Ezekiel 11:1-6

Evil Rulers to Be Judged

1 Moreover, the ¹Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of the LORD'S house which faced eastward. And behold, there were twenty-five * men at the entrance of the gate, and among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur and ²Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people.

2 He said to me, "Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity and ³give evil advice in this city,

3 who say, 'The time is not near to build houses. This ⁴city is the pot and we are the flesh.'

4 "Therefore, ⁵prophesy against them, son of man, prophesy!"

5 Then the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and He said to me, "Say, 'Thus says the LORD, "So you think, house of Israel, for ⁶I know your ⁷thoughts *.

6 "You have ⁸multiplied your slain in this city, filling its streets with them."

Ezekiel 11:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 11

This chapter contains an account of the sins of the princes of Judah; a prophecy of their destruction; some comfortable, promises respecting those of the captivity; and the chapter is closed with the finishing of the vision of the Lord's removing from Jerusalem; and the whole being ended, the prophet related it to the men of the captivity. In Eze 11:1; the prophet, is shown five and twenty men, among whom were two he knew, and are mentioned by name, and were princes of the people; and he is told that these men devised mischief, and gave bad advice to the people, Eze 11:2,3; wherefore he is bid to prophesy against them, Eze 11:4; which he accordingly did, the Spirit of the Lord falling upon him, Eze 11:5; declaring that their secret evils were known, as well as their public ones; and that, seeing they had multiplied their slain, and had feared the sword, the sword should come upon them; some should fall by it, and others should be carried captive; the consequence of which would be, that God would be known, and his justice acknowledged, it being what their sins deserved, Eze 11:6-12; upon this prophecy being delivered out, one of the princes before named died immediately; which filled the prophet with great concern, and put him upon expostulating with God, Eze 11:13; wherefore, for his comfort, he is told, that though the inhabitants of Jerusalem had insulted their brethren that were carried captive, and looked upon the land of Israel as their own possession, that God would be a little sanctuary to them; that he would gather them out of all lands, and give them the land of Israel; that they should come thither, and remove all idolatry from it, and should have regenerating and renewing grace given them, to walk in the statutes and ordinances of the Lord, by which they should appear to be his people, and he to be their God, Eze 11:14-20; but as for such that continued in their abominable idolatries, these should receive a just recompence of reward, Eze 11:21; after which follows an account of the entire removal of the glory of the Lord from the city of Jerusalem, Eze 11:22,23; and the prophet being, in vision, brought again to Chaldea, reports the whole he had seen to them of the captivity, Eze 11:24,25.

Cross References

• 1. Ezekiel 3:12, 14; Ezekiel 8:3; Ezekiel 11:24; Ezekiel 43:5
• 2. Ezekiel 11:13
• 3. Psalms 2:1, 2; Psalms 52:2; Isaiah 30:1; Jeremiah 5:5; Micah 2:1
• 4. Jeremiah 1:13; Ezekiel 11:7, 11; Ezekiel 24:3, 6
• 5. Ezekiel 3:4, 17
• 6. Jeremiah 11:20; Jeremiah 17:10
• 7. Ezekiel 38:10
• 8. Isaiah 1:15; Ezekiel 7:23; Ezekiel 22:2-6, 9, 12, 27

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "This is"
• [b]. Lit "what comes up in your spirit"
• [c]. Lit "the slain"