CHAP. IV. V. 1-8. The captives in Chaldea, as well as the Jews in their own land, vainly hoped that Jerusalem would be preserved, and that they should be delivered from the power of the king of Babylon: ( Notes , Jer . 28:2 -14.) but Ezekiel by a most expressive sign was ordered to shew them the contrary. It is probable that this occurred, whilst he was shut up in his own house, and unable to speak to the people: ( Note , 3:22-27.) for by signs he might instruct such as came to him; and when his extraordinary conduct came to be known,
13 And the LORD said, P Even thus
and works, which were used in sieges: and to take an iron pan, or a circular piece of iron, to place round the city as a wall; denoting the fortifications of Jerusalem, and the obstinate defence which would be made by its inhabitants. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . a-c.) He himself represented the besiegers, by setting his face against the picture of the city. For three hundred and ninety days he was ordered to lie on his left side: these days denoted so many years. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . e, f.- Notes , Dan . 7:23-27. 9:24-27. Rev. 11:1,2.) The years may be calculated from the establishment of idolatry by Jeroboam in the kingdom of Israel, to the final desolations of the whole land by Nebuzar-adan, in the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar, which the best
many would go to see him from different mo-chronologers compute to have been exactly
tives. Thus it would become generally known among the captives, and at length be published and explained to the whole nation. It seems to have been a real transaction, not a vision; and all objections to this construction, taken from the uneasiness of the prophet in the situation here described, arise from forgetfulness of the power of God, who can render his servants easy in any situation. (Notes, Jer. 13:1 -7. Hos . 1:2,3.) - It is not, however, needful to suppose, that he never moved from this posture; but only that he habitually continued in it.
A man may be said to keep his bed; though he be occasionally for a short time taken out of it. The circumstances of this vision prove, 'that the prophet did really perform what is 'here related; or else it could not have been "a 'sign unto the house of Israel," (3) unless they themselves had been eye-witnesses of it. Comp. 12:7,11.' Lowth . ( Marg .
Ref . d.)-He was ordered to draw a picture of Jerusalem on a tile, (an emblem of the meanness to which sin had reduced that holy city, and the speedy destruction which awaited it,) that by a general likeness every spectator might know what city was intended. He was then directed to place around it the similitude of those engines
three hundred and ninety years. ( Jer . 52:30.) In the siege of Jerusalem, and the ruin of the nation, they bare the punishment of their iniquity committed during those years; and Ezekiel, by lying so long on his left side, as a sign to them, typically bore it for them. ( Marg .
Ref . g, h.-- Note , Lev . 10:16--18.) When he had accomplished those days, he was ordered to lie forty days more on his right side; which represented the forty years, which intervened between Josiah's reformation, and the same final desolations of the land, and were the more immediate cause of that catastrophe.Some think that these four hundred and thirty days relate also to the days of the siege, deducting some time for the departure of the besiegers, when they went to fight with the Egyptians: but this is uncertain. -The prophet was thus required to set himself "against Jerusalem," and to make bare, or stretch out, his arm, to represent the force and fury, with which the Chaldeans would conduct the siege.
By this sign he prophesied against it: and the Lord would lay bands on him; that is, he would powerfully enable and even constrain him, to lie quietly in the posture appointed him, till the days were accomplished. (3:25. Note , 8:1.)
shall the children of Israel eat their defiled || and thou shalt prepare thy bread therebread among the Gentiles, whither I will with. drive them.
16 Moreover he said unto me, Son of
14 Then said I, Ah Lord GOD, be-man, behold, "I will break the staff of
hold, my soul hath not been polluted: for from my youth up even till now shave I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there * abominable flesh into my mouth.
15 Then he said unto me, Lo, I have given thee cow's dung for man's dung,
V. 9-17. The prophet was moreover ordered to represent the famine, which would prevail during the siege, and among the captives, by the food which he used while thus made a sign to them.
His bread, which was his chief or only support, was ordered to be made of different sorts of grain and pulse mixed together, several of which were seldom used for bread, except in times of urgent scarcity. ( Marg .) The grain and pulse for this bread he was ordered to prepare beforehand for the three hundred and ninety days, during which he lay on his left side; for he might afterwards prepare for the other forty days which are not here mentioned. (6) Of this coarse and unpalatable food he was allowed not much more than ten ounces a day, as small a quantity as life could well be supported with; nor was he permitted to drink more than about a pint and half of water a day, without any other liquor.
This denoted, that the besieged Jews, and afterwards the captives, would be reduced to very scanty allowance of the coarsest food; and that they would suffer as much by thirst as by famine. ( Marg . Ref . o.- Note , Lev. 26:25,26.)-This bread was to be eaten "as barley-cakes," as ordinary food, dressed in
bread in Jerusalem, and they shall * eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment:
17 That they may want bread and water, and be astonied one with another, y and consume away for their iniquity.
u 5:16. 14:13. Lev. 26:26. Ps. Lam. 1:11. 4:9,10. 5:9. 105:16. Is. 3:1. y y 24:23. Lev. 26:39.
x 10,11. 12:18,19. Ps. 60:3.
parts of England at this day.--By the subsequent explication it appears, that though the hardships to be endured by the captives were included; yet that the famine, which raged in Jerusalem during the siege, was principally intended. Then the Lord would break the staff of bread, which is the chief support of life: and, their bread and water being measured to them in very small quantities, they must eat and drink with astonishment; perceiving how fast their scanty stock of provisions wasted, and how soon they were likely to perish miserably by hunger and thirst. ( Marg . Ref . x, y. - Notes , Lev . 26:38,39.1 Kings 17:10--16, v . 12. 2 Kings 6:25-29. Ps . 60:1--3, v. 3. Lam . 4 : 3-5,9-12 .) -Staff , &c. (16) Marg . Ref . u.- Notes , 12:1720. Ps . 105:16. Is . 3:1-9, v . 1.
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.
All our powers and capacities should be diligently employed, in receiving instruction from God, and in promoting his glory, as far as we are capable of it. In various ways he preaches to our senses: his word addresses our ears as the avenues to the heart; the sacramental signs and pledges of spiritual blessings preach to our eyes, that by them we may be instruct
the meanest and hastiest manner: and to shewed and affected. These external representa
how the Jews would be reduced to feed on such things, as at other times they would have nauseated; (Note, Job 6:5-7.) and that they would be constrained to disregard the distinction between clean and unclean meats; ( Notes ,
Dan . 1:8-16, v . 8. Hos . 9:4--6.) he was order-ment. (P. O. Josh. 4:) For persons of this
ed to use human dung as fuel, baking the cakes in the ashes of it; and to do it in the sight of the people that they might know it. The prophet seems not to have objected to any other part of the injunctions laid upon him, except this. He did not urge, that the representation of the siege would expose him to
tions often appear mean and despicable to the proud, carnal, and ignorant, who look no further than the outward sign: but to the humble, enlightened, and spiritual mind, they are replete with instruction, caution, and encouragecharacter will inquire into the meaning of every external observance, especially those which are of divine appointment; and search out their use and intention, that they may profit by them. The Lord often calls his most favored servants to the sharpest sufferings and the hardest services; which would be very disportionable supports.
But no self-denial, labor, scanty, and unsavory fare, hard lodging, or uneasy posture, can render those uncomfortable, to whom the Lord manifests Lis gracious presence, and communicates his abundant consolations. ( Note , Acts 16:25--28.) When we duly consider what severe and long continued self-denial our gracious God of old required of his servants, and recollect that it was their wisdom and happiness, as well as duty, to render it; we shall be the better reconciled to th exercise of that moderate self-denial to which he calls us; and shall be shamed out of our reluctancy to it, and impatience under it.-Those, who love the souls of men, would be ready to endure any temporal inconvenience or suffering, to bring them to a sense of their guilt and danger, and to take them off from presumptuous confidences: and, as example is more con
contempt; that it would subject him to re-tressing to them, were they not assured of pro
proach, thus to appear as the enemy of Jerusalem; that the allotted provisions were so coarse and scanty, that his health would be ruined by living so long on them; or that the posture, in which he was to lie would be very painful and distressing. In all these respects he unreservedly acquiesced: but, supposing that by this last appointment he should contract ceremonial defilement; he objected that he had never been used to pollute his soul by eating any thing unclean, from his youth up to that day. ( Marg . Ref . p-t.- Notes , Ex . 22: 29-31, v . 31. Lev . 11:39,40. 17:12-16. Deut . 14:21.
Is . 66:3,4. Acts 10:9-16.) And though his scruple was groundless, (for it does not appear, that it would have been a violation of the ritual law;) yet the Lord condescended to allow him, instead of human dung, to use cow's or bullock's dung for fuel, which is commonly used in that way in the east, as it is in many il vincing than words, it behoves all, who desire
to be useful ministers, to habituate themselves to a holy indifference about worldly pleasures and interests; that they may exemplify the du- ties which they inculcate, and by their prompt and cheerful obedience to apparently hard com- mands, put those to shame, who refuse obedi- ence in the most favorable circumstances.-In- deed, when we consider with what evils sin has filled the earth, we should all prepare for the worst: we know not how soon we may be forced to eat our refuse food by measure, and to drink our short allowance of water with astonishment; and be glad of the meanest sus- tenance which we now loathe and throw away.
But if Jesus have "delivered us from the wrath to come," and we have long been habituated to the practice of holiness; we shall fear sin and pollution more than any external hardship: and, whatever troubles we experience, weshall not be left to "consume away in our iniquities." -No external profession or privilege can ex- empt sinners from deserved punishment: God will set his face against hypocrites, as well as infidels and profligates: and his ministers must do the same, however they may be reviled for
scatter in the wind, and I will draw out a Sword after them.
3 Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy * skirts.
4 Then take of them again, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; for thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel.
5 Thus saith the Lord GOD, This is Jerusalem: 'I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her.
ornament of the head, and the beard is the token of manhood. But the city was to be desolated and levelled with the ground. ( Note , Is . 7:20.) Then her ornament and strength were taken away: and as the shaving g of Nazarite disannuled his vow; ( Note , Num . 6 : 5.) so perhaps this indicated, that the token of her consecration to God was destroyed by her sins. This shewed the severity of the judgment of God: and the weighing of the hair intimated the strict justice and exact wisdom, in which the inhabitants of Jerusalem were con
signed to their several punishments. The third part of the hair, which was burned with fire, "in the midst of the city ," that is, the picture of the city before mentioned, at the end of the siege, or the days which the prophet lay before it, ( Notes , 4:1-8.) denoted, that a third part of the Jews, who had taken refuge in Jerusalem, would perish by famine, pestilence, or conflagrations, during the siege, or when it was terminated: the third part, smitten with a knife or sword, represented those, who were slain by the besiegers in attempting to escape: and the third part scattered in the wind, rep
it.-All who do not repent and believe the gos-resented those who fled or were carried cap
pel, must at length bear their own iniquity in that place of torment, where not so much as a drop of water can be procured to cool the tongue: and they, who are connected with the wicked, often suffer many temporal afflictions in consequ mce of it. But Christ alone "bare our sins, ir his own body on the tree:" to ex- piate our guilt, he fasted, thirsted, agonized, and died. Those who believe in him, "shall not come into condemnation; but are passed from death unto life:" and, as he shews such compassion even to their scruples; they should not attempt to impose on their brethren the most indifferent observances, which are de- clined professedly from a principle of conscience.
NOTES.