The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 1 — Section 195

EXPOSITION. ie distinguished by his parentage from his CHAPTER XI. namesake of eh. viii. 11 and Jer. x:uv. 3. r· Ver. !,-Moreover the Spirit lifted me up, Both were probably familiar to thoso for etc. It is noticeable that the position to whom Ezekiel wrote, as leaders of the party which Ezekiel was thus transported in his that was " always devising mischief," in vision I from hie place in the inner court opposition, i.e., to Jeremiah •and the true (eh. viii. 14),was identical with that which prophets. Possibly the meanings of the he had just seen occupied by the cherub- name~aazaniah ( equivalent to" God henxk- chariot before its departure ( eh. x. 19). ens ") the son of Azur (equivalent to "The What he is about to see will throw light on Helper"), Pelatiah (equivalent to '' God the signi.6.ce.nce of their departure. The gate rescues") the son of Benaiah (equivalent is probably, here e.s there, that of the court to "God builds"), a.re chosen as with a of the temple. Five and twenty men. The grim irony. The name of Azur meets us number at first reminds ue of the worshippers in Jer. xxviii. 1 as tbe.t of the father of the of the sun, in oh. viii. 16; but that, as we false prophet Hananiah. The death of ee.w, was probably a company of priests. On Pelatiah w11e probably an historical event the other hand, the two who a.re named are to which the prophet pointed as o. warning sty led princes of the people, which suggests to those who, either at Jerusalem or among a lay rather than e. priestly ete.tus, and the exiles, were speaking ae he spoke. they e.ro seen in e. different locality. Con- Ver. 3.-It is not near, etc. The words jectures ns to the significance of the number take their place among the popular, half- vary. (1) Two from each tribe oflsrnel, with proverbial sayings of which we have other the king e.t their head. (2) Two from each examples in eh. viii. 12; ix. 9; and xviii. 2. of the twelve divisions of the army, each As in most proverbs of this kind, the thought containing twenty-four thousand men (1 is condensed to the very verge of obscurity, Chron. xxvii.1-15). (3) Representatives of and the words have received very different twelve regions of the city-a kind of muni- interpretations. (1) That suggested by the cipal council, with their president. Possibly, Authorized Version. "It (tbo judgmout of after all, the number was used more or less which the true prophets spoke) is not near. vaguely-a "round" number, as we say Let us bnilcl houses, not, as Jeremiah bids (Smend). It is probably safe, however, to (xxxix. 5), in the lcmd of exile, but hero in think of them as representing the lay ele- Jerusalem, whoro wo shall remain in Bl\fety, ment of authority. Nothing is known Are wo thrcl\tened with the imagery of the further as to tho persons named. J nozauie.h 'scethini: pot' ( J er. i. 13) ? Let us remember  1\10 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [on. x1. 1-25,