The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 296

Ver.16.-Ae o.notber mark to distinguish know. The speoial lesson for them should Gog'e tomb, a oity should arise in its vi- be not so muoh teaching concerning God's cinity, bearing the name Hamonah, or" Mul- supremacy over them, or concerning their titude" (comp. lee.. :rix. 18, "the city of relation to Israel, as concerning the prin- destruction"), though Schmieder thinks it ciples of God's dealings with Israel. They must have been "a oity of graves," since should learn that if lsro.el had for a season a oity of houses could not exist in such a been abandoned to the sword and driven valley of the dead, and indeed the LXX. into exile, it we.a not because of Jehovah's gives as the city's name Uoll.vd.vlip,ov, by inability to protect them, but beco.use of which later Greek writers were accustomed their wickednees which ho.d caused him to to call the common ground in a cemetery bide his faoe from them - an expression as distinguished from its paternal se- whioh in Ezekiel occlll'II only here e.nd in pulchres. If quite improbable that Bethshan ver. 29, though it is found in the Penta- or Scythopolis near Megiddo was Ezekiel's tench (Deut. Xl[J[i. 17, 18) and in the older Hamonah, it is possible the actual city may prophets (Isa. viii. 17; !iv. 8; lvii. 17; have been named after the ideal. Plumptre !xiv. 7; Jer. xl[J[llj, 5). cites as a modern parallel the English town of Lichfield (or " Field of corpsee "), Vere. 25-29.-This section Hcngstenberg which, according to tradition, commemorates regards as " the close of the whole system the destruction of the Danes. When the of prophecies of a predominantly comforting work of the hurlers should be finished, the character from eh. x.xxiii. 21 onwards;" land would be completely cleansed, Keil views it as the proper concl11Sion to Vere. 17-20 exhibit in a third way the the prophecy concerning Gog and the series severity of Gog's overthrow by setting forth of predictions from eh. xx.xv. I onwards. the bloody carnage which should attend it. It is in substance o. recapitulo.tion of God's Ver. 17.-Expanding the thought of ver. gracious promise to bring again the ce.p- 4, and borrowing the imagery of the older ti vity of Isre.el, of which the prophet bad prophets, Isaiah (x.xxiv, 6; hi. 9) and Je- just been reminded in ver. 23, anJ to remiah (xlvi. 10; l. 29; Ii. 40), Ezekiel wbioh accordingly he now in thought goes represents Gog's destruction as a great back. It traces the whole course of tho saori:fioe--literally, slaying; hcnoe a sucri- ftoial feast or simply banquet (as in Gen. Divine dee.lings with the nation from the l[J[xi. 54)-upon the mountains of Israel, pre- point of the exile on wo.rds. pared by Jehovah for the fowls of the o.ir and the beasts of the field, whioh he, there- Ver. 25,-I will bring again the captivity fore, invites to come from all quarters to eo.t of J'aoob. (For the use of "Jacob" as a flesh and drink blood. designation of the people, see ob. xxviii. Ver. 18 specifies the victims whose flesh 25 ; x.uvii. 25.) The promise goes baok and blood should form their banquet, viz. to Deut. l[J[X. S; Jor. xxix. 14; :u.x. 8; the mighty, as in oh. xxxii. 12, 27, and the xxxi. 28; x.xxii. 44; aud other passnges. prinoee of the earth, meaning the nobles Tho.t its fulfilment began with the- return aud other dignitaries in Gog's army, who, in from Habylon is not inconsistent with the accordance with the symbol of a feo.st, o.re view that its fulJllment will terminllte with spokeu of ae "mms," "lambs," "goo.ta,"" bul- tho final ingal.hering of lsro.el out of the looks," 1md "fo.tlings of Baehan" (comp. Ps. no.tions by her conversion to Christio.nity, xxii. 12). "Per limo animantium, quai in and her consequent admission to the Churoh. saorificiis uaurpari soleba11t, nomfoa varii Tho.t its first oe.use will be " mercy " to the hominum ordi11es intelliguntur, principum, whole house of ltirnol will not prevent that ducum, militiim, quad et Ohaldmus observat" cause from being o.t tho same time o. jealous (Grotius. Comp. Rev. xix. 17, 18). In regard for the Divine holiness (comp. eh. Zeph. i. 7 the hen.then are the guests, and xxxvi. 21, 22). his people the victims, at Jehovah's banquet. Ver. 26.-After they have borne their she.me (comp. eh. xvi. 52, 54; x:uii. 24, Vers. 21-29 record the impression Gog's 80; xuiv. 29; xxxvi. G). 'l'ho cv.ptivity overthrow should make upon both Isro.el of Israel would not be brought buck until and tho heathen. her people had been thoroughly ohnstise,l for their iniquities, and that olmstisomcnt Ver. 22.-The houea of Israel shall know had wrought in them n spirit of penitence that I nm the Lord their God from that day v.nd u disposition towar<ls obedience. Th011 forward. Whe.t should convince them of should Jchovo.h interpose for their doliver- this would be their triumph and delil-erance NlCe by guthering them out of their enemies' through Gog's unnihilution. lcmds and leading thom buck to their own Vors. 23, 24. - And the heathen aball land; nnd theso two ex11crionces, tho Cup- ~EIUEL-q, -..:  306 THE BOOK OF 'l'HE PROPHET. EZEKIEL. [oa. xxxrx. 1-~9.