Geneva Study Bible And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel, Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, {a} and drop thy word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel,
(a) Speak sensibly, that all may understand. And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked. And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from thee the {b} righteous and the wicked.
(b) That is such which seem to have an outward show of righteousness by observation of the ceremonies of the law. Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of his sheath against all flesh from the south to the north: Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth from its sheath against all flesh from the south to the {c} north:
(c) Meaning, through all the land. That all flesh may know that I the LORD have drawn forth my sword out of his sheath: it shall not return any more. That all flesh may know that I the LORD have drawn forth my sword out of his sheath: it shall not return any more.
Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes. Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with breaking {d} heart; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.
(d) As though you were in extreme anguish. And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord GOD. And it shall be, when they say to thee, Why sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, {e} For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord GOD.
(e) Because of the great noise of the army of the Chaldeans. Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished: Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished:
It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter: should we then make mirth? it contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree. It is sharpened to make a grievous slaughter; it is polished that it may {f} glitter: should we then make mirth? it despiseth the {g} rod of my son, {h} as every tree.
(f) And so cause fear. (g) Meaning, the sceptre showing that it will not spare the king, who would be as the son of God, and in his place. (h) That is, the rest of the people. And he hath given it to be furbished, that it may be handled: this sword is sharpened, and it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer. And he hath given it to be polished, that it may be handled: the sword is sharpened, and it is polished, to give it into the hand of the {i} slayer.
(i) That is, to the army of the Chaldeans. Cry and howl, son of man: for it shall be upon my people, it shall be upon all the princes of Israel: terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon my people: smite therefore upon thy thigh. Cry and wail, son of man: for it shall be upon my people, it shall be upon all the princes of Israel: terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon my people: {k} smite therefore upon thy thigh.
(k) Read Eze 6:11. Because it is a trial, and what if the sword contemn even the rod? it shall be no more, saith the Lord GOD. Because it is a trial, {l} and what if the sword despise even the rod? it shall be no more, saith the Lord GOD.
(l) Ezekiel moved with compassion thus complains fearing the destruction of the kingdom which God had confirmed to David and his posterity by promise, which promise God performed although here it seemed to man's eye that it would utterly perish. Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thine hands together, and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the slain: it is the sword of the great men that are slain, which entereth into their privy chambers. Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite {m} thy hands together, and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the slain: it is the sword of the great men that are slain, which entereth into their private chambers.
(m) That is, encourage the sword. I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, that their heart may faint, and their ruins be multiplied: ah! it is made bright, it is wrapped up for the slaughter. I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, that their heart may faint, and their ruins be multiplied: ah! it is made bright, it is wrapped up for the slaughter.
Go thee one way or other, either on the right hand, or on the left, whithersoever thy face is set. Go thee {n} one way or other, either on the right hand, or on the left, wherever thy face is set.
(n) Provide for yourself: for you will see God's plague of all parts on this country. I will also smite mine hands together, and I will cause my fury to rest: I the LORD have said it. I will also smite mine hands together, and I will cause my fury to rest: I the LORD have said it.
The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying, The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,
Also, thou son of man, appoint thee two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come: both twain shall come forth out of one land: and choose thou a place, choose it at the head of the way to the city. Also, thou son of man, mark {o} two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come: both ways shall come forth from one land: and choose thou a place, choose it at the head of the way to the city.
(o) This was spoken because when Nebuchadnezzar came against Judah his purpose was also to go against the Ammonites, but doubting in the way which enterprise to undertake first he consulted with his soothsayers and so went against Judah. Appoint a way, that the sword may come to Rabbath of the Ammonites, and to Judah in Jerusalem the defenced. Mark a way, that the sword may come to Rabbah of the Ammonites, and {p} to Judah in Jerusalem the fortified.
(p) That is, to the tribe of Judah that kept themselves in Jerusalem. For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he made his arrows bright, he consulted with images, he looked in the liver. For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he made his arrows bright, he consulted with images, he looked in {r} the liver.
(r) He used conjuring and sorcery. At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to appoint captains, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to appoint battering rams against the gates, to cast a mount, and to build a fort. At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to appoint captains, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to appoint battering rams against the gates, to cast a mount, and to build a fort.
And it shall be unto them as a false divination in their sight, to them that have sworn oaths: but he will call to remembrance the iniquity, that they may be taken. And it shall be to them {s} as a false divination in their sight, to them that have sworn oaths: {t} but he will call to remembrance the iniquity, that they may be taken.
(s) Because there was a league between the Jews and the Babylonians, they of Jerusalem will think nothing less than that this thing would come to pass. (t) That is, Nebuchadnezzar will remember the rebellion of Zedekiah, and so come on them. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are discovered, so that in all your doings your sins do appear; because, I say, that ye are come to remembrance, ye shall be taken with the hand. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are discovered, so that in all your doings your sins do appear; because, I say, that ye are come to remembrance, ye shall be taken with the hand.
And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, And thou, profane wicked {u} prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end,
(u) Meaning, Zedekiah who practised with the Egyptians to make himself high and able to resist the Babylonians. Thus saith the Lord GOD; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. Thus saith the Lord GOD; Remove the {x} diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high.
(x) Some refer this to the priest's attire: for Jehozadak the priest went into captivity with the king. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he {y} cometh whose right it is; and I will give it him.
(y) That is, to the coming of Messiah: for though the Jews had some sign of government later under the Persians, Greeks and Romans, yet this restitution was not till Christ's coming and at length would be accomplished as was promised, Ge 49:10. And thou, son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning the Ammonites, and concerning their reproach; even say thou, The sword, the sword is drawn: for the slaughter it is furbished, to consume because of the glittering: And thou, son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning the Ammonites, and concerning their reproach; even say thou, The sword, the sword is drawn: for the slaughter it is furbished, to consume because of the glittering:
Whiles they see vanity unto thee, whiles they divine a lie unto thee, to bring thee upon the necks of them that are slain, of the wicked, whose day is come, when their iniquity shall have an end. While they see {z} vanity to thee, while they divine a lie to thee, to bring thee upon the necks of them that are slain, of the wicked, whose day is come, when their iniquity shall have an end.
(z) Though the Jews and Ammonites would not believe that you, that is the sword, would come upon them, and said that the prophets who threatened spoke lies, yet you will as surely come as though you were already on their necks. Shall I cause it to return into his sheath? I will judge thee in the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy nativity. Shall I cause it to return into his sheath? I will judge thee in the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy nativity.
And I will pour out mine indignation upon thee, I will blow against thee in the fire of my wrath, and deliver thee into the hand of brutish men, and skilful to destroy. And I will pour out mine indignation upon thee, I will blow against thee in the fire of my wrath, and deliver thee into the hand of brutish men, and skilful to destroy.
Thou shalt be for fuel to the fire; thy blood shall be in the midst of the land; thou shalt be no more remembered: for I the LORD have spoken it. Thou shalt be for fuel to the fire; thy blood shall be in the midst of the land; thou shalt be no more remembered: for I the LORD have spoken it. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
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