Ezekiel 39

rible enemy to God’s people, who shall be subdued by the immediate hand of Heaven, which victory should inako way for glorious times of peace and prosperity. This enemy is said to be foretold of old by the prophets; and is therefore probably described under the names of such nations as were the chief enemies to the Jews iu the particular times of each prophet. Such we may suppose the Assyrian to be, spoken of by Isaiah, xiv. 24, 25. and by Micah, v. 5. The same enemy may probably be intended under the figure of Tyre; (see the note on xxviii. 24.) of Egypt; (see the note upon xxix. 21. and compare Isa. xi. 15.Mvith Zech. x. 11.) of Moab; (see Isa. xxv. 10.) of Edoin; (see Isa. xxxiv. G. Ixiii. 1. Joel iii. 20,‘Obad. ver. IS, 19.) and under the name of Leviathan, Isa. xxvii. 1. To. these we may add those prophecies, which speak of some great and general destruction of God’s enemies before the day of judgment, or consummation of all things. Such are Psal. ex. 5, G. Isa. xxvi. 20, 21. xxxiv. 1, &c. lxvi. 1G. Jer. xxx. 7. 10. Joel iii. 9. 14. Obad. ver. 15, &c. Zech. xii. 1. xiv. 1, &c. Zcchariah lived, indeed, after Ezekiel’s time, but a great while before the fulfilling of this prophecy. The expressions here used, of old time, and which prophesied ill those days [and] years, plainly imply, that there was to be a succession of many ages between the publishing those prophecies and this event foretold by them; and therefore seem to look beyond the times of Antiochus Epiphancs, to which some expositors apply this place of Ezekiel. (See the note upon xxxix. 9.) See the Argument of the foregoing chapter.

Ezekiel 39:1

(J GOG, the chief prince ofMeshech and Tubal. See xxxviii. 2.

Ezekiel 39:2

And I will turn thee back. See ibid. ver. 4. And leave but a sixth part of thee.] So the word shissha, or shissah, as it is read with a different termination, signifies, xiv. 13. Others render it, I will strike thee tvith six plagues, viz. those mentioned xxxviii. 22. And I will cause thee to come upfront the north parts, &c] The words may be better translated, After I have caused thee to come up from the north parts, and have brought thee upon the mountains of Israel: see a like construction xxxviii. 4.

Ezekiel 39:3

And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, &c. Thereshall be no might in thy hand, as Moses threatens the Israelites, Deut. xxviii. 32. Thou shalt not be able to use thy weapons to any purpose.

Ezekiel 39:4

I will give thee to the ravenous birds of every sort, &c. Seo ver. 17. and xxxiii. 27. Ver. G. And I will send a fire on Magog.] I will consume him by fire and brimstone out of heaven. (See xxxviii. 22.).JVre.doth likewise signify the fiercest of God’s judgments. (See the note upon xxx. 8.) And among them that dwell carelessly in the isles.] The inhabitants of the sea-coast which dwell securely, and think no harm can come upon them. The expression relates to the merchants of Tarshish, and others mentioned xxxviii. 13. All countries lying upon the sea-coast are called islands in the Hebrew language.

Ezekiel 39:7

So ivill I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel. See ver. 21, and xxxviii. 1G. 23. And I ivill not let them pollute my holy name any more*’] The words in the Hebrew run thus, / will not pollute my holy name any more; i.e. I will not sutler it to be polluted, as the verbs active often signify only permission. (Sec tbc note upon xiv. 9.) The sense is, I will not suffer ray name to be dishonoured any more, nor let it be said among the Dimtized by Microsoft ® CHAP. XXXIX.] UPON EZEKIEL. heathen, that I was not able to rescue my people out of the hand of their enemies.

Ezekiel 39:8

Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the iJord God. The time appointed for this great destruction is come, and it is the last and finishing stroke of God’s justice upon the enemies of his church and truth. (Compare Rev. xvi. 17. xxi. 6.) This is the day whereof I have spoken.] By my servants the prophets, xxxviii. 17.

Ezekiel 39:9

And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons^ &c. In token of an entire conquest, and that such a lasting peace should ensue tlmt there should be no. more need of warlike preparations. (Compare Psal. xlvi. 9.) Seven years.] The burning the weapons of war must be the consequent of a complete victory: so that the seven years here mentioned cannot be meant, as some would understand them, of those terrible conflicts which the Jews had with Antiochus Epiphanes, from the 143d or 145th yeaT of the (Bra Seleucidarum (according to the different computation of the beginning of that persecution; see 1 Mace. i. 20. 29.) to the 151st year of the same era, when Nicanor was slain. (1 Mace. vii. 1. 43.) Nor is that true which this opinion supposes, viz. that Nicanor’s death put an end to the troubles of the Jews;* for after that there was great affliction in Israel, the like whereof had not been since the time that a prophet had not been seen among them, as the same writer informs us, 1 Mace. ix. 27. So that this passage of Ezckiel’s prophecy must necessarily be expounded of some otheT event.

Ezekiel 39:10

So that they shall take no wood out of the field, &c. The quantity of these weapons will afford sufficient fuel for all that time. Tltey shall spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them.] The same measure they dealt to others, shall be measured out to them again. (Compare Isa.‘xiv. 2. xxxiii. 1. Rev. xiii. 10. xviii. G.)

Ezekiel 39:11

Tlie valley of the passengers on the east side of the sea. i. e. The sea of»Gennezarcth, as the Chaldcc paraphrast explains it. In the Hebrew language all lakes arc called by the name of seas. The same is called the eastern sea, (xlvii. 18.) to distinguish it from the Mediterranean, called the great sea westward, Josh, xxiii. 4. The valley near this sea or lake is called the valley bf the passengers, because it was a great road by which the merchants and traders from Syria and other eastern countries wont into Egypt. And it shall stop the noses of the passengers.] Or, the passengers shall stop their noses, viz. to avoid the smell of so many carcasses: the transitive is often taken in a passive or.impersonal sense, as hath been observed upon Isa. xliv. 18.

Ezekiel 39:13

Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them. See the note on the following verse. And it shall be to them a renown, the day that I shall be glorified.] Or, the day that I shall be glorified, shall be to them [a day] of renown; i e. a remarkable day of joy and gladness. (Sec ver. 21, 22.)

Ezekiel 39:14

And they shall sever out men of continual employment, passing through the land, to bury with the passengers those that remain upon the face of the earth. The latter part of the sentence may more clearly be translated thus, even buriers with the passengers, [to bury] those’ that remain, &c. For the passengers or searchers arc distinguished from those whose office it is to bury the dead, iii the following verse. After the end of seven months shall they search.] All the people sh^ll be employed seven months in burying the dead, (ver. 13.) and after they arc ended, particular persons appointed for that purpose, shall make a clear riddance.

Ezekiel 39:15

Then shall he set up a sign by it J’ A stone* or some other mark of distinction, that men may avoid passing oyer them. (Sec the Excerpta out of Dr. Pocoek’s Miscellany Notes, in the Synopsis upon Luke xi. 44.) [And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah.] This is probably meant of a city that should be afterward built near this valley, and called Hamonah, signifying a multitude, to perpetuate the memory of such a transaction..

Ezekiel 39:17

Speak to every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, &c. It was the custom for persons that offered sacrifice to invite their friends to the feast that was made of the remainder. (See Gen. xxxiv. 54. 1 Sam. ix. 13.) So here the prophet, by God’s command, invites the beasts and fowls to partake of the sacrifice of his enemies slain. Gather yourselves to my sacrifice, that I do sacrifice for you.] The slaughter of God’s enemies is called a sacrifice, because it is offered up as an atonement to the Divine justice. (Compare this verse with Isa. xxxiv. G. Zeph. i. 7. Rev. xix. 17.) Upon the mountains of Israel.] Where this great army was to be destroyed. (Sec ver. 4.).. -

Ezekiel 39:18

My fury shall come up in my face. An expression taken from human passions, which cause the blood to fly up into the face. So Isaiah describes Almighty God as burning with anger, his lips being full of indignation, and his tongue as a consuming fire, xxx. 27. (See the note upon that place.) Of rams, of lambs, of goats, of bullocks.] Of all ranks and kinds, who shall be brought like beasts to the slaughter. (Compare Psal. Ixviii. 31. Isa. xx?dv. 6. Jer. 1. 27. li. 40.) All of them fat lings of Bashan.] See Deut. xxxii. 14.

Ezekiel 39:19

For in the jealousy, and in the fire ofviy ivrath, luive I spoken. See xxxvi. 5. xxxix. 25. Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel.] Great changes and alterations in kingdoms and governments are expressed in Scripture by shaking of heaven and earth, the sea and the dry land, (see Hag. ii. G, 7. 21, 22. Heb. xii. 2G.) and by earthquakes, (Rev. vi. 12. xi. 13. xvi. 8.) And drink blood till ye be drunken^] Or he filled, or satiated; for so the Hebrew ravah usually signifies: (sec Cantic. v. 1. Jer. xxxi. 14. 25. Hag. i. 6.) and the Greek verb MzOvu) is taken in the same sense/ John ii. 10. and so I conceive it should be understood, 1 Cor. xi. 21. where the apostle, reproving the abuse of their love-feasts, saith, One is hungry, and another drinks, or fills himself to the full.

Ezekiel 39:20

So that the fishes of the sea, and the fotvls of heaven, &c. Every part of the creation shall bear its share of this calamity, as if there were a convulsion of the whole frame of nature. (Compare Jer. iv. 24, &c. Hos. iv. 3.) The prophets often describe God’s judgments upon particular countries or persons, as if it were a dissolution of the whole world, because his particular judgments arc an earnest of the general judgment. (See his notes upon Isa. xiii. 10.) And the mountains shall be thrown down, &c] These expressions may probably be meant of walls, towers, and other fortifications, which arc dismantled and demolished in the time of war. (Compare Jer. Ii. 25.) Thus shall ye be filled at my table.] The feast made upon the peace-offerings, or sacrifices of thanksgiving, is properly called the table of the Lord. ■ (See Mai. i. 12.) From whence the expression is applied to the feast of the Lord’s supper, 1 Cor. x, 21.

Ezekiel 39:21

/ will call for a sword against him. I will appoint a sword to destroy him. (Compare xiv. 17.) God’s decrees are expressed by his speaking the word, and giving out his command. So he is said to call for a dearth upon the land of Canaan, Psal. cv. 1G. Throughout all my mountains.] See ver. 8. Every mans sword shall be against his brother.] God often destroys his enemies by intestine quarrels among themselves, and making them executioners of his judgments upon each other. (See 2 Chrot. xx. 23. Judg. vii. 22. 1 Sam. xiv. 20.) And I will set my glory among the heathen, &c] See xxxviii. 16. 23.

Ezekiel 39:22

I will plead against himwith pestilence and with blood. Or, I ivill plead with him, (Seexx.35.) God pleads with men by his judgments, which are a manifest token of the vengeance due to their sins. (See Isa. lxvi. 1G. Jer. xxv. 31.) Pestilence is joined with blood here, as it is v. 17. xiv. 19. xxviii. 23. And will rain upon him and his bands — an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.] God shall as plainly shew himself in the destruction of these his enemies, as when he consumed Sodom and Gomorrah by fire and brimstone from heaven, (Gen. xix. 24.) and discomfited the armies of the Canaanitcs and Philistines by tempests of thunder and hail. (See Josh. x. 10. 1 Sam. vii. 10. “compare Psal. xi. G. Isa. xxix. G. xxx. 30. and see xiii. 11. of this prophecy.) So the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God, &c] Both by my acts of mercy in returning their captivity, (see ver. 28, 29.) and by my judgments executed upon their enemies.

Ezekiel 39:23

Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself &c.J Compare ver. 1G. and see the note upon xxxvi. 23. And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity, &c] They were not carried away by their enemies, because I wanted power to rescue them, but as a just punishment of their sins, (Sec xxxvi. 18—20.)

Ezekiel 39:25

Note will I bring again the captivity of Jacob. See xxxiv. 13. xxxvi. 24. xxxvii. 21. And have mercy upon the whole house of Israel] Sec xx. 40.-