Ezekiel 13
PATtion than those that were left behind in Judca. (See the note on vcr. 2.) They shall eat their bread with carefulness, &c. See iv. 1G, 17.. j ARGUMENT. The prophet denounces God’s judgments against false prophets who made a gain of their profession, and encouraged men to go on in their sins, by giving them false visions of peace and security; and at the same time disheartened the truly pious, and discouraged them from continuing in the ways of holiness. Vcr. 2. &AY thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts.] The true prophets often denounce God’s judgments against the false ones; laying to their charge many misdemeanours in their private conversation, and upbraiding them for unfaithfulness in the oiBce they undertook of guiding and directing men’s consciences. (See xxii/25. 28. Jer. vi. 14. xxiii. II, &c. xxviii. 14. xxix. 8. 22, 23. Micah iii. 5.) upon false grounds and principles. (See Jer. iv. 10. vi. 14. xxxiii. 14. 17.) And one built a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with tintempered mortar..] Instead of providing such a fence and bulwark, as might secure the people against the judgments that threaten them, (see ver. 5.) they have made a slight wall without any mortar, or cement, to bind and strengthen it; that is, they have applied slight and palliating remedies to public calamities, which will never give true peace to men’s consciences, nor stand them in any stead, when God visits for their iniquities. Just as if an unskilful builder should undertake to set up a wall, and his fellow-workmen should daub itwithuntempered mortar. (Seever.11,12.16.) A description of the priests’ chambers, and their use, and the dimensions of the holy mountain whereon the’temple stood.
Ezekiel 13:1
JL HEN he brought me forth into the outer court, the way towards the north, &c. The angel now brings the prophet out of the inner, court by the north gate, intosome chamber or building, which looked towards the south side of the temple, and faced the wall or enclosure that encompassed the north side of the inner court and temple, mentioned xli. 12. 15. Some suppose this to be a building distinct from all the parts of the temple hitherto described* The words of the seventh and ninth verses imply, that it was a distinct building from the outer court. Into the chamber that was over against the separate place, and before the building.] Or, Before the separate place, and before the building: for the preposition neged is used in both parts of the sentence. Chamberis put for chambers. (See ver. 4. and xli. 9.)
Ezekiel 13:2
Before the length of a hundred cubits was the north door’, and the breadth was fifty cubits.* This north door faced one of the cloisters, whose length was a hundred cubits, and its breadth fifty; whichwas the proportion of. allthe cloisters. (See the note upon xl. 15.) Noldius translates the words to this sense, Unto the place whose length was a hundred cubits towards the north door. He supposes these buildings to be distinct from any hitherto described, and adds, that the Jews profess their ignorance how they were situate; because there was nothing in the second temple that answered to them. (See his Concordance, n. 390.)
Ezekiel 13:3
Over against the twenty cubits which were for [or, which belonged to. the inner court, and over against the pavement which was for [or, belonged to] the outer court] One side of these buildings looked upon the void space about the temple, which contained twenty cubits, mentioned xli. 10. and the other side was towards the pavement belonging to the outer court, described xl. 17. Was gallery against gallery in three stories.] Like those mentioned xli. 16.
Ezekiel 13:4
O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in<the deserts. Deceitful tcorkers, as the apostle styles such persons, 2 Cor. xi. 13. who craftily insinuate false doctrines into weak and unstable minds; and withal hungry and ravenous, and such as greedily catch at any appearance of advantage. (Compare xxii. 25.) And before the chambers was a walk of ten cubits inward.] There was a walk or cloister of ten cubits’ breadth, running along the inside of the wall, which divided the buildings into two rooms; one half of which looked into the outer court, the other into the inner. (See xlvi. 19.) A way of one cubit] This some understand of an entrance at each end of the cloister.. And their doors towards the north.] See ver. 1, 2.
Ezekiel 13:5
Ye have 7iot gone up into the gaps. Or, stood in the gap, or breach, as it is expressed xxii.- 30. Psal. cvi. 23. Which place alludes to the intercession which Moses made for the. Israelites, whereby he withheld God’s hand, as it. were, when it was just stretched out to take vengeance upon the people for their heinous sin in making the golden calf. (See Exod. xxxii. 10, 11.) The phrase is taken from those that put a stop to the enemy when he is just entering in at a breach. In like manner, it was the office and duty ofthose prophets, if they had truly been what they pretended, by their prayers and intercessions, to put a stop to God’s vengeance when it was just ready to be poured out upon a sinful people. Nor made tip a fence for the house of Israel.] Or, made up a wall, as the Vulgar Latin translates it. Another expression taken from those that are besieged, and if a breach be made in a wall, presently make it up, or build up a new one within it; to prevent the enemy from entering, and becoming masters of the city. The word geder, fence, signifies any other sort of fortification. (See Psal. lxii. 3. lxxxix. 40.) To stand in the battle, in the day of the Lord.] When God shall come like a leader, or general, at the head of his army, i.e. his judgments, to execute vengeance upon his enemies. (Compare Jer. xxv. 30. Joel ii. 11.) Now, the upper chambers were shorter: for the galleries were higher than these, than the lower, &c] The marginal reading in the Hebrew is to be preferred, the sense of which is, For the galleries did abate of these, t. e. of the lower and middlemost parts of the building; the reason of which is assigned in the next verse.
Ezekiel 13:6
They have seen vanity and lying divinations.*. Concerning peace and prosperity. (See vcr. 10. and xii. And they have made others to hope that they tvould con- • firm the word.] Or, that the word should be confirmed; the transitive verb being often taken in an impersonal sense. (See the note on Isa. xliv. 18.) Their speaking with so much assurance made others confidently expect that the event should answer their predictions; and sometimes even imposed upon the true prophets for a time; as Hananiah did upon Jeremiah. (See Jer. xxviii. 6.) For they were in three stories, but had not pillars as the pillars of the courts, &c] The two upper stories had balconies standing out of them, the breadth of which was taken out of the rooms themselves, and made them so much the narrower, because the weight of the balconies was not supported by pillars, as the. rooms over the cloisters of the outward court were, but only by the wall. This is I/Amy’s exposition of the words.
Ezekiel 13:7
And the wall that was without—towards the outer court on the forepart of the chambers, the length thereof was fifty cubits. The wall that enclosed these buildings was commensurate with the breadth of one of.the cloisters of the outer court, which was fifty cubits broad. (See ver. 2.) *
Ezekiel 13:8
For the length of the chambers that were in the outer court was fifty cubits. The chambers that were built over the cloisters were in length fifty cubits. What is called length here, is expressed by breadth, ver. 2.. as that is opposed to the length of the outer court, which was a hundred cubits. (See the following words.) And, lo, before the temple were a hundred cubits.] The words imply that the angel conducted the prophet from these north chambers to those on the south side: (see ver. 11. 13.) so that crossing over the space of ground that fronted the east side of the temple, they took notice of its dimensions, which they.had before measured, and found to be a hundred cubits. (See xli. 14.) The LXX. with a small alteration of the Hebrew text, and reading, probably, hennah for hinneh, and hcielle col for hiiecal, translate the sentence thus: TJie one side was opposite to, or answered the other, and in all were a hundred -cubits; meaning that the chambers, on the north and south sides, contained each of them fifty cubits..
Ezekiel 13:9
They shall not be in the assembly of my people. They shall not be members of the church here, nor partake of the communion of saints in heaven. The Hebrew word sod, signifies a secret assembly or privy-council; such as are acquainted with the most inward thoughts and secret intent of a prince; and from thence it is applied to God’s chosen people, those that are acquainted with the whole counsel of God, and whom he instructs by the secret directions of his Holy Spirit. (See Psal. xxv. 14. Jer. xxiii. 18.) So the prophet tells these men that pretended to know so much of the secrets of the Almighty, that they should never be of the number of those favourites of heaven, to whom God will reveal himself and his counsels. Neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel] The sense is much the same with that of the foregoing sentence; the expressions being an allusion to the registers that used to be kept of the members of any city or corporation, the privileges of which society none can pretend to, but they whose names are entered into such registers. (Compare Exod. xxxii. 32. Psal. xlix. 28. Ezraii. 62. Luke v. 20. Phil. iv. 2. Heb. xii. 23.) It may be, these false prophets foretold a speedy return to the exiles; whereupon God tells them that they shall never live to see it, nor shall their names be entered into the register of those that return home. (See Nehem. vii. 5.) Neither shall they enter into the land of Israel] They shall never sec their own “country again, nor shall they have a share among the true Israelites. (See the note on xx. 38.) Vcr. 10. They have seduced my people, saying, Peace, and there was no peace.] They have deceived my people, by telling them that none of those judgments should overtake them, which Jeremy and the other true prophets threatened them with, and they have spoke peace to men’s consciences And from under these chambers wasJhe entry on the east side, &c] The entry into these south chambers was by a pair of stairs at, the east corner of the outer court. Compare this verse with” chap. xlvi. 19. and with the. description Dr. Lightfoot gives of the stair§ that went up into the chamber about the temple, chap. 12. though his description belongs to the temple, as it was in our. Saviour’s time.
Ezekiel 13:10
The chambers were in the thickness of the wall of the court towards the east. Or rather, in the breadth of the wall; i. e. in the breadth of ground which that wall enclosed: so those words, xli. 12. The xvall of building was five cubits thick round about, are explained by some of a space of ground five cubits broad, enclosed by that wall. (See the note there.) Over against tlie separate place, and over against the building.] Or, before the separate place, and before the building. (Sec ver. 1. 13.) The expressions denote, that these south chambers had the same situation, with respect to the temple, as the north chambers had, spoken of ver. 1.
Ezekiel 13:11
There shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall, &c. God’s judgments are often compared to storms and tempests, the artillery of heaven. (See xxxviii. 22. Job xxvii. 20. Psal. xi. 6. xviii. 13, 14.) Especially when he executes his judgments by a victorious army. (See Isa. xxix. 6. xxxviii. 2. Jer. iv. 13. compare Ecclus. xlix. 9.) And the way before them was like the appearance of the chambers that were towards the north.] Such a way led to these chambers, as is described leading to the chambers on the north side, ver. 4. As long as they, and as broad as they; and their goings out were both according to their fashions, &c] The proportions of both were the same; and the windows, doors, and passages belonging to these,.wfcre exactly uniform with those on the north side. * -*
Ezekiel 13:12
And according to the doors of the chambers that ivere towards the south. The sense would be plainer, if the words were thus translated, And such were the doors of the chambers towards thesouth(p.s those towards the north]. In which sense the affix ke is used in the foregoing verse.
Ezekiel 13:13
Iwill rendit with a stormy windin my fury, &c. Under these metaphors is probably foretold the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldean army. Thus the Chaldee paraphrase expounds it: I will bring a mighty king with the force of a whirlwind, and destroying people as it were an overflowing storm, and powerful princes like great hailstones.
Ezekiel 13:14
So will I break down the ivall, and bring it down to the ground, &c. The Chaldee explains this verse to the same sense: I will destroy the city wherein ye have tittered these false prophecies: which exposition is confirmed by the following words, And ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof; that is, you shall be destroyed in the same common calamity. And ye shall know that I am the Lord."] See vi. 7.
Ezekiel 13:15
The wall is no more, nor they that daubed it. The Chaldee expounds it, TJie city is no more, nor the false prophets.
Ezekiel 13:16
See visions of peace, and there is no peace. See Jer. vL.10. viii. 11.
Ezekiel 13:17
Set thy face against the daughters of thy people that prophesy;. Direct thy discourse against those she’- pretenders to prophecy. (Compare xx. 4G. xxi. 2.) God did sometimes bestow the gift of prophecy upon women. (See Exod. xv. 20. Judg. iv. 4. 2 Kings xxii. 14.) This encouraged others of that sex to pretend to the same gift. (Compare Rev. ii.20.)
Ezekiel 13:18
Woe to the women that sow pillows to all armholes, &c. The learned Gataker, in his Cinnus, p. 200. thinks the words may more properly be rendered, That put (or fasten) pillows to all armholes; so he understands the same word, Job xvi. 15. 1 have put sackcloth upon my skin. As.the prophet compares the deceitful practices of the false prophets to the daubing of a wall, so he represents the artifices of these female seducers, by sowing pillows under their hearers’ elbows, that they might rest securely in their evil ways; and by covering their faces with veils, or kerchiefs, or ornaments pTppcr to women, thereby to keep them in blindness and ignorance. To the head of every stature.’] Of every age, both great and small: so the Greek word.‘HXiicfa, used by the LXX. here, signifies age as well as stature. (Sec Dr. Hammond upon Matt. vi. 27.) To hunt souls.] That they may drive them into those nets and snares that they have laid for them, and make them their prey. (Compare xxv. 25. Micah ii. 7. 2 Pet. ii. 14.) Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come to you?] Or, will ye promise* life unto those that come to you? (see ver. 19. 22.) that is, will ye make a prey of men’s souls, by deluding them with fair hopes and promises?
Ezekiel 13:19
And willy e pollute me among my people?. Will ye profane my name, by making use of it to give credit to your own dreams and lies? (See ver. 7.) For handfuls of barley 9 and for pieces of bread.] For the meanest reward. (See Prov. xxviii. 21.) So greedy are they of making’gain to themselves. (Compare xxii. 25. Micah iii. 5.) To slay the souls that should not die, &c] Thus they threatened death to those that yielded themselves to the- Chaldeans in Jeconiah’s captivity; and yet God preserved them alive. (See Jer. xxix. 5, 6.) - And they have encouraged those that remain at Jerusalem with promises of peace and safety, who shall all be destroyed. (See v. 12.) Or the words may be meant in general of discouraging the godly, and confirming the wicked in their evil ways. (See ver. 22. and compare Jer. xxiii. 14. 17.) To slay and to make alive, signify here to promise men life, or threaten them with death. (See ver. 22.) So the prophet saith he came to destroy the city, xliii. 3. that is, to pronounce the sentence of destruction upon it. And the priest is said to make the leper unclean, Lev. xiii. 3. that is, to pronounce him unclean, as our translation rightly expresses the sense.
Ezekiel 13:20
- And ye shall know that I am the Lord. Sec vi. 7. Vcr. 22. In the land of Israel] See the note on vii. 2. TJie days are prolonged, and every vision faileth.] Words of the same import with those at ver. 27. and xi. 3. Both of them the words of infidels, who turn the grace of God into wantonness, and take encouragement from his patience and long-suffering to despise his thrcatenings, as if they would never be fulfilled. (Compare Isa. v. 19. Amos vi. 18. 2 Pet. iii.3, 4.) Wherewith ye hunt the souls to make them fly.] To make them run into those nets and snares that you have laid for them. (See ver. 18.) The metaphor is continued from the manner of hunting and pursuing living creatures, by that means to drive them into the toils prepared for. them. I will tear them from your arms.] I will make your cheats and impostures appear so evidently, that nobody shall be in danger of being seduced by you any more. (See ver. 23.)
Ezekiel 13:22
Because with lies ye have, made the heart of the righteous sad, &c. As you have deluded the wicked with, vain hopes, (see ver. 10.) so you have disheartened the righteous with groundless fears, (ver. 19. and compare xxii. 25.)
Ezekiel 13:23
- The days are at hand. The same is elsewhere expressed, by the day of the Lord is at hand: (sec Joel ii. 1. Zeph. i. 14.) the time when God will shew his ivrdth, and make his power and justice known to the world. (See ver. 25.) Vcr. 25. For there shall be no more any vain vision, &c] The false prophets, who foretold peace and safety* shall see their prophecies so confuted by the events quite contrary to what they foretold,- that they will never pretend any more to publish new prophecies. (Compare xiii. 23.) It shall be no more prolonged.] My threatenings shall come to pass in your own days, and ye shall have ocular demonstration of their trulh.