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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Ezekiel 11:1 - 11:13
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The Judgment upon the Rulers
v. 1. Moreover, the Spirit lifted me up and brought me unto the East Gate of the Lord's house, which looketh eastward, where the entire vision had been placed, 10:19; and behold at the door of the gate, the large portal of the. Temple, five and twenty men, most likely not identical with those of 8:16; among whom I saw Jaazaniah, the son of Azur, and Pelatiah, the son of Benaiah, princes of the people, men of influence in guiding the destinies of the people, if not members of the civil authorities.
v. 2. Then said He unto me, Son of man, these are the men that devise mischief and give wicked counsel in this city, such as turns out ill and causes injustice to be done;
v. 3. which say, It is not near; let us build houses, literally, "not in near proximity building of houses," that is, the threatened ruin of the city is entirely out of the question, wherefore it is not necessary to worry about the building or the rebuilding of Jerusalem; this city is the caldron, and we be the flesh, that is, they considered themselves as safe and as protected in their city as the flesh is in the pot.
v. 4. Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man, the repetition giving added emphasis to tile Lord's command.
v. 5. And the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me and said unto me, Speak, Thus saith the Lord, His very words being quoted, as throughout the inspired Scripture: Thus have ye said, O house of Israel, for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them, the omniscient God reading their hearts and minds like an open book.
v. 6. Ye have multiplied your slain in this city, in the execution of innocent people as a result of their wicked judgments, and ye have filled the streets thereof with the slain, by their unjust oppression of those unable to defend themselves against tyranny.
v. 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, their blasphemous boast thus being interpreted in the Lord's way and Jerusalem being called the flesh-pot of those whom they caused to be slain; but I will bring you forth out of the midst of it, the wicked transgressors themselves were to be dragged forth and cut in pieces elsewhere.
v. 8. Ye have feared the sword, for they had refused to follow the advice of Jeremiah to give themselves up to the Babylonians, since they were afraid of being put to death by them; and I will bring a sword upon you, saith the Lord God, to punish them in the very manner which they feared.
v. 9. And I will bring you out of the midst thereof, out of the city where they boastfully declared themselves safe, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you, in bringing upon them the punishment which they deserved.
v. 10. Ye shall fall by the sword, put to death by the invaders; I will judge you in the border of Israel, on the frontier, at Riblah, in the land of Hamath, Jer_52:24-27; and ye shall know that I am the Lord, convinced by this evidence of His avenging fury.
v. 11. The city shall not be your caldron, namely, in the sense in which they had spoken of it,
v. 5. neither shall ye be the flesh in the midst thereof, to be safe from destruction; but I will judge you in the border of Israel, far from the protection of time walls of the capital,
v. 12. and ye shall know that I am the Lord, by the judgments inflicted by Him; for ye have not walked in My statutes, or, "in whose statutes," in their special application to Israel's case, "ye have not walked," neither executed My judgments, to lead their lives in agreement with his righteousness, but have done after the manners of the heathen that are round about you, in becoming guilty of the idolatry which was practiced by the Gentile nations. Cf.Ezekiel 5:7. The truth and power of this word was now brought out in a most impressive manner.
v. 13. And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah, the son of Benaiah, died, this substantiating the threatening prophecy uttered by inspiration of the Lord. Then fell I down upon my face, overcome by this evidence of the Lord's avenging justice, and cried with a loud voice and said, Ah, Lord God! Wilt Thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel? The Lord's children will intercede even for their enemies, hoping that there will always be some who will be saved from the general destruction. In this respect Abraham, who begged the Lord to desist from destroying Sodom and Gomorrah, is an outstanding example.