Matthew Poole and continuators on Ezekiel 6

1 AND the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

This Revelation or Prophesie.

Came in the sixth year of Ieconia's Captivity on the 21th. day (being the Sabbath day) of the fifth month, a twelve moneth and fortnight after the first Vision, chap. 1.2. and probably it came so soon as 390 dayes were ended.

2 Son of man, set thy face towards the mountains of Israel, and prophesie against them.

The common name to all that now remained since the Ten Tribes were captivated by Salmanaser.

Declare my judgments against them.

Hereby (as Isaiah did chap. 12.) upbraiding the deafness of the Jews whom he now left to speak to Mountains. Or, rather to the Inhabitants of the Mountains who were secure in their fastnesses and great Idolaters, who chose the high Hills, &c. for places of Idolatrous worship.

Marginal references: See chap. 2.1.; Put thy self towards the Mountains in a posture of one who is going to speak, look toward them.; Chap. 36.1.

3 And say, 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, Behold, I, even I will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places.

Ye that dwell in the Mountains, ye secure, fearless, and rude Mountaineers.

Hear and consider what God speaks against you, for thus saith the Lord God to you, on Mountains and Hills of Israel, ye dwell and commit Idolatry.

To those who either by Rivers sides worshipt idols, or who accounted Rivers among their Gods.

To those that worshipt their Idols in low and shaddowy valleys. In all these places the Jews had, either their several Gods, or performed a several kind of Worship, or, contrary to command, worshipt their God and set up Altars to him there.

That shall slay you inhabitants, waste your Mountains and Valleys, destroy your Altars, and abolish your Worship.

I, by the Enemy, will do this.

Places of your Idolatrous or Superstitious Worship, by the Sword of those that serve Idols your Idols shall be destroyed and you with them, unlesse ye repent.

4 And your altars shall be desolate and your images shall be broken, and I will cast down your slain men before your altars.

Gods Altar was onely at Ierusalem, these were their Altars.

No Priest to attend, no Sacrifice offered, nor a Votary come to them.

Statues, and perhaps the particular Images made to the Sun, as the Heb. word including heat may signifie. Or the open places on tops of your Houses where you worshipt the Sun, 2 Kings 23.5. and Isaiah 27.9. mentions this piece of Idolatry.

Either tore down from their places to be carried Captives, which was a part of Heathen Conquerors insolence, or torn in pieces in contempt and to be destroyed.

My hand shall guide the pursuing Enemy who shall slay your men before the Altars of those Idols they worshipt formerly, and to whom, as senseless as the Idols, they fly to for refuge, as perhaps Senachereb did. Isa. 37.38.

Marginal references: Or▪ sun-images, and so ver. 6.; Lev. 26.30.

5 And I will lay the dead carcases of the children of Israel before their idols, and I will scatter your bones round about your Altars.

Expose to open shame, while the Carcases of Idolaters recal to mind their shameful folly and sin.

Either of such as are newly slain. Or, such as the Chaldeans did dig out of their Graves in spite, contempt, or covetousness, hoping to find some costly Ornaments buried with them, so God fulfills that of Lev. 26.30.

You shall thus be a defilement to your supposed sacred Altars and Worship, and an abhorrence to beholders.

As unworthy to be laid up in Earth, who had so highly provoked the God of Heaven; they are made dung who served dunghill Gods.

Marginal references: Heb. give.

6 In all your dwelling places the cities shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate, that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your Idols may be broken and cease, and your images may be cut down, and your workes may be abolished.

Mountains and Hills with their Altars were doomed, now the Cities that were of less note then Ierusalem, seem particularly to be threatned, because they were Idolatrous, according to the number of Cities were there Gods, Ier. 11.13.

High places and Altars set up to the honour [illegible: 1 letter]f those Idols shall be laid waste.

The Idols of those lesser Cities shall be utterly destroyed.

Or, Statues that were usually fastened on some Pedestal somewhat high, shall be cut down.

All your costly works for idols and your pompous preparation for them shall, with your Cities, be abolisht for ever as your sins and abominations deserve.

7 And the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

See verse 10, 12.

When the slain shall fall thus in your sight, you shall know two things, you would not regard before. 1. That Idols are vanity and snares. 2. That I am the Lord who do avenge the quarrel of my Covenant. Or, may it not be turned, and the prophane shall fall, i. e. The Idols and Altars and other implements of Idol-worship, made holy by unholy men, shall be prophaned and cast down, defiled and trod under foot in the sight of the Jews, as God threatens, then they shall know God is the onely Lord and God. I conjecture at this by Ezekiels being among the Chaldaeans some years, who had gotten somewhat of their Tongue, and the word here used, which is rendred slain, and I render prophane, doth in the Chalde[illegible: 1 letter] signifie prophane, and is so rendred Ezekiel 21.25. if here so rendred, 'twill better suit with the foregoing verse and more fitly summe up that discourse and close it.

8 ¶ Yet will I leave a remnant, that ye may have some that shall escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered through the countries.

It is the Lord that preserves a remnant, the Enemies rage would destroy all, and 'tis an act of deliberate and voluntary resolution not by chance, but by choice.

Some few in comparison with the greater multitudes that are cut off.

Though he promiseth an handful shall remain, yet in that condition that they are little more then escap't, a poor and small remnant left, as Zeph. 3.12.

Either by your own choice, shifting from Countrey to Countrey, Or, else dissipated by the order of the proud oppressing Conqueror, who will scatter Families, least they should be a little comfort to one another, and great Jealousie to him, he will scatter to prevent conspiracies.

Marginal references: Chap. 2.5, 14.

9 And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations, whither they shall be carryed captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart which hath departed from me, and with their eyes which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall loath themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations .

Some of them, not every one of them, for several of the escaped did not bethink themselves, as appears Ier. 42.43. and 44.

My precepts which they violated, my mercies which they abused, my threats which they despised, my promises which they refused, my Prophets whom they persecuted, my judgements which I have executed, and shall consider and return, and seek me in their affliction.

In their own Land they forgot and sinned in a strange Land, they shall remember and weep, so the remnant is bettered by afflictions, at liberty they were Captives to Sin and Idols, when in Captivity, they shall shake off that bondage and become my Servants.

Here we meet very different Reading. The Chaldee paraphr. and Syr. Version Read it actively, so does the vulg. Latin. Because, or, when, I have broken, &c. and if this vary from the Grammatical Construction, yet it carrieth very good sense and agreeable to the foregoing words. Their Whorish hearts would still have forgotten God if he had not broken their hearts with judgments, but they remembred, when broken, and this breaking was the occasion or cause of their remembring God. Others read this passively, as our Version, and as the Heb. form most usually beareth. I am broken tis an allusion to a misused Husband whom a Treacherous Wife hath broken. Either 1. His Peace and Content. 2. His Love and Tenderness. 3. His Patience and Forbearance. 4. His Purposes. 5. His Offers and Promises, so that, as overcome with Grief and Anger, he doth, contrary to his natural Disposition, lay aside his courting her Love, and in his Jealousie takes revenge, and then she bethinks her self. So here.

Thei[illegible: 1 letter] Heart of Whoredom, i. e. Idolatrous Heart which was full of that sin, addicted to it, delighted in it, and wedded to it.

Idolatrous Hearts do actually depart from God, as an Adulterous Wife actually departs from her Husband.

As it vexeth a Husband to see his Wife fixing her Eyes with delight on the Adulterer, and turning them with scorn from him, as this breaks the Husbands Patience; so in this case, Israel's Eyes were to Idols and delighted in them, expected help from them, were ready to serve them. All which broke their Husbands, i. e. Gods Patience and provoked his severe revenges.

With a mixture of grief towards God offended, of indignation against themselves offending▪ of abhorrence of the offence, and shame before all for it shall they shew their Repentance.

Wickednesses, or as Psal. 32.5. Iniquities of sin, the deepest and darkest part of sin, the complicated evils that were in each act.

'Tis a Hypocrites Repentance which is but for some, this of the reserved remnant shall be found, 'tis for all abominations, for all kinds of their abominations.

Marginal references: Num. 15.39.; Lev. 26.39. Chap. 36.31.

10 And they shall know that I am the LORD, and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evil unto them.

See, acknowledge, and believe it too.

The onely one whom they should Worship, depend on, who can claim their Hearts, their Fear, Love and Trust, as rightfully due. Just in my waies, true both to Threats and Promises.

Either, 1. Without cause, the sufferers gave him just cause to pronounce all that evil. Or, 2. Without effect and to no purpose, I told them that the evils I would bring should make them know that I am the Lord, and these sufferers at last find this effect wrought in them. Their sins were the cause, and their instruction is the effect of their sufferings.

11 ¶ Thus saith the Lord GOD, Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say, Alas, for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel ⸫ for they shall fall by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.

Here are two actions commanded, and both signifie a mixture of affection in the Person, as wonder and amazement▪ indignation and displeasure, grief and sorrow, pity and commiseration, all which are required in the Prophet, to shew both the evil of sin, he did see, and the evil of sufferings which he did foresee, on Israel.

Tell them what thou meanest by such unusual gestures, speak with grief. Alas!

Sins in full growth, ripe to the Harvest, make him cry out.

Grievous miseries coming on his People and on his Kindred, the House of Israel must fall, be ruined, laid desolate, and carried Captive.

Marginal references: Chap. 21.17▪

12 He that is farr off shall die of the pestilence , and he that is near shall fall by the sword, and he that remaineth and is besieged shall die by the famine: thus will I accomplish my fury upon them.

Either by his early and voluntary flight from his own Countrey. Or, He that is carried away Captive, and sent by the Enemy into a far Countrey.

The Arrow I will shoot after them.

Who staies in his own Countrey, or dwells near to Ierusalem, or would retire to it when the Babylonians approach, but is taken before he can get thither.

That surviveth those slain, but is shut up and besieged where he sought safety.

I will satisfie my just displeasure an[illegible: 1 letter] give them full measures of punishment, I will fulfil my threats.

13 Then shall ye know that I am the LORD, when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savour to all their idols.

See ver. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10.

Each of which was accounted a fit place for such superstitious Rites, and in all which some or other of you did commit Idolatrie, and shame to speak it, burnt Sweets, rich Spices which God had given them, to dunghill Gods, stinking idols which the Devil had commended to them, Deut. 32.17.

14 So will I stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea , more desolate then the wilderness towards Diblath, in all their habitations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.

This noteth the greatness of the blow, God striketh hard when he stretcheth out his hand, and therefore you find a mighty hand joyned with outstretched arm.

A desolation (a Hebraism) for most desolate.

And a desolation greater, or above the desolation of that most horrid Wilderness of Moab, which is here called Diblath mentioned in a Dual form, Num. 33.4, 6. and Ier. 48.22. as some think, and described by Moses, Deut. 8.15. 'Twas that wherein the fiery Serpents so much annoyed Israel. Or, I will lay their habitations waste and desolate from Ierusalem unto Diblath the borders of Moab, and the Land all along shall be as desolate, as that very Wilderness, so the Lord will turn a most fruitful Land into barrenness for the sins of the People.

Some instructed and bettered shall own me and fear me, the rest convinced and astonied shall confess, that God hath done this great thing against them.

Marginal references: Or, desolate from the wilderness.