Thou son of man, speak unto every feathered fowl, &c.
It was the custom of persons that offered sacrifice, to invite their friends to the feast that was made of the remainder: see Genesis 31:54; 1 Samuel 9:13. So here the prophet, by God's command, invites the beasts and fowls to partake of the sacrifice of his enemies slain. The slaughter of God's enemies is called a sacrifice, because it is offered up as an atonement to the divine justice: see the margin. A great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel Where this great army was to be destroyed. Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes Rather, of the chief ones, of the earth, of rams, &c. By the names of these several animals, all wont to be used in sacrifices, are here signified men of all orders and ranks, as princes, generals, captains, and common soldiers. All of them fatlings of Bashan All of them in the prime of life and strength, like young fatted beasts. And drink blood till ye be drunken Or, be satiated. Ye shall be filled at my table At the table which is, as it were, spread by me. The allegory is continued. “The table of God is the field covered with dead bodies, the place of the slaughter of Magog. It is impossible to conceive how unbelievers could quote this verse to prove that the Jews of old times ate the flesh of horses, and even of men. Voltaire, though cautioned that not the Jews, nor men, but wild beasts and birds, were invited to this feast of slaughter, that is, to the consumption of the slain, yet resisted to the last on his strange accusation.” Michaelis. And all the heathen shall see my judgments Shall see the punishments which I have executed on those who despise my name. So the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God Both by my acts of mercy, in bringing them out of their captivity, and gathering them from their dispersions, and by my judgments executed upon their enemies.