Ezequiel 20:5-15

5 y diles: Así dijo el Señor DIOS: El día que escogí a Israel, y que alcé mi mano por la simiente de la Casa de Jacob, y que fui conocido de ellos en la tierra de Egipto, cuando alcé mi mano a ellos, diciendo: Yo soy el SEÑOR vuestro Dios

6 aquel día que les alcé mi mano, y juré, que los sacaría de la tierra de Egipto a la tierra que les había provisto, que fluye leche y miel, la cual es la más hermosa de todas las tierras

7 entonces les dije: Cada uno eche de sí todo culto de dios fabricado por su carnal parecer, y no os contaminéis con los ídolos de Egipto. Yo soy el SEÑOR vuestro Dios

8 Mas ellos se rebelaron contra mí, y no quisieron escucharme; no echó de sí cada uno las abominaciones de sus ojos, ni dejaron los ídolos de Egipto; y dije que derramaría mi ira sobre ellos, para cumplir mi enojo en ellos en medio de la tierra de Egipto

9 Con todo, obré a causa de mi Nombre, para que no se infamare en los ojos de los gentiles en medio de los cuales estaban, en cuyos ojos fui conocido de ellos, para sacarlos de tierra de Egipto

10 Los saqué pues de la tierra de Egipto, y los traje al desierto

11 y les di mis ordenanzas, y les declaré mis derechos, los cuales el hombre que los hiciere, vivirá por ellos

12 Y les di también mis sábados que fueran por señal entre mí y ellos, para que supieran que yo soy el SEÑOR que los santifico

13 Mas se rebeló contra mí la Casa de Israel en el desierto; no anduvieron en mis ordenanzas, y desecharon mis derechos, los cuales el hombre que los hiciere, vivirá por ellos; y mis sábados profanaron en gran manera; dije, por tanto, que había de derramar sobre ellos mi ira en el desierto para consumirlos

14 Pero obré a causa de mi Nombre para que no se infamare a la vista de los gentiles, delante de cuyos ojos los saqué

15 Y también yo les alcé mi mano en el desierto, y juré, que no los metería en la tierra que les di, que fluye leche y miel, la cual es la más hermosa de todas las tierras

Ezequiel 20:5-15 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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