The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 162

ing on the flesh of sea-monsters (Diod. Sic., to ''know the Lord," as the other nntinns iii. H ; Herod., ii. 69 ; Strabo, p. 773), and addressed by Ezekiel were lo know him, as the word may possibly include the crocodile. a righteous Judge, not as yet as rL Deliverer Ver. 6.-1 will water with thy blood. (comp. eh. xxviii. 26; xxix. 21; xxx. 26). Was the plBgue of the water of the Nile Ver. 16.-This is the lamentation, etc. turned to blood (Exod. vii. 19, 20) present The work of moorning for the dead was for to Ezekiel's mind? Such an inundation of the moat part assigned to women (2 Sam. the Nile, in all its horrors, we.s a fit symbol i. 24; Jer. ix. 17; 2 Chron. xxxv. 25), and of the deluge of invaders by whom Egypt is therefore appropriately assigned to the was laid waste. daughters of the nations. He hears, as it Ver. 7.-Whenlehall put thee·out; better, were, their wailing over the fallen greatness with the Revised Version, eztinguish. The of Egypt, even in the solit11de of Tel-Abib. verb is used of lamps in 2 Chrou. xxix. 7. Ver. 17.-For yet fourteen days the mind The change of metaphor is at first startling, of the prophet brooded over tho fall of but I follow Ewald, Hitzig, and Smend, in Egypt, and bis thoughts at last fo11nd utter- thinking that there is a traceable sequence ance in another lamentation, based upon of ideas. The "dragon of the Egyptian that of Isa. xiv. Taken together, the two waters" suggested the "dragon" which was passages give a vivid picture of the tho11ghts conspicuous between Ursa Major and Minor of the Hebrews as to the unseen world, and omong the constellations of the heavens, and we find in them the germs of the later belief the name of which, probably derived by the of Judaism in Pll.rodise and Gehenna. Wlint Greek astronomers from e. remote pnst, sug- I have called the Dante element in Ezekiel gested that of an enemy of God (comp. Isa. it seen here raised to its highest power. Ii. 9). So taken, the new comparison finds Ver. 18.-Cast them down, etc. The e. parallel in that of the King of Babylon to prophet thinks of himself ns not only tho Lucifer, the morning star, in Isa. xiv. 12. predictor, but the minister, of the Divine Upon this there follows naturally the imngery judgments. So it was give11 to Jcremiuh of eh. xxx. 18; Isa. xxxiv. 4. As the other (i. 10) "to root out and to pull down," trees of the forest bad mourned for the cedar and to Amoe (ix. I) to "smite" nod to ( eh. xxxi. 15), so the other ligb ta of benven wound. He executes the sentence, not 011 mourn for that particular stnr which has Egypt only, but on the othe1· dnughters of been quenched for ever (comp. for1 the the famous nations, Bo. on the nations them- general imagery, Isa. xiii. 10; Joel ii. 10; selves, specially those that ore named in !he iii. 4, Hebrew [English version, eh. ii. SID. verses that follow. Ver. 9.-I will also vex the hearts. The Ver.19.-Whom dost thou paaa in beauty 1 words intensify the bitterness of the down- The le.mentntion, as might be expected from fall. The prophet posses out of the region Ezokiel's stnndpoint, is an illustration of of metaphors into that of facts. The fall of irony and tri11mph rather thnn ofBorrow. Tue Egypt will cause pity among the nations. question implies 11 negntive answer. Glorioud They shall simply be "vexed'' in heart, as Egypt had been, other nations bn<l terrified at the thought (ver. 10) that the equalled her. They hnd passed away, n.nd sword whioh had lo.id her low W11,S " bran- so should she. With the unoiroumcisad. dished" also ago.inst them. The words, 118 in eh. xxxi. 18, suggest the Vere. 11-H.-The sword of the King of thought thnt Israel, eo for ns it wa.s faithful llabylon, etc. The effects of Nebuch11d- to its calling, circumcised in heart CLS well ns nezzo.r's invasion aro now described in lnn- flesh (Jer. ix. 26), hnd o. highor nD<I hnppier gunge whieh seems ploin enough, but in dwelliug in Hodes than tho uncircumcised which we mny read between the lines an heathen. As the Egyptinne pmctised cir- ollusive reference to the previous symbol- oumoision, the langunge of the prophet lrn<I ism. Thus in ver. 13 we are thrown back e. specinl significance. Their placo in Hades upon the thought of the "troubled waters" was among the heathen to whom that rile of ver. 2. The Nile was no longer to be w11s unknown. troubled by the foot of beasts ; the strenms Ver. 20.-Bhe is delivered to the sword; of justice were no longer to ha defiled with better, with tho mn.rgin of the Revised e. selfish corruption, but were to run smooth Version, the 11cord iB appointed-possibly, M and oalm, even 11s the" rivers of oil" which Ewnld suggests, wit!, reference to tho practi,·o were the symbols of ethical blessedness of burying n warrior with his sword benenlh (Job xxix. 6; Deut. xxxii. 13). So Ewald his hend (comp. ver. 27). Draw her,etc. 'l'lio nod Keil, for once agreeing. Tho rulo of command would seem to be given, BO to Nebuchadnezzar was to boa righteous rule, spmk, to tho warders of Shcol. They are in spite of its senrity. I am unable, how- to receive tho new comer~ nnd take them to ever, to follow these commentators further their appointed place. in seeing in the words a prediction of tho Ver. 21.-The strong among the mighty. Messianic kingdom. The Egypli11ns were Those nlready iu Sheol Wl\lch tho now  108 'l'HE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [en. xxxn. 1-32.