Ezekiel 5

It is not unlikely that this command was given to the Prophet, so soon as he had understood the former chapters vision. AND Vid. chap. 2.1. thou Son of man, Procure it by any means. take thee a A Sword or Knife very sharp, as Heb. so the grievous judgment is exprest, chap. 21.9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16. and here the speedy, irresistible, and sweeping judgment against this people is ap ly set forth. sharp knife, take thee a This in different words is the same thing, and explains the former, and makes the Emblem more exact, for by hair shaved and destroyed is the destruction of Ierusalem, and its people represented to us. Now that this may appear in the certainty of it, both a Sword for strength, and sharp for cutting, nay, a Rasor much sharper, that shaves close, leaves nothing behind it and cannot be resisted by the weak hair, so shall it be here with this people. barbors rasor, and A Hebraism, shave close with it. cause it to pass upon thy The Chief as King, and Rulers, the City. head, and upon thy The common Citizens. Or, The Towns round about. beard, then take thee Just and exact scales, an emblem of Divine Justice and Equity. balances to The Prophets weighing represents God weighing these men and their ways. weigh and divide the These light vain and worthless ones, inhabitants of this sinful City, 2 Sam. 10.4, 5. Ier. 41.5. and 48.37. Thus foretell them their mourning, reproach, and deformity that is coming, for all this is signified by this shaving head and beard. hair.

Thou shalt burn So either Pestilence, or Famine with the displeasure of God, and the burning of the City, and of the Citizens is noted out. with fire a third part in the midst of the Described on the Tile, chap. 4.1. a Type of what should be done in Ierusalem. City, when the days of the siege are When the 390 days of thy lying against the Pourtrai'd City shall be ended, for when Ierusalem shall be taken at the end of the siege, the City shall be burnt, and who can say that none of the Inhabitants were burnt, as the two false Prophets Ahab and Zedekiah, Ier. 29.22? To be sure many that hid themselves under ground, in Vaults and Cellars, were burnt with the burning of the City. fulfilled, and thou shalt take a 'Tis not necessary this part should be equal to the former, if it be proportional 'tis enough, perhaps it might be somewhat less then the first third. third part, and smite about it with For these were such as fell, in either defending the Walls or sallying out during the siege, or were found in Arms when the City was taken, or were overtaken in their flight with their most unhappy King, or by Law Martial were adjudged to die by the Conquerour, these many yet weak ones, Women and Children which died in the siege by Famine and Pestilence might be a greater third. a knife, and a Those that fell to the Chald ans, or led to Egypt, or other Countreys though they scape somewhat longer, yet carrying like sins are at last overtaken with like evils. third part Though these disposed of themselves, yet there was Gods hand also in it, he scattered those that of their own accord did ly. thou shalt scatter in Violent, uncertain, and troublesome should their Enemies prove to them. the wind, and I God will pursue them. will draw out a Figuratively 'tis wasting punishment, literally 'twas fulfilled, Ier. 42.16, 17, 22. and 43.10, 11. and 44.27. sword after them. This verse tells you into how many parts the hair was to be divided, and how to be disposed of, and so plain it needs little explication.

Thou shalt also take i. e. Of the last third which were to be dispersed. thereof a O small quantity. few Or by number as it may be read, tell out a small parcel of the Hair. in number, and As men tye up in handkerchief, or in the skirt of their garment what they would not lose. So some few shall be kept, God will not cut off the whole house of Israel, but reserves a remnant. bind them in thy skirts.

Another division make of that little little number, the preserved remnant Then take of them again, and Throw some of them into the Fire, they are not all to be saved, who are delivered at the end of the siege. cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn Literally burn the Hair, but signifie the burning them that are meant by it. them in the fire, Of Gods displeasure, and of Civil War or private conspiracy, as in Ismael against Gedaliah, er. 40.41.42, 43. for From their sin against God, their discontents at their state, and conspiracies against their Governour, appointed by Nebuchadnezzar, evil like another Fire shall break out which shall devour the most, and be near consuming all the House of Israel, as happened to them after Gedaliah's death, and their going down to Egypt, as Ier. 40.41.42.43.44.4. under Iohanans revolt, which the Chaldaean did revenge at last. thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel.

¶ This solemn declaration in Gods name, the Prophet useth by express order chap. 3.11. Thus says the Lord GOD, This pourtrayed City. This Is Typically Ierusalem, and her Inhabitants. is Jerusalem: I have Placed her in a most delightful scituation, chose out the best part of the known World for her. set it in In a Neighbourhood, to most rich and plenteous Countries, with whom she might have convers'd and spread forth my name. the midst of the nations and countreys that are round Either as Servants about a Mistress. Or, as meaner Houses about the Palace or Mannour of a Lord. Or, as Traders about an Empory, much to advantage of Ierusalem. about her.

And Ierusalem the Metropolis, where the Temple and the solemn Feasts and Sacrifices were, which in likelihood was forwardest, fullest, and most expensive on other invented modes of Worship, she who was most obliged to me. she has The Heb. includes a Rebellion and contumacy; and these were cause of her changing, as Rebels change the Laws of a Kingdom. changed my The Laws of Holy, Righteous, and Sober living; the exact rules of manners. judgments into Improbity, and injustice toward each other, and impiety and irreligion against God himself. wickedness more then the There is more honesty, truth, and righteousness among the Nations then among the Jews. nations, and my The Precepts and Rules of Religious observances which I gave them, they have less valued, been less constant to, then the Nations have been to theirs, received from men and invented by man. So Ier. 2.9, 10, 11. statutes more then the countries that are round about her: for The Jews. they have refused With scorn and abhorrence as what their mind abominated. So vile were they grown, that they loathed the excellent Law of God, and were weary of it, as Heb. implieth. my judgments and my statutes As for my Statutes in matters of Religion, they have refused to walk in them, and have modelled Religion to their own fancy, built Altars, adopted new Gods, and appointed new Worship more gay or easie as their humor was. they have not walked in them.

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, Because ye There is some difficulty in assigning what 'tis they multiplied in, either numbers of People, benefits received from God, Luxury, Pride, Tumultuousness, with increase of your Riches. Or, in Idols, superstitions, and appendant wickednesses, this last seems most agreeable with the Text, the rest may not be excluded. multiplied more then the nations that are round about you, and have See ver. 6. not walked in my statutes, neither have kept See ver. 6. my judgments, neither While you have exceeded the Nations in Superstition and Idolatry, you have fallen short of them in the moralities of their Life, and done less good, then they taught by a far more imperfect Law, then you, Rom. 2.21, 22, 24. have done according to the judgments of the nations that are round about you.

It is very just what God does, he has cause more then enough given him to do so. Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, Take notice and consider me, not as now for you but against you, you look to the instruments, to the rod, but behold, I am even I am against you, against thee O Ierusalem. Behold, I even I am against thee, and I will act in severities that shall convince you 'tis my hand that weilds the Sword, you despised my Holy Law, my Judgments rule of Life, but you shall now feel my judgments that you shall die under. The Chaldaeans will kill you, but I condemn you. They'l be cruel but I'le be just in the execution, and who can be for thee when I will be against thee in this dreadful manner? will execute judgements in the midst of thee, in the ight As notorious as thy sins so shall thy punishment be. The very Heathen shall see my hand in it and own my justice. of the nations.

And I will do in thee that which I have Though the old World perisht by Water and the Judgment was greater in its extent, and Sodom destroyed by Fire, yet neither one or other was so lingring a death. These poor Jews were long dying and felt themselves dying. Read the Lamentations as Commentary on this Text or Iosephus Wars of the Jews. Though in the Siege of Samaria Women Eat their Children, yet the City was not taken, sackt and burnt as Ierusalem was after a long siege. not done, and whereunto I No doubt God keeps his word though we should not be able to show how. And though the siege of Ierusalem under Vespasian was grievous, yet not in every thing equal with this, the Romans were not so cruel to the Jews. will not do any more the like, because of all thine abominations Their sins were abominations, and God delivers them into the hands of men that did hate, loath, and abhor the Jews so much that they thought they could not be cruel enough against them..

Therefore And this explains what is above threatned. the fathers No History that I know of that does mention any thing like this, barbarous Indians fell one another, and some report (as I take it) that Children among them unnaturally murther aged Parents, but they eat them not. shall eat the sons in the It may intimate their doing this publickly. midst of thee, and the sons shall eat the fathers, and I will execute judgments in thee, and the whole This was verified when ye were fetcht away, who were left at the departure of the Besiegers, and when the very small remnant with Iohanan fled into Egypt. remnant of thee will I scatter into all the winds.

Wherefore, as I live, A form of an Oath becoming none but the living God, used often in Scripture and in this Prophet. says the Lord GOD, surely because thou hast Violated and profaned. defiled my My Temple. sanctuary with Not that all they did abominably was done in the Temple, but either because they never heeded how they were polluted, but with legal pollutions on them came to the Temple. Or, rather brought in their Idols, all their detestable counterfeit Gods, as Ier. 7.30. and in 2 Kings 16.10. and 23.12, 13. Their own Altars as Ahaz and Manasseh. All their Idolatry and Wickednesses expressed by two words of like Emphasis. all thy detestable things, and with all thy abominations, therefore will I also Lessen, break to pieces, cut up by the roots such stinking weeds. diminish thee, neither shall mine There shall not be the least sign of pity in my eye, though I see all their misery. eye spare, neither will I have pity Nor yet will I retain any affection of kindness for them, my Heart, as my Eye, shall be far from all pity and commiseration towards them..

¶ A third part of thee shall die with pestilence, No doubt though 'twere not mentioned or threatned; as Ier. 34.17. we might conclude it could not but be in such a Besieged City, where blood, putrifying Carcasses, &c. annoy. and with famine Signified by Fire for it parcheth and withereth men. shall they be consumed in the midst of thee, and a third part shall fall by the sword As they did in their assailing the Besiegers round about the Walls, and as they did fall under the assault, when the Enemy attempted to take the City, &c, See more ver. 2. of this chapter, round about thee, and I will scatter a third part into all winds, and I will draw When the Babylonians Sword has cut off all about Ierusalem. I will draw out my Sword and pursue the rest which Nebuchadnezzar could not reach. out a sword after them. From this to the end of the chapter we have a particular and more express declaration, how God would execute these severe Judgments upon this people.

In this terrible and relentless manner already declared. Thus shall mine My provoked justice, not passion, shall be executed to the full of that I intend and have spoken. anger be accomplished, and I will cause my After the manner of man is this spoken and implies the great and hot displeasure of the Lord. fury to My bowels were troubled how to spare, and yet to punish, but now I will rest from such struglings between my Mercy and my Justice, this shall be glorified and I will be at ease. rest upon them, and I will I did what in reason they could expect, and more then I was bound to, for their preservation; but nothing would prevail, Oh Israel, thou art destroyed, but tis my satisfaction thou hast destroyed thy self, and canst not charge it on me. be comforted: and These ruined ones by sad experience shall know. they shall know that I the LORD have spoken it in In that indignation against your sins, which the love of my own glory stirred up within me. In my provoked jealousie I spake, and will act against a persisting, perfidious and adulterous Wife, and it shall be known when I have finisht my work. my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury in them.

Moreover, I will make thee Judgments should empty the Land of Men that might till and Manure it, and so your fruitful Land shall be turned and continued a waste and desolate Land. waste, and a Ier. 24. And Ier. 29.22. a reproach or curse, men should taunt at them, and in wishing the worst they can wish their Enemies like the Jews. So twas Lam. 2.15, 16. reproach among the nations that are round about thee, in the sight of all that pass by.

So it shall be a See Verse 14. reproach and a A very Proverb among men. taunt, an Sinners like thee shall learn by thy miseries, what they may expect from me, and they shall acknowledge Divine Justice in all. instruction and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee, when I shall In highest degrees of severity. execute judgments in thee in anger and in fury, and in furious rebukes. I, who can do it because Almighty, who may do it because provoked, who will do it because they repented not, I have spoken and will do it, as Ier. 25.9. I the LORD have spoken it.

When I shall It is a messenger goes not till God sends, and ever goes when he sendeth, he sends cleanness of Teeth. send the evil Either because Thunder, Tempests, Locusts, Blastings, &c. which cause Famine, are sent by him, and fly like Arrows. Or, because like Arrows shot forth they pierce deep and kill. arrow of famine, which Is mortal, and destructive in its nature. shall be for their destruction, and which I will That it may be sure to destroy and attain that effect, I design it for that very end. send to destroy you: and I will To make sure work against such I will increase the Famine, either by sweeping away the little supplies expected, or continuing it longer then ordinary. Or, I will summon in penury as an Army against you. increase the famine upon you, and Withdraw the strengthning property of your Bread. See chap. 4.16. break your staff of bread.

So will I send upon you famine, and Evil Beast Heb. either the King of Babylon which like a ravenous and insatiable Beast tore and devoured all. Or, literally, Lions, Bears, &c. which are one of his four sore judgments, Ezek. 14.21. evil beasts, and they shall Of your Children, Friends, and your own Life, when you fly to Mountains and Caves for fear of the Chaldees, where you seek your safety you shall find your death, and be torn to pieces. bereave thee, and pestilence and blood shall Thy Land shall be the common Road and Highway for Pestilence and Blood, as the Heb. denotes, and they shall lodge in thy Cities in Ierusalem, as if they were the appointed receptacles for these guests. Here are the four sore Plagues which God wastes Nations with, all sent out against the Jews, and their Commission signed from Heaven with a witness, Our self. I have spoken it says the Lord. pass through thee, and I will bring the sword upon thee: I the LORD have spoken it.