creatures went, they went.' This shows that, in the government of the world, all the living creatures are subject to Providence; and that God subordinates the creatures one to another. He directs what those holy intelligences ought to do, who serve him as ministers, and are here represented by the four animals. And these intelligences, enlightened and supported by the Supreme Wisdom, contribute, as far as is suitable, to all that happens to mankind. The angels whom Ezekiel saw were in number four, in reference to the four cardinal points of the world; to show that their ministry extends every where, and that there is no part of the universe which the Providence of God does not govern in an immediate manner, or by the means of his ministers. The extraordinary shape of these angels, which appeared to the prophet in vision, is symbolical; for it is not to be supposed that those heavenly ministers are really thus formed. The four faces, wings, and arms of a man,' denote the sublime qualities of these immediate ministers of the Deity; qualities entirely essential to fill up the extent of their duty. The face of a man denotes their intelligence; of a lion, their intrepid courage; of an or, their patience and perseverance in labour; and of an eagle, their great penetration, their sublime sight into heavenly things, and their readiness to rise up into all that is great and Divine. The wings being stretched out,' signifies that they are always ready to set forward, and run with rapidity wherever the commands of their great Master call them. The wings bent down,' are a symbol of that profound respect in which these heavenly ministers stand before the Lord of the universe. Under the wings there were men's arms, to show that zeal produces application and labour. Labour, without zeal, can never be supported; and zeal, without application, is only a hypocritical ardour, which amounts to nothing with that supreme Master who requires sincere homage from those who serve him. If God chose to make known to Ezekiel that his providence extends to all things, and that even in this life it often takes up the rod to chastise nations and individuals, he would also show beforehand that he wished not the destruction of 6 the elders of Israel. the Jewish people, whom he was about to visit in his anger, but only its correction and amendment. This is signified by the precious metal,' which the prophet found unmelted in the midst of the fiery cloud. This cloud of fire, urged on by a whirlwind, and involving on all sides the metal, represented the judgments of God which were about to fall upon this rebellious nation, not to destroy, but to humble and purify it. Nothing is more proper than afflictions to bring men back to their duty. As fire purifies metals, so the paternal chastisements of God have a tendency to purify the soul and heart, if the man be not entirely incorrigible. The people upon whom God was about to pour the vials of his anger, were not worthy of his lenity. But that great God, who is firm in his promises, remembers the covenant of peace he had made with the patriarchs. This covenant is made sensible to the prophet under the image of a rainbow, which was round about him who appeared upon the throne. Every one knows, that this splendid phenomenon, which seems to join heaven and earth together, was given to Noah and his posterity as a symbol of the covenant which God then made with mankind, and by which he declared to them that the earth should undergo a deluge no more. Thus, the Pagans considered the Iris as the messenger of the gods. See Virgil, Æn. lib. iv. ver. 694. But whereas the rainbow to the Jews was a symbol of peace, the Iris of the Pagans was a messenger of trouble. On the sight of this bow, the symbol of grace, Ezekiel was to be encouraged; and persuaded that his people were not threatened with an utter destruction. The event fully justified all that the prophet had contemplated, with surprise, in this enigmatical picture. The Chaldeans, the rod of the Lord's just severity, ravaged Judea; the people were carried away captive; they groaned for seventy years in a foreign land; but they were protected in a miraculous manner against the bloody designs of the cruel Haman; and at length, favoured with various decrees of the kings of Persia, they had permission, not only to return to their own country, but also to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple." See Dr. Dodd's notes on this place. CHAPTER XI. This chapter denounces the judgments of God against those wicked persons who remained in Jerusalem, and made a mock of the types and predictions of the prophets, 1-13; compare ver. 3 with Jer. i. 13. God promises to favour those who were gone into captivity, and intimates their restoration from the Babylonish yoke, 14-21. Then the shechinah, or symbol of the Divine Presence, is represented forsaking the city, as in the foregoing chapter it did the temple, 22, 23; and the prophet returns in vision to the place from which he set out, (chap. viii. 1, &c.,) in order to communicate his instructions to his brethren of the captivity, 24, 25. A. M. 3410. B. C. 594. OL XLVI. 3. Anno Tarquinii Prisci, R. Roman., 23. a MOREOVER the spirit lifted | house, which looketh eastward: b A. M. 3410. B. C. 594. Ol. XLVI. 3. Anno me up, and brought me unto and behold at the door of the the east gate of the LORD's gate five and twenty men; among Tarquinii Prisci, Chap. iii. 12, 14; viji. 3; ver. 24. NOTES ON CHAP. XI. Verse 1. At the door of the gate five and twenty men] The same persons, no doubt, who appear, chap. viii. 16, worshipping the sun. R. Roman., 23. 2 Then said he unto me, Son of man, these are the men that devise mischief, and give wicked counsel in this city: 3 Which d say, It is not near; let us build Israelitish elders: you in the border of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.. A. M. 3410. Anno Tarquinii Prisci, R. Roman., 23. 11 This city shall not be your caldron, neither shall ye be the flesh in the midst thereof; but I will judge you in the border of Israel: r 12 And ye shall know that I am the LORD: houses this city is the caldron, and we be for ye have not walked in my statutes, neithe flesh. ther executed my judgments, but have done 4 Therefore prophesy against them, pro- after the manners of the heathen that are phesy, O son of man. round about you. 5 And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the LORD; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them. 6 h Ye have multiplied your slain in this city, and ye have filled the streets thereof with the slain. 7 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Your slain whom ye have laid in the midst of it, they are the flesh, and this city is the caldron: but I will bring you forth out of the midst of it. 8 Ye have feared the sword, and I will bring a sword upon you, saith the Lord GOD. 9. And I will bring you out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among 13 And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then " fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah, Lord God! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel? 14 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 15 Son of man, thy brethren, even thy brethren, the men of thy kindred, and all the house of Israel wholly, are they unto whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Get you far from the LORD; unto us is this land given in possession. 16 Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come. 17 Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord two of this name, and both chiefs among the gers] This seems to refer chiefly to Zedekiah and people. Verse 3. It is not near] That is, the threatened invasion. This city is the caldron, and we be the flesh.] See the vision of the seething pot, Jer. i. 13. These infidels seem to say: "We will run all risks, we will abide in the city. Though it be the caldron, and we the flesh, yet we will share its fate: if it perish, we will perish with it." Or they may allude to the above prediction of Jeremiah, in order to ridicule it: "We were to have been boiled long ago: but the fulfilment of that prediction is not near yet." Verse 7. Your slain-they are the flesh] Jerusalem is the caldron, and those who have been slain in it, they are the flesh; and though ye purpose to stay and share its fate, ye shall not be permitted to do so; ye shall be carried into captivity. Verse 9. And deliver you into the hands of stran his family. Verse 11. I will judge you in the border of Israel.] Though Riblah was in Syria, yet it was on the very frontiers of Israel; and it was here that Zedekiah's sons were slain, and his own eyes put out. Verse 13. Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died.] Most probably he was struck dead the very hour in which Ezekiel prophesied against him. His death appears to have resembled that of Ananias and Sapphira, Acts v. 1, &c. Verse 15. Get you far from the Lord] These are the words of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, against those of Israel who had been carried away to. Babylon with Jeconiah. Go ye far from the Lord: but as for us, the land of Israel is given to us for a possession; we shall never be removed from it, and they shall never return to it. Verse 16. Yet will I be to them as a little sanc 19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh : 20That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. prophet is brought to Chaldea. A. M. 3410. B. C. 594. Ol. XLVI. 3. Anno after the heart of their detestable 22 Then did the cherubims lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. 23 And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city. i 24 Afterwards the spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me. 25 Then I spake unto them of the captivity 21 But as for them whose heart walketh all the things that the LORD had showed me. Jer. xxiv. 5; chap. xxviii. 25; xxxiv. 13; xxxvi. 24. * Chap. xxxvii. 23. Jer. xxxii. 39; chap. xxxvi. 26, 27; see Zeph, iii. 9.- -z Psa. li. 10; Jer. xxxi. 33; xxxii. 39; chap. xviii. 31. A Zech. vii. 12. tuary] Though thus exiled from their own land, yet not forgotten by their God. While in their captivity, I will dispense many blessings to them; and I will restore them to their own land, ver. 17, from which they shall put away all idolatry, ver. 18. Verse 19. And I will give them one heart] A whole system of renewed affections. And I will put a new spirit within you] To direct and influence these new affections. And I will take the stony heart out of their flesh] That which would not receive the impressions of my Spirit. And will give them a heart of flesh] One that is capable of receiving and retaining these impressions. Verse 20. That they may walk in my statutes] The holiness of their lives shall prove the work of God upon their hearts. Then it shall appear that I am their God, because I have done such things in them and for them; and their holy conduct shall show that they are my people. See on chap. xxxvi. 25, &c. Jer. xxiv. 7; chap. xiv. 11; xxxvi. 28; eChap. i. 19; x. 19. See Zech. xiv. 4. b Psa. cv. 45.xxxvii. 27.Chap. vin. 4; h Chap. xliii. 2. Them whose affections are attached to idolatry, they shall have such reward as their idols can give them, and such a recompense as Divine justice shall award them. Verse 23. The glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city] This vision is no mean proof of the long-suffering of God. He did not abandon this people all at once; he departed by little and little. FIRST, he left the temple. SECONDLY, he stopped a little at the gate of the city. THIRDLY, he departed entirely from the city and went to the Mount of Olives, which lay on the east side of the city. Having tarried there for some time to see if they would repent and turn to him,-FOURTHLY, he departed to heaven. The vision being now concluded, the prophet is taken away by the Spirit of God into. Chaldea, and there announces to the captive Israelites what God had showed him in the preceding visions, and the good that he had spoken concerning them; who at first did not seem to profit much by them, which the prophet Verse 21. But as for them whose heart walketh] | severely reproves. CHAPTER XII. The prophet proceeds, by a variety of types and parables, to convince those of the captivity that their brethren who were left behind to sustain the miseries of a siege and the insults of a conqueror, would be in a much worse condition than they who were already settled in a foreign land. In the beginning of this chapter he foretells the approaching captivity of Judah by action instead of words, 1–7. He predicts particularly the flight, capture, captivity, and sufferings of Zedekiah and his followers, 8-16, compared with Jer. lii. 11. He is to eat his food with trembling and signs of terror, as an emblem of the consternation of the Jews when surrounded by their enemies, 17-20; and then he answers the objections and bywords of scoffers and infidels, who either disbelieved his threatenings, or supposed the accomplishment of them very distant, 21-28. Josephus (Antiq. xi. 10) tells us that Zedekiah thought the prophecy of Ezekiel in the thirteenth verse inconsistent with that of Jeremiah, (chap. xxxiv. 3,) and resolved to believe neither. however, were literally fulfilled; and the event convinced him that they were not irreconcilable. blinded by infidelity, sinners rush on to that destruction against which they are sufficiently warned, Both, Thus, The prophet points out M. B. C. 344. Ol. XLVI. 3. CHAP. XII. THE word of the LORD also came unto me, saying, Anno Tarquinii Prisci, 2 Son of man, thou dwellest in R. Roman., 23. the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house. 3 Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee d stuff for removing, and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight: it may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious house. : 4 Then shalt thou bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing and thou shalt go forth at even in their sight, as they that go forth into captivity. the approaching captivity. 12 And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth; they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby he shall cover his 5 Dig thou through the wall in their sight, face, that he see not the ground with his eyes. and carry out thereby. 6 In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulders, and carry it forth in the twilight: thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel. · 7 And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for captivity, and in the even I h digged through the wall with mine hand; I brought it forth in the twilight, and I bare it upon my shoulder in their sight. Chap. ii. 3, 6, 7, 8; iii. 26, 27. Isa. vi. 9; xlii. 20; Jer. v. 21; Matt. xiii. 13, 14.- -c Chap. ií. 5.- d Or, instruments. Heb. as the goings forth of captivity.- Heb. Dig for thee. Isa. viii. 18, chap. iv. 3; xxiv. 24; ver, 11.Heb. digged for me.- Chap. ii. 5. Chap. xvii. 12; xxiv. 19. Mal. i. 1. NOTES ON CHAP. XII. Verse 2. Which have eyes to see, and see not] It is not want of grace that brings them to destruction. They have eyes to see, but they will not use them. No man is lost because he had not sufficient grace to save him, but because he abused that grace, : 13 My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there. 14 And I will scatter toward every wind all that are about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the sword after them. 15 "And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the countries. m Ver. 6.- n Heb. by removing go into captivity.- -02 Kings xxv. 4, 5, 7.-P Jer. xxxix. 4. Job xix. 6; Lam. i. 13; Jer. lii. 9; chap. xvii. 20.2 Kings xxv. 7; Jer. lii. 11; chap. xvii, 16.- 2 Kings xxv. 4, 5; chap. v. 10. Chap. v. 2, 12.- -Psa. ix. 16; chap. vì. 7, 14; xì. 10; ver. 16, 20. prophecies from this to the twentieth chapter are supposed to have been delivered in the sixth year of Zedekiah, five years before the taking of Jerusalem. How accurate the prediction! and how exactly fulfilled! Verse 10. This burden] This prediction concernVerse 3. Prepare thee stuff for removing] Get caring the prince. By this I point out the capture, miriages to transport thy goods to another place; signifying by this the captivity that was at hand. Verse 5. Dig thou through the wall] This refers to the manner in which Zedekiah and his family would escape from the city. They escaped by night through a breach in the wall. See Jer. xxxix. 2-4; and 2 Kings xxv. 4. Verse 6. Thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground] Referring to the blinding of Zedekiah: even the covering of the face might be intended to signify that in this way Zedekiah should be carried to Babylon on men's shoulders in some sort of palanquin, with a cloth tied over his eyes, because of the recent wounds made by extracting them. All the sery, and ruin of Zedekiah. In say Verse 13. I will bring him to Babylon—yet shall he not see it] Because Nebuchadnezzar caused him to have his eyes put out at Riblah. To Babylon he was carried in his blind state, and there he died. ing, My net also will I spread upon him, there is probably a reference to an ancient manner of fighting. One, who was called the retiarius, had a small casting net, which if he could throw over his antagonist's head, he then despatched him with his sword; if he missed his throw, he was obliged to run in order to get his net once more adjusted for another throw. In the mean time the other pursued him with all his speed to prevent this, and to despatch him; hence he 16 v But I will leave a few Tarquinii Prisci, from the famine, and from the R. Roman., 23. pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen whither they come; and they shall know that I am the LORD. be left in Judea. days are prolonged, and every A. M. 3410. B. C. 594. OL. XLVI. 3. Anno Tarquinii Prisci, 23 Tell them, therefore, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will make R. Roman., 23, this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect 17 Moreover the word of the LORD came to of every vision. me, saying, 18 Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness; 19 And say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord God of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel; They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water with astonishment, that her land may y be desolate from all that is therein, a because of the violence of all them that dwell therein. 20 And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 21 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 22 Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The b 24 Ford there shall be no more any * vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel. 25 For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord God. 26 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 27 Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off. 28 Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord GOD. с Joel ii. 1.-Zeph. i. 14.Psa. cvii. 34. | 14.- -f Isa. lv. 11; ver. 28; e Ver. 22.2 Pet. iii. 4. d Chap. xiii. 23.- Lam. č. Dan. ix. 12; Luke xxi. 33. Ver. 23, 25. was called secutor: the first the netman, the second means used by the most gracious God to bring the pursuer. Verse 18. Eat thy bread with quaking] Assume the manner of a person who is every moment afraid of his life, who has nothing but a morsel of bread to eat, and a little water to drink. Thus signifying the siege, and the straits to which they should be reduced. See this explained, ver. 19. sinners to repentance, should be made by them the very instruments of their own destruction! See 2 Pet. iii. 4. Verse 23. The days are at hand] Far from failing or being prolonged, time is posting on, and the destruction threatened is at the door. Verse 25. In your days—will I say the word, and will perform it] Even these mockers shall live to see and feel this desolation. This is more particularly in Verse 22. The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth? These are the words of the infidels and scoffers, who, because vengeance was not speedily exe-timated in the following verses. cuted on an evil work, set their heart to do iniquity. "These predictions either will not come in our days, or will wholly fail; why then should we disquiet ourselves about them?" Strange, that the very Verse 28. There shall none of my words be prolonged any more] He had waited to be gracious; they abused his mercy; and at last the protracted wrath rushed upon them with irresistible force, CHAPTER XIII. This chapter denounces heavy judgments against the lying prophets who flattered the people, in the midst of their sin and danger, with false hopes of peace and security, 19. The work of these deceivers is beautifully compared to a frail and insufficient piece of building, which can never stand against the battering elements of heaven, (the Chaldean forces,) which God will commission against it, 10-16. remaining part of the chapter woes are denounced against false prophetesses who practised vain rites and divinations, with the view of promoting their own gain by deceiving the people, 17-23. In the |