Yechezkel 11:1-14

1 1 Moreover the Ruach lifted me up, and brought me unto the Sha’ar Beis Hashem hakadmoni (eastern gate of the Beis HaMikdash of Hashem), and hinei at the petach of the Sha’ar five and twenty ish; among whom I saw Ya’azanyah Ben Azur, and Pelatyahu Ben Benayahu, sarim of HaAm.
2 Then said He unto me, Ben adam, these are the anashim that plot evil, and give atzat rah (evil counsel) in this ir,
3 Which say, The end is not near; let us build batim (houses): this ir is the caldron, and we are the basar.
4 Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O ben adam.
5 And the Ruach Hashem fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak: Thus saith Hashem; Thus have ye said, O Bais Yisroel: for I know the things that come into your ruach, every one of them.
6 Ye have multiplied your slain in this ir, and ye have filled the streets thereof with the slain.
7 Therefore thus saith Adonoi Hashem: Your slain whom ye have placed in the midst of it, they are the basar, and this ir is the caldron; but I will bring you forth out of the midst of it.
8 Ye have feared the cherev; and I will bring a cherev upon you, saith Adonoi Hashem.
9 And I will bring you out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the yad of zarim, and will execute shefatim (judgments) among you.
10 Ye shall fall by the cherev; I will judge you at the border of Yisroel; and ye shall know that I am Hashem.
11 This ir shall not be your caldron, neither shall ye be the basar in the midst thereof; but I will judge you at the border of Yisroel;
12 And ye shall know that I am Hashem; for ye have not walked in My chukkot, neither executed My mishpatim, but have done after the mishpatim of the Goyim that are all around you.
13 And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatyah Ben Benayah died. Then I fell down upon my face, and cried out with a kol gadol, and said, Ah, Adonoi Hashem! Wilt Thou make a full end of the she’erit (remnant) Yisroel?
14 Again the Devar Hashem came unto me, saying,

Yechezkel 11:1-14 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.

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