Ezekiel 37
DOYLY— and one king shall be king to them all.] The Messiah is described as King of the Jews in most of the prophecies of the Old Testament, beginning with that of Genesis, chap. xlix. 10, concerning Shiloh. From David’s time He is commonly spoken of as the Person in whom the promises relating to the perpetuity of David’s kingdom were to be accomplished. This was a truth unanimously owned by the Jews; see John i. 49; to which our Saviour bore testimony before Pontius Pilate, when the question being put to Him, “Art thou a king?” He made answer, “Thou sayest,” (the truth,) “that I am a King.” St. Paul, alluding to these words, calls them “a good confession,” 1 Tim. vi. 13. The same truth Pontius Pilate himself asserted in that inscription, which by the direction of Providence he ordered to be written upon the cross; see John xix. 19: so that the chief priests impiously renounced their own avowed principles, when they told Pilate that they had no king but Cesar. W. Lowth.
Ezekiel 37:23
- — nor with their detestable things.] Or “abominations,” as the word is elsewhere translated, and commonly applied to idols: see chap. xx. 7; 2 Kings xxiii. 13. W. Lowth.
— out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein &c.] See chap. xxxvi. 20. 25. 28.
Ezekiel 37:26
- — and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them &c.] I will set my Church in the midst of them, which shall continue to the end of the world; and I will dwell in their hearts as in my temple for ever. Bp. Hall.
If we understand “for evermore” in a limited sense, and the condition of obedience implied, the rebuilding of the temple may be in the first instance foretold. At the final restoration of the Jews, God will place his tabernacle and sanctuary among them in a larger sense. Abp. Newcome.
Ezekiel 37:28
- And the heathen shall know] The conversion of the Jewish nation, and their being restored to their former state of favour and acceptance with God, will be a work of Providence taken notice of by the heathens
and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.