1The land of Israel is comforted with a prospect of the ruin of its spiteful neighbours, and of its own blessings promised by God. 16Israel was rejected for their sin, and shall be restored with blessings for the sake of God's name only.
1ALSO, thou son of man, prophesy 1unto the mountainsa of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD:
1 As Ezek. 6:2. God speaks to the mountains, that is, the mountainous land (as verse 6) of Israel, for the instruction of men (for whose sins they lay waste and were derided) and to show that the wicked revilings and derisions of His land and people did concern Himself. Compare Joel 2:18, and see further of such speeches Ezek. 14 on verse 17.
a Ezek. 6:2.
2Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the 2enemy hath said against you, 3Aha, even the 4ancient high places are ours in possession:b
2 See verse 5.
3 See Job 39 on verse 25; Psalm 35 on verse 21. Compare Ezek. 25:3; 26:2.
4 Hebr. high places of eternity, that is, the ancient, famous mountains, also strong, lasting, etc. Compare Deut. 33:15; Hab. 3:6, with the annotation. This may otherwise be also understood of Mount Zion and Moriah, where David’s tower and the temple had been. Compare Psalm 78:69; Ezek. 35:10. Thus this would be a wicked boasting at God and at the destruction of His sanctuary, called God’s everlasting habitation, as being now fallen into the power and possession of the enemy. Here it is said are, in the Hebrew is. Understand every one of those high places.
b Ezek. 35:10.
3Therefore prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because they have made 5you desolate, and 6swallowed you up on every side, 7that ye might be a possession unto the 8residue of the heathen, and ye are 9taken up in the 10lips of talkers, and are an infamy of the people:
5 Ye mountains of Israel, surrounded by Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, Philistines, Tyrians, Zidonians, Syrians, etc.
6 Compare Psalm 56:1.
7 Or, so that ye are become, etc.
8 The others, the remainder that is left, or might be left of the common desolations; also verses 4 and 5. Compare also verse 36.
9 Hebr. brought up.
10 Hebr. lip of the tongue, that is, as if one said, tongue wagging lip, that is, prattling, prating lip; so that everyone’s mouth is full of you, and speak scornfully of you, make taunts and proverbs of you.
4Therefore, ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes, and to the cities that are forsaken, which became a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen that are round about;
5Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; 11Surely 12in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all Idumea, which have appointed 13my land14 into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with 15despiteful minds, to cast 16it out for a 17prey.
11 See Ezek. 34:8 with the annotation, and complete this speech from verse 7.
12 Or, in my zealous zeal, namely, for My land and people, and against Mine and their enemies. Compare on verses 1 and 6; Deut. 4:24; Ezek. 5:13, with the annotations.
13 Canaan. See Psalm 68 on verse 9; Hosea 9 on verse 3. Also verse 20.
14 See Ezek. 35:10.
15 Hebr. plundering or contempt of the soul, that is, despising or plundering My people and land with an inward delight and fervent affection or desire, without any pity or compassion at all. See Psalm 27 on verse 12.
16 Or, suburbs, lands or fields, free empty spaces, places situated before or outside and about the cities or other buildings, farms, out-gardens, grounds, etc., because they are separated from that, whereunto the original Hebrew word has reference, which otherwise signifies casting out, driving out, wherefore others render these words thus: to set out the same land for a prey. Hebr. that the same country, or setting out, casting out, might be for a prey.
17 Of My land Canaan.
6Prophesy therefore concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my fury, because ye have borne the 18shamec of the heathen:
18 As verse 15; Ezek. 34:29.
c Ezek. 34:29.
7Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I have lifted up 19mine hand, Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall bear their shame.
19 That is, sworn by Myself; as men make an oath to God by lifting up or putting up of the hand. See Gen. 14 on verse 22.
8¶But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth 20your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for 21they are at hand to come.
20 That is, flourish again and become fruitful.
21 The Israelites shall soon return out of captivity; upon which the most important thing of all shall follow, namely, the redemption and restoration of the holy catholic church by the Messiah.
9For, behold, I am for 22you, and I will 23turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown:
22 O ye mountains of Israel, to deliver you and to do you good. Other, I will be upon you; which phrase must not be taken here (as elsewhere; see Jer. 21 on verse 13; Ezek. 13:8) in a bad sense or in an hostile way, but in a good sense, and in a friendly and loving way; as we also sometimes do in our own language, when we will be upon a man in an hostile manner, or also in a good sense, to deliver a man or to do him a good turn, etc.
23 Or, turn my face towards you; that is, graciously accept you by Me, sending the Messiah unto you, at Whose coming and benefits towards His church this refers chiefly, as appears in the sequel.
10And I will multiply 24men upon you, 25all the house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded:
24 Hebr. man, and so in the next verse man and beast. Compare verses 37 and 38; Jer. 31:27 with the annotation.
25 My entire church, the complete body, under one Head, the Messiah. See Eph. 2:12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22; Col. 2:19. Compare Ezek. 37:16, 17, 19, 24, etc.
11And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring fruit: and I will settle you after your old estates, and 26will do better unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
26 Therefore the new covenant is called a better covenant, and the time of the Messiah times of reformation, or of restoration, Heb. 8:6; 9:10, etc.
12Yea, I will cause men to walk upon you, even my people Israel; and they shall possess thee, and thou shalt be their inheritance, and thou shalt no more 27henceforth bereave them of men.
27 Hebr. not add or to bereave them anymore or henceforth, namely, of anything that is dear unto them, children, people in general, fruits of the earth, etc. See Jer. 15 on verse 7. Also verses 13, 14 and 15. The meaning is, that the land should be no more in such a case as it was formerly, when people perished in it through war, famine and pestilence, thou wast bereaved of them and they were bereaved of thee; for which cause abusive words were used concerning the land, such as are mentioned in the next verse. God addresses the land, as if the land had done it, in a rhetorical kind of speech, and in respect of the sayings of the enemies, who held it to be a cursed land, in which no man could prosper or dwell in peace. Compare Num. 13:32.
13Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because they 28say unto you, Thou land devourest up men, and hast 29bereaved 30thy nations;
28 In a jeering and mocking way.
29 See on the previous verse.
30 Of the twelve tribes; also in the two next verses and Ezek. 37:22.
14Therefore thou shalt devour men no more, neither 31bereave thy nations any more, saith the Lord GOD.
31 Or, neither cause thy nations to stumble any more. And consequently to fall. See on verse 12.
15Neither will I cause men to hear in thee the 32shame of the heathen any more, neither shalt thou bear the reproach of the people any more, neither shalt thou cause thy nations to fall any more, saith the Lord GOD.
32 As verse 6.
16¶Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
17Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own 33way and by their doings: their way was before me as the uncleanness of a 34removed woman.
33 See Gen. 6 on verse 12.
34 See Lev. 15:19, 24, with the annotations.
18Wherefore I 35poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed 36upon the land, and for their 37idols wherewith they had polluted it:
35 See Psalm 79 on verse 6.
36 Or, upon the earth.
37 See Lev. 26 on verse 30.
19And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them.
20And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profanedd38my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of 39his land.
d Isa. 52:5; Rom. 2:24.
38 Hebr. the name of my holiness; and so in the sequel. The reason is, because the Israelites themselves were the cause that God had cast them out of His own land; of this the enemies construed to God’s dishonor, as if He had not been able enough to preserve His own land and people, or not faithful in His promises. Added to this was that they, where ever they came, behaved themselves thus, that God reaped nothing but dishonor by them; whereby He was necessitated to do all this for His own Name’s sake, of which in the sequel.
39 As verse 5. Other, they are gone one after another out of their land, that is, they had to leave it, everyone for his own part, Israel first, thereafter Judah; some strange thing has befallen this people and land.
21¶But I had 40pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went.
40 Or, I had pity on them for my holy name.
22Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.
23And I will 41sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be 42sanctified in you before 43their eyes.
41 Compare Ezek. 28 on verse 22.
42 Or, shall have hallowed myself, that is, shall have manifested My holiness, power and faithfulness in you.
43 Other, your eyes.
24For I will 44take 45you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
44 Or, fetch. Hebr. take. See Jer. 37 on verse 17. Also Ezek. 37:21.
45 First, and partly, ye Jews with a few Israelites, from Babel, etc. But this shall be a type and figure of the great spiritual work of grace which I will work in the time of the Messiah and of the New Testament, gathering My holy catholic church from among the entire world, and blessing them, as follows. Compare Ezek. 11:17.
25¶Then will I sprinkle clean 46water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your 47filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
46 I shall by My Word and My Spirit apply unto you the precious blood of the immaculate Lamb Jesus Christ for the cleansing of your souls. See 1 Peter 1:2, 19; Eph. 5:26; Heb. 9:14; 1 John 1:7, etc.
47 Compare Ezek. 37:23; 43:7.
26 A 48newe heart also will I give you, and a new spiritf will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
48 See hereof Ezek. 11 on verse 19.
e Jer. 32:39; Ezek. 11:20.
f Ezek. 11:19.
27And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
28And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my 49people, and I will be your 50God.
49 See Deut. 7 on verse 6.
50 See Gen. 17 on verse 7.
29I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will 51call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famineg upon you.
51 Order by My powerful working all manner of blessings, which is elsewhere called God’s commanding (see Lev. 25 on verse 21), as the Lord is also said to call for the plagues. See Psalm 105:16; Jer. 25:29 with the annotations. By these corporal blessings for the most part (as elsewhere) are represented spiritual blessings, yet so that godliness has also the promise of the life that now is (see Joel 2 on verse 23; 1 Tim. 4:8), but without excluding the conflict and the cross (see Psalm 37 on verse 1), whereof Ezekiel 38.
g Ezek. 34:29.
30And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen.
31Then shall ye 52rememberh your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothei53yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.
52 See Ezek. 6:9 with the annotation.
h Ezek. 16:61, 63.
i Ezek. 6:9; 20:43.
53 Hebr. your faces, as Ezek. 6:9.
32Not for 54your sakes do I this, saith the Lord GOD, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel.
54 Ye have not deserved it in the least; but I do it out of free grace, for the honor of My holy Name. God will earnestly have them to know this, and to confess it with a shamefaced confession and acknowledgment of their own unworthiness. Compare 1 Cor. 1:29, 30, 31; Eph. 2:8, 9.
33Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to 55dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded.
55 Plant them with inhabitants.
34And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by.
35And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of 56Eden;j and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.
56 That is, garden of pleasure, paradise. Compare Ezek. 28:13 with the annotation.
j Isa. 51:3; Ezek. 28:13.
36Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the LORD build the ruined places, and 57plant that that was desolate: Ik the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it.
57 Or, have built, planted the destroyed cities.
k Ezek. 17:24; 22:14; 37:14.
37Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be 58enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them 59with men like a flock.
58 Or, I will suffer myself to be sought or enquired of, that is, willingly yield to this, permit to find Me herein (compare Isa. 65:1), that (in regard the grace is plentiful, and exceeding ample and spacious, so that there seems to want but men to enjoy it) I may add yet this mercy to it, that I may fill up My church with believing people, like sheep, both of Jews and mainly of Gentiles. Compare verse 10; Cant. 8:8, etc.; Isa. 49:19, 20; 54:2, etc.; John 10:16.
59 Or, as with flocks of men.
38As the holy 60flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the LORD.
60 Hebr. sheep of holinesses. Understand the cattle for sacrifice, that in great multitudes were brought into Jerusalem before the yearly feasts for sacrifice.