Ezekiel 45:9

9 "This is the Message of God, the Master: 'I've put up with you long enough, princes of Israel! Quit bullying and taking advantage of my people. Do what's just and right for a change.

Ezekiel 45:9 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 45:9

Thus saith the Lord, let it suffice you, O princes of Israel,
&c.] Christian kings and princes, for such there shall be in those times; and who will have large and ample salaries provided for them, as they should have to support their dignity; and with which they should be content, as they will be, and not encroach upon the properties of their subjects: remove violence and spoil;
from your administration; the sense is, do not use violence, and exercise rapine and spoil, let these be far from you; seize not on the goods of your subjects, or spoil them of them by heavy taxes and impositions, or by vexatious lawsuits, and unjust sentences: and execute judgment and justice;
between men; let everyone enjoy his own property; and when any matter of controversy arises about it, fairly hear and examine the case, and do justice: take away your exactions from my people, saith the Lord;
such as had been exacted of them in former times by tyrannical and unjust princes: or, "your expulsions" F2; driving them from their houses, estates, fields, and vineyards; either by taking them away from them, and annexing them to their own, as Ahab did; or by levying such taxes upon them they could not pay, and so were obliged to leave their inheritances and possessions. This, and some following verses, contain rules for regulating the civil state of the people of God in the latter day; which did not take place upon the Jews' return from Babylon, as appears from ( Nehemiah 5:15 ) but will be strictly observed by Christian princes in the latter day glory; see ( Isaiah 40:17 Isaiah 40:18 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F2 (Mkytvwrg) "delulsiones vestras", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Polanus; "expulsiones vestras", Cocceius, Starckius.

Ezekiel 45:9 In-Context

7 "The prince gets the land abutting the seven-mile east and west borders of the central sacred square, extending eastward toward the Jordan and westward toward the Mediterranean.
8 This is the prince's possession in Israel. My princes will no longer bully my people, running roughshod over them. They'll respect the land as it has been allotted to the tribes.
9 "This is the Message of God, the Master: 'I've put up with you long enough, princes of Israel! Quit bullying and taking advantage of my people. Do what's just and right for a change.
10 Use honest scales - honest weights and honest measures.
11 Every pound must have sixteen ounces. Every gallon must measure four quarts. The ounce is the basic measure for both.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.