1.
Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me.
Then came certain of the elders of Israel. These are to be distinguished from the elders of Judah (Ezekiel 8:1 ). They had no knowledge (probably) of what was transpiring in Judaea. They had travelled from Tel = abib.
the elders . See the Structure (p. 1097).
Israel . See Ezekiel 8:11 , Ezekiel 8:12 ; Ezekiel 8:6 , Ezekiel 9:6 . in Ezekiel 8:1 we have Judah's elders.
2.
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
the LORD . Hebrew. Jehovah . App-4 .
3.
Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be inquired of at all by them?
Son of man . See note on Ezekiel 2:1 .
men. Hebrew, plural of 'enosh . App-14 .
idols = manufactured idols.
iniquity = perversity. Hebrew ' dvah. App-44 .
before their face . Instead of God's law, according to Deuteronomy 6:8 ; Deuteronomy 11:18 ; and Proverbs 3:21-23 .
4.
Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;
the Lord GOD . Hebrew Adonai Jehovah. See note on Ezekiel 2:4 .
Every man. Hebrew. ish, 'ish . App-14 .
before = in front of, or right before.
will answer , &c. = have been replied to for him; he hath come amid [the] multitude of his idols: i.e. he hath answered My claims by classing his idols with Me. The form is Niphal which in all its three occurances is rendered Passive, except here and Ezekiel 14:7 . See Job 11:2 ; Job 19:7 , and Proverbs 21:13 .
5.
That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.
6.
Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
turn yourselves = turn ye.
7.
For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to inquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself:
will answer, &c. = and being replied to for him in Myself: i.e. by his comparing his idols with Me. See note on Ezekiel 14:4 .
8.
And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
I will set My face , &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 17:10 ; Leviticus 26:17 ). App-92 .
man . Hebrew. 'ish . App-14 .
will make him, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Numbers 26:10 . Deuteronomy 28:37 ). Some codices, with eight early printed editions, read "will make him desolate, for a sign and a proverb".
I will cut him off , &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 17:14 .Exodus 12:15 , Exodus 12:19 ; Exodus 30:33 , Exodus 30:38 . Leviticus 7:20 , Leviticus 7:21 , Leviticus 7:25 , Leviticus 7:27 ; Leviticus 17:4 , Leviticus 17:9 ; Leviticus 19:8 ; Leviticus 23:29 . Numbers 9:13 , &c.) App-92 .
ye shall know , &c. See note on Ezekiel 6:7 .
9.
And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.
have deceived. Hebrew idioms = have permitted him to be deceived: i.e. as a judicial punishment for his own deception of the People.
I will stretch out , &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 6:20 , &c.)
10.
And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him;
they shall bear the punishment , &c. Heb to Pentateuch (Exodus 28:38 . Leviticus 5:1 , Leviticus 5:17 . Numbers 14:34 , &c.)
11.
That the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord GOD.
transgressions = rebellions. Hebrew. pasha '. App-44 ,
God. Hebrew. Elohim . App-4 .
saith the Lord God, = [is] Adonai Jehovah's oracle.
12.
The word of the LORD came again to me, saying,
13.
Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it:
the land = a land.
sinneth. Hebrew. chata. App-44 .
trespassing . Hebrew ma'al. App-44 . Note the Figure of speech Polyptoton ( App-6 ). Hebrew - to trespass a trespass i.e. to trespass exceedingly. See note on Genesis 26:28 . Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 5:16 ; Leviticus 6:2 ; Leviticus 26:40 . Numbers 5:6 , Numbers 5:12 , Numbers 5:27 ). App-92 .
break the staff of the bread. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:26 . &c.) App-92 .
of = that is to say. Genitive of Apposition. App-17 .
man . Hebrew. 'adam. App-14 .
14.
Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.
three men . In Jeremiah 15:1 , we have two men, "Moses and Samuel", as intercessors. See note there. Here we have "three men", also as intercessors. All three prevailed in saving others. Noah (1 Peter 3:20 ). Daniel (Ezekiel 2:5 ; Eze 2:48-49 ). Job (Ezekiel 42:8-10 ).
Noah, Daniel, and Job . This order is determined by the Structure, which is an Introversion, in order to separate the true Israelite (of the nation of Israel) from the two who lived before the nation was formed (which is the subject of the book of Exodus).
Noah. Earlier than Job, but before Israel was a nation.
Daniel . A true Israelite.
Job . Later than Noah, but before Israel was a nation. Noah prevailed in saving others (the whole human race). Gen 6-9. Daniel prevailed in saving his fellow wise men (Daniel 2:24 ). He is mentioned again in 28.:3. While Ezekiel bears witness to Daniel (already fourteen years in Babylon) Daniel bears witness to Jeremiah (Daniel 9:2 ).
souls = soul. Hebrew nephesh. App-13 .
15.
If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts:
If I cause noisome beasts , &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:22 ). App-92 .
noisome = annoying, hurtful.
16.
Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.
17.
Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:
if I bring a sword , &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:25 ). See Ezekiel 5:17 .
18.
Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves.
19.
Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast:
20.
Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.
21.
For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?
How much more, &c. National judgments are thus sent for national sins. Compare Ezekiel 14:13 .
22.
Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it.
behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 . remnant. This is always used in a good sense.
their way &c.: i.e. their good way and doings.
evil . Hebrew raa. App-44 .
23.
And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord GOD.
they: i.e. the remnant of Ezekiel 14:22 .