Ezekiel 21

AND the A Command, or Direction to speak plainly, that none might quarrel with his obscurity. word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Son of man, Put thy self in a posture may bespeak thy going to prophesie. set thy face Or against Ierusalem, called chap. 20.46. Forest of South-field. toward Jerusalem, and drop Of the phrase see chap. 20. ver. 46. let. p, as Rain from Heaven, so distil my word. thy word toward the holy Either the Temple, and all the parts of it, which were three, the Porch, the Holy, and Holy of Holies, or their Synagogues, in which they met to Worship, and Read the Law, which were burnt up by this fire. Psal. 74.8. places, and prophesie against the Not only against Ierusalem, but the whole Land of Israel, from the South thereof to the North. As chap. 20. ver. 47. land of Israel.

And say to the Publish it to all the people of the Land, if any will consider it. land of Israel, thus says the 'Tis not the severe and morose conjecture of a disturbed and injured man, let them know God the Lord speaks it. LORD; Weigh this, I say 'tis of great Importance. Behold I am against You think your selves more righteous than those that come against you, that they are Heathen, you my peculiar People, that my Temple is with you, and that I will be on your side; but be not deceived, for I am, and I will be against you. thee, and will draw As an Enemy resolved to slay. forth my The Chaldaean Army under Captains that are skilful to destroy. sword out of his I will bring them out of their Land, where they are now quiet, and at rest. sheath, and I will cut off This Army shall not vanish, but effect what 'tis raised for, it shall make a general havock. Or take away, out of the midst of thee, partly by the Sword, and partly by Captivity, or by Famine. from thee the Some say here's meant such as seemed to be, but were not, just; but 'tis no unusual thing that in outward troubles, and publick calamities those who are indeed Righteous should be involved with others, nor do'es this contradict any places, which seem to promise a security to them; they may be chastified, but shall not be condemned. righteous and the wicked. Profane, ungodly, and vitious ones, who shall be cut off with double destruction.

Seeing 'Tis both my purpose and threat. then that I To do that by the Chaldaeans in such manner as it shall appear, I did it. will cut off from thee the Signified by the green tree, chap. 20. ver. 47. righteous, and the The dry tree, chap. 20. ver. 47. wicked, therefore shall my sword Have a Commission, such as I gave Nebuchadnezzar, as large as is necessary for this work. go forth out of his sheath against All the Iews, that dwell in the Land; it may somewhat reflect upon the Nations near about the Iews, as Moab and Ammon. all flesh from the As it does certainly denote the whole of the Land of Iudea, it may intimate the rise, and spring of this evil from the South, i. e. Babylon, and its progress Northward. south to the north.

That They that smart and suffer may see, and own God in their just sufferings, they that see and hear it may confess God's doings herein. all flesh may know, that I the LORD have drawn forth my sword out of his sheath: it In chap. 20.48. 'tis exprest thus, it shall not be quenched, for there 'twas a fire, here it shall not return into the scabbard till it has done full execution. shall not return any more.

Thereby express to them deepest sorrows for what is present, and most piercing fears of what is to come. Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the Like a Woman in Travel, or as one whose griefs are ready to break his heart. Isa. 21. ver. 3. breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness With bitterness, with all sorts of the most bitter cries, and tears. sigh before Who were now with him in Babylon, and who, as they easily could, so surely would send word to them in Ierusalem, and Iudea. their eyes.

And it shall This directs the Prophet what account to give them, when they shall, as they certainly will, enquire what he meaneth by such unusual sorrows. be, when they say unto thee, Is it any private misery, that makes thee sigh thus, or do'es it bode evil to others, or to us? wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it The saddest News you ever heard is coming, 'twill most assuredly come. cometh: and every The courage of the stoutest heart shall fail, which shall appear in the feebleness of their Hands, dejectedness of their Spirit, and their Knees not able to support the Body; such Terrors shall seize them as shall make them unable to shift from, or to make head against the evils, that come against them. heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold it None can prevent it. cometh, and shall be brought to pass, says the Lord GOD. For the News that is told me from Heaven, for the certain Rumour of Nebuchadnezzars preparations, and march against you. It shall have its full effect, nothing shall be wanting to your complete undoing, and then, as I do for a sign to you, so you, and yours shall do under the sorrows signified, sigh, and weep, to their breaking your very heart.

Again This I suppose is a farther explication of what was said already of the Sword God draweth out against them; with a farther direction, or command how the Prophet should note out the nearness of the evil, is bade to speak plainly, and tell them they may see it. the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Son of man, prophesie, and say, thus says the LORD, Say, a sword is Prepared to wound, slay, and that with greater speed, and sureness. sharpned, and also To terrifie the weaker courage, to dazzle the Eyes of such as encounter it: In a word, the danger is as near, as if an army come up in array, and their swords in their hands ready to go on, and fight. furbished.

It is sharpned to make a sore slaughter To slay m ny, and with as little regard, as men kill beasts or to offer whole herds of wicked men in sacrifice to the offended justice of God; much after this stile both David, Psal. 44.22. and Isaiah, chap. 34.6.; it is furbished, that it may And strike a terrour into the Enemy. glitter: should we Shall we allow our selves in jollity, in Feasts, or Dances, or Songs? This would be very uncomely. then make e mirth? It This great, sharp, and glittering Sword appointed to cut off. contemneth the rod of my son as every tree.

And he Slights and despiseth all the resistance that can be made against it, and reckons all former chastisements were, but as the Rod, wherewith a Son is corrected, but now the Sword of an Enemy is drawn out, and will cut off all: Or, Nebuchadnezzar despiseth your King the Royal Family, and Nobles which are compared to Gods. chap. 19, 10, 11. and would use them as he would every common tree of the Wood, as it appears he did, when he put out Zedekiah's Eyes, and bound him in chains as a Slave. Either God, whose Sword it is, or Nebuchadnezzar, God's Servant herein. Some refer it to Christ who is Lord, and Soveraign of his Church, and Governour of the World. has given it to be furbished, that it may be handled Be the fitter for use in the hand of the Slayer, i. e. the Chaldaean. the sword is sharpened, and it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer.

As one in great distress, nay how unseemly soever it may appear, howl, that they may by this know what sorrows are coming on them, and how they, like wild Beasts taken in the Toiles, and Gins, shall howl. Cry and howl, son of man: for The devouring Sword of Babylon shall certainly be upon all, high, and low. it shall be upon my people, it shall be upon all the princes of Israel: Surrounding terrours, out of which no way to escape. terrours, by reason of the That Sword God will draw against them. sword, shall be upon my people; smite therefore upon thy In token o thy sense of what they must suffer, and to presignifie what their sorrows shall be, when they must express them by signs, because too great for words. thigh.

It is a sore Tryal, therefore show all the signs of grief, and sorrow, or it may refer to what follows in the verse thus, since this is the exploration, or Tryal, which I will make in so severe manner to bring them to Repentance, mourn for them, lest they should harden themselves, Because it is a trial, and what The addition of Sword, which is not in the Original, has perplexed the words in my thoughts. I would read them thus: And what if the Rod contemn? It shall be no more, That the sense run thus; But if the King and Kingdom of Iudah despise this Tryal, and harden themselves against this Sword, both shall be destroyed and be no more, for nothing, but a right use of this last Tryal could help them. Or else, if we must adhere to our version, what if it amount to this. All this is for probation, and tryal, not for utter extirpating Israel, says God to his Prophet, who might propose this, what if the Sword contemn those bounds, and despise the King and Kingdom, and resolve to destroy them from being a Nation, as Isa. 10.6, 7. to this God gives answer thus; This he shall never effect, and in due time this Sword shall be no more; Babylon shall be destroyed; in so perplext a place I rather conjecture, than affirm. if the sword contemn even the rod? it shall be no more, says the Lord GOD.

Thou therefore, son of man, prophesie, and Either in token of amazement, and sorrow, or else to signify what pleasure it should be to see justice executed on obstinate Rebels, or rather as ver. 17. clap thy hands to awaken and hearten the Babylonians on to the slaughter. smite thine hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the slain Wherewith many shall be slain.: it is the sword of the great men Which were Princes, and Captains, and Rulers. that are slain, which entreth Searcheth the most secret rooms, where they slew such as they found hidden in hope to escape. into their privy chambers. Perhaps 'tis too curious to search out, what particular Calamities are pointed out by this trebled Sword; whether 1. Zedekiah's Captivity with many of the Princes. And 2. Taking of the City, 3. killing of Gedaliah and those with him: To be sure it speaks both the certainty of the thing, and the greatness of the Affliction.

I The Lord has gathered them together round about Ierusalem, with their Swords sharpned and drawn at every gate to slay who so attempt to come out, or to slay all they meet with when they take the City. have set the point of the sword against Both of meaner Cities, of their Palaces, and private Houses. all their gates, that their heart may As what heart can be thought able to retain its courage, when beset with Death by an Enemies sword, which killeth all that come out, and entreth to kill all that stay within. faint, and their ruines be For Number made many, for Nature made very great. multiplied: Ah, it is made bright Prepared, brightned, and sharpned. it is wrapt And has been carefully kept in the Scabbard, that it might keep its edge, and not be blunted. up for the slaughter.

Go thee O Sword, take thy own course, O ye Slaughter men, ye Babylonian S uldiers, all is open before you, go which way you will, I have brought you to waste the Land from South to North, begin where you will, and proceed as you will, none shall be able to resist you. one way, or other, either on the right hand, or on the left, whithersoever thy face is set.

I will also smite my hands In token of my approbation, and well-pleasedness in those executions, which the Chaldeans shall finish against you, those hands, that were used to restrain and check, shall excite, and encourage your Enemies. together, and I will cause my fury See chap. 5.13. let. c. d. to rest. I the LORD have said it.

¶ The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,

Also thou son of man, appoint Paint, mark out, or describe on Tile or Tablet as chap. 4. 1. two roads and set it before they Countrey-men in Babylon, and let them know that the Arms, and Sword of Nebuchadnezzar are designed for exploits, where those ways lead them, thus Typically Ezekiel foretells the Invasion, the King of Babylon would make. thee two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come: both twain The ways, though two in the course, they lead as streams that divide, and multiply, yet shall come forth out of one must take their rise from one and the same Land, that is Babylon; there the Prophet must begin to mark out the way, which is to be drawn out, till it divide into two. land, and choose Pitch on some convenient place, where thou mayst place Nebuchadnezzars Army, he, and his council of War consulting where this one way divides into two, which was on the edge of the Desert of Arabia as Nebuchadnezzar pursued his march from Babylon. thou a place, choose it at the head Either, where the way begins at Babylon. Or rather at the head where each distinct way runs out, toward either Rabbath of the Ammonites, or Ierusalem; for there Nebuchadnezzar will cast lots, of the way to the city.

Appoint a way, that the sword may come to Rabbath This Royal City of the Ammonites, it seems, the King of Babylon had a quarrel with, as well, as with Ierusalem, and he was resolved, when he came out of Babylon, to set upon one of them. There were two or three Cities of this name Rabba, or Rabbath, one in the Tribe of Iudah, one in Issachar, one in Moab, but this in the Text is distinguisht by Rabbath of the Ammonites. of the Ammonites They were the Children of Lots daughter by incestuous mixture., and to Judah i. e. The Jews, the Land for the people of the Land. in Jerusalem the defenced. Particularly against Ierusalem. Whose Fortifications do now as little discourage, as they shall ere long hinder Nebuchadnezzar from taking the City and destroying it.

For the king of Babylon r stood at the parting of the way On the borders of Arabia the Desert, to which one Road brings Travellers from Babylon, but henceforward it divides, and becomes two, one leading to Ierusalem, the other to Rabbath., at the head of the two wayes, to use To consult with his Gods, and to cast lots and here the Prophet foretels what divination he useth. divination: he made his arrows This, the first kind of divination he used by Arrows, () either writing on them the names of the Cities, and Countreys, then putting them into a quiver, and there mixing them, and thence drawing them out, and concluding according, as the names were, which were on the Arrows, or perhaps by shooting the arrows and judging by the flight, or casting them up in the air, and divining by their fall, as beggars are said to go, as their staffe falls. So then if Ierusalem were on the first arrow drawn out of the quiver, or if the arrows best flew, or most fell that way, toward Ierusalem, Nebuchadnezzar will take that way. bright, he consulted The next way of divining was by asking counsel of his idol, or image, which being made artificially by the skill of their jugling Priests, and Conjurers with little help they could give answers, and the image spake aloud what the Sorcerer spake more softly, somewhat like the artificial whispering places which convey the voice from unseen persons, or by a divine permission, the Devil gave them answers from those Images. with images, he looked The third divination is by Sacrifice, and judging of future prosperous or unprosperous events by the Entrails, and more especially by the Liver its position and colour. All these he used, that with greater confidence of success he might proceed. in the liver. The Prophet by reason of the certainty of the thing speaketh of what shall be as if 'twere already, he stood i. e. he will make a halt, pitch his camp, and consult.

At his right hand Either the divination, which concerned Ierusalem was managed on his right hand, that way the arrows thrown, the images stood, and sacrifices were offered, or else the lot drawn with the right hand of the Priest came forth for Ierusalem. The promising lot, encouraging tokens were those which directed this superstitious Idolatrous King to attacque Ierusalem first, and this by the overruling providence of God, who determined by infinite wisdom what seemed to blind men to be the event designed by their divinations. was the divination for Jerusalem to Now Nebuchadnezzar sets all in order pursuant to his observance of the Diviners. appoint captains The commanders of his Forces, and their particular charges in the march, and siege he did, 'tis probable, assign them by lot, s is ordinary where greatest dangers attend the charges., to open the mouth To assault the City where breaches were made, and storm the battered Walls to slay the defenders, and to run the hazzard of being slain by them. in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting So all the barbarous fierce nations did with shouts, and hideous noises assault, and fight their Enemies, and with this they hoped to terrifie, and amaze them, and so more easily master them, and so these Babylonians did, as may be collected from Psal. 137.7. and Ier. 51.14. where Babylon shall be repayed her shouts., to appoint battering rams Engines made to beat down walls, and they had this name from the Iron or Brass-head, which usually was at the end of it like unto the head of a Ram. against the gates Which might more easily be broken, and beat down., to cast a mount In a siege of some length Mounts must be raised to offend the besieged by shooting from the tops of them into the City, and to defend the Besiegers, and the toil, and danger hereof seems here to be cast on both overseers, and labourers too by lot. and to build a fort Wooden Towers, now all these w rks being thus by lot disposed, the wary Tyrant prevents the murmurs of his Commanders, and Souldiers, and insinuates a courage into them by the pretences of assured success, and his Idols approving them..

And it shall be unto them The Jews who shall, either not believe, that Nebuchadnezzar did so consult, or else that 'tis a vain, false and lying divination, which will delude him, that believes it, but never hurt them who deride it. as a false divination in their sight to them that have sworn Zedekiah his Princes, and Nobles who swore Allegiance to the King of Babylon first, and afterward conspired with Egypt, and by new, and contrary oathes perjured themselves, provokt, as well as dishonoured God, and enraged Nebuchadnezzar to revenge their perfidiousness, these perjured persons will contemn all predictions of the Prophet, and all the preparations of the King of Babylon. oaths: but Nebuchadnezzar. he will call to remembrance Will think on, and throughly weigh, and impart it also to his Council, as the ground of his War. the iniquity The great wickedness of their perjury, and rebellion., that they Both Zedekiah, and the Jews with him may be subdued, taken Captives, and the Kingdom overthrown, the City burnt, and they sent into Babylon. may be taken.

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD; Because ye have Either referring to God, who saw still their wicked perjuries, and other sins, which they persisted in, or rather referring to Nebuchadnezzar, and his Ministers of state, and war, to whose memory all the falsehood of the Jews was still kept up fresh by repeated disloyalty with reproach to God, whose oath the King, and inhabitants of Ierusalem had violated. made your iniquity to be remembred, in that your transgressions Against God, and against the King of Babylon, whose yoke you submitted to with promised obedience. are discovered Visibly to all in Court, City, and Countrey., so that in all your doings Publick manage of matters of the Kingdom, and private too, you add sin to sin, and that without blushing for them, or hiding them. your sins do appear, because The whole summ'd up for confirming the threats., I say, that ye are come to remembrance, ye shall be taken with the hand As Birds, or Beasts taken in the net encompassed therein, that they cannot get away, are taken with the hand, so shall you, and be carried into Babylon..

¶ And thou Zedekiah., profane Tainted with secret deep irreligious opinions, whence he despised God, and his oath, and prophaned the name of God. wicked prince So much was his royal dignity lessened, that indeed he was rather a Prince subject, and dependent, then a King. of Israel, whose day Day of sorrows, and sufferings, and punishment is at hand. is come, when iniquity The irreligion, which is spread by thee among thy Courtiers shall cease to spread it self, because of thy low estate. Or, when iniquity shall bring the fatal ruine of King, and Kingdom, and both shall be destroyed, and with the overthrow of your state the opportunities, and means of sinning shall end too. shall have an end.

Thus says the Lord GOD, Remove the diadem Either God speaks to the Prophet to declare the thing, or to Nebuchadnezzar to do the thing, to take away the Diadem, the Royal tire of the head, which the King did ordinarily, and dayly wear. and take off the crown Which was a Royal ornament used on solemnities, and more then ordinary occasions, Or, it may be one thing in doubled expressions of the deposing of Zedekiah.: this shall not be the same The Kingdom, and Crown shall never be what it has been, as we say of one greatly altered, he is not himself. So here. This shall not be the same, 'twas great, glorious and flourishing but hereafter small, dependent, ignoble, and withering., exalt him Ieconiah, 'tis probable the Prophet foretels the advance of this Captive King, which came to pass in the 37th. year of Ieconiahs Captivity in the first year of Merodach, 2 Kin. 25.27, 28.29. and Ier. 52.31. who exalted his seat above all the Captive Kings in Babylon. that is low Now in captivity in Babylon., and abase him Zedekiah. that is high Not now on the Throne of Iudah strengthned with the Confederacy of Egypt, on which he relieth, and exalteth himself, and bears himself high against the Prophet, the King of Babylon, and which is most insolent against the God of Heaven..

I will overturn As this triplication of the threat speaks the certainty of the event, so the gradual, successive troubles, and overthrows, that this Kingdom should ever after be afflicted with., overturn, overturn it, and it shall be no more, Never recover its former glory, and strength, but consume, till the Scepter be quite taken away from Iudah, and way be made for the Messiah, who is he that is to come, whose is the Dominion and to whom the Father will give it, so the final desolation of the temporal Kingdom of the seed of David, which was most heavy tidings to the carnal Jew is threatned, and the eternal Kingdom of the Messiah, most joyful tidings to the believing Jews, is promised. until he come, whose right it is, and I will give it him.

¶ And thou, son of man, In ver. 19. and 20. you had the mention of Rabbath chief City of the Ammonites in equal danger with Ierusalem, but while Ierusalem is threatned, Rabbath is no farther minded, till now God directs the Prophet to declare the ruine thereof. prophesie, and say, Thus says the Lord GOD concerning the A stout, but proud, injurious, and insulting people. Ammonites, and concerning their reproach Wherewith they reproacht Israel in the day of Israels afflictions as Ier. 49.1. and chap. 25.3, 5, 6. and blasphemed the God of Israel.; even say thou, the sword, All warlike preparations are made against you. The sword is drawn The War is declared, and your enemy has drawn the Sword, vid. 9, 10, 11., for the slaughter To make waste, by avenging former quarrels, and affronts the Babylonish King comes out with bloody mind against you O Ammonites! you countenanced Ismael, who slew Gedaliah Viceroy by Nebuchadnezzars appointment, and you would have set Ismael on the Throne, this affront you shall satisfie for with your blood. it is furbished, to consume because of the glittering Verse 9, 10..

War, and desolation indeed hasten on thee, though in mean while thy Astrologers, and Soothsayers promise peace, and prosperity, and deceive thee with fair, but false divinations, of which Ieremiah warns them, Ier. 27.9. Whiles they see vanity unto thee, whiles they divine a lie unto thee, to bring To bring thee under the Sword of the Chaldeans, and to destroy thee as the Jews are, who already are fallen under the destroying Sword, to make thee stumble and fall on their necks, as men, that fall among a multitude of slain. thee upon the necks of them that are slain, of i. e. both Jews, and their King, as ver, 25. let. b. the wicked whose day is come, when their iniquity shall have an end See ver. 25. l. c..

Some read it without interrogation, as an advice to the Ammonites to put up the Sword they had drawn for their defence, as being to no purpose to resist, if it be an interrogation, 'tis such as more vehemently denieth. God will by no means suffer the Sword to be sheathed, in this sense it refers to the Sword of the Chaldeans. Shall I cause it to return into his sheath? I will judge Plead, condemn, and execute too. thee in the place where thou wast created Explained by that which follows, though they might boast of their antient original, and their safe and impregnable strengths, yet God will bring a Sword into those very places, and there they should perish., in the land of thy Nativity.

And I will pour out As a flood sweeps all away, so God will let out his indignation to overwhelm the Ammonites. mine indignation upon thee, I will blow As those who melt down mettals blow upon the Mettal in the Fire, that the Fire might burn the fiercer, and consume the dross. against thee in the fire of my wrath, and deliver Or, as there is no hope to one delivered up to barbarous, merciless ruffians, whose Trade is to destroy, so will God deal with these Ammonites. thee into the hand of brutish men, and skilful to destroy.

Thou Rabbath, and thy people. shalt be for fewel Which is soon, and unavoidably consumed in such a furnace. to the fire, thy blood shall be in the midst of the land, thou shalt be no more remembred Thy name shall perish.: for I the LORD have spoken it. Thou shalt no where be safe, or thy bloud shall not be covered, nor thou buried.