Ezekiel 21 - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

No JFB commentary on this verse.

Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel,

Drop thy word toward the holy places - the three parts of the temple: the courts, the holy place, and the holiest. If "synagogues" existed before the Babylonian captivity, as Psalms 74:8 seems to imply, they and the proseuchai (G4335), or oratories, may be included in the "holy places" here.

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.

I ... will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked - not contradictory of Ezekiel 18:4; Ezekiel 18:9, and Genesis 18:23. Ezekiel here views the mere outward aspect of the indiscriminate universality of the national calamity. But really the same captivity to the "righteous" would prove a blessing, as a wholesome discipline, which to the "wicked" would be an unmitigated punishment. The godly were sealed with a mark (Ezekiel 9:4), not for outward exemption from the common calamity. but as marked for the secret interpositions of Providence overruling even evil to their good. The godly were by comparison so few that their salvation is not brought into view here, but the universality of the judgment.

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:

Therefore shall my sword go forth out of his sheath against all flesh from the south to the north. The "sword " did not, literally, slay all; but the judgments of God by the foe swept through the land "from the south to the north."

That all flesh may know that I the LORD have drawn forth my sword out of his sheath: it shall not return any more.

No JFB commentary on this verse.

Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.

Sigh therefore ... with the breaking of thy loins - as one afflicted with pleurisy; or as a woman in labour-throes clasps her loins in pain, and heaves and sighs until the girdle of the loins is broken by the violent action of the body (Jeremiah 30:6).

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.

Wherefore sighest thou? ... For the tidings, because it cometh: and every heart shall melt. The abrupt sentences and mournful repetitions imply violent emotion.

Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

No JFB commentary on this verse.

Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished:

A sword, a sword - namely, of God (Deuteronomy 32:41). The Chaldeans are His instrument.

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 sore slaughter - literally, 'that killing it may kill.'

It is furbished that it may glitter - literally, glitter as the lightning-flash: flashing terror into the foe.

Should we then make mirth? - it is no time for levity when such a calamity is impending (Isaiah 22:12-13).

It contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree. The sword has no more respect to the trivial "rod" or sceptre of Judah (Genesis 49:10) than if it were any common "tree." "Tree" is the image retained from Ezekiel 20:47; explained Ezekiel 21:2-3. God calls Judah "my son" (cf. Exodus 4:22; Hosea 11:1). Fairbairn arbitrarily translates, 'perchance the sceptre of my son rejoiceth (i:e., Judah proudly presumes on being My son; but such confidence is vain, for) it (the sword) despiseth every tree.' I prefer the English version to this translation (see Ezekiel 21:13, which confirms the English version), and also to Henderson's, 'the rod of my son

(i:e., the rod employed in punishing my son) contemneth every tree' (i:e., every prince: as in Ezekiel 17:24).

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.

It is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer - the Babylonian king in this case; in general, all the instruments of God's wrath (Revelation 19:15).

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.

Terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon my people - rather, 'they (the princes of Israel) are delivered up to the sword together with my people.' х mªguwreey (H4048) is from maagar (H4048), to cast down to, or deliver up to (Glassius). The English version takes the Hebrew from guwr (H1481), to fear, with many interpreters.]

Smite therefore upon thy thigh - a mark of grief (Jeremiah 31:19).

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 - rather, 'For there is a trial' being made; the sword of the Lord will subject all to the ordeal.

And what if the sword contemn even the rod? - as he already foretold it would, in Ezekiel 21:10. 'What, then, if it contemn even the rod' (sceptre) of Judah? Compare as to a similar scourge of unsparing trial Job 9:23.

It shall be no more - the sceptre of Judah; i:e., the state must necessarily then come to an end. Fulfilled in part at the overthrow of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar, but fully at the time of "Shiloh's (Messiah's) coming (Genesis 49:10), when Judea became a Roman province.

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.

Smite thine hands together - (Numbers 24:10) indicative of the indignant fury with which God will "smite" the people.

Let the sword be doubled the third time - referring to the three-fold calamity:

(1) The taking of Zedekiah (to whom the "rod" or sceptre may refer); (1) The taking of Zedekiah (to whom the "rod" or sceptre may refer);

(2) The taking of the city;

(3) The removal of all those who remained with Gedaliah.

"Doubled" means 'multiplied' or 'repeated.' The strokes shall be doubled even trebled. Compare 2 Kings 13:17-18, where Joash smote thrice with the arrows, and then stayed through unbelief.

The sword of the slain - i:e., the sword by which many are slain.

It is the sword of the great men that are slain. Since the Hebrew is singular х chaalaal (H2491) hagaadowl (H1419)], Fairbairn makes it refer to the king. The English version takes the singular as used collectively for the plural-a frequeut Hebrew usage-`the sword of the great one that is slain' or 'pierced through.'

Which entereth into their privy chambers - (Jeremiah 9:21). The sword shall overtake them, not merely in the open battlefield, but in the chambers where they flee to hide themselves (1 Kings 20:30; 1 Kings 22:35). Maurer translates х hachoderet (H2314) laahem (H3807a), from cheder, in the Aramaic sense, an enclosure], 'which besiegth them;' Fairbairn, 'which penetrates to them.' The English version is more literal [from cheder, in the ordinary sense, 'a privy chamber,' whence the verb means 'penetrates to them, even into the privy chamber'].

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, х 'ibchat (H19)] - 'the whirling glance of the sword' (Fairbairn). 'The naked (bared) sword' (Henderson).

Their ruins х hamiksholiym (H4383)] - literally, stumblingblocks. Their own houses and walls shall be stumblingblocks in their way, whether they wish to fight or flee.

Ah! it is made bright - made to glitter.

It is wrapped up for the slaughter - it is wrapped, namely, in the hand of him who holds the hilt, or in its scabbard, that the edge may not be blunt when it is presently drawn forth to strike. Gesenius, as the margin, translates х mª`uTaah (H4593)], 'it is sharpened,' etc. [The Hebrew is rather from 'aaTaah, to cover with the hand, or else with the scabbard.]

Go thee one way or other, either on the right hand, or on the left, whithersoever thy face is set.

Apostrophe to the sword.

Go thee one way or other - rather х hit'achªdiy (H258)], 'Concentrate thyself;' 'Unite thy forces on the right hand' (Grotius). The sword is commanded to take the nearest route for Jerusalem, 'where their face was set,' whether south or north ("right hand or left"), according to where the several parts of the Chaldean host may be.

Either on the right hand, or on the left, х haasiymiy (H8041)] - rather, 'set thyself on the left.' The main 'concentration' of forces was to be "the right hand," or south, the part of Judea in which Jerusalem was, and which lay south in marching from Babylon; whereas the Chaldean forces advancing on Jerusalem from Egypt, of which Jerusalem was north, were fewer; and therefore 'set thyself' is the verb used.

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. Yahweh Himself smites His hands together, doing what He had commanded Ezekiel to do (note, Ezekiel 21:14), in token of His smiting Jerusalem; cf. the similar symbolical action of Joash, by Elisha's direction (2 Kings 13:18-19).

I will cause my fury to rest - give it full vent, and so satisfy it. (Ezekiel 5:13).

The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,

No JFB commentary on this verse.

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.

Appoint thee two ways. The king coming from Babylon is represented, in the graphic style of Ezekiel, as reaching the point where the road branched off in two ways-one leading by the south, by Tadmor or Palmyra, to Rabbath of Ammon, east of Jordan; the other, by the north, by Riblah in Syria, to Jerusalem-and hesitating which way to take. Ezekiel is told to "appoint the two ways" (as in Ezekiel 4:1), because Nebuchadnezzar, through knowing no other control but his own will and superstition, had really this path 'appointed' for him by the all-ruling God.

Both twain shall come forth out of one land - namely, Babylon.

Choose thou a place - literally, a hand. So it is translated by Fairbairn, 'make a finger-post'-namely, at the head of the two ways, the hand-post pointing Nebuchadnezzar to the way to Jerusalem as the way he should select. But Maurer rightly supports the English version. Ezekiel is told to "choose the place" where Nebuchadnezzar should do as is described in Ezekiel 21:20-21; so entirely does God order by the prophet every particular of place and time in the movement of the invader.

Appoint a way, that the sword may come to Rabbath of the Ammonites, and to Judah in Jerusalem the defenced.

Appoint a way, that the sword may come to Rabbath of the Ammonites - distinct from Rabbath in Judah (2 Samuel 12:26). Rabbath is put first, as it was from her that Jerusalem, the doomed city, had borrowed many of her idols.

And to Judah in Jerusalem - instead of simply putting "Jerusalem," to imply the sword was to come not merely to Judah, but to its people within Jerusalem: "defensed" though it was, its defenses, on which the Jews relied so much, would not keep the foe out.

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 - literally, 'mother of the way.' Since "head of the two ways" follows, which seems tautology after "parting of the way," Havernick translates, according to Arabic idiom, the highway or principal road. The English version, however, is not tautology, "head of the two ways" defining more accurately "parting of the way."

He made his arrows bright, х qilqal (H7043), from qaalal (H7043), to be light] - rather, 'he shook,' from an Arabic root.

Arrows. Divination by arrows is here referred to: they were put into a quiver, marked with the names of particular places to be attacked, and then shaken together; whichever came forth first intimated the one selected as the first to be attacked (Jerome). The same usage existed among the Arabs, and is mentioned in the Koran. In the Nineveh sculptures the king is represented with a cup in his right hand, his left resting on a bow; also, with two arrows in the right and the bow in the left, probably practicing divination.

He consulted with images - Hebrew tªraapiym (H8655): household gods, worshipped as a family talisman, to obtain direction as to the future, and other blessings. First mentioned in Mesopotamia, whence Rachel brought them (Genesis 31:19; Genesis 31:34); put away by Jacob (Genesis 35:4); set up by Micah as his household gods (Judges 17:5); stigmatized as idolatry, (1 Samuel 15:23, Hebrew; cf. Zechariah 10:2, margin)

He looked in the liver. They judged of the success or failure of an undertaking by the healthy or unhealthy state of the liver and entrails of a sacrifice.

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 - rather, 'In his right hand was (is) the divination for Jerusalem' - i:e., he holds up in his right hand the arrow marked with "Jerusalem," to encourage his army to march for it.

To appoint captains - the margin, 'battering-rams,' adopted by Fairbairn, is less appropriate; because "battering-rams "follow presently after (Grotius).

To open the mouth in the slaughter - i:e., commanding slaughter. Not as Gesenius, 'to open the mouth with the war-shout.'

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 unto them as a false divination in their sight - unto the Jews, though credulous of divinations when in their favour, Nebuchadnezzar's 'divination shall be (seen) as false.'.

To them that have sworn oaths. This gives the reason which makes the Jews fancy themselves safe from the Chaldeans-namely, that they "have sworn " to the latter "oaths " of allegiance, forgetting that they had violated them (Ezekiel 17:13; Ezekiel 17:15-16; Ezekiel 17:18).

But he will call to remembrance the iniquity. Nebuchadnezzar will remember, in consulting his idols, that he swore to Zedekiah by them, but that Zedekiah broke the league (Grotius). Rather, God will remember against them their violating their oath sworn by the true God, whereas Nebuchadnezzar kept him oath sworn by a false god (Ezekiel 21:24, "Because ye have made your iniquity to be remembered," confirms this; cf. Revelation 16:19, "Great Babylon came in remembrance before God").

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.

Because ye have made your iniquity to be remembered ... so that in all your doings your sins do appear. Their unfaithfulness to Nebuchadnezzar was a type of their general Unfaithfulness to their covenant-God.

Ye shall be taken with the hand - namely, of the King of Babylon.

And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end,

And thou, profane wicked prince - as having desecrated by idolatry and perjury his office as the Lord's anointed. Havernick translates х chaalaal (H2491)], as in Ezekiel 21:14, 'slain' - i:e., not literally, but virtually; to Ezekiel's idealizing view Zedekiah was the grand victim pierced through" by God's sword of judgments, as his sons were slain before his eyes, which were then put out, and he was led a captive in chains to Babylon. The English version is better; so Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac, Gesenius (2 Chronicles 36:13; Jeremiah 52:2).

Whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end - (Ezekiel 21:29). When thine iniquity, having reached its last stage of guilt, shall be put an end to by judgment (Ezekiel 35:5).

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.

Remove the diadem - х mitsnepet (H4701)], rather, 'the mitre' of the holy priest (Exodus 28:4; Zechariah 3:5). His priestly emblem as representative of the priestly people. This, as well as "the crown, " the emblem of the kingdom, were to be removed, until they should be restored and united in the Mediator. Messiah (Psalms 110:2; Psalms 110:4; Zechariah 6:13). (Fairbairn.) Since, however the king, Zedekiah, alone, not the high priest also, is referred to in the context, the English version is supported by Gesenius.

This shall not be the same - the diadem shall not be as it was (Rosenmuller). Nothing shall remain what it was (Fairbairn).

Exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high - not merely the general truth expressed (Proverbs 3:34; Luke 1:52; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5), but specially referring to Messiah and Zedekiah contrasted together. The "tender plant ... out of the dry ground" (Isaiah 53:2) is to be "exalted" in the end (Ezekiel 21:27), the now "high" representative on David's throne, Zedekiah, is to be "abased" The outward relations of things shall be made to change places, in just retaliation on the people for having so perverted the moral relations of things (Hengstenberg).

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.

Literally, 'An overturning, overturning, overturning, will I make it.' The three-fold repetition denotes the awful certainty of the event; not as Rosenmuller explains, the overthrow of the three, Jehoiakim, Jeconiah, and Zedekiah-for Zedekiah alone is referred to.

It shall be no more, until he come whose right it is - Hebrew, 'Whose is THE right,' strikingly parallel to Genesis 49:10. Nowhere shall there be rest or permanence, all things shall be in fluctuation until He comes who, as the rightful Heir, shall restore the throne of David that fell with Zedekiah. The Hebrew х hamishpaaT (H4941)] for "right" is 'the judgment:' it perhaps includes, besides the right to rule, the idea of His rule being one in righteousness (Psalms 72:2; Isaiah 9:6-7; Isaiah 11:4; Revelation 19:11). Others (Nebuchadnezzar, etc.), who held the rule of the earth, delegated to them by God, abused it by unrighteousness, and so forfeited the "right." He both has the truest "right" to the rule, and exercises it in "right." It is true the tribal "sceptre" continued with Judah "till Shiloh came" (Genesis 49:10); but there had been for upward of 580 years, from the deposition of King Zedekiah, no kindly sceptre until Messiah came, as the spiritual King then (John 18:36-37); this spiritual kingdom being about to pass rate the literal, personal kingdom over Israel at His second coming, when, and not before, this prophecy shall not have its exhaustive fulfillment (Luke 1:32-33; Jeremiah 3:17; Jeremiah 10:7, when, and not before, this prophecy shall not have its exhaustive fulfillment (Luke 1:32-33; Jeremiah 3:17; Jeremiah 10:7, "Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain").

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:

Thus saith the Lord God concerning the Ammonites. Lest Ammon should think to escape because Nebuchadnezzar had taken the route to Jerusalem, Ezekiel denounces judgment against Ammon, without the prospect of a restoration, such as awaited Israel Jeremiah 49:6, it is true, speaks of a "bringing again of its captivity," but this probably refers to its spiritual restoration under Messiah; or, if referring to it politically, must refer to but a partial restoration at the downfall of Babylon under Cyrus.

And concerning their reproach. This constituted a leading feature in their guilt: they treated with proud contumely the covenant-people after the taking of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar (Ezekiel 25:3; Ezekiel 25:6; Zephaniah 2:9-10), and appropriated Israel's territory, and "ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border (Jeremiah 49:1, Hath Israel no sons? hath he no heir? why then doth their king inherit Gad? " Amos 1:13-15).

The sword, the sword ... for the slaughter it is furbished, to consume because of the glittering. Maurer punctuates thus, 'Drawn for the slaughter, it is furbished to devour ("consume"), to glitter.' The English version, "to consume because of the glittering," means 'to consume by reason of the lightning-flash-like rapidity with which it falls.' Five years after the fall of Jerusalem, Ammon was destroyed for aiding Ishmael in usurping the government of Judea against the will of the King of Babylon: it was to the Ammonites that he fled from Johanan after murdering Gedaliah, and it was Banlis, king of the Ammonites who instigated him to the murder (2 Kings 25:25; Jeremiah 40:14; Jeremiah 41:15). (Grotius.)

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.

Whiles they see vanity unto thee, whiles they divine a lie ... to bring thee upon the necks of them that are slain. Ammon, too, had false diviners, who flattered them with assurances of safety; the only result of which will be to "bring Ammon upon the necks of them that are slain," - i:e., to add the Ammonites to the headless trunks of the slain of Judah, whose bad example Ammon followed, and "whose day" of visitation for their guilt "is come."

When their iniquity shall have an end - when it shall have attained its consummation, and shall be ripe for judgment (see note, Ezekiel 21:25).

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? - namely, without first destroying Ammon. Certainly not (Jeremiah 47:6-7). Others, as margin, less suitably read it imperatively, 'Cause it to return,' - i:e., after it has done the work appointed to it.

I will judge thee ... in the land of thy nativity. Ammon was not to be carried away captive as Judah, but to perish in his own land.

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.

I will blow against thee in the fire of my wrath - rather, 'I will blow upon thee with the fire,' etc. Image from smelting metals (Ezekiel 22:20-21).

I will ... deliver thee into the hand of brutish men - ferocious men.

And skillful to destroy - literally, artificers of destruction: alluding to Isaiah 54:16.

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.

Thy blood shall be in the midst of the land - i:e., shall flow in the midst of the land.

Thou shalt be no more remembered - be consigned, as a nation, to oblivion.

Rk Remarks:

(1) This chapter gives an explanation of the parable in the latter part of last chapter. The forest to be consumed by fire (Ezekiel 20:47-48) is the guilty people of Judah about to be destroyed by the righteous vengeance of God (Ezekiel 21:2). As the flaming flame in the parable devoured every green tree and every dry tree, so "the righteous and the wicked" (Ezekiel 21:3) alike are to stiffer in the general calamity. Not that God would break His promise of saving the righteous as individuals; but in the outward aspect, the visitation of wrath would be upon the nation universally and indiscriminately. Still, outward calamities are to the godly covert blessings. The providence of God secretly interposes in their behalf, overruling seeming evil to real good; whereas, to the impenitent transgressors, punishment is nothing but unmitigated evil, while "all flesh" is made to "know" the righteousness of God in punishing the guilty (Ezekiel 21:5).

(2) Ezekiel is directed to "sigh with bitterness before the eyes " of the doomed people (Ezekiel 21:6). So they who denounce the coming and everlasting wrath of God against sinners should do so feelingly, not as if they wished the destruction of their fellow-sinners, but with heartfelt sorrow for the self-destroyers, and with deep humility at the remembrance of the grace of God which snatched themselves as brands from the burning. The example of Christ weeping over the city which was just about to crown its guilt by murdering Him, teaches us to mourn over those whose ruin we declare.

(3) When the sword of God's judgments is unsheathed for vengeance it is no time for "mirth" (Ezekiel 21:10). Let us beware of losing the lesson designed by chastisements. At such times what becomes us is a humbled and chastened spirit. We should search and try our ways, in order to learn why it is that the Lord contends with us, and that so we may turn again to the Lord. How many there are who try to drown serious thoughts in feasting and amusement! But let such remember "the end of that mirth is heaviness " (Proverbs 14:13): "For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool" (Ecclesiastes 7:6); whereas the end of godly sorrow is, "By the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better" (Ecclesiastes 7:3)

(4) The kingdom and sceptre of Judah were doomed to be "no more" (Ezekiel 21:13) for ages. The tribal sceptre of Judah and the Jewish state, indeed, were in some degree restored at the return from Babylon; but even these passed away at the time when "Shiloh," "the Prince of Peace," came, as foretold by the patriarch Jacob (Genesis 49:10). Then Judea became a Roman province, and in a few years afterward the nation was dispersed in all lands, as they still are in our day. When the sword of God descended with its lightning-flash "it contemned " even the sceptral "rod" of Judah, "God's son " (Ezekiel 21:10; Ezekiel 21:13). It overtook the guilty people, not only in the open battlefield, But even in "their privy chambers" (Ezekiel 21:14), where they fled to hide themselves. Let us hence learn that no past favours or privileges conferred on us by God secure us from His righteous judgment, if we be unfaithful to His covenant. Nothing but unfeigned repentance and living faith shall stand in the day of His wrath.

(5) God's never-failing providence ordereth all things that are in heaven and earth. "The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord" (Proverbs 16:33). Thus, Nebuchadnezzar, in his advance with an invading army, knew no other guiding principle but his own will, and superstitious divination by means of arrows; but an unseen and Almighty hand "appointed" his way (Ezekiel 21:19-22). Credulous as the Jews were of idolatrous divinations ordinarily, now that the augury was against them, it seemed to them as false. So just was the retribution in kind, that the idolatrous superstition which was their sin should be made the instrument of their punishment.

(6) How amazing is the blind infatuation of doomed transgressors! Forgetting their flagrant violation of their oaths of allegiance to Babylon, the Jews still flattered themselves with vain hopes of security. But though they forgot their sin, God did not forget it. "Calling to remembrance" (Ezekiel 21:23-24) their perjury, as a sample of the sin that "appeared in all their doings, " He now gives them up to "the hand" of the avenger. (7) King Zedekiah, as being foremost in guilt, was to be foremost in punishment (Ezekiel 21:25). Having "profaned" the holy name of God, by whom he had sworn fealty to Nebuchadnezzar, he had now attained the last stage of iniquity; therefore his "day" was now come that his "crown and diadem (Ezekiel 21:26) should be "taken off" from him, and that, as he and the Jews had upturned the whole moral relation of things, so the whole existing social and political state of persons and things should be reversed, "the low being exalted and the high abased."

(8) The manifold "overturning" (Ezekiel 21:27) of the Jewish state is, according to the sure word of prophecy, to continue until "He shall come whose is the right" to the suspended kingly dominion of the throne of Judah and Israel. All shall be un settled, and nowhere shall there be permanence and rest, until He shall come as the Restorer of all things (Acts 3:21), and the rightful heir of the throne of David, which fell with Zedekiah (Ezekiel 21:27). Thou shall the name of the once lowly Jesus of Nazareth be exalted (Ezekiel 21:26) above every name, and His once despised people shall share His triumph and kingdom. As Ammon was punished, and put out of remembrance forever (Ezekiel 21:32), for proudly reproaching the people of the Lord God (Ezekiel 21:28) so in that day shall Christ appear, to the joy of his people and to the shame of His foes (Isaiah 66:5), and "the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the earth" (Isaiah 25:8). Let us see that we have our portion with the people of God and His Christ!