Ezechiël 20:34-44

34 Want Ik zal u uit de volken voeren, en u vergaderen uit de landen, waarin gij verstrooid zijt, door een sterke hand, en door een uitgestrekten arm, en door een uitgegoten grimmigheid.

35 Daartoe zal Ik u brengen in de woestijn der volken, en Ik zal met u aldaar rechten, aangezicht aan aangezicht;

36 Gelijk als Ik gerecht heb met uw vaderen in de woestijn van Egypteland, alzo zal Ik met u rechten, spreekt de Heere HEERE.

37 En Ik zal ulieden onder de roede doen doorgaan, en Ik zal u brengen onder den band des verbonds.

38 Daartoe zal Ik, die rebel zijn, en die tegen Mij overtreden, uit ulieden uitzuiveren; Ik zal hen uit het land hunner vreemdelingschappen uitvoeren, en zij zullen in het landschap Israels niet weder komen, en gij zult weten, dat Ik de HEERE ben.

39 En gijlieden, o huis Israels, alzo zegt de Heere HEERE: Gaat henen, dient een ieder zijn drekgoden, ook hierna, dewijl gijlieden naar Mij niet hoort; doch ontheiligt niet meer Mijn heiligen Naam, met uw giften en met uw drekgoden.

40 Want op Mijn heiligen berg, op den hogen berg Israels, spreekt de Heere HEERE, daar zal Mij het ganse huis Israels in het land dienen, zij allen; daar zal Ik welgevallen aan hen nemen, en daar zal Ik uw hefofferen eisen, en de eerstelingen uwer heffingen met al uw geheiligde dingen.

41 Ik zal een welgevallen aan ulieden nemen om den liefelijken reuk, wanneer Ik u van de volken uitvoeren, en u vergaderen zal uit de landen, in dewelke gij zult verstrooid zijn, en Ik zal in u geheiligd worden voor de ogen der heidenen.

42 En gij zult weten, dat Ik de HEERE ben, als Ik u in het landschap Israels gebracht zal hebben, in het land, waarover Ik Mijn hand opgeheven heb, om hetzelve uw vaderen te geven.

43 Daar zult gij dan gedenken aan uw wegen, en aan al uw handelingen waarmede gij u verontreinigd hebt, en gij zult van u zelven een walging hebben over al uw boosheden, die gij gedaan hebt.

44 Zo zult gij weten, dat Ik de HEERE ben, als Ik met u gedaan zal hebben, om Mijns Naams wil, niet naar uw boze wegen, noch naar uw verdorven handelingen, o huis Israels, spreekt de Heere HEERE.

Ezechiël 20:34-44 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.

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