in their sins, and pretended to have oracles of peace and safety when I had not spoken to them. Verse 29. The people] All that have power or authority have abused it; vered and oppressed the poor, the needy, and the stranger. Verse 30. I sought for a man] I saw that there was a grievous breach made in the moral state and feeling of the people, and I sought for a man that would stand in the gap; that would faithfully exhort, reprove, and counsel, with all long-suffering and doctrine. But none was to be found! Aholah and Aholibah. already mentioned; because of the false worship so generally practised; because of the false prophets tolerated; because of the unholy and profane priesthood; because of the oppressive princes; because of the unfaithful and deceiving prophets; because of the oppressions of petty officers; and because of the total corrup tion of manners in all ranks, places, offices, &c.; Have I poured out mine indignation—consumed them with the fire of my wrath] Considering the above, has there not been sufficient reason why I should abandon such a people, and pour out upon them such a dé Verse 31. Therefore] Because of the profligacies structive storm of calamities? CHAPTER XXIII. The idolatries of Samaria and Jerusalem are represented in this chapter by the bad practices of two common harlots, for which God denounces severe judgments against them, 1–49. See the sixteenth chapter, where the same metaphor is enlarged upon as here, it being the prophet's view to excite the utmost detestation of the crime against which he inveighs. B. C. cir. 593. Ol. XLVI. 4. Tarquinii Prisci, R. Roman., cir. annum 24. 5 And Aholah played the harlot when she was mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbours, 6 Which were clothed with blue, captains and rulers, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding upon horses. 7 Thus she h committed her whoredoms with them, with all them that were the chosen men of Assyria, and with all on whom she doted; That is, My tabernacle in her; 1 Kings viii. 29.-2 Kings xv. 19; xvi. 7; xvii. 3; Hos. viii. 9.- h Heb. bestowed her whoredoms upon them.- -i Heb, the choice of the children of Ashur. between idolatry and prostitution, and the circumstances of the latter illustrate the peculiarities of the former. In such cases, perhaps, the matter alone was given to the prophet, and he was left to use his own language, and amplify as he saw good. Ezekiel was among the Jews what Juvenal was among the Romans,—a rough NOTES ON CHAP. XXIII. Verse 2. Son of man, there were two women] All the Hebrews were derived from one source, Abraham and Sarah; and, till the schism under Rehoboam, formed but one people but as these ten tribes and a half separated from Judah and Benjamin, they became two distinct people under different kings; called the king-reprover of the most abominable vices. They both dom of Judah, and the kingdom of Israel. They are called here, because of their consanguinity, two sisters. The elder, Samaria, (for there was the seat of government for the kingdom of Israel,) was called s aholah," a tent." The younger, Judah, was called aholibah, "my tent is in her," because the temple of God was in Jerusalem, the seat of the government of the kingdom of Judah. Verse 5. And Aholah played the harlot] Without entering into detail here, or following the figures, they both became idolatrous, and received the impure rites of the Egyptians, Assyrians, and Chaldeans; of which connexion the prophet speaks here as he did in chap. xvi., which see. In this chapter there are many of what we would call indelicate expressions, because a parallel is run spoke of things as they found them; stripped vice naked, and scourged it publicly. The original is still more rough than the translation; and surely there is no need of a comment to explain imagery that is but too generally understood. I have said enough on chap. xvi., and to that I must refer the reader. It is true that there are a few things here in the shade that might be illustrated by anatomy; and it would not be difficult to do it but they are not necessary to salvation, and I shall not take off the covering. They were sufficiently understood by those for whose use they were originally designed. : Verse 6. Clothed with blue] The purple dye was highly valued among the ancients, and at first was only used by kings; at last it was used among the military, particularly by officers of high rank in the country. W of Aholah and Aholibah. A. M. cir. 3411. with all their idols she defiled 17 And the Babylonians came B. C. cir. 593. Ol. XLVI. 4. Tarquinii Prisci, R. Roman., herself. 8 Neither left she her whorecir, annum 24. doms brought from Egypt: for in her youth they lay with her, and they bruised the breasts of her virginity, and poured their whoredom upon her." 9 Wherefore I have delivered her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians, upon whom she doted. 10 These discovered her nakedness: they took her sons and her daughters, and slew her with the sword and she became famous among women for they had executed judgment upon her. 11 And when her sister Aholibah saw this, P she was more corrupt in her inordinate love than she, and in her whoredoms more than her sister in her whoredoms. t 8 4. M. cir. 3411. B. C. eir, 593. Ol. XLVI. 4. Tarquinii Prisci, R. Roman., cir. annum 24. to her into the bed of love, and they 19 Yet she multiplied her whoredoms in calling to remembrance the days of her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt. 20 For she doted upon their paramours, b whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses. 21 Thus thou calledst to remembrance the lewdness of thy youth, in bruising thy teats by the Egyptians for the paps of thy youth. C 22 Therefore, O Aholibah, thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will raise up thy lovers against thee, from whom thy mind is alienated, and I will bring them against thee on 12 She doted upon the Assyrians her neighbours, captains and rulers clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding upon horses, all of them desirable young men. 13 Then I saw that she was defiled, that every side; they took both one way, 14 And that she increased her whoredoms: for when she saw men pourtrayed upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans pourtrayed with vermilion, 15 Girded with girdles upon their loins, exceeding in dyed attire upon their heads, all of them princes to look to, after the manner of the Babylonians of Chaldea, the land of their nativity: V 16" And as soon as she saw them with her eyes, she doted upon them, and sent messengers unto them into Chaldea. Ver. 3.- 12 Kings xvii. 3, 4, 5, 6, 23; xviii. 9, 10, 11. Chap. xvi. 37, 41.- n Heb. a name. -o Jer. iii. 8. -P Jer. iii. 11; chap. xvi. 47, 51.4 Heb. she corrupted her inordinate love more than, &c.- Heb. more than the whoredoms of her sister.2 Kings xvi. 7, 10; 2 Chron. xxviii. 16-23; chap. xvi. 28. Verse 14. Men pourtrayed upon the wall] See on chap. viii. 10. Verse 20. She doled upon their paramours] on pillagsheyhem, their harlots or concubines. Anciently harlot meant in our language either the male or female prostitute. Whose flesh is as the flesh of asses] See on chap. xvi. 25. Verse 23. Pekod, and Shoa, and Koa] pp. These names have been thought to designate certain people bordering on the Chaldeans; but no geographer has ever been able to find them out. In our old translations these names were considered 23 The Babylonians, and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, and Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them: all of them desirable young men, captains, and rulers, great lords and renowned, all of them riding upon horses. 24 And they shall come against thee with chariots, wagons, and wheels, and with an assembly of people, which shall set against thee buckler and shield and helmet round about and I will set judgment before them, and they shall judge thee according to their judgments. 25 And I will set my jealousy against thee, appellatives-rulers, mighty men, and tyrants. Others, following the literal import of the words, have translated, visiting, shouting, and retreating. Others have applied them to the habits of the Chaldean soldiers, Pekod signifying the muster or review of armies; Shoa, the magnificence of their uniform and arms; and Koa, the marks or embroidery of the clothes of the captains and generals. Grotius thought that they might be names of contiguous nations: Pekod, the Bactrians; Shoa, a people of Armenia; and Koa, the Medes. have nothing to add that would satisfy myself, or be edifying to my readers. Verse 25. Shall take away thy nose] A punishment i 27 Thus will I make thy lewdness to cease from thee, and thy whoredom brought from the land of Egypt: so that thou shalt not lift up thine eyes unto them, nor remember Egypt any more. 28 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will deliver thee into the hand of them whom thou hatest, into the hand of them from whom thy mind is alienated: 29 And they shall deal with thee hatefully, and shall take away all thy labour, and shall leave thee naked and bare: and the nakedness of thy whoredoms shall be discovered, both thy lewdness and thy whoredoms. 30 I will do these things unto thee, because thou hast "gone a whoring after the heathen, and because thou art polluted with their idols. 31 Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore will I give her cup into thine hand. 32 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou shalt drink of thy sister's cup deep and large: thou shalt be laughed to scorn and had in derision; it containeth much. 33 Thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of astonishment and defChap. xvi. 39. xvi. 41; xxii. 15. Ch. Ver. Jer. xxv. Heb. instruments of thy decking. Ver. 3, 19.- - Chap. xvi. 37.17. Chap. xvi. 39; ver. 26.- Chap. vi. 9. 15, &c. -P Chap. xxii. 4, 5.- Psa. lxxv. 8; Isa. li. 17. Jer. ii. 32; iii. 21; xiii. 25; chap. xxii. 12. 1 Kings xiv. 9; Neb. ix. 26. Chap. xx. 4; xxii. 2. frequent among the Persians and Chaldeans, as ancient authors tell. Adulteries were punished in this way; and to this Martial refers : Quis tibi persuasit nares abscindere mœcho? "Who has counselled thee to cut off the adulterer's Rose ?" Women were thus treated in Egypt. See Calmet. Verse 26. They shall also strip thee] See on chap. xvi. 39. Verse 32. Thou shalt drink of thy sister's cup] Thou shalt be ruined and desolated as Samaria was. Verse 34. Thou shalt-pluck off thine own breasts] Thou shalt tear them; a frequent action in extreme sorrow and desolation, Weeping, tearing the bosom, and beating the breasts. against them. solation, with the cup of thy A. M. cir. 3411. sister Samaria. B. C. cir. 593. Ol. XLVI. 4. Tarquinii Prisci, R. Roman.. eir annum 24. 34 Thou shalt even drink it and suck it out, and thou shalt break the sherds thereof, and pluck off thine own breasts: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD. 35 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast forgotten me, and cast me behind thy back, therefore bear thou also thy lewdness and thy whoredoms. 36 The LORD said moreover unto me; Son of man, wilt thou judge " Aholah and Aholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations; 37 That they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands, and with their idols. have they committed adultery, and have also caused their sons, whom they bare unto me, to pass for them through the fire, to devour them. 38 Moreover this they have done unto me · they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and y have profaned my Sabbaths. 39 For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and, lo, thus have they done in the midst of mine house. 40 And furthermore, that ye have sent for men a to come from far, unto whom a messen ger was sent; and, lo, they came; for whom thou didst wash thyself, d paintedst thy eyes, and deckedst thyself with ornaments. อ b Or, plead for. Chap. xvi. 20, 21, 2 Kings xxi. 4. W C Ruth Isa. lviii. 1. Chap. xvi. 38; ver. 45. 36, 45; xx. 26, 31. -y Chap. xxii. 8. Heb. coming. b Isa. Ivii. 9. iii. 3.42 Kings ix. 30; Jer. iv. 30. Heb. honourable. Esth. i. 6; Isa. lvii. 7; Amos ii. 8; vi. 4.- - Prov. vii. 17; chap. xvi. 18, 19; Hos. ii. 8. Tunc vero rupique sinus, et pectora planxi. Verse 38. They have defiled my sanctuary] By placing idols there. Verse 40. Thou didst wash thyself, paintedst thy eyes, and deckedst thyself with ornaments.] This is exactly the way in which a loose female in Bengal adorns herself to receive guests. She first bathes, then rubs black paint around her eyes, and then covers her body with ornaments.-WARD's Customs. Verse 41. And satest upon a stately bed] Hast raised a stately altar to thy idols; probably alluding to that which Ahaz ordered to be made, after the similitude of that which he saw at Damascus. The bed here is in allusion to the sofas on which the ancients were accustomed to recline at their meals; or to the couches Threatenings denounced against EZEKIEL. Aholah and Aholibah A. M. cir. 3411. hast set mine incense and mine after the manner of women that A. M. eir. 3411. B. C. cir. 593. Ol. XLVI. 4. Tarquinii Prisci, R. Roman., cir. annum 24. oil. 42 And a voice of a multitude being at ease was with her: and with the men h of the common sort were brought Sabeans from the wilderness, which put bracelets upon their hands, and beautiful crowns upon their heads. i 43 Then said I unto her that was old in adulteries, Will they now commit whoredoms with her, and she with them? 44 Yet they went in unto her, as they go in unto a woman that playeth the harlot so went they in unto Aholah and unto Aholibah, the lewd women. 45 And the righteous men, they shall 1judge them after the manner of adulteresses, and Or, drunkards.- * Heb. m Ver. 37. Chap. xvi. -P Chap. xvi. 41. Heb. of the multitude of men. her whoredoms. Chap. xvi. 38.40. Heb. for a removing and spoil. on which they place Asiatic brides, with incense pots and sweetmeats on a table before them. Verse 42. And a voice of a multitude] This seems to be an account of an idolatrous festival, where a riotous multitude was assembled, and fellows of the baser sort, with bracelets on their arms and chaplets on their heads, performed the religious rites. Verse 45. And the righteous men] D'Y N anashim tsaddikim. The Chaldeans, thus called because they are appointed by God to execute judgment on these criminals. shed blood; because they are B. C. cir. 593. 4 Or, single them out.2 Chron. xxxvi. 17, 19; chap. xxv. 21.-s Chap. xxii. 15; ver. 27. Deut. xiii. 11; 2 Pet. ii. 6. u Ver. 35.-———√ Chap. xx. 38, 42, 44; xxv. 5. Verse 47. Shall stone them with stones] As Verse 48. Thus will I cause lewdness to cease] Verse 49. Ye shall bear the sins of your idols] The CHAPTER XXIV. The prophet now informs those of the captivity of the very day on which Nebuchadnezzar was to lay siege to Jerusalem, (compare Jer. lii. 4,) and describes the fate of that city and its inhabitants by a very apt similitude, 1-14. As another sign of the greatness of those calamities, the prophet is forbidden to mourn for his wife, of whom he is to be deprived; intimating thereby that the sufferings of the Jews should be so astonishing as to surpass all expressions of grief; and that private sorrow, however affectionate and tender the object, ought to be absorbed in the public calamities, 15–18. The prophet, having farther expressed his prediction in plain terms, intimates that he was to speak to them no more till they should have the news of these prophecies having been fulfilled, 19–27. A. M. 3414. Ol. XLVII. 3. AGAIN in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth Tarquinii Prisci, day of the month, the word of R. Roman., 27. the LORD came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, write thee the name of the Chap. xxiii. 1.2 Kings xxv. 1; Jer. xxxix. 1; lii. 4. NOTES ON CHAP. XXIV. Verse 1. The ninth year] This prophecy was given in the ninth year of Zedekiah, about Thursday, the thirtieth of January, A. M. 3414; the very day in which the king of Babylon commenced the siege of Jerusalem. CHAP. XXIV. house, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Set on a on, and also pour water Tarquinii Prisci, pot, set it R. Roman., 27. 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; Wo to the bloody city, to the pot whose scum is therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it bring it out piece by piece; let no lot fall upon it. to a boiling pot. Anno Tarquinii Prisci, R. Roman., 27. 11 Then set it 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, and her great scum went not forth out of her: her scum shall be in the fire. 13 In thy filthiness is lewdness; because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, m till I have caused my fury to rest 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 to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge thee, saith the Lord GOD. 15 Also the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 16 Son of man, behold, I take away from 10 Heap on wood, kindle the fire, consume thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: See Jer. i. 13; chap. xi. 3.-e Or, heap. f Chap. xxii. 3; xxiii. 37; ver. 9. See 2 Sam. viii. 2; Joel iii. 3; Obad. 11; Nah. iii. 10. to mark the day, &c., that it might be seen how precisely the spirit of prophecy had shown the very day in which the siege took place. Under the same image of a boiling pot, Jeremiah had represented the siege of Jerusalem, chap. i. 13. Ezekiel was a priest; the action of boiling pots was familiar to him, as these things were much in use in the temple service. Verse 5. Make it boil well] Let it boil over, that its own scum may augment the fire, that the bones the soldiers, may be seethed therein. Let its contentions, divided counsels, and disunion be the means of increasing its miseries. - ' rattach rethacheyha, let it bubble its bubbling; something like that of the poet : "Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble : Fire burn, and cauldron bubble." Very like the noise made by ebullition, when a pot of thick broth, "sleek and slab," is set over a fierce fire. Such was that here represented, in which all the flesh, the fat, and the bones were to be boiled, and generally dissolved together. Verse 6. Let no lot fall upon it.] Pull out the flesh indiscriminately; let no piece be chosen for king or priest; thus showing that all should be involved in one indiscriminate ruin. Lev. xvii. 13; Deut. xii. 16, 24. Matt. vii. 2. Ver. 6; Nah. iii. 1; Hab. ii. 12.- Chap. xxii. 15.——————m Chap. v. 13; viii. 18; xvi. 42.—n 1 Sam. xv. 29, Chap. v. 11. poured none upon the ground to cover it with dust, in horror of that moral evil that required the blood of an innocent creature to be shed, in order to the atonement of the offender's guilt. To "cover the blood of the victim," was a command of the law, Lev. xvii. 13; Deut. xii. 24. Verse 8. That it might cause fury] This very blood shall be against them, as the blood of Abel was against Cain. Verse 10. Heap on wood] Let the siege be severe, the carnage great, and the ruin and catastrophe complete. Verse 13. In thy filthiness is lewdness] DI zimmah, a word that denominates the worst kinds of impurity; adultery, incest, &c., and the purpose, wish, design, and ardent desire to do these things. Hers were not accidental sins, they were abominations by design; and they were the worse in her, because God had cleansed her, had separated the Israelites from idolatry and idolatrous nations, and by his institutions removed from them all idolatrous incentives. formed alliances with the heathen, and adopted all their abominations; therefore God would not spare them. See ver. 14. But they Verse 16. Behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes] Here is an intimation that the stroke he was to suffer was to be above all grief; that it would be so great as to prevent the relief of tears. Curæ leves loquuntur, graviores silent, Verse 7. For her blood is in the midst of her] She gloried in her idol sacrifices; she offered them upon a rock, where the blood should remain evident; and she is a well-accredited maxim in such cases. Superficial |