Ezekiel 20:1 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

It came to pass in the seventh year— That is, from the captivity of Jeconiah: see chap. Ezekiel 8:1. The occasion of the prophesy in the present chapter was this. The Jews, by certain of their elders, had, as was usual in their distresses, recourse to the God of Israel for direction and assistance. On this, we are informed, Ezekiel 20:3 that the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel, commanding him to tell the elders, that God would not be inquired of by them; for that their continued rebellions, from their coming out of Egypt to that time, had made them unworthy of his patronage and protection. Their idolatries are then recapitulated, and divided into three periods: the first, from God's message to them in Egypt to their entrance into the Promised Land; the second period contains all the time from their taking possession of the land of Canaan, to their immediate condition when this prophesy was delivered; the third period concerns the iniquities and the consequent punishment of the present generation, which had now applied to him in their distresses. See Div. Leg. vol. 3: and Calmet.