The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 100

(Gen. iii. 24), covered with all imaginable The Vulgate, however, tracing it to another splendour. Ezekiel returns to the phrase root, gives eztentus et protegem, and is in eh. xxxi. 8, 16, 18 and xxxvi. 35. Other followed by Luther, Geeenius, Ewald, and instances meet us in Joel ii. 3 and Isa. li. 3, others. Keil and Hengatenberg accept Every precious stone. All the stones "anointed." The sequence of thought named are found in the list of the gems on seems to be os follows: The eplendour of the high priest's breastplate (Exod. xxviii. the King of Tyre had suggested the idea of 17-20; xxxix. 8-14). Three, however, Eden the garden of God. 'fhis, in its turn, of those gems are wanting-those in the led on to thnt of the cherub that was the third row of the breastplate-which are warder of that garden (Gen. iii. 24). The not named elsewhere ; and the order is Paradise of God is pictured as still existing, not the same. The LXX. makes the two and the cherub-we remember how promi- list.s identical, apparently correcting Ezekiel nent the word and the thing had been in by Exodus. St. John (Rev. :xxi. 19) re- Ezekiel's thoughts (eh. i. 10; x. 1-16)-is produces his imagery in his vision of the there (according 11s we take the above foundation-stones of the new Jerusalem, but words) either e.s its anointed, i.e. "con- naturally returns to the fulness of the secrated," ruler, or ns extending the protec- symbolic nnmber-twelve. Possibly the tion of its overshadowing wings far and description of gold and bdellium and onyx wide as the cherubim of the tabernacle (or beryl), as in Gen. ii. 11, 12, may have extended their wings over the ark (comp. snggested the thought that Eden was a Exod. xxv. 20; xxx.ii.i. 22; 1 Kings viiL lo.nd of jewels. The workmanship of thy 7). Those cherubim, :we may remember, tabret a.nd pipes; better, the service. The were actually anointed (Exod. xxx. 2, 6). Authorized Version and Revised Version The King of Tyre boasted that he was, like follow Lnther. Keil agrees as to "tabret" them, consecrated to his office as king "by (so Gen. xxxi. 27; Isa.. v. 12; elsewhere, the grace of God." In that earthly Paradise as in Exod. xv. 20 and Job xxL 12, the the prophet eaw the "holy mountain of Authorized Version gives "timbrels"), but God," the Olympus, so to epeak, of the takes the latter word (not found elsewhere) Hebrews, the throne of the Eternal (com- as identical with its feminine form, and pare the Meru of India, the Albard of Iran, meaning " female." He sees in the clanse, the Asgard of German poetry). Isaiah's accordingly, a picture of the pomp of the worde as to the King of Babylon (xiv. Tyrian king, surrounded by the odalisques 13, 14) present a suggestive parallel. In of the harem, who, with their timbrels, the midst of the atones of fire. The words danced to his honour as their lord and king receive their interpretation partly from Gen. ( comp. Isa. :uiii 16; Exod. xv. 20; 1 Sam. iii. 24; partly from 2 Sam. xxii. 9, 19; xviii. 6). Hii.vernick, who agrees with Ps. xviii. 8, 12 ; cxx. 4. The cherub's Keil, calls attention to a passage in sword of fire ie identified with the light- Athenmus (xii 8. p. 531), in which Strato, ning-flash, and that in its turn with the a Sidonian .king, is said to have prepared thunderbolts of God. Out of the throne of for a great festival by bringing girls who God went thunders and lightnings (Exod. played on the flute and harp from all parts xi.x. 16). 'l'he "Flnmmantia mmnia of Greece. Others, however (Smend), find mnndi" of Lucretius (I. 73) offers a aug- in both the words nrlicles of jewellery, gestive parallel. The King of Tyre, like pearls perforated or set in gold (as in Exod. tlie King of Babylon (Isa. xiv. 13, 14), is xxviii 20), and so see in them the conclu- painted ae exulting in tbat attribute of the sion of the description of the gorgeous Divine glory. o.ppo.rel of the king. Fiirst tnkes the words Ver. 15.-Thou wast perfect in thy ways. o.s meaning musical instruments that were The glory of the King of Tyre woe, the of gold set with jewels. Ewald, following prophet goes on to eay, conditional. Ho out the Urim and Thummim idea, takes the began his reign in righteousness, but after- gems as the subject of tbe sentence, and wards iniquity was found in him. And tran~lates, "they were for the work of thine the root of that iniquity was the pride of oracles and divining." On the whole, the wealth engendered by the greatness of his interpretation given above seems preferable. commerce (ver. 16). He was no longer like In the day that thou wast oreated. The t¥ cherub who guarded the Paradise of words point to the time of the king's en throne- Gbd, but like Adam when he was cast out ment or coronation. It was then that he from it. Wea.Ith and pride ho.d tempted him appeared in all his supreme magnificence. to violence and to wrong, and he was no Had Ezekiel been a witness of that ceremony? longer an "o.nointed " or consecrated, but Ver. 14.-The anointed cherub that a profaned o.nd desecrated, king. The, oovereth. 1'he word for "anointed" is not "stones of fire," the thunders and light- fouud elsewhere, but is cognate in form nings of the Divine Majesty, should no with that which is commonly so rendered, longer protect him. mt. xxvnr. 1-26,) THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 103