"no pleasure in the death of him that "dieth, saith the Lord GoD: wherefore "turn yourselves, and live ye."

CHAP. XX. (p) AND it came to pass in the seventh year (7), in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the LORD, and sat before me (r). 2. Then came the word of the LORD unto me, saying, 3." Son "of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, "and say unto them, "Thus saith the "Lord GOD, Are you come to enquire "of me? as I live, saith the Lord God, "I will not be enquired of by you. "4. Wilt thou judge (s) them, son of "man, wilt thou judge them?

cause

"them to know the abominations of "their fathers: 5. And say unto them, "Thus saith the Lord GOD, In the "day when I chose Israel, and lifted

Egypt, when I lifted up mine hand "unto them, saying, "I am the LORD

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your God;" 6. In the day that I lifted

up (t) mine hand unto them to bring "them forth of the land of Egypt, into "a land that I had espied for them, "flowing with milk and honey, which "is the glory of all lands: 7. Then "said I unto them, "Cast ye away every

(p) God refuses to be enquired of by the Jews, refers to many instances of their idolatries and his forbearance, threatens a strict visitation, and promises their ultimate acceptance.

(q) v. 1."Seventh year," i. e. " of Zede"kiah's reign," about fourteen years from the commencement of the Babylonish captivity. B. C. 592.

"Me," i. e. "Ezekiel," who was (r) then a captive in Babylon.

The

(s) v. 4. " Judge," or "plead for. Dr. "Hamm. on Rom. iii. 4."- —or read "judge "them, son of man, judge them." same expression occurs, Ezek. xxii. 2. and xxiii. 36. The verb is in the imperative mood: and it is the same verb as in verses 35. and 36. is rendered " plead "with," and in 1 Sam. c. 12. v. 7. "that "I may reason with."

(t) v. 5, 6. 15, &c. "Lifted up my "hand," i. e. "sware." See Gen. xiv. 22. -Exod. vi. 8.-Deut. xxxii. 40.-Rev. x.

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upon them, to accomplish my anger "against them in the midst of the land "of Egypt." 9. But I wrought for my "name's sake, that it should not be "polluted (x) before the heathen, among "whom they were, in whose sight I "made myself known unto them, in "bringing them forth out of the land "of Egypt. 10. Wherefore I caused "them to go forth out of the land of "Egypt, and brought them into the "wilderness. 11. And I gave them

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my statutes, and shewed them my "judgments, which if a man do, he "shall even live in them (y). "12. Moreover also, I gave them my "sabbaths, to be a sign between me "and them, that they might know that "I am the LORD that sanctify them. "13. But the house of Israel rebelled

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against me in the wilderness: they "walked not in my statutes, and they "despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them (y);

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5, 6. It was part of the Jewish form of swearing to lift up the hand to heaven.

(u) v. 7, 8. "The abominations of his "eyes," i. e. " images," visible objects of worship. (x) v. 9. "Polluted," i. e. "lightly spoken of." The argument Moses used with God, Numb. xiv. 15, 16. was this, "If thou shalt kill all this people as one 66 man, then the nations which have heard "the fame of thee, will speak, saying, "Because the Lord was not able to bring "this people into the land which he sware "unto them, therefore he hath slain them "in the wilderness." And see Exod. xxxii. 12.-Deut. ix. 28.-and Ezek. xxxvi. 21,22.

(y) v. 11. 13. "Live in them," i. e. "obtain life thereby." The same expression, and the same language in the original as Levit. xviii. 5. "ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments: "which if a man do, he shall live in them: "I am the Lord."

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"they offered there their sacrifices, and "there they presented the provocation "of their offering: there also they "made their sweet savour, and pour"ed out there their drink offerings. "29. Then I said unto them, What (i) "is the high place (i) whereunto ye

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go? and () the name thereof is called "Bamah unto this day. 30. Where"fore say unto the house of Israel, "Thus saith the Lord GOD, "Are ye

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polluted after the manner of your "fathers? and commit (1) ye whoredom "after their abominations? 31. For "when ye offer your gifts (e), when ye "make your sons to pass through the "fire, ye pollute yourselves with all 66 your idols even unto this day: and "shall I be enquired of by you, O house "of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord "GOD, I will not be enquired of by 66 you. 32. And that which cometh "into your mind, shall not be at all (m), "that ye say, "We will be as the "heathen, as the families of the coun"tries, to serve wood and stone." "33. As I live, saith the Lord GOD,

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surely with a mighty hand and with

a stretched out arm, and with fury 66 poured out will I rule (n) over you. "34. And I will bring you out from "the people, and will gather you out "of the countries wherein ye are scat"tered, with a mighty hand, and with

(i) v. 29. "What," i. e. (probably) "of what value, benefit, or authority?" "how established or sanctioned ?" or "whose," "pointing it out as an abomina"tion, taking pains to explain the sin of " it."

country where they sojourn, and they "shall not enter into the land of Israel, "and ye shall know that I am the LORD. "39. As for you, O house of Israel, "thus saith the Lord GoD, "Go ye (p)

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serve ye every one his idols, and "hereafter (q) also if ye will not "hearken unto me: but pollute ye my "holy name no more with your gifts, and "with your idols. 40. For in my (r) "holy mountain, in the mountain of "the height of Israel, saith the Lord "GOD, there shall all (s) the house of "Israel, all of them in the land, serve "me: there will I accept them, and "there will I require your offerings, "and the first fruits of your oblations, "with all your holy things. 41. I will accept you with your sweet savour,

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(o) v. 38. "The rebels," "those who "wish to cast me off, and to be as the "heathen, according to verse 32."

(p) v. 39. "Go ye, &c." (sarcastically,) "persist in your abominations, carry them "to the utmost: only disavow me alto"gether, offer me no worship: worship "them alone."

(q)" Hereafter also," or "them "only."

(r) v. 40. "In my holy mountain," not as in v. 28. "in every high hill," but in that place alone, which, according to Deut. xii. 5. 11. 18., the Lord hath chosen to put his name there.

(s) "All the house of Israel," i. e. (probably)" all I shall suffer to remain: "all I shall not have cut off."

YY 3

"when I bring you out from the people, "and gather you out of the countries "wherein ye have been scattered; and "I will be sanctified (t) in you before "the heathen. 42. And ye shall know "that I am the LORD, when I shall "bring you into the land of Israel, into "the country for the which I lifted up "mine hand to give it to your fathers. "43. And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye "have been defiled, and ye shall loathe "yourselves in your own sight, for all 66 your evils that ye have committed. "44. And ye shall know that I am the "LORD, when I have wrought (u) with

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you for my name's sake, not according "to your wicked ways, nor according "to your corrupt doings, O ye house "of Israel, saith the Lord GOD." "45. Moreover, the word of the LORD "came unto me, saying, 46. "Son of man, set thy face toward the south (x),

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"and prophesy against the forest of the " "south field (x); 47. And say to the "forest of the south, "Hear the word of "the LORD, thus saith the Lord GOD, ""Behold, I will kindle a fire (y) in thee, "and it shall devour every green tree "in thee, and every dry tree (z): the "flaming flame shall not be quenched, "and all faces from the south (a) to "the north shall be burnt therein. "48. And all flesh shall see that I the "LORD have kindled it: it shall not

"be quenched." 49. Then said I, ""Ah Lord GOD, they say of me, ""Doth he not speak parables (b)?”

CHAP. XXIV. (c)

AGAIN in the ninth year (d), in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2. "Son of man, "write thee the name of the day, even "of this same day: the king of Babylon

(x) v.46. "The south," and "the "forest of the south field,” i. e. “Judea and "the people of Jerusalem," which lay "south of Chaldea, where Ezekiel was."

(y) v. 47. "A fire, &c." In little more than two years Nebuchadnezzar and all his host besieged Jerusalem. The siege continued about a year and a half, and at the end of that time there was such a famine in Jerusalem, that all the men of war fled from it by night; the king was taken, his eyes put out, and his sons slain : the house of the Lord, and the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man's house was burnt with fire; the wall of Jerusalem was broken down; the young men were slain with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and no compassion was shewn to young man or maiden, or to him that stooped for age. 2 Kings xxv. 1 to 4. 8. 9.-2 Chron. xxxvi. 17. 19.-Jer. xxxix. 1 to 4. 8.Jer. lii. 4 to 6. 12, 13. For other distinct predictions of this judgment, see Jer. xxi. 3 to 14.-Jer. xxiv. 8 to 10.-Jer. xxv. 9. Jer. xxix. 16 to 19. and see ante, 688, Ezek. xiv. 21. and Ezek. xxi.

(z)" Every green tree, and every dry "tree," i. e. " young and old, rich and "poor, all ranks and ages."

(a) "From the south, &c." "the de"struction shall be general: from one "end of the land to the other."

(b) v. 49. "Parables," i. e. " what they "do not understand:" and accordingly in the next chapter God proceeds to tell more distinctly the judgment he was bringing upon Judea and Jerusalem.

(c) A prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem in Zedekiah's time. The prophecy was about eighteen months before the destruction. B. C. 590.

(d) v.1. “9th year," i. e. of Zedekiah's reign.

(e) v. 2. "Against Jerusalem this same "day;" the same day is stated as the commencement of the siege by Jeremiah, who was in Jerusalem at the time, Jer.lii. 4. and in 2 Kings xxv. 1. "It came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in "the tenth month, in the tenth day of the "month, that Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came, he and all his army, "against Jerusalem, and pitched against "it," and see Jer. xxxix. 1. Ezekiel was then in the land of Babylon,' and could not know the day therefore but by divine communication.

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same day. 3. And utter a parable unto the rebellious house (g), and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord "GOD, "Set on a pot (h), set it on, and "also pour water into it. 4. Gather "the pieces thereof into it, even every good piece, the thigh and the "shoulder, fill it with the choice bones. "5. Take the choice of the flock, and "burn also the bones under it, and "make it boil well, and let them seethe "the bones of it therein. 6. Wherefore "thus saith the Lord GOD, "Woe to "the bloody city (i), to the pot whose "scum (k) is therein, and whose "scum is not gone out of it; bring it "out piece by piece (1), let no lot fall

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upon it (m). 7. For her blood (n) is "in the midst of her, she set it upon "the top of a rock (0), she poured it "not (p) upon the ground to cover it "with dust: 8. That it might cause "fury to come up to take vengeance: "I have set (q) her blood the upon top "of a rock, that it should not be "covered. 9. Therefore thus saith the "Lord GOD, "Woe to the bloody

(g) v. 3. "The rebellious house," i. e. "the Jews."

(h) "A pot," the pot typified Jerusalem, the pieces and bones the inhabitants thereof, the good pieces and the choice of the flock the chief men and rulers.

(i) v. 6. "The bloody city," i. e. "Je"rusalem."

(k)"Whose scum is therein," i. e. "which is full of impurity."

(4) "Piece by piece," so as to include every one.

(m) "Let no lot fall upon it," that none may escape: It was usual to cast lots, when there were many captives, to decide which of them should be spared; this therefore was an intimation of more than common vengeance. In the instance here prophetically referred to, "the king of "Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah. "Jer. xxxix. 6."

(n) v. 7. "Her blood," i. e. "her sins." (9)" She set it up upon a rock," i. e. "daringly and presumptuously;" "she "took no pains to conceal her sins or "cruelties."

(p) "Poured it not, &c." alluding to the Levitical injunction as to beasts and fowls that might be eaten; they were to

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"city, I will even make the pile for "fire (r) great. 10. Heap on wood, "kindle the fire, consume the flesh, " and spice it well, and let the bones be "burned. 11. Then set it (s) empty upon "the coals thereof, that the brass of it may be hot and may burn, and that the "filthiness of it may be molten in it, "that the scum of it may be consumed. "12. She hath wearied herself with "lies (t), and her great scum went not "forth (u) out of her: her scum shall "be in the fire (v). 13. In thy filth"iness (x) is lewdness (y): because I "have purged (2) thee and thou wast "not purged, thou shalt not be purged "from thy filthiness any more, till I "have caused my fury to rest (a) upon "thee. 14. I the LORD have spoken "it: it shall come to pass, and I will "do it: I will not go back, neither "will I spare, neither will I repent; "according (b) to thy ways, and ac

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cording to thy doings, shall they "judge thee (c), saith the Lord God." "15. Also the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 16. "Son of man,

pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust. Levit. vii. 13.

(g) v. 8. "I have set, &c." so that her sins shall not be unnoticed or unpunished. (r) v. 9. "For fire," "to consume the "city."

(s) v. 11. "It," i. e. "the pot" mentioned in v. 3.-Jerusalem.

(t) v. 12. "Lies," i. e. "idols."

(u) "Went not forth," i. e. "ceased "not; she did not refrain from the great"est sins."

(v)" Her scum shall be in the fire," i. e. "her iniquities shall be visited with "destruction."

(x) v. 13. Filthiness," i. e. (perhaps) "idol worship."

(y) "Lewdness," i. e. (perhaps) " other "wickedness."

(z) "Purged," i. e. "endeavoured to "purge."

(a)" Rest, &c." "not only to fall upon "thee, but to continue."

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(b) v. 14. " According to, &c." no longer sparing thee, as in former times, for my name's sake. See Ezek. xx. 9. 14.

22. 44. ante, 691, 692. 694. (c)" Shall they judge thee," i. e. "shalt "thou be judged," "will I judge, Sept."