1God reproveth those hypocrites, who came to enquire of him with idolatry in their hearts. 6They are exhorted to repent for fear of his judgments. 12No intercession shall save the guilty land from God's judgment of famine, 15noisome beasts, 17the sword, 19the pestilence, 21or from the four judgments together. 22A remnant shall be left for the instruction and consolation of others.
1THEN came certain of the 1elders of Israel unto me, anda2sat before me.
1 That is, rulers and heads of the congregation who dwelt in Chaldea. See Exod. 3 on verse 16; Lev. 4 on verse 15.
a Ezek. 20:1.
2 Namely, to ask counsel of God by the prophet concerning the future condition of the people, both in Jerusalem and there in Chaldea. See the following third verse. Compare Ezek. 8:1; 20:1.
2And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
3Son of man, these men have 3set up their idols in their heart, and put 4the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of 5at all by them?
3 That is, they have given them the highest place in their mind (as they were accustomed also to be set up in high places outside their heart) so that they esteem and honor them highly above all other things, yea, even above Me. Also in the sequel.
4 Understand the idols; for, when they set them up before their faces contrary to God’s command, they were a cause unto them of sinning many ways against God, and of falling into many abominations. Also in the sequel. Thus idols are also called a snare, Exod. 23:33; Deut. 7:16; Judges 2:3.
5 Hebr. being inquired of inquired, that is, earnestly or uprightly. He wants to say: No. These things cannot stand together that a man would adhere unto idols, and nevertheless ask counsel of the true God. Other, should I be inquired of at all by them? That is, I desire not to be inquired of by such a people. The Lord was ordinarily inquired of by the high priest being clothed with the ephod. See Num. 27:21 and the annotation; Judges 1 on verse 1. Or by a prophet, 1 Sam. 23 on verses 2, 6; 28:6; 2 Sam. 2:1; 2 Chron. 18:7.
4Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; 6Every man of the house 7of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and 8cometh to the prophet; I the LORD 9will answer him 10that cometh 11according to the multitude of his idols;
6 Hebr. man man, that is, every man. See Lev. 15 on verse 2. Also verse 7.
7 That is, Judah. See Ezek. 6 on verse 2. Understand the Jews who dwelt in Chaldea.
8 Namely, to ask counsel of God by him.
9 Or, have answered him.
10 Other, in that time.
11 That is, I will answer them, not what they would gladly wish to hear, but as their great and manifold idolatry has deserved. Other, concerning the multitude of his idols, that is, I will answer them nothing else but that which concerns partly the multitude of their idols, and partly concerns the punishments which they have thereby deserved.
5That I may take the house of Israel 12in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.
12 That is, I will so answer them, as that I will bring to light what was hid in their hearts. For, they will pretend themselves to be godly people when they come to ask counsel of Me, but I will by My answer discover the wickedness that lurks in their hearts.
6¶Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your 13faces from 14all your abominations.
13 Understand under this word also the hearts, without whose turning away the faces can hardly be turned away. This is contrary to the putting of a stumblingblock before one’s face, verse 3.
14 That is, not only from your idolatry and sins committed against the first table, but also from all your villainies committed against the second table of the law.
7For 15every one of the house of Israel, or of 16the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and 17putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet 18to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him 19by myself:
15 Hebr. man man as verse 4.
16 That is, the proselyte, who was become such, either before in Judah or afterward in Chaldea, having embraced the Jews’ religion, with the observation of their ceremonies. See of such strangers Lev. 17:8; 25:35.
17 See on verse 4.
18 Other, to inquire of him concerning Me.
19 That is, not only by the prophet of whom he inquires, but by, or of Myself, Who will answer him not so much by words, as by plagues and punishments, as the following words show.
8And I 20will set my face against that man, and will make him 21a signb and 22a proverb, and I will 23cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
20 See Lev. 17 on verse 10.
21 Namely, of My just vengeance against hypocrites; for, I will fearfully and uncommonly deal with them in punishments, that everyone shall be frightened about it, as at a public sign of My vengeance, propounded by Me to everyone for his warning. Compare Deut. 28:46. Other, will lay him waste for a sign, that is, that he be unto a sign, etc.
b Deut. 28:37; Ezek. 5:15.
22 See Deut. 28 on verse 37. Likewise Job 17 on verse 6. See also 1 Kings 9:7, 8; 2 Chron. 7:20, 21; Psalm 44:13, 14; 69:11; Jer. 24:9; Hab. 2:6.
23 See Lev. 20 on verse 3.
9And if the prophet 24be deceivedc when he hath spoken 25a thing, I the LORD have 26deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out 27my handd upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.
24 Namely, by the hypocrites, who ask counsel of them and desire them to prophecy some good thing unto them. See of the Hebrew word Judges 14 on verse 15.
c Ezek. 13:1, 2, etc.
25 Namely, which the inquirer would wish to hear, but is false.
26 Namely, not by suggesting any evil into the prophet, but by justly punishing the inquirer’s hypocrisy by the prophet’s lightness and covetousness, which proceed from the prophet and from Satan. Compare 2 Sam. 12:12; 1 Kings 12:15; 22:22; Jer. 4:10 with the annotations. Likewise 2 Thes. 2:11, 12.
27 Namely, against that prophet, to punish him. Also verse 13; Exod. 7:5; Isa. 5:25; Jer. 15:6; Ezek. 25:7, etc.
d Ezek. 13:9.
10And they shall bear 28the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him;
28 The Hebrew word signifies here the punishment which is deserved by the iniquity and offence. See Lev. 5 on verse 1.
11That the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither be polluted any more with all their 29transgressions; but that they may be my 30people, and I may be 31their God, saith the Lord GOD.
29 Which are frequently called in Holy Scripture uncleanness or filthiness, as Ezra 9:11; Ezek. 24:13; 36:17; 39:24; 1 Thes. 4:7; James 1:21.
30 See Lev. 26:12.
31 See Gen. 17 on verse 7.
12¶The word of the LORD came again to me, saying,
13Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing 32grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break 33the staffe of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it:
32 Hebr. transgressing transgression, that is, committing transgression.
33 See Lev. 26 on verse 26.
e Lev. 26:26; Ezek. 4:16; 5:16.
14Though these three men, 34Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver 35but their own 36souls by 37their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.
34 He mentions these three persons because they, amongst others, were accepted of Him, and had received great mercies from Him. Compare Jer. 15:1.
35 That this word must here be inserted is to be deduced from the word but in the following 16th and 18th verses.
36 That is, keep their own life free from the common destruction of the land.
37 Namely, considered and valued in the Mediator Christ, Whose perfect righteousness takes away or covers the imperfection which is in the righteousness of all the godly, so that it is of free grace rewarded with a blessing.
15¶If I cause 38noisomef beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, 39that no man may pass through because of the beasts:
38 This plague is threatened to a sinful people, Lev. 26:22; Ezek. 5:17, and was sent upon them at once, 2 Kings 17:25.
f hurtful, deadly
39 Hebr. without goer through.
16Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall 40deliver neither sons nor daughters; 41they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.
40 Understand that they would not deliver them; as the following words show; and compare the following 18th verse.
41 Here is spoken of an irrevocable sentence of God upon the abominable obstinacy and unthankfulness of the people, and that according to His righteous judgment. See verse 23.
17¶Or if I bring 42a sword upon that land, and say, 43Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:
42 That is, war. See Lev. 26 on verse 6.
43 God speaks to the lifeless and dull creatures as if they had life and understanding, to show His omnipotence and the dominion which He has over all things, and that nothing comes to pass in any things, how great or small so ever they may be, by chance, but all by His omnipresent Providence. Compare Deut. 4 on verse 26.
18Though 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 44pour out my fury upon it 45in blood, to cut off from it man and beast:
44 See Ezek. 7 on verse 8.
45 That is, by killing and slaying many men and beasts; for, blood is often taken for killing, slaughter, murder. See Gen. 37 on verse 26. See of the slaughter which God made by His angel, 2 Sam. 24:15, 16.
20Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they 46shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls 47by their righteousness.
46 Implying that they shall not. See verse 16.
47 See verse 14.
21For thus saith the Lord GOD; 48How much more when I send my four 49sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?
48 The sense is: If the aforementioned men were alive, when I do punish a land with one plague, and would be able to save themselves alone from the punishment, how much would they be able to do it for themselves alone, when I shall send four plagues at once upon Jerusalem? Other, How much less, namely, would they be able to deliver the people, when God sends four plagues upon them.
49 That is, punishments or plagues. See Exod. 6:5; 7:4, and the annotations. Compare 2 Chron. 20:12. They are called sore or evil, because they are grievous, painful and very hurtful to man. See also of four sorts of plagues, called inflictions, though in part distinct from these in this verse, Jer. 15:3.
22¶Yet, behold, 50therein shall be 51left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall 52come forth unto 53you, and ye shall see their 54way and their doings: and ye shall be 55comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it.
50 That is, in Jerusalem.
51 Hebr. an escaping, that is, such as shall escape the destruction by the four aforementioned plagues. Escaping for escaped ones, as 2 Kings 19:30; 1 Chron. 4:43. Also the remnant for remaining ones, or such as are left, 2 Chron. 36:20; captivity for captives, Num. 31:12.
52 Namely, out of Jerusalem and Judea, there being carried as captives to Babel.
53 Who dwell here in Chaldea.
54 That is, manner of behavior, morals, life and conduct; whereby ye will be able to perceive what kind of people they are, namely, exceeding perverse and corrupt.
55 Namely, not with words which ye shall hear from them, but with the misery, wickedness and reproach which ye shall behold, For, ye shall thereby perceive that God has had very great cause to punish them in this manner, in order that ye shall rest content and satisfied about His judgments.
23And 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 56in it, saith the Lord GOD.
56 Or, to, with or against it, namely, Jerusalem.