellow-sinners, for the remnant of the church, and for the continuance and revival of religion upon earth.—But indeed the wickedness of man is great, and deserves severe vengeance: even where the Lord shows no mercy, he does no injustice; as he only recompenses men’s ways on their heads: and his commands will certainly be executed both for the salvation of his people, and the destruction of his enemies.””— T. Scott.

Notes on the verses

Ver. 5. At the gate of the altar.—“Probably so called from the time of Ahaz.” (2 Kings 16:14-15). Ver. 6. That I should go—That is, to provoke me to go; so Vulgate and Chaldee: or, “that they should go,” (or be driven) from my sanctuary, LXX. and Syriac. See (Ezekiel 9:3). Ver. 7. A hole in the wall.—Maurice considers this as the description of a cavern temple, with its mystic cells: such as are to be found in the mountains of Chusistan to this day.—Indian Antiq. Ver. 10. Abominable beasts.—[These images portrayed on the wall were no doubt the objects of Egyptian idolatry—the ox, ape, crocodile, ibis, beetle, &c.—as we find those idols were painted on the walls of the tombs of kings and nobles.

See the plates to Belzoni’s Travels.—Bagster. Diodorus Siculus relates, that “round the room where the body of King Osymanduas seemed to be buried, a multitude of chambers was built, which had elegant paintings of all the beasts sacred in Egypt.” Secker in Newcome.—Round about.—[Aone ye gis ee se er.] 11. Jaazaniah—One of the princes of the [people]. Ver. 12. Doing the dark—pone “His eye surveyed the dark idolatries Of alienated Judah.” —Par. Lost. Ver. 14. Women weeping for Tammuz.—[Tammuz, in Syriac, Tomuz, was certainly the Phenician Adonis, who was fabled to have been a beautiful youth beloved by Venus, and killed by a wild boar in Mount Lebanon; whence springs the river Adonis, which was said to run with blood at his impure festival in August.]

—Bagster. “The love-tale infected Sion’s daughters with like heat, Whose wanton passions in the sacred porch Ezekiel saw.”—Par. Lost. Ver. 16. Between the porch and the altar.—See (Joel 2:17).—About five and twenty men.—“Probably the priests and Levites of the weekly service, with the high priest at their head.” Faber, quoted in Townsend.—Worshipped the sun.—[It seems that the Jews had incorporated every species of idolatry into their worship: Egyptian, Phenician, and Persian; for this evidently was the Magian worship of the sun.]—Bagster. Ver. 17. They put the branch to their nose.—The Persians, in their worship, held in their left hand a bunch of twigs of different trees, called the barsom.

Rosenmuller. See Orient. Lit. No. 1013.—[So the Vulgate has “they apply the branch to their nose,” which Jerome explains by “a branch of the palm tree with which they adored the idols; and it seems plainly to allude to the Magian fire-worshippers, who, Strabo tell us, held a little bunch of twigs in their hand, when praying before the fire. See Hyde Hist. Rel. Pers.]—B. Chap. IX. Ver. 1. He cried—That is, the Lord. Ver. 2. Inkhorn by his side.—Heb. “Upon his loins.” —[Keseth, (in Chaldee kista, Syriac kesto, Ethiopic Kaswt,) denotes a bottle, or vessel, to hold any fluid; and being here united to sophair, a writer, is not improperly rendered an inkhorn.]—Bagster. Dr. Shaw mentions that the Easterns wear their inkhorns suspended from their girdles.

So Hanway says of the Persians. Pococke says, they used ink in sealing as well as writing. Ver. 3. From.—Literally, “From above the cherub,” where the shechinah had been accustomed to reside, in the most holy place. Ver. 4. Set a mark.—“Mark a mark,” or Tau, for Taw signifies a mark; but the Jews have from hence inferred, that the mark consisted in this letter, the last of the Hebrew alphabet. Some of the Christian fathers also pleased themselves in discovering that one of the most ancient forms of the Samaritan Tau resembled the Roman cross! The Bramins, it seems, distinguish the worshipers of Veeshnu and Sheva by marks of different colours (red or yellow) on their foreheads. Maurice’s Ind.

Antiq. Ver. 6. Slay utterly.—This foretold the unpitying carnage which the Chaldeans would make of the ungodly Jews.—Begin at the sanctuary—“The destroyers were also directed to begin at the sanctuary: and, lest they should hesitate to shed blood, and throw the dead carcasses in the courts and sanctuary of God, they were expressly ordered thus to defile them; for this act of signal justice, though a ceremonial defilement, was indeed a moral purification of the temple.”—Scott. Ver. 9. Perverseness.—Marzgin, “Wresting of judgment.” Ver. 11. Reported the matter—Heb. “Returned the word.”