Ezechiele 20:49

49 (H21-5) Ed io dissi: Ahi lasso me! Signore Iddio; costoro dicon di me: Quest’uomo non è egli un dicitor di parabole?

Ezechiele 20:49 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 20:49

Then said I, ah Lord God!
&c.] The Septuagint version is, "by no means, Lord, Lord"; that is, let me not be sent on such an errand; at least, let it not be delivered in such figurative terms; or let not such a general calamity befall the people. The Targum is,

``receive my prayer, O Lord God;''

the prophet here either complains of the usage he had met with after delivering the above prophecy; or rather of what he had met with before, and which he expected again; and therefore desired either that he might be excused delivering the prophecy; or, however, that it might be delivered not in obscure and enigmatical terms, but in plain and easy ones: they say of me, doth he not speak parables?
as before, of a lion and her whelps; and of a vine, and its rods and branches, ( Ezekiel 19:1-14 ) and now here again, of a fire, and a forest, and trees of it, green and dry; things not easily understood, and so not attended to and regarded; as if they should say, this man brings us nothing but parables, riddles, and enigmas, and such sort of unintelligible stuff, not worth minding; and rather appears as a man delirious and mad than a prophet. Wherefore Ezekiel seems to desire that he might be sent to them with a message more plainly expressed; and which might excite their attention and regard, and not expose him to their ridicule and contempt; and accordingly we find it is explained and expressed in clearer terms in the next chapter.

Ezechiele 20:49 In-Context

47 (H21-3) e di’ alla selva del Mezzodì: Ascolta la parola del Signore: Così ha detto il Signore Iddio: Ecco, io accendo in te un fuoco che consumerà in te ogni albero verde, ed ogni albero secco; la fiamma del suo incendio non si spegnerà, ed ogni faccia ne sarà divampata, dal Mezzodì fino al Settentrione.

48 (H21-4) Ed ogni carne vedrà che io, il Signore, avrò acceso quello; egli non si spegnerà.

49 (H21-5) Ed io dissi: Ahi lasso me! Signore Iddio; costoro dicon di me: Quest’uomo non è egli un dicitor di parabole?