Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

18. Then Baruch answered them, "He "pronounced all these words unto me with "his mouth, and I wrote them with ink "in the book." 19. Then said the princes unto Baruch, "Go hide thee, thou and "Jeremiah, and let no man know where 66 ye be." 20. And they went in to the king into the court, but they laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the ears of the king. 21. So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll, and he took it out of Elishama the scribe's ohamber, and Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king. 22. Now the king sat in the winter house in the ninth month; and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him. 23. And it came to pass that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he (f) cut it with the pen-knife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth. 24. Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words. 25. Nevertheless Elnathan, and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king, that he would not burn the roll, but he would not hear them. 25. But the king commanded Jerahmeel the scn of Hammelech, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe, and Jeremiah the prophet: but the LORD hid them. 27. Then

the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah (after that the king had burnt the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth? of Jeremiah,) saying, 28. "Take thee "again another roll, and write in it all "the former words, that were in the first "roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah "hath burnt. 29. And thou shalt say to "Jehoiakim king of Judah, "Thus saith "the LORD, "Thou hast burnt this rall "saying, "Why hast thou written there "saying, "The king of Babylon shall c "tainly come and destroy this land, and "shall cause to cease from thence man and "beast?" 30. Therefore thus saith the "LORD of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, "he "shall have none to sit upon the throne of "David, and his dead body shall be cast ❝out (g) in the day to the heat, and in the "night to the frost. 31. And I will punish "him and his seed, and his servant for "their iniquity, and I will bring upon "them, and upon the inhabitants of Jeru "salem, and upon the men of Judah, all "the evil that I have pronounced s "them, but they hearkened not." 32. Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah, who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah, all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burnt in the fire, and there were added besides unto them many like words.

(f) v. 23. "He," i. e. the king.

(g) v. 30. "Cast out, &c." God had before denounced against him, Jer. xxii. 19. ante 648. that he should be buried with the burial of an

ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of

"Jerusalem ;" and accordingly Nebuchadnezzar caused his body to be cast from the top of the walls of Jerusalem, and vouchsafed him sepulchre. Josephus's Antiquities, B. 10. c.

CHAP. II. (b)

EZEKIEL.

ND he (i) said unto me (k), " Son of "man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee." 2. And the spirit red into me when he spake unto me, set me upon my feet, that I heard him spake unto me. 3. And he said unto "Son of man, I send thee to the Children of Israel (/), to a rebellious nation hat hath rebelled against me; they and heir fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day. 4. For they are impudent children and stiffhearted: I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD God. 5. And they, whe

ther they will hear or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them. 6. And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns (m) be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be

(b) A commission from God to Ezekiel to onvey to the Jews God's communications. Ezekiel was one of the captive Jews in the and of Babylon, and this commission was given im in the 5th year of Zedekiah, about twelve years after the commencement of the Babylonish captivity, and about 594 years before Christ. See Ezek. i. 1. He was contemporary therefore 6 or 7 years with Jeremiah, but Jere miah prophesied in Judea, Ezekiel in Babylon.

(i) v. i. "He," The preceding chapter contains a description of a vision of Ezekiel, in which he saw the likeness of a throne and of a man upon it, and the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord, and heard a voice of one that spake, and that speaker is the person here intended. See Ezek. i. 4 to 28. (k) v. i. "Me," i. e. "Ezekiel."

(1) v. 3. "The children of Israel," i. e. "the Jews," many of whom were in captivity with Ezekiel.

(m). 6. "Though briers and thorns, &c." i. e. "whatever difficulties, insults, and danger, you may have to encounter."

(4) v. 10. "Within and without," to imply

"dismayed at their looks, though they be "a rebellious house. 7. And thou shalt "speak my words unto them, whether "they will hear, or whether they will "forbear: for they are most rebellious. "8. But thou, son of man, hear what I say "unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like "that rebellious house; open thy mouth, "and eat that I give thee." 9. And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein. 10. And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without (»): and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.

[blocks in formation]

that it was full: probably, that it foreboded great abundance of what it contained, i. c. of lamentations, &c."

(0) A denunciation against false prophets : delivered in the 6th year of Zedekiah, about 13 years after the commencement of the Babylonish captivity, and 593 before Christ.

(p) v. 2. "Out of their own hearts." This was a common subject of complaint at that time about two years before, Hananiah proclaimed it as the word of the Lord, that within two years God would bring back from Babylon the captives that had been carried thither, Jer. xxviii. I to 17. and some time in Zedekiah's reign, Jeremiah wrote from Jerusalem to the captives in Babylon to caution them against these lying prophets, and to advise them to build houses in Babylon, to plant gardens, and marry, that they might be increased there, and not diminished: discountenancing all hope of a speedy return, but assuring them that after 70 years were accomplished at Babylon, God would cause them to return to Jerusalem. Jer. xxix. 4. 5. 6. 10.

"thy prophets are like the foxes in the "deserts (q). 5. Ye have not gone up "into the gaps (r), neither made up the "hedge for the house of Israel, to stand in "the battle in the day of the LORD.

6. They have seen vanity, and lying "divination, saying, "The LORD saith ;" " and the LORD hath not sent them: and "they have made others to hope that they "would confirm the word (s). 7. Have ye "not seen a vain vision, and have ye not "spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, ""The LORD saith it," albeit I have not "spoken? 8.Therefore thus saith the Lord "GOD, "Because ye have spoken vanity and "seen lies, therefore behold, I am against 66 you, saith the Lord God.

9. And mine "hand shall be upon the prophets that see "vanity, and that divine lies; they shall not "be in the assembly of my people, neither "shall they be written in the writing of "the house of Israel, neither shall they "enter (t) into the land of Israel; and ye "shall know that I am the Lord GOD. "10. Because, even because they have "seduced my people, saying, Peace, and "there was no peace; and one built up "a wall, and, lo, others daubed it (u) with "untempered mortar : 11. Say unto them " which daub it with untempered mortar, "that it shall fall: there shall be an over"flowing shower (x); and ye, O great

(2) v. 4. "Foxes in the deserts," with more than ordinary craft and veracity: with all the subtilty and keenness the wildest state would produce in those animals: intent only upon their own gain, and pursuing it with the utmost cunning, and without regard to the misery they might bring upon others.

(r) v. 5. "Gone up into the gaps," i. e. "exposed yourselves to danger, or endeavour❝ed by prayers and intercessions to stop God's 66 vengeance." The act of Moses, Exod. xxxii. 11. 12. 13. in reasoning with God to induce him to spare the Israelites when he had signified his intention of consuming them is called, Ps. cvi. 3. "standing before God in the gap," "he "would have destroyed them, had not Moses "his chosen stood before him in the gap;" and in Ezek. xxii. 30. God is represented as saying, "I sought for a man among them that should "make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy "it, but I found none."

(s) v.6. "That they would confirm the

"hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind "shall rend it. 12. Lo, when the wall is "fallen, shall it not be said unto you, "Where is the daubing wherewith ye "have daubed it? 13. Therefore thus "saith the Lord GOD; "I will even rend "it with a stormy wind in my fury; and "there shall be an overflowing shower in "mine anger, and great hailstones in my "fury to consume it. 14. So will I break "down the wall that ye have daubed wit "untempered mortar, and bring it down r "the ground, so that the foundation "thereof shall be discovered, and it shal "fall, and ye shall be consumed in the "midst thereof: and ye shall know that I " am the LORD. 15. Thus will I accom"plish my wrath upon the wall, and upon "them that have daubed it with untem"pered mortar, and will say unto you, "The wall is no more, neither they that "daubed it; 16. To wit, the prophets of "Israel which prophesy concerning Jeru "salem, and which see visions of peace "for her, and there is no peace, saith the "Lord GOD. 17. Likewise, thou son of "man, set thy face against the daughters "of thy people, which prophesy out of "their own heart; and prophesy thon "against them, 18. And say, Thus saith "the Lord GOD; "Woe to the women "that sew pillows (y) to all (z) armholes(4),

"word," i. e. "that what they foretold would "happen."

(t) v. 9.

"Enter," i. e. "return." (u) v. to. "Daubed it, &c." figurative: " lulled them with false hopes, false appearances "of security; giving them what had the sem "blance indeed of strength, but not what is ❝ mentioned in v. 5. "a hedge to stand in the day of battle:" the daubers are the fal prophets, and their wall pretended visions, a false hopes of security and peace. See verse 16

[ocr errors]

(x) v.11. "An overflowing shower, &c." "Heavy calamities instead of peace."

(y) v. 18. "Sew pillows," and "make "kerchiefs," i. e. (perhaps) "speak comfort," "lull into security." Sewing pillows or cushions to the arms and making kerchiefs on the head, might be symbols of quiet and peace.

(z) v. 18. "All armholes," and "every sta "ture," "every one indiscriminately that applies "to you; without distinguishing between those "wholook up to me,and those who disregardme." (a) v. 18. "Armholes," or "elbows."

id make kerchiefs upon the head of very stature to hunt souls (b)! Will ye int the souls (c) of my people (d), and ill ye save the souls alive that come nto you (d)? 19. And will ye pollute e (e) among my people for handfuls of arley (f) and for pieces of bread, to ay the souls that should not die, and to ive the souls alive that should not live, y your lying to my people that hear our lies? 20. Wherefore thus saith he Lord GOD; "Behold, I am against our pillows, wherewith ye there hunt he souls to make them fly (g), and I will ear them from your arms (b), and will et the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly. 21. Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my (d) people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 22. Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life: 23. Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations :

(b) v. 18. "To hunt souls," "by giving a false confidence to sinners, and thereby lessening the chance of their turning unto God, and by discouraging the good, from expos ing them to the insults and outrages of the bad, and taking away the hopes they would derive from a national reform."

(c) v. 18. "Hunt the souls of my people, and save the souls alive that come unto you,' e. "dishearten those who look to me only, and cheer up and encourage those who look to you:" the same as is meant in the next verse, by "slay

ing the souls that should not die, and saving "the souls alive that should not live ;" and in v. 22. by making the heart of "the righteous sad," and "strengthening the hands of the wicked."

[ocr errors]

(d) v. 18. 21.23. "My people," i. e. "those who trust in me," in opposition to the wicked, those who come to you."

(e) v. 19. "Pollute me," "by ascribing to me what I have never said, and what will "therefore never come to pass."

(f) v. 19. "Handfuls of barley," i. e. “ re"wards."

(g) v. 20. “To make them fly," i. e. (probably) "to dishearten them," referring to those whom he calls in verse 18. "my people."

"for I will deliver my (d) people out of "your hand, and ye shall know that I am "the LORD."

T

CHAP. XIV. (i)

HEN came certain of the elders (k) of Israel unto me, and sat before me (). 2. And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 3. "Son of man "these men have set up their idols in their

heart (m), and put the stumbling"block() of their iniquity before their face: "should I be enquired of at all by them? 66 4. Therefore speak unto them, and say "unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD, "Every man of the house of Israel that "setteth up his idols in his heart, and "putteth the stumbling-block of his ini"quity before his face, and cometh to the "prophet, I the LORD will answer him "that cometh, according to the multitude "of his idols; 5. That I may take the "house of Israel in their own heart, be"cause they are all estranged from me "through their idols. 6. Therefore say "unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the "Lord GOD, "Repent and turn yourselves " from your idols, and turn away your

[merged small][ocr errors]

A solemn warning to the Jews to bring them back from idol worship; an intimation that in God's judgments one man's righteousness should save none but himself, but that still there should be a remnant left. Ezekiel was at this time in captivity in the land of Babylon. Before Christ 593.

(k) v. 1. "Of the elders" "who were in "captivity with Ezekiel."

[ocr errors]

(1) v. 1.Sat before me," "that Ezekiel might enquire of God on their behalf." Such enquiries were common in the times of the prophets. See ante, note on 2 Sam. xxi. 1. and Jer. xxi. 2. and post, Ezek. xx. I.

(m) v. 3. "In their heart" and "before their "face" "in mind and deed: not only idolaters "in heart, but have actually set up idols to wor"ship them."

(n) v.3. "The stumbling-block of their iniquity" i. e. " an idol."

"faces from all your abominations. 7. For

every one of the house of Israel, or of "the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, "which separateth himself from me, and "setteth up his idols in his heart, and put"teth the stumbling-block of his iniquity "before his face, and cometh to a prophet "to enquire of him concerning me; I the "LORD will answer him by myself. "8. And I will set my face against that "man, and will make him a sign and a "proverb (o), and I will cut him off from "the midst of my people, and ye shall "know that I am the LORD. 9. And (p) "if the prophet be deceived when he hath "spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived "that prophet, and I will stretch out my "hand upon him, and will destroy him "from the midst of my people Israel. "10. And they shall bear the punishment "of their iniquity: the punishment of the "prophet shall be even as the punishment "of him that seeketh unto him: "the house of Israel may go no more "astray from me, neither be polluted any "more with all their transgressions: but "that they may be my people, and I may "be their God, saith the Lord GOD." 12. The word of the LORD came again to me, saying, 13. "Son of man, when the "land sinneth against me by trespassing "grievously, then will I stretch out mine "hand upon it, and will break the staff of "the bread thereof, and will send famine. "upon it, and will cut off man and beast

II. That

(o) v. 8. "A sign and a proverb" "to be "referred to as an instance of God's vengeance:" like Is. lxv. 15. "Ye shall leave for a curse. your name

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

(p) v.9 Read, "And if a prophet shall be in"duced to speak a word," i.e. " if he assume to "utter as a prophecy what he has no commission "to utter, "I the Lord will frustrate that pro"phet." 4 Hamm. 351. It is not to be supposed that God would punish a prophet for prophesying what he had himself suggested, and the offence referred to seems to be the daring to speak what God had not authorized. This presumption is made a subject of complaint in the preceding chapter, Ezek. xiii. 2. 3. and 6 to 9.

(9) v. 14. "Daniel," who was at this time living in Babylon.

(r) v. 14. "Deliver but their own souls," i. e. "save only their own lives:" though God would have spared Sodom and Gomorrah, had there

"from it. 14. Though these three men, "Noah, Daniel (q), and Job were in it,

they should deliver but their own "souls (r) by their righteousness, saith "the Lord GOD. 15. If I cause noisome "beasts to pass through the land, and they "spoil it, so that it be desolate, that

66

no man may pass through because of the "beasts: 16. Though these three men "were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, "they shall deliver neither sons ner "daughters; they only shall be delivered "but the land shall be desolate. 17.0 "if I bring a sword upon that land, an "say, "Sword, go through the land;" s "that I cut off man and beast from it: "18. Though these three men were in it, "as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall "deliver neither sons nor daughters, but "they only shall be delivered themselves. "19. Or if I send a pestilence into that "land, and pour out my fury upon it in "blood, to cut off from it man and beast: "20. Though Noah, Daniel, and Job ser ❝ in it, as I live saith the Lord Gon, they "shall deliver neither son nor daughter; "they shall but deliver their own souls by "their righteousness. 21. For thus saith "the Lord GOD, How much more when "send my four sore judgments upon Jeru "salem, the sword, and the famine, and "the noisome beast, and the pestilence, "to cut off from it man and beast? "22. Yet behold, therein shall be left a "remnant (s) that shall be brought

been 10 righteous in it, Gen.xviii. 52. and would have pardoned Jerusalem in Josiah's time could one righteous man have been found in it, Jer. v. 1. he had no longer such a disposition to forbearance.

(s) v. 22. "A remnant ;" in all his denuas ciations God promised that a remnant shoul be left. This was calculated to keep up ho in the minds of the faithful, and to satisfy them that God had not wholly cast off the nation, but that they might still expect out of it th great Deliverer, the Messiah. There is no in timation that it was for their own righteousness that this remnant was to be saved; and on the contrary it may be collected from this verse that their ways were evil. The forbearance as to them therefore would be wholly an act of favour. God afterwards signified distinctly by Jeremiah by what means they should escape: "He that

abideth in this city (Jerusalem) shall die by "the sword, and by the famine, and by the

« AnteriorContinuar »