Ezekiel 20:1-44

1 et factum est in anno septimo in quinto mense in decima mensis venerunt viri de senioribus Israhel ut interrogarent Dominum et sederunt coram me
2 et factus est sermo Domini ad me dicens
3 fili hominis loquere senioribus Israhel et dices ad eos haec dicit Dominus Deus num ad interrogandum me vos venistis vivo ego quia non respondebo vobis ait Dominus Deus
4 si iudicas eos si iudicas fili hominis abominationes patrum eorum ostende eis
5 et dices ad eos haec dicit Dominus Deus in die qua elegi Israhel et levavi manum meam pro stirpe domus Iacob et apparui eis in terra Aegypti et levavi manum meam pro eis dicens ego Dominus Deus vester
6 in die illa levavi manum meam pro eis ut educerem eos de terra Aegypti in terram quam provideram eis fluentem lacte et melle quae est egregia inter omnes terras
7 et dixi ad eos unusquisque offensiones oculorum suorum abiciat et in idolis Aegypti nolite pollui ego Dominus Deus vester
8 et inritaverunt me nolueruntque audire unusquisque abominationes oculorum suorum non proiecit nec idola Aegypti reliquerunt et dixi ut effunderem indignationem meam super eos et implerem iram meam in eis in medio terrae Aegypti
9 et feci propter nomen meum ut non violaretur coram gentibus in quarum medio erant et inter quas apparui eis ut educerem eos de terra Aegypti
10 eieci ergo eos de terra Aegypti et eduxi in desertum
11 et dedi eis praecepta mea et iudicia mea ostendi eis quae faciat homo et vivat in eis
12 insuper et sabbata mea dedi eis ut esset signum inter me et eos et scirent quia ego Dominus sanctificans eos
13 et inritaverunt me domus Israhel in deserto in praeceptis meis non ambulaverunt et iudicia mea proiecerunt quae faciens homo vivet in eis et sabbata mea violaverunt vehementer dixi ergo ut effunderem furorem meum super eos in deserto et consumerem eos
14 et feci propter nomen meum ne violaretur coram gentibus de quibus eieci eos in conspectu earum
15 ego igitur levavi manum meam super eos in deserto ne inducerem eos in terram quam dedi eis fluentem lacte et melle praecipuam terrarum omnium
16 quia iudicia mea proiecerunt et in praeceptis meis non ambulaverunt et sabbata mea violaverunt post idola enim cor eorum gradiebatur
17 et pepercit oculus meus super eos ut non interficerem eos nec consumpsi eos in deserto
18 dixi autem ad filios eorum in solitudine in praeceptis patrum vestrorum nolite incedere nec iudicia eorum custodiatis nec in idolis eorum polluamini
19 ego Dominus Deus vester in praeceptis meis ambulate et iudicia mea custodite et facite ea
20 et sabbata mea sanctificate ut sit signum inter me et vos et sciatur quia ego Dominus Deus vester
21 et exacerbaverunt me filii in praeceptis meis non ambulaverunt et iudicia mea non custodierunt ut facerent ea quae cum fecerit homo vivet in eis et sabbata mea violaverunt et comminatus sum ut effunderem furorem meum super eos et implerem iram meam in eis in deserto
22 averti autem manum meam et feci propter nomen meum ut non violaretur coram gentibus de quibus eieci eos in oculis earum
23 iterum levavi manum meam in eos in solitudine ut dispergerem illos in nationes et ventilarem in terras
24 eo quod iudicia mea non fecissent et praecepta mea reprobassent et sabbata mea violassent et post idola patrum suorum fuissent oculi eorum
25 ergo et ego dedi eis praecepta non bona et iudicia in quibus non vivent
26 et pollui eos in muneribus suis cum offerrent omne quod aperit vulvam propter delicta sua et scient quia ego Dominus
27 quam ob rem loquere ad domum Israhel fili hominis et dices ad eos haec dicit Dominus Deus adhuc et in hoc blasphemaverunt me patres vestri cum sprevissent me contemnentes
28 et induxissem eos in terram super quam levavi manum meam ut darem eis viderunt omnem collem excelsum et omne lignum nemorosum et immolaverunt ibi victimas suas et dederunt ibi inritationem oblationis suae et posuerunt ibi odorem suavitatis suae et libaverunt libationes suas
29 et dixi ad eos quid est excelsum ad quod vos ingredimini et vocatum est nomen eius Excelsum usque ad hanc diem
30 propterea dic ad domum Israhel haec dicit Dominus Deus certe in via patrum vestrorum vos polluimini et post offendicula eorum vos fornicamini
31 et in oblatione donorum vestrorum cum transducitis filios vestros per ignem vos polluimini in omnibus idolis vestris usque hodie et ego respondebo vobis domus Israhel vivo ego dicit Dominus Deus quia non respondebo vobis
32 neque cogitatio mentis vestrae fiet dicentium erimus sicut gentes et sicut cognationes terrae ut colamus ligna et lapides
33 vivo ego dicit Dominus Deus quoniam in manu forti et brachio extento et in furore effuso regnabo super vos
34 et educam vos de populis et congregabo vos de terris in quibus dispersi estis in manu valida et brachio extento et in furore effuso regnabo super vos
35 et adducam vos in desertum populorum et iudicabor vobiscum ibi facie ad faciem
36 sicut iudicio contendi adversum patres vestros in deserto terrae Aegypti sic iudicabo vos dicit Dominus Deus
37 et subiciam vos sceptro meo et inducam vos in vinculis foederis
38 et eligam de vobis transgressores et impios et de terra incolatus eorum educam eos et terram Israhel non ingredientur et scietis quia ego Dominus
39 et vos domus Israhel haec dicit Dominus Deus singuli post idola vestra ambulate et servite eis quod si et in hoc non audieritis me et nomen meum sanctum pollueritis ultra in muneribus vestris et in idolis vestris
40 in monte sancto meo in monte excelso Israhel ait Dominus Deus ibi serviet mihi omnis domus Israhel omnes inquam in terra in qua placebunt mihi et ibi quaeram primitias vestras et initium decimarum vestrarum in omnibus sanctificationibus vestris
41 in odorem suavitatis suscipiam vos cum eduxero vos de populis et congregavero vos de terris in quas dispersi estis et sanctificabor in vobis in oculis nationum
42 et scietis quia ego Dominus cum induxero vos ad terram Israhel in terram pro qua levavi manum meam ut darem eam patribus vestris
43 et recordabimini ibi viarum vestrarum et omnium scelerum vestrorum quibus polluti estis in eis et displicebitis vobis in conspectu vestro in omnibus malitiis vestris quas fecistis
44 et scietis quia ego Dominus cum benefecero vobis propter nomen meum non secundum vias vestras malas neque secundum scelera vestra pessima domus Israhel ait Dominus Deus

Ezekiel 20:1-44 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 20

The prophecy in this chapter is occasioned by some of the elders of Israel coming to inquire of the Lord; when the prophet is bid to tell them that he would not be inquired of by them. The reason of which were their abominations he is ordered to make known unto them, Eze 20:1-4; and then proceeds the narration of them; first of what their fathers committed in Egypt; of God's goodness to them, and their ingratitude; how that though he promised and swore that he would bring them from thence, when he charged them to abstain from the idolatry of that people where they were, nevertheless they did not, for which he threatened them with his wrath to consume them; yet such was his goodness as to spare them, and bring them out of that land, Eze 20:5-9; being brought out of Egypt into the wilderness, the Lord gave them statutes and ordinances to observe, particularly sabbaths, as a sign between him and them, but these they despised and broke; wherefore the Lord threatened to consume them in the wilderness, and not bring them into the land of Canaan; yet such was his kindness and mercy to them, that he did not make an utter end of them in the wilderness, Eze 20:10-17; and whereas he exhorted their posterity not to imitate their parents, but to walk in his statutes and judgments, and observe his sabbaths, yet they would not; which drew out his resentment against them, and he threatened to scatter them among the Heathens; but, for his name's sake, that that might not be polluted among the heathen, he spared them, and did not cut them off, only gave them up to do things very pernicious to them, Eze 20:18-26; and even when they were brought into the land of Canaan, they were guilty of blasphemy against God, and of idolatry on every high hill they saw, Eze 20:27-29; but whereas it might be objected, what is all this to the present generation? it is observed, that they imitated their fathers, and were guilty of the same idolatries, and therefore the Lord would not be inquired of by them, Eze 20:30,31; and threatens to rule them with fury, and plead with them, as he had pleaded with their fathers in the wilderness, Eze 20:32-36; nevertheless he suggests that there would be a remnant among them, when he should have purged the rebels and transgressors from them, that he would deal graciously with in a covenant way; who should serve him in his holy mountain, where he would require and accept their sacrifices, in whom he would be sanctified; and who should know him, and loathe themselves, when made sensible of the distinguishing favours bestowed upon them, Eze 20:37-44; and the chapter is closed with a prophecy dropped against Jerusalem, denouncing utter destruction on it, Eze 20:45-49.

reign, and of the captivity of Jeconiah; from whence the dates of Ezekiel's visions and prophecies are taken, Eze 1:2, 8:1; two years, one month, and five days, after Ezekiel began to prophesy, and eleven months and five days after the preceding prophecy:

\\in the fifth [month], the tenth [day] of the month\\; the month Ab, which answers to our July and August; on this day afterwards Jerusalem was twice destroyed, first by the Chaldeans, and then by the Romans:

\\[that] certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord\\; by the prophet; these were either some of the elders that were carried captive, who came to inquire how long they should continue in this state; or what methods they should use to free themselves from it; or what they should do while they were in it; whether it would be advisable that they should conform to the customs of the Heathens among whom they were; or what would be the case of those that were left in Judea: or else these were sent by Zedekiah to pay the king of Babylon his tax, or to negotiate some affair with him relating to the captives; and who took this opportunity of consulting the Lord by the prophet what methods should be taken to throw off the yoke, and to know what was the mind of God in it; but these things are uncertain, as are also the persons the inquirers; though the Jews say {e} they were Ananias, Azarias, and Misael; which is not probable, since they were good men, whereas these seem to be hypocritical persons:

\\and sat before me\\; with great seriousness and devotion seemingly, waiting for an answer.

{e} Seder Olam Rabba apud Abarbinel in loc.

28855-950511-1814-Eze20.2

The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.