The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 1 — Section 252

CHAPTER XIV. reacl, as in vcr. 7, "I will answer him by myself" (Hitzig). Ver. 1.-As the result, probably, of the Ver. 5.-That I may take the house of previous utterimces, certain elders of Israel, Israel, etc. The words are o. threat rather i.e. of the exiles in Tel-Abib, came to con- than e. promise. The "double-hearted " sult Ezekiel, wishing to know what coun- shall be taken in the snare which they have sels or what predictions he bad for them. made for themselves. In eh. viii. 1 we have" the elders of Judah,'' Ver. 6.-Turn yourselves, etc.; lilerully, and it is possible that there were two groups turn them. But there is uo sufficient ground in the population of the town, n.nd that these for the margin, "Turn others,'' the objective represented Isr"el as distinct from Juda.h- suffix being the "fnces" of the following o. deputl\tion, o.s it were, from the earlier clause. In eh. xviii. 30, 32 the verb is used exiles. The term appears agnin in eh. xx. 1. by itself. The prophet's call is to e. direct 111ore probl\bly, however, the terms are used personal repentance, not to the work of interchangeably. preaching tuat repentance to others. Ver. 3.-These men, etc. The prophet, Ver. 7.-The stranger that sojourneth taught by the word of the Lord, reads the among you. It is noticeable that Ezekiel henrts of those who came to him. The words uses here and elsewhere (eh. xlvii. 22, 23) do not imply, rntber they exclude, the open the fnmilinr phruse of the books which most practice of idolutry. The sin of the in- intluenced his tcuching (Lev. xvi.-xxv.; quirers wns that they hnd set up iclols Numb. ix., xv; Deut. passim). It is probable (yillulim, Ezekicl's favourite word; see note that some such proselytes were found among on eh. vi. 4) in their hen.rts. The LXX. the exiles of Tel-Abib. I the Lord will gives 6,avo~µ.a-ro.," thou;::htij of their hearts,'' answer him by myself, etc. This, ns hus ns if to express this. They were hankering been seen, was probably the right reading after tue old fnlse worships in which they had iu ver. 4. What it means is tbnt, instead of once taken pRrt. The stumbling-blook (see a spoken nnswer by the mouth of the pro- eh. iii. 20) of their iniquity was set up there. phet, there should be nn answer in the dis- That divided hen.rt, tue "double mind" of cipline of life, in the immediute utterance Jae. i. 8, made t1·ue inquiry, as it ruado true through the conscience, which was the voico praye~ for gnirlance, impos~ible. Shall I be of God. The inquirer who came with un- inquired of at all, etc.? 'l'he "at all " re- confessed and unrepented hankcrins:s uft0~ presents the emphatic itemtion of the rnrb the worship of other gods desel'ved n.nd wou!J in the Hebrew. The Vulgate, Numquid receive no other answer. interrogatus ,·espondebo eis? gives a foir Vel'. 8.-To make him, add, with IlcvisPC{ paraphrase. Version, an astonishment ; or better, I ·1rill Ver. 4.-I will answer him that cometh, make him amazecl, as in eh. xxxii. 10. '!'he etc. 'fhe two last words reprcscut the K'ri, words are un echo of Deut. xxviii. 37. The or mar;::inn.l rci!.lling of the Hcbrow ; the mnu's punishment shall be open and noto- "therein" of the Revised Version, tho Kh'- J'ious, so as to strike terror into others. tib, or written toxt. Probn.bly wo should Ver. 9.-I the Lord have deceived tha~  THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [011. xtv.1-28.