Matthew Poole and continuators on Ezekiel 8

1 AND it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth moneth, in the fifth day of the moneth, as I sat in my house, and the elders of Judah [illegible: 1 letter]ate before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me.

Of Ieconiahs Captivity.

They had been almost seven years in Captivity, 'twas Elul or our August.

The Sabbath day, as chap. 1.2,

Abode in my house, probably he lay on his side the 390 daies not yet expired.

The chief of those that were now in Captivity.

They were come either to spend the Sabbath in Religious exercises such as the presentstate of affairs permitted, to hear somewhat from the Prophets mouth, expounding the Law or declaring their duty, or to enquire what would become of their brethren in Ierusalem, whether they should be subdued and captivated, or whether any good news for them from Heaven, and how they should behave themselves in these sad times.

The spirit of Prophesie exerted it self with a mighty divine power which enlightned me at that very time, and in that very place. See chap. 1.3.

Marginal references: Chap. 3.21.

2 Then I beheld, and lo, a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.

Of a man; that man whom he had seen upon the Throne, i. e. Of Christ.

See chap. 1.26, 27, 28. This Fire denotes the Wrath of God against Ierusalem, and it is observed 'twas Fire downward, wrath already coming down upon the Jews.

To signifie the Majesty and Glory of Christ. See more, chap. 1.27.

Marginal references: Chap. 1.4.

3 And he put forth the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of mine head, and the spirit lift me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate, that looketh towards the north, where was the seat of the image of jealousie, which provoketh to jealousie.

Christ.

Visionally this was acted, not corporally or actually, and so all that is here spoken of to the end of the 16th. verse.

Which indeed is the hand which took him by the head, gently but with mighty strength.

Very probably in the sight of the Elders who were with him.

He seemed to fly as a swift Bird through the Air.

Carried me to see Ierusalem, where in Visions strange and glorious I beheld what was done there, this was no delusion but a Revelation from Heaven, though all was done in an Ecstasie, yet he was fully assured of every particular he saw done in the Temple, whither he was carried in his Spirit not Body, by the hand or Spirit of Christ.

To the door of the gate of the inner Court, or Court of the Priests, 2 Chron. 4.9.

The Temple Courts had four Gates towards the four quarters of the World, and this was the North Gate, which opened into the great Court where A[illegible: 1 letter]az had set up his Damascen Altar, 2 Kings 16.11. and where the Idols were set up too.

Baal which Manasseh had set up, 2 Kings 21.7. and Iosiah had destroyed, and succeeding Kings had again set up. [illegible: 1 letter]

Because it was so notorious an affront to God who had married Israel to himself, that above all other it provoked him to anger against this people.

Marginal references: Dan. 5.5.

4 And behold, the glory of the GOD of Israel was there, according to the vision which I saw in the plain.

See chap. 1.28. and chap. 3.23.

Whither he carried me, and there it shewed me what I saw.

Like that which gave farther confirmation to the Prophet, and encouraged him in his work, and call.

Marginal references: Chap. 1.3.

5 ¶ Then said he unto me, son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way towards the north: so I lift up my eyes the way toward the north, and behold, northward at the gate of the Altar, this image of jealousie in the entry .

When he had in vision brought me hither.

Observe diligently and exactly every thing which thou mayest see Northward first.

So called because Ahaz had removed it from the middle of the Court where by Gods command 'twas placed by Solomon, but now Ahaz setting it near this North Gate, it gave name to the Gate. Or possibly because of an Altar erected there to some Idol by Manasseh.

See ver. 3. &c.

In the very midst of the Court, in the very passage to the Temple, to affront the Worship of God.

6 He said furthermore unto me, son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations which the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary ? but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations.

Doest thou observe.

The Inhab[illegible: 1 letter]tants, the generality of the Jews.

The notorious Idolatries.

In this Court in view of my Temple, and where all that come, as most did this way to Worship Mē, see it, so shameless is it!

Not that they designed this but eventually 'twas so▪ and in all reason could be no otherwise expected.

That I chose but am not confined to that, I shall leave not by local distance, but by rejecting and casting it off, and laying it desolate.

7 ¶ And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold, a hole in the wall.

The second door, for there were two in the Northside.

Verse 3. Some say 'twas the Court into which the Levites only, not the People might enter, and round about which were the chambers of the Priests.

Probably being at the door of the Court he might espy such a hole in the opposite Wall that was toward the Temple, whereon were built the Treasury Chamber, and Chambers for Tithes, and for other necessaries about the Temple Worship, and for the Priests Lodgings, in which these Abominations were acted.

Or little blind window through which he might see somewhat though not much of what was done within.

8 Then said he unto me, son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door .

Beside that, the hole he saw in the wall was not quite through, it was not great enough for him to go through, therefore he is commanded to dig one large enough to come at the door mentioned in this verse.

Some very private door by which the Idolatrous Priests entred into the Chamber of their imagery, to perform idolatrous Worship to their Images, the door of the Treasury.

9 And he said unto me, go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here.

This was to secure him, he need fear, neither the violence which Idolaters usually shew against those that discover them, nor yet any legal impurity by coming so near these abominable things.

Look diligently that thou maist particularly reprove these, and denounce my just judgments against them.

The most abominable wickednesses, these are loathsome in their nature, and multiplied in number before me.

Are doing here. Heb. before the evil day appeared so near, they did, and under the approach of Judgments, they are still doing at this day, in this very place under the walls of my Temple.

10 So I went in, and saw, and behold, every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about.

According to the Vision.

Of such Creatures as the Egyptians, or any others with whom the Jews had acquaintance did Worship.

The Beasts are here called abominable because Idolaters had abused them to unlawful uses, making Idols of them.

The Jews had multiplied to themselves Idols of their own besides those borrowed from their Neighbours. Or, they are called the Idols of the House of Israel, because they had adopted them, and because Israel's Idolatry was so much more brutish and provoking then that of the other Nations, who had not the Law of God given to them as to the Jews.

Possibly they did thus picture their Idols on the wall, vainly thinking this was not a breach of the Law which forbad graven Images, and molten Images, but every likeness of any thing made for to Worship is forbidden, and such pictures are to be destroyed, Numb. 33.52.

Possibly they had the same set of Idols, by different givers, and by different Painters, drawn on the walls of the Chamber or house of Idols.

11 And there stood before them seventy men of the antients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand, and a thick cloud of incense went up.

Offering incense before the Idols.

Either the Sanhedrin or Council of 70, who should have preserved Religion pure and untainted to which their office bound them. Or, else 70 of the more aged heads of the Tribes or Families, who should have been examples by their Pure and Constant affection to true Religion, but these are Ring-leaders in this Idolatry.

By Age or Office, or both.

Either accompanying them in their Idolatry. Or, rather as chief of the Council or Sanhedrin in the Chair, the Seat of the Chief, Prefect, or Principal next to the High Priest.

Mentioned 2 Kings 22.9. as most likely, a Person that seems forward in Reforming under Iosiah, and his Son as forward now in corrupting the Worship of God.

All were actors in this Idolatry, and either Priests to these Idols, or very Bigots in the service.

Or Abundance of a Cloud, or Rich (as the word among Rabinical senses) Cloud, or, since the word whence this comes signifies to pray or supplicate, A Cloud of Incense offered with the Prayers of these deluded Idolaters, who were used to put both together.

Whether simple and uncompounded, or compound, it was always of sweets and very co[illegible: 2 letters]ly too▪ indeed Idolatry as Adultery will be lavish.

12 Then said he unto me, son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORD seeth us not, the LORD hath forsaken the earth.

Observed and throughly considered.

See verse 11.

Whether ashamed to act openly what was most absurd, or whether out of blindness doting in secret on what heathens secretly derided, though for interest they acted it openly, owning that Religion which awed the People among them and deriding it at home, but Idolatrous Jews bl[illegible: 1 letter]sh in publick and retire into Corners to be Idolaters, as thou seest in this Chamber.

Every one of those Antients, for still God had his remnant that kept close to God.

Secret, closet, or Bed Chamber.

Most shameless would give a reason for their unreasonable pra[illegible: 2 letters]ices.

Iehovah the Everlasting, and Almighty God.

Either they deny his Providence and act what they durst not if they thought the Lord knew and noted it, as if they accounted I[illegible: 1 letter]h[illegible: 1 letter]vah no better then Idols that have eyes but see not. Or else they deny Gods care of them and their affairs, traduce him as if he minded them not, and therefore they must chuse some or other God for Patron them who would better help then he had done

T[illegible: 1 letter]is seems to explain the meaning of that he seeth us not, and so with Atheism more then ordinary they would cast the blame of choosing other Gods on God himself.

Marginal references: Chap. 9.9.

13 ¶ He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do.

Represented to him in this Vision.

Either because added to all the rest. Or, Because some circumstances in th[illegible: 1 letter]se make them more abominable then what before was represented. Or, It may be taken for very great, as when the word is applied to Cities, Deut. 1.2[illegible: 1 letter]. and 6.10. and 9.1. To Stones, I[illegible: 2 letters]h. 10.11, 27. 1 Kings 7.10. Davids Wars, 1 Chron. 22.8. Kingdoms, Ier. 28.8. And to the marvelous works of God, Iob 5.9. and 9.10. Psal. 136.4. and generally our Version keeps to the positive degree though here they render it by the comparative, and in the 6th. verse of this chapter, the very self same expression is rendred great (not greater) abominations, we need not then perplex our reader with a long discourse, to shew wherein these latter sins are greater then the former mentioned, they are all very great.

Now they are doing these things, instead of Worshipping the true God on the Sabbath, as he required all his People, the Leaders of the People are on the Sabbath of the Lord offering Incense to their detestable Idols.

14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORDS house, which was towards the north, and behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.

Not by real and corporal change of place, but in vision and by representation.

Of the outer Court, or Court of the Women, so called because they were allowed to come into it, as were all the Laity of the Jews; but 'tis more likely, the Gate of the Inner Court, the Court of the Priests, next to the house of God, whither none save Priests might come but in this very great corruption of the state, others were admitted into it which makes this sin the greater.

He enters at first by the North Gate, and so passeth on to what places were next to the Temple on that side.

Contrary to the Law were they come thither, led by their blindest because the vilest, and most impudent superstition, and waiting (exprest by sitting) ready to commit most lewd wickednesses as part of their obscene and beastly Rites.

This is the only part which is specified of their irreligious Religion commemorating with Tears, an infamously lustful, and unclean Whoremonger, or Votary of Venus, snatcht from her by an unhappy wound of a Boar, say some, this weeping implieth all the beastly Rites of that Idol.

A Magician, say some, a handsome young man but notorious for Love of Women, say others; an Adulterer (say some) slain by his brother King of Egypt, and mangled in pieces, his torn Members were thrown into the River, but gathered up by the fond Adulteresses, and Rites of Worship fitted to so lewd an Idol; whose Adulteries, lascivious practises, and immodest gestures these she Priests acted over before the Idol with men of like lewdness, of whom what they received, as rewards of their prostituting themselves, was offered to Venus, by this means Gods Temple was turned into a lewd stews.

15 ¶ Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater Abominations then these.

Besides these thou hast seen, thou shalt again see great abominations. Or, if the expression be strictly comparative, then these latter wickednesses may be accounted greater, because acted in a more sacred place.

16 And he brought me into the inner court of the LORDS house, and behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east, and they worshipped the sun toward the east.

The inmost that which was next to the Temple called here the Lords house.

Before he saw abominations in the Gates of the Courts now he is come to the very ho[illegible: 2 letters]e it self.

That st[illegible: 1 letter]t[illegible: 1 letter]ly large Porch beautified with the high, curious, and mighty brass Pillars, Iac[illegible: 1 letter]in and Bo[illegible: 2 letters], of which see 1 Kings 6.3. and 7.15.21.

The brazen Altar for burnt-offerings, which was placed in the Court before the front of the Temple, and is here represented in its proper place, 2 Kings 16.14. This is not contradictory to that verse 5th. which speaks of the place where [illegible: 1 word] had wickedly placed the Altar, but this verse 16th. speaks of the same Altar as supposing it to be where it ought, as God commanded it should be, and Solomon placed it, 2 Chr. 8.12.

An indefinite and undetermined number.

In contempt of God, with an open and designed abrenuntiation of God and his Worship.

Though God had prohibited this Deut. 17.3. with Deut. 4.17, 18, 19. Yet in imitation of the Chaldees, Persians, Aegyptians, Phaen[illegible: 1 letter]cians and the Eastern Idolaters, these Jews turn the back on God who Created the Sun, and Worship the Creature in contempt of the Creator.

Either some principal men. Or else some Priests, if these, the greater sin in them to turn Idolaters, if the other, the Idolatry committed by them in a place they should not have entred appears presumptuous and greatly wicked.

Marginal references: chap. 11.1.; 2 Kings 23.5▪

17 ¶ Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah, that they commit the abominations, which they commit here? for they have filled the Land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger; and lo, they put the branch to their nose.

After the Prophet had seen all and had time to consider all he saw.

God appeals to the Prophet.

Doth the House of Iudah think these no sins, or but little sins, or that I account not those provocations to anger. Do they so sottishly undervalue me and my Law and Ordinances, &c?

These Idolaters as others of the same stamp are great oppressors.

Every where their oppressions may be found in great and high degrees.

All in[illegible: 1 letter]ustice is here meant towards all sorts of men, whom they first despise and next destroy.

From Injustice against man they return to impiety against God.

Consecrate first these branches in the Sun and then next prize them, as what had toucht the Idol and was bettered by it. Or, perhaps took some branches out of the Garland, wherewith they deckt the idol the Altar, the victim, or themselves, and as the Orgyasts, i. e. Worshippers of Bacchus did wave their T[illegible: 1 letter]yrsus ▪ the stalk or stem wrethed with Ivy about it, carrying it in their hands whilst they danced, bowed their bodies and often kissed the branches, so did these Idolatrous Jews.

Marginal references: Or, Is there any thing lighter than to commit

18 Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.

What I will do is greater then to be exprest.

They with a furious heat for their Idols provoked me, and I will with a just indignation provoke them, nay destroy them.

See chap. 7.4, 8, 9.

The Prophet doth not give it the name of praying, but 'tis a cry, a loud cry after the manner of other Idolaters, who think to be heard for the noise they make.

Yet doth not this at all prejudice the Truth or the Mercy of God to those that pray, nor may it discourage from the duty but it should awaken us that we pray with heart, and not only cry loud with voice.

Marginal references: chap. 5.11. and 7.4.; Prov. 1.28. Isa. 1.15. Jer. 11.11. Mic. 3.4.