*THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET
EZEKIEL

Ezekiel 7

1The final desolation of Israel. 16The mournful repentance of them that escape. 20The enemies are permitted to defile the sanctuary because of the abominations practised in it. 23Under the type of a chain is shewed the miserable captivity of all orders of men.


1MOREOVER the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

2Also, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD unto 1the land of Israel; An 2end, the end 3is come upon the four 4corners of the land.

1 Understand the kingdom of Judah, which is often called in this book Israel. Compare 2 Chron. 15:17; 21:2.

2 Namely, of the aforementioned land. Understand by the word end the ruin and destruction of the land. See Gen. 6 on verse 13. Compare Lam. 4:18.

3 That is, very nigh at hand; for, this prophecy was made in the fifth year of Zedekiah’s reign, and was fulfilled in the eleventh. See similar phrase 1 Sam. 2:31; Psalm 102:13; Isa. 13:22; Jer. 50:31.

4 Hebr. wings, that is, sides, bounds or parts of the land of Judah; as for example, there were the west, east, south and north borders. Christ calls these the four winds, Mat. 24:31. The meaning is: that no part of the land would be free from God’s punishment.

3Now is the end come upon thee, and I will send mine 5anger upon thee, and will 6judge thee according to thy 7ways, and 8will recompense upon thee all thine abominations.

5 That is, My punishments, which I will pour out in My wrath against thee. Also Exod. 15:7; Job 20:23; Psalm 78:49.

6 That is, punish. See Gen. 15 on verse 14.

7 That is, works. See Gen. 6 on verse 12.

8 Hebr. I will give upon thee, that is, bring, lay, put; also verse 4. That is, I will punish thee for thine abominations and wicked works. See similar phrase verses 8, 9, 10; 1 Kings 8 on verse 32; Jer. 26:15; Ezek. 11:21; 16:43; 22:31; 23:49.

4Anda9mine eye shall not spare thee, neither will I have pity: but I will recompense thy ways upon thee, and 10thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

a Ezek. 5:11; 8:18.

9 See Ezek. 5 on verse 11.

10 That is, the punishments of thine abominations; for, the guilt of the abominations had been among them long before. Also iniquity for the punishment thereof. See Lev. 5:1 and the annotation.

5Thus saith the Lord GOD; An 11evil, an 12only evil, behold, is come.

11 Understand the evil of punishment, Gen. 19 on verse 19.

12 Which at once shall utterly ruin and destroy you. Compare the phrase with 1 Sam. 26:8; Nahum 1:9.

613An end is come, 14the end is come: 15it 16watcheth for thee; behold, 17it is come.

13 See on verse 2.

14 Namely, which have continually threatened you by My prophets. One and the same thing is said twice, to express the truth and heaviness of it.

15 Understand the aforementioned end. Other, he is awaked, namely, the Lord, and that to punish thee.

16 That is, prepared and ready to overtake thee. Compare 2 Peter 2:3.

17 Or, the evil. Namely, whereof is spoken in the previous verse.

718The morning is come unto thee, O thou that dwellest in the land: the time is come, the day 19of trouble is near, and not the 20sounding again of the mountains.

18 That is, the time in which thou shalt certainly be cut off early and quickly. Some conceive that here respect is had to the time of public, civil punishments, which among the Israelites were done in the morning, using for that purpose that which is said, Psalm 101:8.

19 Understand a certain and determined time, wherein the land would be full of trouble by means of the tumult and violence of war, and by means of the lamenting and howling of men. Hebr. the day, the trouble is near.

20 Understand the echo proceeding from the shouting and noise that is made when they gather in their new wine and other fruits of the field. Some understand this also of the joyful sound which idolaters made upon the mountains near their altars. Compare Jer. 25 on verse 30.

8Now will I 21shortly pour out my 22fury upon thee, and accomplish mine anger 23upon thee: and I will judge thee according to thy 24ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations.

21 Hebr. from nigh at hand.

22 That is, send upon thee the punishments of My fury in great abundance, and with violence. Also Ezek. 20:8, 13. See Psalm 79 on verse 6.

23 Compare Ezek. 5 on verse 13.

24 That is, works, all our doings, as verse 3.

9And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will recompense thee according to thy ways and 25thine abominations that are in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I am the LORD 26that smiteth.

25 See on verse 4.

26 That is, Who punishes justly. See of this word Gen. 8 on verse 21.

10Behold 27the day, behold, 28it is come: the morning is gone forth; 29the rod hath blossomed, 30pride hath budded.

27 That is, the time of punishment and vengeance of God. See verses 7 and 12.

28 Or, behold, the morning. This is referred to verse 7 and the next phrase of this verse. We may also place instead of it, the evil, from verse 5.

29 This is by many understood king Nebuchadnezzar, by whom the Jews would be punished, for which end his power increased and flourished. Compare Isa. 10:5.

30 Understand the bold and obstinate presumption of the Jews in sinning against God, which was the cause of the aforesaid blossoming rod. See the next verse.

1131Violence is risen up into a rod of wickedness: none 32of them shall remain, nor of 33their multitude, nor of 34any of theirs: 35neither shall there be wailing for them.

31 Understand here injustice and cruelty, proceeding from the aforementioned pride. For, from the contempt of God issues all injustice and cruelty which men practice one against another. This now brings forth the rod, whereby the wickedness of men, according to the just judgment of God, is punished. Violence may be also here understood in respect of the Chaldeans, whom the Lord would shortly raise up to punish the wickedness of the Jews.

32 Namely, of the Jews. This is to be understood with the exception of the remnant whereof is spoken in Ezek. 6:8.

33 That is, of the common people.

34 Understand the lords and great ones of the land, who with multitudes of people, accompanying them or waiting upon them, do show themselves in public. Other, nor of them that are out of them, that is, their posterity.

35 That is, no mourning, when they have died. The sense is, that the destruction would be so great, that few shall be left to lament the dead; or, that everyone would have enough to do with his own grief. See Jer. 16:4, 5, 6, 7.

1236The time is come, the day draweth near: 37let not the buyer rejoice, nor the seller 38mourn: for 39wrath is upon all the multitude 40thereof.

36 See on verse 7.

37 Namely, because he shall not enjoy the commodity that he has bought.

38 Namely. because he was constrained through want and poverty to sell his land, or other goods; for, if he had not sold it, yet he would not have been able to have kept it. See the next verse.

39 Understand the burning anger of the Lord. See verse 14; 2 Chron. 28 on verse 13.

40 Namely, of the land of Judah.

13For the seller shall not 41return 42to that which is sold, 43although they were yet alive: for 44the vision is touching the whole multitude 45thereof, which shall not 46return; neither shall 47any strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life.

41 As was done in the Year of Jubilee, wherein every man, who had sold his inheritance, was to return to it again. See Lev. 25:13. But this law could not have been kept in the seventy years of captivity.

42 Hebr. selling. Also Ezek. 1:1 captivity, for the captives.

43 That is, though both buyer and seller were yet alive.

44 That is, this prophecy, foretelling the ruin of the kingdom of Judah, and of the seventy years captivity of the people of the Jews. See of the word vision Gen. 15 on verse 1; Gen. 46 on verse 2.

45 Namely, of the land of Judah, as in the next verse.

46 That is, shall not be revoked by God, nor be in vain, but shall be certainly accomplished. Thus the word return is taken in Isa. 55:11. Compare also 2 Sam. 1:22.

47 The sense is, that the Jews, how wickedly and vilely so ever they shall seek to keep back God’s vengeance, yet notwithstanding they would not escape the same. These words may also be translated thus: whose life is in his iniquity shall strengthen himself; or, no man being in his iniquity, shall strengthen his life; or, strengthen himself in his life, that is, as long as he goes on in his iniquity, he shall not be able to save himself from destruction.

14They have blown the trumpet, even to make 48all ready; but none 49goeth to the battle: for my wrath is upon all the multitude 50thereof.

48 Namely, what is needful and useful for war.

49 Namely, either because through carelessness he will not, or through fear he dares not, or through weakness he cannot.

50 Namely, of the land of Judah, as in the two previous verses.

15The sword is 51without, and the pestilence and the famine 52within: 53he that is in the field shall die with 54the sword; and he that is in the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him.

51 Namely, outside the city of Jerusalem.

52 Namely, inside the city of Jerusalem.

53 Understand those who flee out of the city that they might not perish in the destruction.

54 Namely, of the Chaldeans, who would besiege the city.

16¶But they 55that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves 56of the valleys, all of them 57mourning, every one for his iniquity.

55 Understand those who have escaped the common plague of the city, and the hand of the Chaldeans.

56 Namely, wherein they hide themselves for fear of a storm and tempest, or of some birds of prey.

57 The Hebrew word signifies here as much as making a stir by sighing, whining and howling. Compare Isa. 38:14; 59:11.

17All hands shall be 58feeble,b and all knees shall 59be weak as water.

58 See 2 Sam. 4 on verse 1.

b Isa. 13:7; Jer. 6:24.

59 Hebr. go away, that is, loose her strength, trembling for fear, and not being prepared and able to stand against any violence, or to flee from it. Also Ezek. 21:7. Of feeble knees see also Job 4:4 and the annotation.

18They shall also 60girdcthemselves with sackcloth, and 61horror shall cover them; and shame shall be upon all faces, and 62baldness upon all their heads.

60 See Gen. 37 on verse 34.

c Isa. 15:2, 3; Jer. 48:37.

61 See similar speech Psalm 55:5.

62 Namely, because through the greatness of their sorrow they would pluck out the hair of their head, which the Lord had forbidden, Deut. 14:1, not willing that His people would mourn immoderately and uncivilly as the heathen; whereas these men would not heed to this command, it appears that repentance was not among them

19They shall 63cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be 64removed: theird silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the 65day of the wrath of the LORD: they shall not satisfy their 66souls, neither fill their bowels: because 67it is the 68stumblingblock of their iniquity.

63 Namely, either it might be an hindrance to them in their flight, or because they would despair of possessing it any longer.

64 That is, which they shall esteem no more than that which by the law is unclean, and from which they were to separate and sequester themselves. Hebr. set apart. See of this word 2 Chron. 29 on verse 5.

d Prov. 11:4; Zeph. 1:18.

65 That is, when God by a righteous wrath shall severely punish the Jews.

66 The word soul is here taken for the appetite and desire unto food. The same is said not to be satisfied for want of victuals, which would also befall the most rich. The phrase is also found in Jer. 31:25.

67 Namely, gold and silver.

68 That is, the occasion and cause of their fall and ruin, because they had gotten it ill, and used it ill, and especially in honoring their idols therewith, Ezek. 16:17. See of the word stumblingblock also in Ezek. 21:15 and the annotation.

20¶As for the 69beauty of his ornament, 70he set it in 71majesty: but they made the images of their abominations and of their detestable things therein: therefore have I set 72it 73far from them.

69 Understand the temple at Jerusalem, which was not only adorned with gold and many precious instruments and jewels, but also with the exercise of the true service of God.

70 Namely, God.

71 That is, to show thereby as by an external sign His exceeding, eminent glory, and to exalt His people as His dear spouse, most costly adorned above all nations.

72 Namely, the beauty of My ornament.

73 Or, made it unto them an unclean thing. See on the previous verse. Other, made it a separation, that is, made it or done it far from them.

21And I will give 74it into the hands of the 75strangers for a prey, and to the 76wicked of the earth for a spoil; and they shall 77pollute it.

74 Namely, that beauty of My ornament.

75 Namely, nations, as of the Chaldeans or Babylonians, who have spoiled, destroyed and burned the temple, 2 Kings 25:9, etc.; 2 Chron. 36:18, 19.

76 Understand the same Chaldeans, who would have no fear of God, no justice or compassion towards men.

77 Namely, by plundering, murdering, violating and burning it; likewise by taking out of it the gold, silver, copper and the holy vessels, and employing them to profane uses, 2 Kings 25:13, 14, 15, etc.; Dan. 1:2; 5:3.

22My face will I turn also from 78them, and they shall pollute my 79secret place: for the 80robbers shall enter into 81it, and defile it.

78 Namely, from the Chaldeans, who shall take and destroy My temple. It implies that He would let them alone and not hinder nor resist their wicked practice. Others understand this of the Israelites.

79 Understand the Holy of Holies, where was the ark of the covenant; and it is called a secret place, because it was the innermost part of the temple, and no man was allowed to enter into it save the high priest, and that only once a year.

80 See of this word Psalm 17 on verse 4.

81 Namely, into Jerusalem, and from there into the temple, and so into the Holy of Holies.

23¶Make 82a chain: for the land is full of 83bloody crimes, and the city is full of 84violence.

82 Or, cord, namely, for a sign that the Jews as malefactors, who, being bound with chains and cords, are accustomed to be carried to prison or to the place of execution, would partly perish by the sword, and partly would be carried away captive into Chaldea.

83 That is, sins which have deserved death; otherwise called judgments of death. See Deut. 19 on verse 6; Jer. 26:11. Others understand public judgments, in which the innocent are condemned to death by unrighteous judges.

84 Understand hereby all manner of injustice practiced against the neighbors, either by open and public oppression or by secret fraud and deceit to heap up riches.

24Wherefore I will bring the 85worst of the heathen, and they shall 86possess their houses: I will also make the 87pomp 88of the strong to cease; and their 89holy places shall be defiled.

85 That is, the Chaldeans, who at that time were the most powerful among the heathen, and open enemies to the Jews.

86 The Hebrew word indeed signifies for the most part to possess a thing by right of lawful inheritance, but it is also taken for possession in property, how and in what manner the same might be obtained. 1 Kings 21:15; Hab. 1:6.

87 That is, the pride, loftiness, pomp and splendor.

88 That is, of the great ones in the land; who are great and mighty in birth, honor, riches, or one of them.

89 Namely, the aforementioned strong men. Now those who hallowed them, were the priests, who offered sacrifices for them, whereby they thought to be hallowed.

2590Destruction cometh; and they shall seek peace, and there shall be none.

90 Or, extermination, ruin. Hebr. cutting off. Compare Isa. 38:12.

26Mischief shall come upon mischief, and rumour shall be upon rumour; then shall they seek a vision 91of the prophet; but the 92law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the 93ancients.

91 To know of him the consequence of their misery; but their seeking shall be without finding, because they hearkened not to the prophets in due time.

92 That is, the common ecclesiastical persons shall loose the true and sincere doctrine, which alone can truly instruct and comfort a man in all trouble and affliction, and the civil rulers shall be void of counsel; and all this to the increase of the punishment which the Jews had deserved. Compare Isa. 29:14.

93 That is, from the counselors, rulers of the land.

27The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed 94with desolation, and the hands of 95the people of the land shall be 96troubled: I will do unto them 97after their way, and 98according to their deserts will I judge them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

94 Or, the princes; that is, be quite filled with astonishment, amazement and despair. See similar phrase Job 8:22, and in the annotation. Hebr. the prince shall be clothed, etc.

95 That is, of the common people. Also Jer. 44:21; Hag. 2:5.

96 That is, through trouble and astonishment of heart be utterly unable to do anything towards the obstruction against the enemy. Compare 2 Sam. 4:1 and the annotation.

97 That is, according to the deserts of their works.

98 That is, with the punishments, which they have deserved. Judgment for punishment; see 2 Chron. 20 on verse 12. Or, according to the manner, such as they deserve. Judgment for manner; see Gen. 40 on verse 13.