Moreover the spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the east gate of the LORD's house, which looketh eastward: and behold at the door of the gate five and twenty men; among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, the princes of the people.
spirit . As in Ezekiel 2:2 . Hebrew. ruach, App-9 . See note on Ezekiel 8:3 .
the east gate . Compare Ezekiel 43:1 .
the LORD'S. Hebrew. Jehovah. s. App-4 .
door = entrance.
five and twenty men . These are not the same as in Ezekiel 8:16 , but were princes of the People, a title never given to priests, who were called "princes of the sanctuary" (Isaiah 43:28 ). They were probably those referred to in Jeremiah 38:4 .
men. Hebrew Ish App-14 .
Jaazaniah . Not the same as in Ezekiel 8:11 .
Then said he unto me, Son of man, these are the men that devise mischief, and give wicked counsel in this city:
Son of man. See note on Ezekiel 2:1 .
men . Plural of Hebrew. 'enosh . App-14 .
mischief = vanity. Hebrew. 'amen. App-44 .
wicked = evil. Hebrew ra'a'. App-44 .
Which say, It is not near; let us build houses: this city is the caldron, and we be the flesh.
this city = it (or she), as in verses: Ezekiel 11:7 , Ezekiel 11:11 .
Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man.
prophesy . . . prophesy. Figure of speech Epizeuxis ( App-6 ), for emphasis.
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.
Ye have multiplied your slain in this city, and ye have filled the streets thereof with the slain.
mind = spirit. Hebrew. ruach . App-9 .
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.
the Lord GOD . Hebrew. Adonai Jehovah . See note on Ezekiel 2:4 .
but I will bring you forth . A special various reading called Sevir ( App-34 ), with some codices and two early printed editions (one Rabbinic), read "when I take you".
Ye have feared the sword; and I will bring a sword upon you, saith the Lord GOD.
Ye have feared , &c. Compare Jeremiah 42:16 .
I will bring a sword , &c. See note on Ezekiel 5:17 .
saith the LORD = [is] Adonai Jehovah's oracle.
And I will bring you out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you.
strangers = foreigners.
Ye shall fall by the sword; I will judge you in the border of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
in the border of Israel: i.e. at Riblah, in the extreme north of the land (2 Kings 25:18-21 .Jeremiah 52:24-27; Jeremiah 52:24-27 ). Compare Ezekiel 11:11 .
ye shall know, &c. See note on Ezekiel 6:7 .
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:
And ye shall know that I am the LORD: for ye have not walked in my statutes, neither executed my judgments, but have done after the manners of the heathen that are round about you.
statutes . . . judgments . See note on Deuteronomy 4:1 . have
done after the manners , &c. Reference to Pentateuch, (Leviticus 18:3 , Leviticus 18:4 .Deuteronomy 12:30 , Deuteronomy 12:31 ). App-92 .
heathen = nations.
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?
fell I down , Re. See note on Ezekiel 1:28 .
Ah. Figure of speech Epchonesis. App-6 .
a full end. Compare Jeremiah 4:27 ; Jeremiah 5:10 , Jeremiah 5:18 .
the remnant of Israel . Compare Ezekiel 9:8 .
Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
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.
thy brethren . . . thy brethren. Figure of speech Epizeuxis. App-6 .
kindred = redemption.
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.
I have scattered, &c. Compare Jeremiah 30:11 ; Jeremiah 31:10 , &c.
will I be = will become.
as a little sanctuary = a sanctuary for a little while.
sanctuary = as a holy place, or asylum, as in Isaiah 8:14 .
Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.
I will even gather you , Compare Jeremiah 31:10 . Reference to Pentateuch, (Deuteronomy 30:3 ). App-92 .
people = peoples.
the land of Israel. Here, "the land", in Hebrew is 'admath (adamah) = the soil of Israel, This expression occurs seventeen times in Ezekiel (Ezekiel 11:17 ; Ezekiel 12:12 Eze 19:22 ; Ezekiel 13:9 ; Ezekiel 18:2 ; Ezekiel 20:38 , Ezekiel 20:42 ; Ezekiel 21:3 (Hebrew - Ezekiel 11:8 ); Ezekiel 25:3 , Ezekiel 25:6 ; Ezekiel 33:24 ; Ezekiel 36:6 ; Ezekiel 37:1 Ezekiel 37:2 ; Ezekiel 38:18 , Ezekiel 38:19 ; "unto the land" Ezekiel 7:2 ; Ezekiel 21:3 (Hebrew. Ezekiel 11:8 ). The three occurrences of the expres sion, with eretz instead of'admath, are thus safeguarded by the Massorah: viz. Ezekiel 27:17 ; Ezekiel 40:2 , Ezekiel 47:18 . (See Ginsburg's Massorah, vol. i, p. 107, 1100) and App-93 .
And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence.
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 an heart of flesh:
I will give , &c. Compare Ezekiel 36:25-27 ; and Jeremiah 32:39 .
That 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.
That they may walk , &c. Reference to Pentateuch, (Deuteronomy 12:30 , Deuteronomy 12:31 ). App-92 .
God. Hebrew. Elohim . App-4 .
But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord GOD.
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.
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.
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.
Then I spake unto them of the captivity all the things that the LORD had shewed me.
