The penitent are marked, CHAP. IX. to secure their safety. To indicate, likewise, that God was soon to forsake the temple, the shechinah, or glorious symbol of his presence, is seen to remove from the inner sanctuary to the threshold or door of the temple, 1–7. The prophet intercedes for his people; but God, on account of the greatness of their sins, will not be entreated, 8-11. A. M. 3410. Ol. XLVI. 3. A. M. 3410. B. C. 594. Ol. XLVI. 3. Anno HE cried also in mine ears to the threshold of the house. with a loud voice, saying, And he called to the man clothed Tarquinii Prisci, Cause them that have charge with linen, which had the writer's Tarquinii Prise over the city to draw near, even inkhorn by his side; every man with his destroying weapon in his hand. R. Roman., 23. a b с R. Roman., 23. 4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all a slaughter weapon the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. 2 And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side and they went in, and stood beside the brazen altar. 3 And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, a Jer. xxii. 7.- Heb. which is turned.- Heb. a weapon of his breaking in pieces. Lev. xvi. 4; chap. x. 6, 7; Rev. xv. 6. Heb. upon his loins.- See chap. iii. 23; viii. 4; x. 4, 18; xi. 22, 23.- Heb. mark a mark. NOTES ON CHAP. IX. Vishnoo, who of Siva, who of Bramah, &c. The oriVerse 1. Cause them that have charge over the city]ginal words, in nunm vehithvitha tau, have been transBy those six men with destroying weapons the Chal-lated by the Vulgate, et signa thau, "and mark thou deans are represented, who had received commission tau on the foreheads," &c. St. Jerome and many to destroy the city; and when the north is mentioned others have thought that the letter tau was that which in such cases, Chaldea and the Chaldean armies are was ordered to be placed on the foreheads of those generally intended. There appears to have been six mourners; and Jerome says, that this Hebrew letter men with a sort of slaughter-bills, and one man with tau was formerly written like a cross. So then the an inkhorn. These may represent the seven coun-people were to be signed with the sign of the cross' sellors of the eastern monarchs, who always saw the It is certain that on the ancient Samaritan coins, which king's face, and knew all the secrets of the govern- are yet extant, the letter tau is in the form +, which ment. 'One of them was that minister who had the is what we term St. Andrew's cross. The sense deoffice of reporting concerning criminals, who carried rived from this by many commentators is, that God, the book of death and the book of life into the presence having ordered those penitents to be marked with this of the king, where the names were entered of crimi- figure, which is the sign of the cross, intimated that nals who were destined to suffer, and of those who there is no redemption nor saving of life but by the were either considered as innocent or recommended to cross of Christ, and that this will avail none but the mercy; those of the former in the book of death, those real penitent. All this is true in itself, but it is not of the latter in the book of life. This person with the true in respect to this place. The Hebrew words siginkhorn might be termed, in our phrase, the recorder. nify literally, thou shalt make a mark, or sign a sign, Verse 2. Stood beside the brazen altar.] To signify but give no intimation what that mark or sign was. that the people against whom they had their commis- It was intended here to be what the sprinkling of the sion were, for their crimes, to be sacrificed to the de- blood of the paschal lamb on the lintels and door-posts mands of Divine justice. of the Israelites was, namely, a notice to the destroying. angel what house he should spare. As the whole of this matter only passed in vision, we are bound to neither letter, nor any other kind of figure. The symVerse 4. Set a mark upon the foreheads of the men bolical action teaches us that God, in general judgments, that sigh] This is in allusion to the ancient every-will make a distinction between the innocent and the where-used custom of setting marks on servants and slaves, to distinguish them from others. It was also common for the worshippers of particular idols to have their idol's mark upon their foreheads, arms, &c. These are called sectarian marks to the present day among the Hindoos and others in India. Hence by this mark we can easily know who is a follower of Verse 3. And he called to the man] The person here who called was that who sat on the chariot of the Divine glory. See chap. i. 26. guilty, between the penitent and the hardened sinner. Verse 6. Begin at my sanctuary.] Let those who have sinned against most mercy, and most privileges, be the first victims of justice. Those who know their Lord's will, and do it not, shall be beaten with many stripes. The unfaithful members of Christ's Church will be first visited and most punished. But let not The idolaters are slain, A. M. 3410. Ol. XLVI. 3. R. Roman., 23. EZEKIEL. and little children, and women : and the matter reported. 9 Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel V A. M. 3410. B. C. 594. OL. XLVI. 3. Anno Tarquinii Prisci, whom is the mark; and begin and Judah is exceeding great, Tarquinii Prisci, at my sanctuary. Then they and the land is " full of blood, R. Roman, 23. began at the ancient men which were before and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not. the house. 7 And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city. 8 And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord God! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem ? -P Jer. xxv. 29; 1 Pet. iv. 17.Num. xiv. 5; xvi. 4, 22, 45; 2 Kings xxi. 16; chap. viii. 17. Chap. viii. o Rev. ix. 4. 11, 12, 16.Chap. xi. 13.those who belong to the synagogue of Satan exult in this; for if judgment begin at the house of God, what will the end be of them who obey not the Gospel! However, the truly penitent of all descriptions in such cases shall be safe. The command of God is, "Set a mark on all them that sigh and cry ;" and his command to the destroyers is, "Come not near any man on whom is the mark." Verse 7. Defile the house] A dreadful sentence, Let it be polluted, I will no more dwell in it; I now utterly forsake it. Verse 8. Wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel, in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem ?] These destroyers had slain the seventy elders, the twenty-five adorers of the sun, and the women that mourned for Tammuz; and on seeing this slaughter the prophet fell on his face, and began to make intercession. Verse 9. For they say, The Lord hath forsaken the earth]eth haarets, "this land.” He has no W -2 Chap. "Heb. filled with. Or, wresting of judgment. viii. 12.- Psa. x. 11; Isa. xxix. 15.-y Chap. v. 11; vii. 4; viii. 18. Chap. xi. 21.———————a Heb. returned the word. more place in Israel; he has quite abandoned it; he neither sees nor cares, and he can be no longer the object of worship to any man in Israel. This seems to be the meaning; and God highly resents it, because it was bringing him on a level with idols and provincial deities, who had, according to supposition, regency only in some one place. Verse 10. Mine eye shall not spare] They say, the Lord seeth not: this is false; I have seen all their iniquities, and do see all their abominations; and I will bring deserved judgment upon them, and then that eye which now sees will neither pity nor spare. Verse 11. I have done as thou hast commanded me.] Angels and men must all give account of their conduct to God; for although he is every where, and his eye sees all things, yet they must personally account for all that they have done. I have done as thou hast commanded me. The penitents are all signed; the penitents are all safe. This is good news for them that mourn. CHAPTER X. The same august vision which appeared to the prophet at first, is repeated here; and coals of fire are scattered over the city to intimate that it was to be burned. The symbol of the Divine presence is likewise represented as removing farther and farther from the temple, to signify that God's protection was about to be withdrawn from it, 1-22. It may not be improper to remark, that whatever is particularly intended by the cherubim, wheels, firmament, throne, &c., described in this and the first chapter, the prophet several times informs us, (chap. i. 28; iii. 25; viii. 4; x. 4, 18,) that his vision was a manifestation or similitude of the GLORY of Jehovah; or, in other words, consisted of a set of hieroglyphics by which this glory was in some measure represented. It is also worthy of observation, that the faces of the living creatures, of which we have an account in the fourth chapter of the Apocalypse, are precisely the same with those of Ezekiel's cherubim; and we may readily collect, as Mr. Mede remarks, the quarter of the heavens in which each cherub was situated in reference to the other three, from the consideration that as Ezekiel saw the vision proceeding from the NORTH, (see chap. i. 4, 10,) the human face of the cherubim was towards him, or the south; on his right hand, or the east, was the face of a lion; on his left hand, or the west, the face of an ox; and towards the north, the face of an eagle. 448 The glory of the Lord A. M. 3410. B. C. 594. OL. XLVI. 3. Anno a CHAP. X. THEN I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was Tarquinii Prisci, above the head of the cherubims R. Roman., 23. there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.、 2b And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in my sight. 3 Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court. 4 Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD's glory. 5 And the sound of the cherubims' wings was heard even to the outer court, as the Verse 1. As it were a sapphire stone] See the note on chap. i. 22, 26. The chariot, here mentioned by the prophet, was precisely the same as that which he saw at the river Chebar, as himself tells us, ver. 15, of which see the description in chap. i. Verse 2. Coals of fire] These were to signify the burning of the city by the Chaldeans. It seems that the space between the four wheels, which was all on fire, was that from which those coals were taken. Verse 3. On the right side of the house] The right hand always marked the south among the Hebrews. Verse 4. The glory of the Lord went up] This is repeated from chap. ix. 3. The house was filled with the cloud] This is a fact similar to what occurred frequently at the tabernacle in the wilderness, and in the dedication of the temple by Solomon. What is mentioned here was the Divine shechinah, the symbolical representation of the majesty of God. appears to the prophet. Anno Tarquinii Prisci, R. Roman., 23. 6 And it came to pass, that when he had commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubims; then he went in, and stood beside the wheels. 7 And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubims unto the fire that was between the cherubims, and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen: who took it, and went out. 8 m And there appeared in the cherubims, the form of a man's hand under their wings. 9 And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub : and the appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a beryl stone. 10 And as for their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel. 1 Kings viii. 10, 11; chap. xliii. 5.xxix. 3, &c. Heb. sent forth. n a Chap. i. 15.-9 Chap. i. 16. iChap. i. 24.- Psa. Chap. i. 8; ver. 21. The Vul eben Tarshish, "the stone of Tarshish." gate translates it chrysolith; Symmachus, the jacinct; the Septuagint, the carbuncle. In the parallel place, chap. i. 16, it is www pyɔ keeyn Tarshish, “like the eye of Tarshish;" i. e., the colour of tarshish, or the stone so called, which the Vulgate translates visio maris, "like the sea," i. e., azure. The beryl is a gem of a green colour, passing from one side into blue, on the other side into yellow. The chrysolith is also green, what is called pistachio green; but the chrysolith of the ancients was our topaz, which is of a fine wine yellow. The beryl, or chrysolith, is most likely what is here meant by tarshish. One name among the ancients served for several kinds of gems that were nearly of the same colour. The moderns go more by chemical characters than by colour. Verse 10. A wheel had been in the midst of a wheel.] It is difficult to comprehend this description. It is generally supposed to mean one wheel within another, cutting each other at right angles. This, in my opinion, will not account for the motions attributed to these wheels; nor can I see how, on this supposition, they could have any motion; for if one was moved on its axis, the other must be dragged contrary to its axis. I have conjectured it rather to mean a wheel within a wheel, or a wheel with two rims, working on the same axis. See on chap. i. 16-18. It is however no mat Verse 5. As the voice of the Almighty God] That is, as thunder; for this was called the voice of God. Verse 8. The form of a man's hand under their wings.], I am still of opinion that the hands and wings were not distinct. The arms were feathered like wings, and the hand terminated the arm; but as the long front feathers of the wings would extend much beyond the fingers, hence the hands would appear to be under the||ter of faith; and the reader may judge as he thinks wings. See on chap. i. 8. The human hand might be intended to show that God helps and punishes man by man; and that, in the general operations of his providence, he makes use of human agency. Verse 9. The colour of a beryl stone.] proper. For other matters relative to this chariot, wheels, cherubim, wings, &c., I must refer to the notes on the first chapter. And perhaps from the whole of this vision and its difficulties, he will see the propriety of the council of rabbins ordering Rabbi Ananias three A farther description A. M. 3410. B. C. 594. Ol. XLVI. 3. Anno 11 EZEKIEL. of the Divine chariot. A. M. 3410. B. C. 594. Ol. XLVI. 3 Anno R. Roman., 23. When they went, they 17 When they stood, these went upon their four sides; they stood; and when they were lifted Tarquinii Prisci, turned not as they went, but to up, these lifted up themselves Tarquinii Prisci, R. Roman., 23. the place whither the head looked also: for the spirit of the living they followed it; they turned not as they went. creature was in them. 12 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had. t q 14 And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. 18 Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims. 19 And the cherubims lifted up their wings, b 13 As for the wheels, it was cried unto and mounted up from the earth in my sight: them in my hearing, O wheel. when they went out, the wheels also were beside them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD's house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. 20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims. 21 Every one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings. 15 And the cherubims were lifted up. This is "the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar. - 16 And when the cherubims went, the wheels went by them: and when the cherubims lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also turned not from beside them. P Chap. i. 17.- - Heb. flesh L с e 22 And the likeness of their faces was the same faces which I saw by the river of Chebar, their appearances and themselves: they went every one straight forward. Hos. ix. 12. Chap. i. 18. Or, they Or, of life.- -y Ver. 4.- were called in my hearing, wheel, or, galgal. Chap. i. 5.- v Chap. i. 19. hundred barrels of oil to light his lamp during the time it would be necessary for him to employ in explaining this one vision. Verse 13. As for the wheels, it was cried unto them -O wheel.] Never was there a more unfortunate and unmeaning translation. The word aan haggalgal, may signify, simply, the roller, or a chariot, or roll on, or the swift roller. And he clepidé ilke wheelis volible, or turninge about, Old MS. Bible. Any of these will do: "and as to the wheels," DN laophannim, "they were called in my hearing" aan haggalgal, "the chariot." The gentleman who took for his text "O wheel!" and made God's decree of eternal predestination out of it, must have borrowed some of Rabbi Ananias's three hundred barrels of oil! But such working of God's word cannot be too severely reprehended. As these wheels are supposed to represent Divine Providence, bringing about the designs of the Most High, how like is the above han haggalgal, taken as a verb, "roll on," to those words of Virgil in his Pollio Talia sæcla, suis dixerunt, currite, fusis, Concordes stabili fatorum numine Parcæ. "The Fates, when they this happy web have spun, ́ Shall bless the sacred clue, and bid it swiftly run.” Verse 14. The first-was the face of a cherub] In chap. i. 10, this is called the "face of an ox;" here, the "face of a cherub :" hence, a cherub was in the likeness of an ox, at least, as to its head. 217 kerub 450 never occurs as a verb; and its meaning cannot be precisely ascertained. Parkhurst thinks the caph to be here the note of similitude; and then translates ke, "like," rab or 1 rob, "the mighty one;" and, in consequence, makes the cherubim an emblem of the Holy Trinity. See his lengthy Dissertation under in his Hebrew and English Lexicon. Verse 20. And I knew that they were the cherubims.] This formation of the plural is quite improper. In general, Hebrew nouns of the masculine gender end in Dim, in the plural; the s, therefore, should never be added to such. Cherub is singular; cherubim is plural. The s should be uniformly expunged. I have already referred to the end of this chapter for farther information relative to this glorious chariot of Jehovah; but I must say that I have met with nothing on the subject that entirely satisfies myself. In the preceding notes I have endeavoured to make the literal meaning as plain as possible; and have occasionally given some intimations relative to the general design of this sublime vision. My readers are already apprised that I do not like conjectures on Divine things; many points, that had originally no other origin, are now incorporated with creeds of which it is deemed sinful to doubt. Because some learned and pious men have written to prove that this symbolical compound figure is a representation of the Holy Trinity; therefore, the sentiment now passes current. Now this is not proved; and I suppose never can be proved. The continuator of the Historical Discourses of Saurin has made some sensible remarks on the subject of this ( 29* ) A general exposition of CHAP. X. the Divine chariot. vision; and these I shall lay here before the intelligent | granted, we shall have no difficulty to perceive the reader. They deserve attention. THIS intelligent writer observes: "For the right interpretation of this vision, the following rules should be laid down : sense of this celebrated vision. We shall not follow the order observed by Ezekiel, in the description of what he saw; he raises himself from the nearest to the most distant objects, going back from effects to their general cause. We will begin with the First Cause which gives motion to all that happens, traces out the plan, and procures the execution, according to the rules of his ineffable wisdom, and agreeably to the nature of those creatures which are the object of his agency. Next, we will proceed to consider the effects of this universal Providence, and the intelligent, secondary causes which he frequently employs in the administration of the government of the universe. "The first rule is this :-An explanation, which accounts for all the parts contained in the vision, is much more probable than those which explain only one part. "The second is this:-An explanation which is conformable to the present circumstances of the prophet, and of the people to whom he is sent, as well as to the nature of the things which he is called upon to say to them, is incomparably more probable than those explanations which go in quest of past or future events, "Ezekiel saw a firmament which was above the which have no connexion with the immediate circum- heads of the animals; there was the resemblance of a stances of the prophet, nor with the end of his mission. throne like a sapphire stone; and over the resemblance These rules, which appear incontestable, being laid of the throne, there was, as it were, the resemblance down, we observe, that their opinion who think that of a man.' This vast transparent firmament represents God here draws out a plan of the government of his to us the heaven, the peculiar residence of the Lord providence, applied to the present state of the Jews, of the earth; and where he hath established the throne accounts for all that Ezekiel saw; and that in a man- of his empire. This appearance of a man' was the ner which refers to the end of the prophet's mission, emblem of Providence or God; considered as taking and all that he had to say to this rebellious people. care of all the creatures whom he hath made. Man Why wish God to represent to his prophet the future is the symbol of intelligence. The mind of man, with state of the Christian Church,, which was not to be respect to his knowledge and wisdom, is a weak sketch founded till after a series of time, rather than the state of that mind which knows all things, and whose wisof the Jewish Church, and the chastisements which dom is unbounded. And yet, of all sublunary beings, hung over the heads of that hardened people? The there is none that approaches so near to the Divine people having revolted from God, and persevering ob- nature as man. Under this emblem also it is that God, stinately in that revolt, notwithstanding the menaces considered as seeing all things, and directing all, would of the prophet, it was proper to show to Ezekiel, in be represented. This resemblance of man was seated order that he might declare it to the rebellious, that upon a throne, to show that God governs all things as Providence had its eyes open to all that had been done, Lord, and that without agitation and without labour. all that had hitherto happened, and that it had seized upon the rod to smite. The people imagined, but too much according to the errors of infidelity, that God saw every thing with indifference and had given the world up to chance. It was necessary, therefore, to divest them of these fatal prejudices; and to teach them that the Supreme Being did not behold with the same eye order and disorder, contempt of his laws and submission to his will; and that all the revolutions of states are directed by a superior intelligence, which cannot be imposed upon. The Jewish people imagined but too much that the prophets exaggerated when they threatened them with the severest chastisements. They repeated with emphasis and complacency the promises of God made to the patriarchs; that their posterity should not only be more numerous than the stars of heaven, and the sand which covers the sea-shore; but that it should subsist for ever and ever. God had declared to Abraham, 'I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and thy seed after thee,' Gen. xvii. 7. It was proper, therefore, to show this stiff-necked people that the threatenings of God and his promises were not contradictory. That the people, conformable to the promises given by God to the patriarchs, should not be destroyed; but that, notwithstanding, they should be severely chastised, to correct them for their propensity to idolatry, and their scandalous irregularities. "These suppositions, which are reasonable, being "The shining metal, and the fire which surrounded him who sat on the throne, were the symbol of his glory and his judgments, which are poured upon the wicked as a fire which nothing can withstand; agreeably to Isaiah, chap. xxxiii. 14. "The Jews acknowledged that there was a Providence which governs the whole universe with infinite wisdom. The psalmist gives us a description of it, equally just and pathetic, in Psa. civ. 27, &c. Christians, no less than Jews, admit this important truth; and the Gospel establishes it no less strongly than the law. See Matt. vi. 26; x. 29, 30. To raise the mind of the prophet up to the first Mover of those events which strike and admonish us in all the revolutions which happen to individuals, families; and states, God shows him four wheels above the firmament, over which the emblem of Providence was placed on a throne. These wheels are a symbol of those perpetual revolutions, which are observed in the earth; and which, by turns, lift up and abase individuals and nations. They are of a prodigious height, to show that man cannot fathom or know all that is great, wonderful, and astonishing, in the ways of Providence. See Job xi. 7, 8; Rom. xi. 33, 34; Isa. lv. 8, 9. These wheels move themselves every way, and are full of eyes in the vast circle of their felloes. This shows, that all which God does he effects without pain; and that the eye of his wisdom ordereth all events. The wheels did not move of themselves; but they followed the impulse of the four living creatures; "when the living |