Ezekiel · Chapter 6

V. 2. The mountains-The inhabitants of the mountains, who were secure in their fastnesses.

Verse 2. Set thy face toward the mountains of Israel] This is a new prophecy, and was most probably given after the four hundred and thirty days of his lying on his left and right side were accomplished. By Israel here, Judea is simply meant; not the ten tribes, who had long before been carried into captivity. Ezekiel uses this term in reference to the Jews only. The mountains may be addressed here particularly, because it was on them the chief scenes of idolatry were exhibited.

Verses 2-7. Set thy face toward the mountains of Israel — Turn thy face to that part where Judea is situated. Judea was a hilly country; therefore that whole land is expressed here and elsewhere by the mountains of Israel, Judah being called Israel, because the ten tribes, generally distinguished by that name, had been long since carried captive into Assyria, and Judah possessed a great part of their country. And prophesy against them — Direct thy discourse to them. The prophets sometimes directed their discourse to the inanimate parts of the creation, thereby to upbraid the stupidity of men. Thus saith the Lord to the mountains and to the hills — Every part of the country had been defiled with idolatry. The altars built for idol-worship were commonly placed upon mountains and hills; the shady valleys and river-sides were likewise made use of for the same purpose, particularly for the sacrificing of children to Moloch: see Isaiah 57:5; Jeremiah 7:31. So by this the prophet denounces a general judgment upon the whole country. And your altars shall be desolate — See note on Leviticus 26:30, where Moses denounces against the Israelites the same judgments upon their provocations. I will cast down your slain men before your idols, &c. — So that their sin shall be read in the manner of their punishment; and while the idols are upbraided with their inability to help their worshippers, the idolaters are reproached with the folly of trusting in them. And ye shall know that I am the Lord — “An epiphonema, or conclusion of a severe denunciation often repeated by this prophet, importing that the judgments which God intended to bring on the Jews, would make the most hardened and stupid sinners sensible that this was God’s hand.” — Lowth.

2. Son of man — See note Ezekiel 2:1. Mountains of Israel — Which had become defiled by the idolatrous worship which had its chief centers in “mountains” and “high places” (Deuteronomy 12:2; 2 Kings 17:10, 11; Jeremiah 2:20; 3:6).

V. 3. Rivers-To those who dwell by river sides, or in the valleys. High places-The places of your idolatrous worship.

Verses 2-7. Set thy face toward the mountains of Israel — Turn thy face to that part where Judea is situated. Judea was a hilly country; therefore that whole land is expressed here and elsewhere by the mountains of Israel, Judah being called Israel, because the ten tribes, generally distinguished by that name, had been long since carried captive into Assyria, and Judah possessed a great part of their country. And prophesy against them — Direct thy discourse to them. The prophets sometimes directed their discourse to the inanimate parts of the creation, thereby to upbraid the stupidity of men. Thus saith the Lord to the mountains and to the hills — Every part of the country had been defiled with idolatry. The altars built for idol-worship were commonly placed upon mountains and hills; the shady valleys and river-sides were likewise made use of for the same purpose, particularly for the sacrificing of children to Moloch: see Isaiah 57:5; Jeremiah 7:31. So by this the prophet denounces a general judgment upon the whole country. And your altars shall be desolate — See note on Leviticus 26:30, where Moses denounces against the Israelites the same judgments upon their provocations. I will cast down your slain men before your idols, &c. — So that their sin shall be read in the manner of their punishment; and while the idols are upbraided with their inability to help their worshippers, the idolaters are reproached with the folly of trusting in them. And ye shall know that I am the Lord — “An epiphonema, or conclusion of a severe denunciation often repeated by this prophet, importing that the judgments which God intended to bring on the Jews, would make the most hardened and stupid sinners sensible that this was God’s hand.” — Lowth.

Verse 3, 4. I will destroy your high places, all the necessaries of idolatry. twmb bomoth, Bounoi, thence Bwmoi. Your high altars. In Montfaucon’s Antiquities we have various views of heathen altars, all the devices of men. The druids preferred a tabular rock unhewn, supported by three pillars, usually called cromlechs. They had no idols; but the apostate jews had their idols in some adjacent temple or covering.

3. Ye mountains… hear the word of the Lord — This apostrophe to the “mountains and to the hills, to the gorges, and to the valleys,” is in accordance with the most effective style of speech. The places where these crimes against Jehovah were most commonly practiced (Ezekiel 35:8; 36:4, 6; Isaiah 57:5-7; Jeremiah 2:23) are made to represent the criminals themselves. I will destroy your high places — Altars of sacrifice were always placed on elevations. These “high places” were, no doubt, chiefly idolatrous (see Leviticus 26:30; Numbers 22:41), although it is certain that on some of these altars had been erected to Jehovah (Ezekiel 20:28). But the worship of Jehovah at such sanctuaries was made illegal after the erection of the temple; and it must have been almost as corrupt as the Canaanitish idolatry. When priests or Levites broke away from the prescribed form in Jerusalem they were no longer in good standing in the Jewish Church, and were under great temptation to introduce into their nominal worship of Jehovah novel and superstitious elements. They could hardly expect Jehovah’s favor while disobeying his explicit commands as to the place and manner of worship, and, therefore, the high places originally dedicated to Jehovah seem to have early degenerated into idolatrous sanctuaries (1 Kings 13:33, 34; 14:23, 24; Jeremiah 7:31, etc.).

V. 4. Cast down-Before the altars of your idols, which you fly to for refuge.

Verse 4. Your images shall be broken] Literally, your sun images; representations of the sun, which they worshipped. See the margin.

Verses 2-7. Set thy face toward the mountains of Israel — Turn thy face to that part where Judea is situated. Judea was a hilly country; therefore that whole land is expressed here and elsewhere by the mountains of Israel, Judah being called Israel, because the ten tribes, generally distinguished by that name, had been long since carried captive into Assyria, and Judah possessed a great part of their country. And prophesy against them — Direct thy discourse to them. The prophets sometimes directed their discourse to the inanimate parts of the creation, thereby to upbraid the stupidity of men. Thus saith the Lord to the mountains and to the hills — Every part of the country had been defiled with idolatry. The altars built for idol-worship were commonly placed upon mountains and hills; the shady valleys and river-sides were likewise made use of for the same purpose, particularly for the sacrificing of children to Moloch: see Isaiah 57:5; Jeremiah 7:31. So by this the prophet denounces a general judgment upon the whole country. And your altars shall be desolate — See note on Leviticus 26:30, where Moses denounces against the Israelites the same judgments upon their provocations. I will cast down your slain men before your idols, &c. — So that their sin shall be read in the manner of their punishment; and while the idols are upbraided with their inability to help their worshippers, the idolaters are reproached with the folly of trusting in them. And ye shall know that I am the Lord — “An epiphonema, or conclusion of a severe denunciation often repeated by this prophet, importing that the judgments which God intended to bring on the Jews, would make the most hardened and stupid sinners sensible that this was God’s hand.” — Lowth.

Verse 3, 4. I will destroy your high places, all the necessaries of idolatry. twmb bomoth, Bounoi, thence Bwmoi. Your high altars. In Montfaucon’s Antiquities we have various views of heathen altars, all the devices of men. The druids preferred a tabular rock unhewn, supported by three pillars, usually called cromlechs. They had no idols; but the apostate jews had their idols in some adjacent temple or covering.

4. Images — Sun images, dedicated to Baal (2 Chronicles 34:4). These were usually pillars or obelisks which were set up close to the altar or in front of the temple doors. Idols — Rather, idol blocks or doll images, possibly dung gods. (See also verses 6, 9, 13.) This is a favorite term with Ezekiel, and it is the most contemptuous epithet possible. The prophet had the utmost scorn of idols and satirized them without mercy. (See Isaiah 40:19; 44:9-17.) This word for idols is used in “Ezekiel’s favorite text-books” (Leviticus 26:30; Deuteronomy 29:17).

V. 5. And-Thus the idols were upbraided with their inability to help their worshippers, and the idolaters, with the folly of trusting in them.

Verse 5. Will scatter your bones round about your altars.] This was literally fulfilled by the Chaldeans. According to Baruch, Baruch 2:24, 25, they opened the sepulchres of the principal people, and threw the bones about on every side.

Verses 2-7. Set thy face toward the mountains of Israel — Turn thy face to that part where Judea is situated. Judea was a hilly country; therefore that whole land is expressed here and elsewhere by the mountains of Israel, Judah being called Israel, because the ten tribes, generally distinguished by that name, had been long since carried captive into Assyria, and Judah possessed a great part of their country. And prophesy against them — Direct thy discourse to them. The prophets sometimes directed their discourse to the inanimate parts of the creation, thereby to upbraid the stupidity of men. Thus saith the Lord to the mountains and to the hills — Every part of the country had been defiled with idolatry. The altars built for idol-worship were commonly placed upon mountains and hills; the shady valleys and river-sides were likewise made use of for the same purpose, particularly for the sacrificing of children to Moloch: see Isaiah 57:5; Jeremiah 7:31. So by this the prophet denounces a general judgment upon the whole country. And your altars shall be desolate — See note on Leviticus 26:30, where Moses denounces against the Israelites the same judgments upon their provocations. I will cast down your slain men before your idols, &c. — So that their sin shall be read in the manner of their punishment; and while the idols are upbraided with their inability to help their worshippers, the idolaters are reproached with the folly of trusting in them. And ye shall know that I am the Lord — “An epiphonema, or conclusion of a severe denunciation often repeated by this prophet, importing that the judgments which God intended to bring on the Jews, would make the most hardened and stupid sinners sensible that this was God’s hand.” — Lowth.

Ver. 5. I will scatter your bones round about your altars. It was an ancient custom to bury treasures and trinkets with the dead. This tempted invading armies to desecrate every splendid tomb, as stated in Jeremiah 8:1, 2.

5. They will die in their idolatry, and their high places “will be deserted.” Their wooden dolls will not be able even to protect their own altars from the pollution of dead men’s bones. “Where there had been the sweet savor of incense there should be the sickening odor of the carcasses of the slain.” — Plumptre.

V. 6. Your works-All your costly work for your idols.

Verses 2-7. Set thy face toward the mountains of Israel — Turn thy face to that part where Judea is situated. Judea was a hilly country; therefore that whole land is expressed here and elsewhere by the mountains of Israel, Judah being called Israel, because the ten tribes, generally distinguished by that name, had been long since carried captive into Assyria, and Judah possessed a great part of their country. And prophesy against them — Direct thy discourse to them. The prophets sometimes directed their discourse to the inanimate parts of the creation, thereby to upbraid the stupidity of men. Thus saith the Lord to the mountains and to the hills — Every part of the country had been defiled with idolatry. The altars built for idol-worship were commonly placed upon mountains and hills; the shady valleys and river-sides were likewise made use of for the same purpose, particularly for the sacrificing of children to Moloch: see Isaiah 57:5; Jeremiah 7:31. So by this the prophet denounces a general judgment upon the whole country. And your altars shall be desolate — See note on Leviticus 26:30, where Moses denounces against the Israelites the same judgments upon their provocations. I will cast down your slain men before your idols, &c. — So that their sin shall be read in the manner of their punishment; and while the idols are upbraided with their inability to help their worshippers, the idolaters are reproached with the folly of trusting in them. And ye shall know that I am the Lord — “An epiphonema, or conclusion of a severe denunciation often repeated by this prophet, importing that the judgments which God intended to bring on the Jews, would make the most hardened and stupid sinners sensible that this was God’s hand.” — Lowth.

6. Your works may be abolished — Literally, blotted out. These heathen high places, altars, obelisks, and idols are all described as the works of their own hands (Isaiah 2:8; 44:17; Hosea 8:6). The worship in which they now pride themselves shall be their ruin and shall fall into ruin. The destruction shall be more thorough than in any previous reformation (2 Kings 23:27).

Verses 2-7. Set thy face toward the mountains of Israel — Turn thy face to that part where Judea is situated. Judea was a hilly country; therefore that whole land is expressed here and elsewhere by the mountains of Israel, Judah being called Israel, because the ten tribes, generally distinguished by that name, had been long since carried captive into Assyria, and Judah possessed a great part of their country. And prophesy against them — Direct thy discourse to them. The prophets sometimes directed their discourse to the inanimate parts of the creation, thereby to upbraid the stupidity of men. Thus saith the Lord to the mountains and to the hills — Every part of the country had been defiled with idolatry. The altars built for idol-worship were commonly placed upon mountains and hills; the shady valleys and river-sides were likewise made use of for the same purpose, particularly for the sacrificing of children to Moloch: see Isaiah 57:5; Jeremiah 7:31. So by this the prophet denounces a general judgment upon the whole country. And your altars shall be desolate — See note on Leviticus 26:30, where Moses denounces against the Israelites the same judgments upon their provocations. I will cast down your slain men before your idols, &c. — So that their sin shall be read in the manner of their punishment; and while the idols are upbraided with their inability to help their worshippers, the idolaters are reproached with the folly of trusting in them. And ye shall know that I am the Lord — “An epiphonema, or conclusion of a severe denunciation often repeated by this prophet, importing that the judgments which God intended to bring on the Jews, would make the most hardened and stupid sinners sensible that this was God’s hand.” — Lowth.

7. Ye shall know that I am the Lord — See also verse 13. This is to be the result of these terrible chastisements. Both the heathen and Israel will be forced to acknowledge that the one true God is the God who can protect his own honor, preserve those who are his true worshipers, and punish like a mighty God those who scorn and apostatize. He is not a God who is afar off; he is the very present “I am;” a God who is merciful and gracious, but who will not spare the guilty.

V. 8. Remnant-It is the Lord that preserves a remnant, the enemies rage would destroy all.

Verses 8-10. Yet will I leave a remnant — “A gracious exception that often occurs in the prophets when they denounce general judgments against the Jews; implying that God will still preserve a remnant of that people; to whom he will fulfil the promises made to their fathers.” And they that escape of you shall remember me, &c. — Your afflictions shall bring you to the knowledge of yourselves, and a sense of your duty to me. Because I am broken with their whorish hearts — I am much grieved, and my patience is tired out with this people’s idolatries, called in Scripture spiritual whoredom. God is here introduced as speaking after the manner of men, whose patience is tired out by the repeated provocations of others, especially when they see no hopes of amendment. And with their eyes go a whoring after their idols — The eyes are the seat of lascivious inclinations: see 2 Peter 2:14. So, in pursuit of the same metaphor, the eyes are said to go a whoring after idols, the people being often tempted to idolatrous worship by the costliness of the images, and the fine show they made. And they shall loathe themselves, &c. — With a mixture of grief toward God, of indignation against themselves, and abhorrence of the offence. And they shall know I have not said in vain, &c. — Without cause, as the word µnj is more significantly translated Ezekiel 14:22; the sufferers had given him just cause to pronounce that evil. Or, without effect: their sins were the cause, and their destruction is the effect of their sufferings.

8. Yet will I leave a remnant, that ye may have some — A remnant would be saved from their idolatry, though as by fire, and would preserve the true faith to the end of time (Isaiah 1:9; 10:20; Zephaniah 2:7; 3:13; Jeremiah 43:5). This word only referred to the immediate future, yet it may have a larger application. Although Israel for thousands of years has been a “taunt” and “astonishment” to the whole earth, a people without a country, and exposed to such persecutions as no other nation ever endured, yet a “remnant” has always been preserved. The Assyrians and Phoenicians and all other nations who were neighbors to Israel when this prophecy was written have disappeared, but Jehovah’s people remain unique and separate in every land — a nation still, though “scattered through the countries.”

V. 9. Shall remember-So as to turn unto me. Broken-I am much grieved. Whorish heart-Idolatrous hearts depart from God, as an adulterous wife departs from her husband. Loath-With a mixture of grief towards God, of indignation against themselves, and abhorrence of the offence.

Verse 9. They that escape of you shall remember me] Those that escape the sword, the pestilence, and the famine, and shall be led into captivity, shall plainly see that it is God who has done this, and shall humble themselves on account of their abominations, leave their idolatry, and worship me alone. And this they have done from the Babylonish captivity to the present day.

Verses 8-10. Yet will I leave a remnant — “A gracious exception that often occurs in the prophets when they denounce general judgments against the Jews; implying that God will still preserve a remnant of that people; to whom he will fulfil the promises made to their fathers.” And they that escape of you shall remember me, &c. — Your afflictions shall bring you to the knowledge of yourselves, and a sense of your duty to me. Because I am broken with their whorish hearts — I am much grieved, and my patience is tired out with this people’s idolatries, called in Scripture spiritual whoredom. God is here introduced as speaking after the manner of men, whose patience is tired out by the repeated provocations of others, especially when they see no hopes of amendment. And with their eyes go a whoring after their idols — The eyes are the seat of lascivious inclinations: see 2 Peter 2:14. So, in pursuit of the same metaphor, the eyes are said to go a whoring after idols, the people being often tempted to idolatrous worship by the costliness of the images, and the fine show they made. And they shall loathe themselves, &c. — With a mixture of grief toward God, of indignation against themselves, and abhorrence of the offence. And they shall know I have not said in vain, &c. — Without cause, as the word µnj is more significantly translated Ezekiel 14:22; the sufferers had given him just cause to pronounce that evil. Or, without effect: their sins were the cause, and their destruction is the effect of their sufferings.

9. “And they… shall remember me… when I have broken for myself their whorish heart.” — Havernick and Keil. This seems a better reading than that of the R.V., “I have been broken.” Israel went into Babylonian captivity a nation prone to fall constantly into idolatry. It came out of that fiery furnace a purified people with the whorish heart broken and every polytheistic tendency burned out of it. Up to this point their whole history had been a series of national or tribal apostasies from the true God; from this point onward there is not a single instance of this. From the time of this awful punishment down to the present, the whole nation has heartily sung, in every age: —

Thou art One, the first great cause of all;

Thou art One, and none can penetrate,

Not even the wise in heart, the mystery

Of thy unfathomable unity;

Thou art One, the infinitely great.

— Ibn Gebirol.

Their eyes — “The eyes that hung wantonly on their idols.” — Kautzsch. “Ears and hearts were both involved in the sin (Ezekiel 20:7, 8, 24; Numbers 15:39), and both came under the same chastisement that was to lead them to repentance.” — Plumptre. Loathe themselves — Literally, loathe their own faces. (Compare Ezekiel 20:43; 36:31.)

V. 10. In vain-Either without cause, the sufferers gave him just cause to pronounce that evil; or without effect. Their sins where the cause, and their destruction is the effect of their sufferings.

Verses 8-10. Yet will I leave a remnant — “A gracious exception that often occurs in the prophets when they denounce general judgments against the Jews; implying that God will still preserve a remnant of that people; to whom he will fulfil the promises made to their fathers.” And they that escape of you shall remember me, &c. — Your afflictions shall bring you to the knowledge of yourselves, and a sense of your duty to me. Because I am broken with their whorish hearts — I am much grieved, and my patience is tired out with this people’s idolatries, called in Scripture spiritual whoredom. God is here introduced as speaking after the manner of men, whose patience is tired out by the repeated provocations of others, especially when they see no hopes of amendment. And with their eyes go a whoring after their idols — The eyes are the seat of lascivious inclinations: see 2 Peter 2:14. So, in pursuit of the same metaphor, the eyes are said to go a whoring after idols, the people being often tempted to idolatrous worship by the costliness of the images, and the fine show they made. And they shall loathe themselves, &c. — With a mixture of grief toward God, of indignation against themselves, and abhorrence of the offence. And they shall know I have not said in vain, &c. — Without cause, as the word µnj is more significantly translated Ezekiel 14:22; the sufferers had given him just cause to pronounce that evil. Or, without effect: their sins were the cause, and their destruction is the effect of their sufferings.

10. See verse 7.

V. 11. Smite-To shew thy wonder, indignation, sorrow, and pity, for their sins and sufferings.

Verse 11. Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot] Show the utmost marks of thy astonishment and indignation, and dread of the evils that are coming upon them. Some have contended for the propriety of clapping and stamping in public worship from these words! It is scarcely a breach of charity to think that such persons are themselves incapable either of attending on or conducting the worship of God. To be consistent, they should copy the prophet in his other typical actions as well as these; and then we shall hear of their lying on their left side for three hundred and ninety days, and on their right side for forty days; shaving their heads, burning their hair, baking their bread with dung, &c. Now all these things, because they were typical and commanded, were proper in the prophet: in such persons as the above they would be evidences of insanity. Such extravagant acts are no part of God’s worship.

Verses 11-14. Smite with thy hand, and stamp with thy foot — Join to thy words the gestures which are proper to express grief and concern at the wickedness of thy people, and for their calamities that will ensue. For they shall fall by the sword, &c. — See note on Ezekiel 5:12. He that is far off — And thinks himself out of danger, because he is out of the reach of the enemy; shall die of the pestilence — The arrow that I will shoot at him. And he that is near — Who stays in his own country, or who is near a place of strength, which he hopes will be to him a place of safety, yet shall fall by the sword before he can retreat to it. And he that remaineth — Who is so cautious as not to venture out, but remains in the city; shall die by the famine — The most miserable death of all: thus will I accomplish my fury — I will satisfy my just displeasure, and give them full measure of punishment: I will do all that against them which I had purposed to do. Then shall ye know — See note on verse 10. When their slain men shall be among their idols — As was threatened before, verses 5-7. Upon every high hill, &c. — There, where they had prostrated themselves in honour of their idols, God will lay them dead to their own reproach, and the reproach of their idols: they lived among them, and shall die among them: they had offered sweet odours to their idols, but there shall their dead carcasses send forth an offensive smell, as it were, to atone for that misplaced incense. So will I stretch out my hand — Put forth my almighty power; and make the land desolate — hmmv, a desolation, a Hebraism, for most desolate: that fruitful, pleasant, populous country, which has been as the garden of Eden, the glory of all lands; shall be more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath — Or Diblathaim, as it is called Numbers 33:46; the desert in the borders of Moab, part of that great and terrible wilderness, described Deuteronomy 8:15.

Ver. 11. Stamp with thy foot. A preacher may use proper action at all times, but extravagant action on strong occasions only. Divine truths, conformably to their nature, should call forth the energies both of the body and the mind.

11. Smite with thine hand… and say, Alas — These are even to this day common expressions of emotional excitement among orientals. They denote either energetic signals for immediate action (Ezekiel 21:14), or expressions of anger or grief (Ezekiel 22:13; Numbers 24:10), or gestures of triumphant scorn (Ezekiel 25:3-6). The prophet here is personifying for the moment the nations who are watching the siege of Jerusalem. He had previously pictured the horrors of the siege; he now pictures the insults of enemies. The view of Smend, that this expresses Ezekiel’s personal feeling, entirely misses the point. In this picture-prophecy Ezekiel never speaks or acts from a personal standpoint, but as representing now Jehovah, now Israel, and now the heathen.

V. 12. Far off-Either by flight, or captivity. Shall fall-Who dwell near to Jerusalem, or would retire to it, when the Babylonians approach.

Verses 11-14. Smite with thy hand, and stamp with thy foot — Join to thy words the gestures which are proper to express grief and concern at the wickedness of thy people, and for their calamities that will ensue. For they shall fall by the sword, &c. — See note on Ezekiel 5:12. He that is far off — And thinks himself out of danger, because he is out of the reach of the enemy; shall die of the pestilence — The arrow that I will shoot at him. And he that is near — Who stays in his own country, or who is near a place of strength, which he hopes will be to him a place of safety, yet shall fall by the sword before he can retreat to it. And he that remaineth — Who is so cautious as not to venture out, but remains in the city; shall die by the famine — The most miserable death of all: thus will I accomplish my fury — I will satisfy my just displeasure, and give them full measure of punishment: I will do all that against them which I had purposed to do. Then shall ye know — See note on verse 10. When their slain men shall be among their idols — As was threatened before, verses 5-7. Upon every high hill, &c. — There, where they had prostrated themselves in honour of their idols, God will lay them dead to their own reproach, and the reproach of their idols: they lived among them, and shall die among them: they had offered sweet odours to their idols, but there shall their dead carcasses send forth an offensive smell, as it were, to atone for that misplaced incense. So will I stretch out my hand — Put forth my almighty power; and make the land desolate — hmmv, a desolation, a Hebraism, for most desolate: that fruitful, pleasant, populous country, which has been as the garden of Eden, the glory of all lands; shall be more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath — Or Diblathaim, as it is called Numbers 33:46; the desert in the borders of Moab, part of that great and terrible wilderness, described Deuteronomy 8:15.

12. Kautzsch and R.V. read “preserved” and “saved” instead of besieged.

Verses 11-14. Smite with thy hand, and stamp with thy foot — Join to thy words the gestures which are proper to express grief and concern at the wickedness of thy people, and for their calamities that will ensue. For they shall fall by the sword, &c. — See note on Ezekiel 5:12. He that is far off — And thinks himself out of danger, because he is out of the reach of the enemy; shall die of the pestilence — The arrow that I will shoot at him. And he that is near — Who stays in his own country, or who is near a place of strength, which he hopes will be to him a place of safety, yet shall fall by the sword before he can retreat to it. And he that remaineth — Who is so cautious as not to venture out, but remains in the city; shall die by the famine — The most miserable death of all: thus will I accomplish my fury — I will satisfy my just displeasure, and give them full measure of punishment: I will do all that against them which I had purposed to do. Then shall ye know — See note on verse 10. When their slain men shall be among their idols — As was threatened before, verses 5-7. Upon every high hill, &c. — There, where they had prostrated themselves in honour of their idols, God will lay them dead to their own reproach, and the reproach of their idols: they lived among them, and shall die among them: they had offered sweet odours to their idols, but there shall their dead carcasses send forth an offensive smell, as it were, to atone for that misplaced incense. So will I stretch out my hand — Put forth my almighty power; and make the land desolate — hmmv, a desolation, a Hebraism, for most desolate: that fruitful, pleasant, populous country, which has been as the garden of Eden, the glory of all lands; shall be more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath — Or Diblathaim, as it is called Numbers 33:46; the desert in the borders of Moab, part of that great and terrible wilderness, described Deuteronomy 8:15.

13. Oak — Rather, terebinth. This is an emphatic repetition of all the warnings uttered earlier in the chapter. If their iniquities shall continue — as they will — all these heavy punishments shall fall upon them.

V. 14. Wilderness-The horrid wilderness of Moab. Therein the fiery serpents so much annoyed Israel. Accordingly the land of Canaan is at this day one of the most desolate countries in the world.

Verse 14. And make the land—more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath] Diblath or Diblathayim is situated in the land of Moab. It is mentioned Numbers 33:46, Almon-Diblathaim; and in Jeremiah 48:22, Beth-Diblathaim. It was a part of that horrible wilderness mentioned by Moses, Deuteronomy 8:15, “wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought.” The precise reason why it is mentioned here is not very evident. Some think it is the same as Riblah, where Nebuchadnezzar slew the princes of Israel, and put out Zedekiah’s eyes; the principal difference lying between the d daleth and the r resh, which in MSS. is often scarcely discernible; and hence vast multitudes of various readings. Five, probably six, of Kennicott’s MSS. have htlbr riblathah, as likewise two of my oldest MSS.; though in the margin of one a later hand directs the word to be read tldb bedaleth, with daleth. But all the Versions read the word with a D. This may appear a matter of little importance, but we should take pains to recover even one lost letter of the word of God.

EZEKIEL

Verses 11-14. Smite with thy hand, and stamp with thy foot — Join to thy words the gestures which are proper to express grief and concern at the wickedness of thy people, and for their calamities that will ensue. For they shall fall by the sword, &c. — See note on Ezekiel 5:12. He that is far off — And thinks himself out of danger, because he is out of the reach of the enemy; shall die of the pestilence — The arrow that I will shoot at him. And he that is near — Who stays in his own country, or who is near a place of strength, which he hopes will be to him a place of safety, yet shall fall by the sword before he can retreat to it. And he that remaineth — Who is so cautious as not to venture out, but remains in the city; shall die by the famine — The most miserable death of all: thus will I accomplish my fury — I will satisfy my just displeasure, and give them full measure of punishment: I will do all that against them which I had purposed to do. Then shall ye know — See note on verse 10. When their slain men shall be among their idols — As was threatened before, verses 5-7. Upon every high hill, &c. — There, where they had prostrated themselves in honour of their idols, God will lay them dead to their own reproach, and the reproach of their idols: they lived among them, and shall die among them: they had offered sweet odours to their idols, but there shall their dead carcasses send forth an offensive smell, as it were, to atone for that misplaced incense. So will I stretch out my hand — Put forth my almighty power; and make the land desolate — hmmv, a desolation, a Hebraism, for most desolate: that fruitful, pleasant, populous country, which has been as the garden of Eden, the glory of all lands; shall be more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath — Or Diblathaim, as it is called Numbers 33:46; the desert in the borders of Moab, part of that great and terrible wilderness, described Deuteronomy 8:15.

Ver. 14. And make the land—more desolate than the wilderness towards Diblath, the town adjacent to the terrible desert.

14. This punishment comes from the same Hand that in former times was lifted up against their enemies. The “spoiler of Moab” (Jeremiah 48:18-22) has now become the destroyer of his own chosen people (Ezekiel 33:28). It is seen from the Moabite stone that Diblath and Diblathaim may be used interchangeably. “Yea, desolate from the wilderness unto Riblah,” is a reading favored by some, but without sufficient reason.