Ezekiel 24

AGain in the ninth year Of the Captivity of Iechoniah and those that were carried away with him, it falls in also with the year of Zedekiah's Reign, though the Prophet, and the Captives now in Babylon reckon not by this, but by the former., in the tenth month, Which answers to part of December, and Ianuary. in the tenth day About our 29th of December, when the Winter was well over with them. of the month, the word of the LORD came unto The Prophet was now in Babylon many Leagues from Jerusalem. me, saying,

Son of man, write Set it down, and in such manner with such witness, that it may be proved. thee the name Most punctually, set it down. of the day, even of this same day: the King Nebuchadnezzar who in person, 'tis like was there at first to encourage, direct, and settle the Siege, though he withdrew from it for his delights, when he perceived 'twould be a long siege; as on chap. 11.11. let. d. the issue whereof he expected at Antioch on the Banks of Orontes. of Babylon set Sate down to besiege. himself against Jerusalem this same day.

And utter a parable In somewhat a dark yet apt similitude, or in an Allegory declare what they should know, and consider. to the rebellious Chap. 2. verse 3.6. house, and say unto them, thus says the Lord GOD; Set Set upon the fire a Pot, or Cauldron. on a pot, set Do it quickly, be sure to do it; this Pot is Ierusalem. it on, and also pour water Fill it with water; for as the Pot full of Water, on the fire till the water be throughly heated, so shall Ierusalem be filled with the Judgments of God. into it.

Gather the pieces Which are to put into this pot. thereof into it, even every good i. e. All the chief of the Inhabitants of the Land, the wealthiest, who in the time of this Invasion will fly from their Country Houses to live in safety in Ierusalem. The most warlike, who will betake themselves to Ierusalem for its defence. piece, the thigh, and the shoulder As these are the principal parts for support, motion, defence, and strength, so those Citizens, Souldiers, Rulers, that are strength, defence, and glory of this people are here signified by those parts, fill Fill the Pot, Ierusalem, let no place be empty. it with the choice bones With those pieces, that are biggest, fattest, fullest of marrow, and which are divided according to the Bones; these are the principal Members of this Jewish State, King, Princes, Priests, Magistrates, and wealthy Citizens..

Take Pick out the very best in the flock, that is, the greatest, richest, most powerful for Authority, and Interest in the Nation, and City, the choice of the flock, and burn Or, heap together, in order to burn, to make a fire with. also the bones The Bones, not of the pieces to be boiled, but the bones of the many Innocents murthered in Ierusalem, and in the Land, for their blood cryeth for vengeance, and their bones scattered on the face of the Earth, will both make, and maintain this fire. under it, and make it boil well Let the Fire be so great, and the Pot so long over, till all within it be boiled thoroughly, till boiled that all the strength and marrow be wasted, and the very flesh drop to pieces, so shall this people be wasted by this Judgment., and let them seethe the bones See ver. 4. let. s. this is doubled to assure us, however the meaner sort did, the more considerable part of the Iews should not scape; in this Allegory there may lie coucht an exact correspondence between the sins, and punishments of this people; Their sin was the slaying the best, or by oppressing them, broke their bones, boiled out the marrow, suckt them dry, and now God will retaliate to these men. of it therein.

Wherefore thus says the Lord GOD; Wo All this Allegory contains woful, and heavy tydings, misery and desolation to them that are represented by it. to the bloody Chap. 22.2, 3. Ierusalem, which is this Pot. city, to the pot whose scum Filthiness, her abominations, all her lewdness are still within her, they have not been punisht, restrain'd, or cast out by the Execution of just, and good Laws; but the Citizens have with obstinacy, impenitence, and with impudence continued in them. is therein, and whose scum is not gone out The same thing repeated for confirming what was said. of it; bring it out piece by piece Let them know, it shall be a lingring destruction to them, yet a total, one piece after another, till all be consumed.; let no lot Lots are for saving some, and determining who they shall be, but here shall no such discrimination be made, no sparing any, and slaying others by lot, who do not dye, shall go into Captivity. fall upon it.

For her blood Innocent blood which she has shed. is in the midst Openly, and publickly without fear, or shame, or reluctancy. of her: she set it upon the top of a rock Where it might be long seen cared not to hide her Murthers as the next words clear it.; she poured it not upon the ground to cover With cruelty, and inhumanity they did murther, for when the Law directed, that the Blood of Beast or Fowl kill'd should be poured on the Earth, and covered with dust, Lev. 17.13. these Butchers of Innocent ones leave their blood uncovered, whether in boasting manner, or for terrour, I will not say, but this aggravates the sin. it with dust:

That it might cause fury This provoked the Anger of the Lord, and raised his fury against them. to come up Into the face of God, (after the manner o man) as Ezek. 38.18. to take vengeance To God it appertains to take vengeance, to punish such sinners according to the nature of their sin., I have set God will openly punish, and in such manner, as shall not be soon forgotten, they set it on a rock, when they shed it with cruelty, God will set it on a rock, when he punisheth it with severity. her blood upon the top of a rock that it That it be not forgotten or go unpunished. should not be covered Nor yet punisht in a corner; All this Inquisition, and Execution shall be publick in the sight of many Nations..

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD; Wo Verse 6. let. a. to the bloody city: I God's hand shall be seen inflicting all those sore Afflictions on them. will even make the Judgements are a fire, the Fuel whereof is to be great; for 'tis a fire to consume the wicked, and God will make it sufficiently great to do this, I will bring the mighty Army of the Chaldaeans which as a pile of wood set on fire, shall burn them up. pile for fire great.

Heap Either God's word, what he will do pursuant of the 8th verse, or his word to the Prophet to typifie to the people what should be done, or to the Chaldaean Army to hasten what they were to do in destroying the City. on wood Make full preparations.; kindle Begin the Execution of Judgment. the fire, consume 'Tis a fire, not gently to dress or prepare Meat, but to destroy, and burn up. the flesh, and spice Either to take away the noisom smell, or to express the pleasing savour of this Justice to God, and men whom he appointed to this work. it well, and let the bones be burnt In such fires the bones hold out longest, but this fire shall at last consume these also, that the destruction may be universal, the greatest, strongest, and firmest of these Jews shall perish in this fiery indignation..

Then set it The Hieroglyphick Pot. empty The Water, Flesh Bones all consumed, i. e. the Citizens all wasted with Sword. Famine, or Pestilence, the City left as an empty overboil'd Pot. upon the coales Signifying the burning of the City it self, after the emptying of its Inhabitants. thereof, that the brass Perhaps he alludes to the impudence of their sins, in that the City is likened to a Pot of Brass. of it may be hot God's Judgments would increase upon them, as heat does in a Pot set on Coals., and may burn Which is the highest Degree, so should these miseries increase., and that the filthiness Type of the sinfulness, the unreformed sinfulness of the City. of it maybe molten That their wickedness may be taken away with their Persons, and Citie, they should have been purged by gentler meltings, which God used since they were not, nor would be purified, now they shall be melted to the utter destruction of them. in it, that the scum Vide verse 6. let. c. of it may be consumed.

She The Nation of the Jews, and the City Ierusalem. has wearied Either her God by her repeated sins, and pertinacy in them as elsewhere. Isa. 1.14. and 7.13. and 43.24. or wearied others by injuries done against them; or, as we read it, her self, spent much time, and taken great pains, laid out much treasure in making alliances for her security. her self with lies Her Allies, their Promises, their Forces, and their Idols, on which these unhappy Jews relyed, all prove a lie to the house of Iudah., and her great scum went She repented not, nor did she reform her wayes. not forth out of her: her scum Her unrepented sins, shall be in the shall be punisht in the fire that burns their City. fire.

In thy filthiness In thy sinning. is lewdness Deliberate resolution grown up to obstinacy, and boldness, with impudence that will not be corrected.: because I have purged Used all sorts of proper means to purge, advice, reproof, chastisements, threats of sorer sufferings, by Prophets, by the Rod, sometimes gentler, sometimes rougher, 2 Chron. 36.15. Ier. 18.11, 12. thee, and tho wast not purged Wouldst not part from thy sins, and purifie thy heart, and waies. Ier. 25.3, 4, 5, 6, 7., thou shalt not be purged All farther use of means shall be forborn; I'le preach no more by Prophets to call thee to Repentance, but to condemn thee for not repenting; God will from henceforth refer them to his sore destroying Judgments, which are his fury, and which shall cease, when this sinful Kingdom destroyed can no longer provoke God, as they had done formerly. from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest See chap. 5.13. and chap. 16.42. and 21.17. and chap. 6.12. upon thee.

I the LORD have spoken This is Ezekiel's saying, Nay, 'tis the Lord that has spoken it. it; it shall come to But perhaps it may not be, ye, but it shall; for I will do it, who have spoken it. passe, and I will do it; I will not go back But God has relaxed, as in Nineveh's case, but he will not go back from this word., neither will I spare But he will be merciful in the midst of Judgment; Nay, but God, will not spare, or mitigate his wrath., neither will I repent. Yet e're all are consumed, will he not as Amos 7.3? No, he will not repent, your burnt Flesh and City shall be a spiced Sacrifice pleasing to his Justice. According to thy wayes Finally, as thou deservest, God will use thee, but then we shall be in his hand., and according to thy doings Finally, as thou deservest, God will use thee, but then we shall be in his hand. shall they Nay they, thy inveterate Enemies shall judge thee. judge thee, says the Lord GOD. This Verse scarce has its like I think in the Book of God; so fully does it ratifie and confirm all, and prevents all their evasions.

¶ Also the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Son of man, behold Consider what I tell, and will do., I take By Death I take from thee, but 'tis I the Lord, and I take her to my self, though from thee. away from thee the desire Whether it refer to the beauty of her person, or no, it certainly refers to the amiableness of her disposition, and the agreeablene of her to the Prophet. of thine eyes with a stroke A sudden stroke, whether Pestilence, or what else is not so much as hinted at, I think it was God's own immediate hand.: yet neither shalt thou mourn Make no solemn mourning for her, though it will look only in the sight of thy people., nor weep Let no lamenting voice be heard from thee, cry not out in bewailing thy loss., neither shall thy tears Neither let thy eyes pay any tribute to her, forbear even tears also, at least, let them not run down, if one chance to drop, check the rest. run down.

Forbear Refrain, and curb thy sorrows, neither sigh, or lament. to cry, make When thou carriest her out to Burial, make no mourning for her. no mourning for the dead, bind the tire Adorn, and trim up thy head, as thou wast used to do; go not bare-headed, as Lev. 10.6. and 21.10. a Mourner. of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet In great Mournings the Jews went bare-footed, 2 Sam. 15.30. and Isa. 47.2. but do not thou so, put on thy shoes., and cover not thy lips 'Twas a custom among them to cover, either the upper lip, or mustac ce, as Lev. 13.45. the Leper did, and Mich. 3.7. and this also is forbidden the Prophet., and eat not the bread of men Either of Mourners, or, rather of thy Neighbours, and Friends who were wont to visit, and feast their mourning Friends, and sent in both choice, and, abundance of provision to their Houses, Ier. 16.7. and this was a custom with Scythians, Graecians, Athenians, and Romans. Eat thou thine own, as if no mourning occasion in thy Family..

So I spake Told them what God had told me and which I expected would be. unto the people in the 'Tis likely he had this Revelation in the night, or evening before, and he tells them betimes in the morning, what God would do in taking away his Wife, and what he must not do when she is dead, and to be buried. morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the The next morning after her death he observed God's Command, and without any sign of sorrow, or mourning for his great loss. morning as I was commanded.

And the people Some of the ordinary sort, the People, not Rulers, or Priests. said unto me, Wilt thou not tell Explain, and declare whether there be not, and what it is that we are to learn by this: These are Types, but what do they mean? us what these things are to us, that thou doest so?

Then I answered them, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Speak Now he is commission'd to declare the meaning of that he did. unto the house of Israel To them at Babylon by word of mouth, but to them at Ierusalem by Letter, or Messenger., Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold I will prophane Cast off, and put into the hands of Heathens, who will regard it no more, than any other common Building, though 'tis, and has been long my Sanctuary, but you, O Jews! first profaned it with your sins, and now in my just displeasure against you, I will suffer it to be prophaned by the Cha daeans. my sanctuary, the excellency of your strength So 'twas whilst God's presence was there, and whilst the Iews kept it undefiled, it was their confidence, and they, trusted in it, though they were fallen from God, Ier. 7.8., the desire of your eyes As much your desire, as my Wife was mine, says the Prophet, most dear to you, as she to me, but this shall be burnt., and that which your soul pitieth; and your sons The Children, which survive to you after these grievous Calamities, and in whom you hoped for comfort, and posterity shall die by the Conquerors Sword too. chap. 23.47. and your daughters whom ye have left shall fall by the sword.

And ye shall do When you are in Captivity, where you cannot, may not use your own Customs, and Rites on these, or any other occasions. as I have done: ye shall not cover your lips See verse 17. let. k., nor eat the bread of men See verse 17. let. n..

And your tires shall be upon your heads Verse 17. let. r., and your shoes upon your feet Verse 17. let. s.: ye shall not mourn Vide verse 16. let. m., nor weep Vide 16. let. n.; but ye shall pine You shall languish with grief, and secret sorrow, when you shall not dare to show it openly, lest you irritate your Tyrannical Masters, who will expect that nothing grieve you, that reioyceth them. away for your iniquities The Punishment of your Iniquities, which have made your Land, City, Temple, and Families desolate, and miserable., and mourn one towards another. In secret, Jew with Jew you shall bewail, what you durst not openly.

Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign In what he does you may see what you shall do, se chap. 4. ver. 3, and 12, chap. 6. And so was Isa. chap. 8.18.; according to all that he has done, shall ye do: and when this cometh When your Necessities, and Enemies shall force you to do as I have done, make you write after this Copy., ye shall know Confess the Justice, Power, Wisdom, and Truth of God in all threatned, and executed against you. that I am the Lord GOD.

Also thou Son of man, shall it not be The question is to be resolved affirmatively, it shall be. in the day In the day of the taking the City of Ierusalem. when I take Though Nebuchadnezzar was the means, or instrument God did act by him, who did God's work more than his own. from them their The Kingdom dissolved, the King taken, City sack't, the Temple burnt, which is by the following characters described, as the only thing they valued. Though those particulars may be applyed to Sons, and Daughters in the close of the verse: However, it amounts to this in that Day, wherein all their publick and private joys and hopes shall be destroyed in the destruction of the Kingdom, and their Children, one that escapeth shall bring the News to the Prophet. strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their minds, their sons and their daughters;

That he So few escape, that the Prophet seems to confine it to one. that escapeth The common destruction when Ier salem was sackt. in that day, shall come Purposely to declare how God ha h made good his threats. unto thee, to cause thee to hear To give thee a Narrative of all he had seen, and observed; and this particular prediction, which I doubt not Ezekiel imparted to many, who might see it fulfilled, was accomplished in the twelfth year, tenth month, and fifth day of the month, Ezek. 33.21. with Ier. 52.6. after the City was taken, (which happened in the eleventh year, and fourth moneth, ninth day of Zedekiah's Reign, and Ieconiah's Captivity) one whole year, five months, and twenty four days. it with thine ears?

In that day shall thy mouth be opened To speak freely to him, that brings the news, and to the Jews afterward. to him which is escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb From this prophesie for eighteen months during the siege he does not prophesie of Israel, but of other Nations.: and thou shalt be a sign Until the event, confirmed by eye-witness, shall convince the Iews, thou shalt by sign signifie to them, what is coming, and when 'tis come, to pass according to thy word, they shall confess thou wert a true Prophet sent of me, and they shall see that I am the Lord. unto them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.