John Trapp on Ezekiel 20:1

CHAP. XX.

Ver. 1. ANd it came to paſſe] This chapter fitly followeth the former. There theſe Male-contents had complained that the fathers had ſinned and the children ſuffered. Here is evinced that there was never a better of them, that a viperous brood they had been from the firſt, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Eraſ. Adag. that they were ſome of them naught all.

In the ſeventh year] ſc. Of Jechoniah's captivity: and every year ſeemed ſeven, till the ſeventy were expired. The years of our miſery we reckon; not ſo of our proſperity, which yet we ſhould duely prize and improve.

That certain of the Elders of Iſrael] Not Ananias, Azarias and Miſael, as the Jews fable: but worſe men, rank hypocrites.

Came to enquire] But were reſolved of their courſe, and had made their concluſion before they came, ver. 32. Either the Prophet ſhould chime in with the falſe Prophets, who told them they ſhould be ſent home ere long: or elſe they would for peace ſake worſhip idols and comport with the Babylonians: which yet if they had done, it might have proved nothing better with them then it did with thoſe Renegade-Chriſtians in Turkey, who falling down many thouſands of them before Solyman the ſecond, and holding up the fore-finger,S. H. Blunt vey. into Levant. p. 111. as their manner is in token of their converſion to Mahometiſme, he asked what moved them to turn? they replyed it was to be eaſed of their heavy taxations: He diſdaining that baſeneſſe, or not willing to loſe in tribute for an unſound acceſſion in religion, rejected their converſion, and doubled their taxations.