Ch. 7. Dirge over the downfall of the kingdom of Judah

The passage is probably in some confusion; Ezekiel 7:8-9 are virtually a repetition of Ezekiel 7:3-4. In LXX. Ezekiel 7:3-4 stand immediately after Ezekiel 7:8-9, and have the appearance of being a duplicate. In other respects the text is very difficult, and in several places no longer presents the original reading. The chapter appears to have two divisions:—

First, Ezekiel 7:1-13, announcement that the end of the state is come, in a series of interjectional sentences, and

Secondly, Ezekiel 7:14-27, a picture of its dissolution, in language some what calmer and more connected.

First, announcement of the end, in three short strophes:

(1) Ezekiel 7:1-4. The end is come upon the four corners of the land.

(2) Ezekiel 7:5-9. The end is come upon the inhabitants of the land.

(3) Ezekiel 7:10-13. The ruin is common and universal. Persons and possessions alike perish.

1–4. The end is come upon the whole land, unsparing destruction from the Lord

This destruction is the fruit of the abominations of the people, their idolatries and crimes (Ezekiel 7:23). They shall know when it overtakes them that he who inflicts it is Jehovah, God alone.

2. Ezekiel 7:2 might read: unto the land of Israel an end! the end is come upon, &c. Cf. Amos 8:2.

3. send mine anger] Is an unusual form of expression.

will recompense] Bring or put. Chastisement is but sin assuming another form, a form which it inevitably takes.

4. mine eye shall not spare] So Ezekiel 7:9, ch. Ezekiel 5:11, Ezekiel 8:18, Ezekiel 9:10. From their calamities the people shall learn not only that he that inflicts them is their God, whom they called Jehovah (a thing which they were slow to learn, Amos 3:2; Amos 5:18), but also what the nature of that God is—that he is Jehovah, the true and righteous God (a thing which they were even slower to learn), cf. Ezekiel 7:27, ch. Ezekiel 6:7, Ezekiel 12:20, &c.

5. an only evil] Lit. one evil, scarcely a “unique” evil, to which there is nothing like, but an evil which is “one” and final, 1 Samuel 26:8; Haggai 2:6, “Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens and the earth” (Hebrews 12:26).

5–7. The dirge takes a fresh turn, announcing in nearly the same words that the end is come upon the inhabitants of the land

6. it watcheth] Rather: it awaketh for thee. The word forms an alliteration with “end” (Ḳêç, heḳîç), and suggests that the vengeance slumbering long is now ready to fall on them. A similar paronomasia in Amos 8:2, between “end” and “summer fruit,” and in Jeremiah 1:11, between “almond tree” and “be wakeful.”

7. The morning is come] The sense “morning” is that which a similar word has in Aramaic; but the dawn or morning is always used of the breaking in of felicity not of calamity (cf. Isaiah 8:20). The term occurs in Isaiah 28:5 in the sense of crown or chaplet, probably from the idea of encircling, going a round or circuit (Jdg 7:3, R.V. marg.), and it has been conjectured that the word may have the sense of “turn” (vicem), naturally with the meaning “calamitous turn,” misfortune or fate (as da’irah in Arab.). So Abulwalid followed by most moderns (R.V. doom). Dukes quotes a Chaldee proverb of Sirach in which another form of the word has the sense of times (a hundred times, Blumenlese, p. 80). LXX. does not recognise the word either here or in Ezekiel 7:10.

the day of trouble] Rather: the day is near, even tumult, and not joyful shouting Upon the mountains, as R.V. This rendering assumes that the word translated “joyful shouting” is another form of the term rendered “shouting” (vintage shouting) Isaiah 16:9-10; Jeremiah 48:33—“the shouting is no vintage shouting” but tumult of invasion (Lamentations 2:22).

8, 9. Ezekiel 7:8-9 are virtually Ezekiel 7:3-4 repeated, except that Ezekiel 7:9 ends with the words: that I am Jehovah that smiteth. The order of Ezekiel 7:1-9 in LXX. differs from the Heb. thus: Ezekiel 7:1-2; Ezekiel 7:6 the end is come, 7 unto thee O inhabitant of the land, &c., 8, 9, 3, 4. This order is certainly not original, because Ezekiel 7:3-4, being virtually the same as 8, 9 cannot have followed these verses immediately. It is probable that 3, 4 and 8, 9 are duplicates and that they should stand only once. On the other hand they might be regarded as a kind of refrain, first to the judgment on the land (Ezekiel 7:3-4) and then to the judgment on the inhabitants (Ezekiel 7:8-9); if so the pronouns in 8, 9 should possibly be read in the masculine.

10–13. The ruin is universal, overtaking all classes

10. morning is gone forth] Rather: is come forth,—the figure of a plant springing up; Job 14:2, “man cometh forth like a flower.” On “morning” see Ezekiel 7:7; R.V. doom as there.

rod hath blossomed] i.e. sprouted and grown so as to become a rod. The general scope of the passage seems to imply that the “rod” here is that by which Israel shall be chastised. In Jeremiah 50:31 Babylon is named “pride” (R.V. marg.), and the words “pride has budded” may serve to explain “the rod has blossomed.” If the pride were that which the rod was to humble the words would better be attached to the next verse.

11. “Violence” must be that in Israel, not that of the enemy. This violence has risen up so as to be, or to bring down a rod of wickedness, i.e. a rod due to wickedness or in chastisement of it (Ezekiel 7:23). All this, however, is language very unnatural.

The rest of Ezekiel 7:11 is very obscure, and the text certainly corrupt. The general sense conveyed when the words shall remain (A.V.) are inserted is that Israel and her multitude and her possessions shall be wholly swept away.

nor of any of theirs] Ges. conjectured: nor of their wealth, so R.V.

wailing for them] Ges. conjectured: magnificence, so R.V. neither shall there be eminency among them. Both words rendered “wealth” and “eminency” are entirely unknown; the former is probably no word at all but a false repetition of the previous expression “none of them;” if it be a word the natural rendering is that of Ew., moaning or sighing (Ezekiel 7:16 of doves), or unquietness. For the word “eminency” recourse is had to the Arab., generally a precarious proceeding. LXX. renders no account of either of the words. In his reconstruction of the text Corn. follows LXX. generally to the end of Ezekiel 7:9; Ezekiel 7:10-11 he emends thus: “Behold the crown (as Isaiah 28:5) is come forth, the sceptre blossoms; but the crown shall wither 11 and the sceptre fade; what are they, and what their multitude?” The crown and sceptre are those of Israel. The emendation may be left to itself.

12. The inhabitants shall be overwhelmed in a common ruin, in which all social relations shall be forgotten—the buyer shall not rejoice nor the seller sorrow. A universal “wrath” shall be on all classes, involving them in a common destruction. Cf. Isaiah 24:2, “It shall be as with the buyer so with the seller, as with the lender so with the borrower,” &c.

13. return to that which is sold] Sales, particularly of real property, were usually temporary, the subjects sold being redeemable. When they were redeemed the seller would “return to that which was sold.” By the Law real property returned to the original owner at the year of freedom. This hope is vain: the coming calamity shall obliterate all titles. Others conjecture that the prophet has before his mind the case of the captives carried away with Jehoiachin, who were compelled to make forced sales of their property before going into exile, and who longed to return to claim what was theirs.

although they were yet alive] Or, while they are; i.e. never, so long as they live.

for the vision] Instead of “vision” wrath should be read: for wrath is upon all the multitude thereof,” as Ezekiel 7:12; Ezekiel 7:14. Probably the clause: “for the vision (wrath) … not return” should be omitted as accidental repetition of previous words.

strengthen himself … his life] Perhaps: neither shall any one keep hold of his life (maintain his life) in his iniquity. Those driven out shall not return, and those remaining shall die in their sins. Or if there be no reference to those two classes the statements are general: none shall return to his possessions, and none shall live in his iniquity.

14–18. Fruitlessness of the defence

14. Preparations for the defence are made but there is no courage to face the enemy, for the wrath of God upon them predetermines their defeat.

even to make all ready] Rather: and have made (inf. abs.).

14–27. Picture of the dissolution of the state

(1) Ezekiel 7:14-18. The trumpet shall sound the alarm, but none shall prepare himself for the battle. The sword shall devour without and famine consume within. A paralysing terror shall seize upon all.

(2) Ezekiel 7:19-22. They shall cast their gold and silver into the streets, for it cannot buy wherewith to appease their hunger. Their wealth which was their pride and which they used to further their abominations shall become the prey of the invader.

(3) Ezekiel 7:23-27. The city is full of violence therefore it shall be given over to the worst of the heathen. Perplexity and stupefaction shall seize king and people, priest and prophet alike. They shall know Jehovah when his judgments overtake them.

15. Comp. Lamentations 1:20.

16. Read: and when (if) they that escape of them shall escape, they shall be upon the mountains.

mourning] This refers to the doves: the fugitives shall be on the mountains (seeking refuge) like doves of the valleys, all of which mourn. Isaiah 59:11, We moan all like bears, and mourn sore like doves; Ezekiel 38:14, Like a swallow so did I chatter, I did mourn as a dove. The Arabic poets often refer to the mourning of the dove or ring-dove (Ḳumrî) as being like their own. See the citations of Ahlwardt, Chalef el Aḥmar p. 102 seq. Similarly in the Babylonian Penitential Psalms (Zimmern), Ps. 1:10, Like doves do I mourn; on sighs I feed myself; Psalm 6:4; Psalm 7:10.

for his iniquity] Or, in; in the consciousness of it and its consequences.

17. The description returns from the condition of the fugitives to that of the besieged. Prostration and despair seizes them. The figures of the hands “hanging down,” and the knees becoming “water” are expressive of complete paralysis of strength. LXX. Hitz. interpret the latter phrase literally. Cf. ch. Ezekiel 21:7; Isaiah 13:7; Jeremiah 6:24.

18. horror shall cover them] Or, trembling, terror, Job 21:6. It shall take such hold of them that it shall be all over them, like a garment covering them. Cf. Isaiah 59:17, he was clad with zeal as a cloke; Psalm 55:6.

baldness] A sign of mourning: Isaiah 15:2, On all heads shall be baldness; Mic: Micah 1:16, Enlarge thy baldness like the vulture. This tonsure in token of mourning, common among many nations of antiquity, was confined among the Hebrews to shaving the front part of the head (Deuteronomy 14:1), and was forbidden by the Law in the case of priests (Leviticus 21:5, cf. Ezekiel 44:20), and of the whole people (Deuteronomy 14:1), cf. Amos 8:10; Jeremiah 16:6; Leviticus 19:27.

19. Amidst the famine they cast their silver and gold away in the streets, it cannot procure them food. On the horrors of famine during the siege of Jerusalem, comp. Lamentations 4:4; Lamentations 4:8-10; Lamentations 2:11-12; Lamentations 2:19-20; Lamentations 1:11.

gold shall be removed] Rather: shall be a thing unclean, lit. uncleanness. The term refers properly to female impurity, and is the strongest expression for “object of abhorrence;” cf. ch. Ezekiel 36:17, where the people’s idolatries are in Jehovah’s eyes as a woman’s impurity. Leviticus 20:21.

is the stumblingblock] hath been. Their gold and silver has been to them something on which they have stumbled and fallen, i.e. a cause of their sinning; cf. ch. Ezekiel 14:3, Ezekiel 44:12.

20. Read: and the beauty of their ornament they turned into pride, and they made the images … thereof; therefore will I make it unto them a thing unclean. The thing spoken of is still their silver and gold; this they not only turned into pride, but made also images of it. Hosea 2:8, I multiplied unto her silver and gold, which they used for Baal; Ezekiel 8:4, Of their silver and gold have they made them idols, that they might be cut off. Cf. ch. Ezekiel 16:11; 2 Samuel 1:24; Jeremiah 4:30.

21. Because of this abuse of their silver and gold in making it into idols it shall become the prey of the Chaldeans, who shall profane it, turning it from a sacred to a common use. In a certain sense all that was in Israel was sacred, and the mere fact of the heathen taking possession of it profaned it. Hosea 10:6, It (the calf) shall be carried unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb; cf. Isaiah 46:1-2; Micah 1:7.

22. The enemy shall penetrate into the temple and profane it.

turn … from them] This most naturally refers to Israel, from whom the Lord will turn his face in anger, cf. Ezekiel 7:11. It might refer to the invader, whom the Lord will not behold but permit to work his will, cf. Lamentations 2:3.

secret place] Is probably the temple (Lamentations 2:1); less natural would be the city. The word “secret,” however, is not to be referred to the arcanum of the Most Holy place; the meaning is “my precious thing.”

for the robbers] and robbers; the Chaldean pillagers. The words “pollute” and “defile” are the same; better, profane.

23. Make a chain] the chain. The chain could only be for binding the captives to carry them into exile. In Isaiah 40:19 a similar word is used for the silver chains with which the idols were fastened to the wall lest they should totter or fall; and in Nahum 3:10 the verb is rendered “were bound” with chains (another word, Jeremiah 40:1). If the reading be correct the sense is not doubtful. It must be confessed, however, that nothing in the text suggests any reference to chains. LXX. connects with the preceding (so Syr.) and reads: and they shall work disorder (defilement). Corn. suggests two inf. abs. (after Ezekiel 23:46), viz. raze and empty out! (cf. Psalm 137:7; Isaiah 24:1). Curiously neither of the words is used by Ezekiel. The present reading is scarcely original.

24. worst of the heathen] Cf. Ezekiel 28:7, Ezekiel 30:11 the terrible of the nations. Jeremiah 6:23; Habakkuk 1:7.

the pomp of the strong] Or, pride. In Ezekiel 24:21 the pride of their strength, and so LXX. here. Cf. Ezekiel 33:28; Leviticus 26:19. The spelling of “sanctuaries” is an Aramaism.

25. Destruction cometh] Or, anguish.

26. Mischief … upon mischief] i.e. calamity upon calamity; and “rumour” of misfortune upon rumour. Jeremiah 4:20; Isaiah 28:19.

but the law] and the law. It is implied in seeking a vision from the prophet that no vision is granted; and the law, i.e. decision or judgment, sought from the priest, ceases; neither can the elders give any counsel. The same three classes of advisers, viz. prophets, priests, and elders or wise men are spoken of Jeremiah 18:18. All sources of revelation are dumb. Cf. Lamentations 2:9, The law is no more, her prophets also find no vision from the Lord. Psalm 74:9; Micah 3:6.

27. king shall mourn] 2 Samuel 19. The “prince” is Ezekiel’s usual term for the chief civil ruler, and princes for those of the royal house. The clause “the king shall mourn” is wanting in LXX. On “clothed with desolation,” i.e. utterly appalled, cf. Ezekiel 7:18, Ezekiel 26:16.

according to their deserts] lit. judgments, i.e. practices and deeds, as ch. Ezekiel 5:7, Ezekiel 11:12 (manners). All that should defend and save the state, from the king to the people of the land, shall be paralysed and helpless. The Lord will judge them according to their doings and they shall know that he is Jehovah.