Ezekiel 5

11. as I five--the most solemn of oaths, pledging the self-existence of God for the certainty of the event.
defiled my sanctuary--the climax of Jewish guilt: their defiling Jehovah's temple by introducing idols.
diminish--literally "withdraw," namely, Mine "eye" (which presently follows), that is, My favors; Job 36:7 uses the Hebrew verb in the same way. As the Jews had withdrawn from God's sanctuary its sacredness by "defiling" it, so God withdraws His countenance from them. The significance of the expression lies in the allusion to Deuteronomy 4:2 , "Ye shall not diminish aught from the word which I command you"; they had done so, therefore God diminishes them. The reading found in six manuscripts, "I will cut thee off," is not so good.

12. Statement in plain terms of what was intended by the symbols ( Ezekiel 5:2 ; see Ezekiel 6:12 , Jeremiah 15:2 , 21:9 ).
draw out . . . sword after them--( Leviticus 26:33 ). Skeptics object; no such thing happened under Zedekiah, as is here foretold; namely, that a third part of the nation should die by pestilence, a third part by the sword, and a third be scattered unto all winds, and a sword sent after them. But the prophecy is not restricted to Zedekiah's time. It includes all that Israel suffered, or was still to suffer, for their sins, especially those committed at that period ( Ezekiel 17:21 ). It only received its primary fulfilment under Zedekiah: numbers then died by the pestilence and by the sword; and numbers were scattered in all quarters and not carried to Babylonia alone, as the objectors assert (compare Ezra 1:4 , Esther 3:8 , Obadiah 1:14 ).
pestilence . . . and famine--signified by the symbol "fire" ( Ezekiel 5:2 ). Compare Isaiah 13:8 , Lamentations 5:10 ; plague and famine burning and withering the countenance, as fire does.

13. cause my fury to rest upon them--as on its proper and permanent resting-place ( Isaiah 30:32 , Margin).
I will be comforted--expressed in condescension to man's conceptions; signifying His satisfaction in the vindication of His justice by His righteous judgments ( Deuteronomy 28:63 , Proverbs 1:26 , Isaiah 1:24 ).
they shall how--by bitter experience.

14. reproach among the nations--They whose idolatries Israel had adopted, instead of comforting, would only exult in their calamities brought on by those idolatries (compare Luke 15:15 ).

15. instruction--literally, "a corrective chastisement," that is, a striking example to warn all of the fatal consequences of sin. For "it shall be"; all ancient versions have "thou," which the connection favors.

16. arrows of famine--hail, rain, mice, locusts, mildew (see Deuteronomy 32:23 Deuteronomy 32:24 ).
increase the famine--literally, "congregate" or "collect." When ye think your harvest safe because ye have escaped drought, mildew, &c., I will find other means [CALVIN], which I will congregate as the forces of an invading army, to bring famine on you.

17. beasts--perhaps meaning destructive conquerors ( Daniel 7:4 ). Rather, literal "beasts," which infest desolated regions such as Judea was to become (compare Ezekiel 34:28 , Exodus 23:29 , Deuteronomy 32:24 , 2 Kings 17:25 ). The same threat is repeated in manifold forms to awaken the careless.
sword--civil war.