Westminster Annotations, Ezekiel · Chapter 4 – Chapter 6
CHAP. IIII.
Vers. 1. TAke thee] It is likely that all this was inspired to, and done by the Prophet whilest he was dumb.
V. 2. lay siege] Draw a design of a very strait siege.
battering rammes] Or, chief leaders. Namely to batter the walls, according to the ancient manner.
V. 3. an iron pan] Or, a flat plate, or, slice. To shew, that all endeavours and resistance that they of Jerusalem could make against the besieging Chaldeans, should be to no purpose, and that it should be impossible for any relief to come and deliver them.
lay siege] Thou shalt act the part of a chief Commander of an army, which doth straitly besiege a place.
signe to the house of Israel] Namely of the siege and taking of Jerusalem, which the Jews that were already in captivitie in Babylon with Ezekiel, would not be perswaded could come to passe.
V. 4. Lie thou] This also happened and was done in his extasie. It is likely that the Prophet, doing of these things, did speak such words withall as did declare these dayes, and other circumstances. Now this vision was a figure of Gods long patience, in suffering the sinnes of his people, although they were great and intolerable; as it would be very troublesom for a man to lie long upon one side, specially if he had any great weight lying upon him.
house of Israel] Hereby he representeth the Idolatry and sin of the ten Tribes (for Samaria was on his left hand from Babylon)
upon it] Namely upon the contrary side, the other bearing the weight.
bear their iniquitie] This was also spoken to the Prophet by inspiration, and he did in an extasie as a man that did take up some burden.
V. 5. three hundred] Three hundred and ninetie dayes represent so many years; from the division of the kingdome (or falling away of the ten tribes by Jeroboam) to Je…usalems flames, are 390 years; the whole time is exactly noted by applying a day to a year: during which the Lord endured the sinnes of the whole Nation, namely of the ten Tribes and Judah.
so shalt thou] Numb. 14. 34.
V. 6. accomplished them] When thou art within fourty of the last▪ as may appear by comparing the ninth verse with the fifth, and this.
house of Judah] Judah should be destroyed when fourty years should be accomplished in the preaching of Jeremie, whom they so much despised. Of the tribe of Judah; whose sinnes have been as it were confused and mixed with the sinnes of the other ten Tribes for the former number of years, are now reckoned severally from the time of Jeremies beginning to preach in they thirteenth of Josiah, Je. 1. 2. unto the eleventh year of Zedekiah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month, Vers. 3.
fourty years] God by Ezekiel maketh famous the pains of his servant Jeremy, who laboured to keep Judah from being carried to Babel, as into a wildernesse, fourtie years before the third captivitie, that which followed the Temples burning.
each day for a year] Heb. a day for a year, a day for a year.
V. 7. set thy face] Do the actions of a Commander who is very busie about some siege.
arm shall be uncovered] Isa. 52. 10:
shalt prophesie against it] By these signes, with words and expressions joyned thereunto.
V. 8. lay bands] This also was in vision, Chap. 3. 25. for a signe, that as God had born with the people three hundred ninety years, so Jerusalem should beare her punishment in the last siege, three hundred ninetie dayes, Vers. 9. Now though the siege lasted eighteen moneths, Jerem. 52. 4, 5, 6. yet there was an intermission by the Egyptians coming, Jer. 37. 5. which might last for the space of five moneths, which are left out in this account.
from one side to another] Heb. from thy side to thy side.
V. 9. Take thou] A figure of the extreme dearth in Jerusalem during the siege, signified by the course bread, made of divers sorts of grain, then by the small weight, and lastly by the times appointed to eate.
fitches] Or, spelt.
V. 10. twenty shekels] Which make a pound: others, about ten ounces.
V. 11. water by measure] Whereof there was also great scarcity during the siege, the Springs without the City being possessed by the enemies.
an hi… ] Read Exod. 29. 40.
V. 12. dung that cometh] Signifying the great scarcity of wood to bake their bread with: also that the Lord holding his people for profane and unclean, would make them in exile and captivity unable to observe that ceremonall puritie in their meats, which God had commanded, see Hos. 9. 3.
V. 14. Ah, Lord] Acts 10. 14.
of that which dieth] Exod. 22. 31. Levit. 17. 15. Deut. 14. 3.
abominable flesh] Much lesse such vile corruption as mans dung, impure by the Law, Deut. 23. 12, 13, 14.
V. 15. Cows dung] Used by some Nations for to dresse their meat, and was not altogether so abominable as mans dung. And this was a signe of the mitigation of this threatning towards the elect.
V. 16. I will break] An Hebrew phrase, Levit. 26. 26. Isa. 3. 1. That is, I will send an extreme penury of bread, and of all things needfull for the sustenance of mans life.
staffe of bread] Levit. 26. 26. Chap. 5. 16. and 14. 13.
V. 17. and consume away] Lev. 26. 39.
CHAP. V.
Vers. 1. TAke thee] This seems to be commanded during the former vision for to be really put in execution, to signifie a totall destruction of the Nation, here understood by the hair of the head and beard; whereof one part was consumed in the siege by famine and pestilence, as it were by fire, another was kild by the Chaldeans, a third was scattered over the world, and perished by Gods vengeance; and a small remnant escaped, whereof a part also perished by divers calamities. See vers. 12. Jer. 15. 2.
and cause] Isa. 7. 20.
V. 2. of the Citie] To wit, of that Citie which he had pourtrayed upon the Brick. Chap. 4. 1.
the dayes of the siege] See Chap. 4. 8, 9.
after them] Against that part of my people, signified by the third part of the hair. Vers. 12.
V. 3. skirts] Heb. wings. Meaning that a very few should be left, which the Lord would preserve among all these stormes, but not without troubles and triall, for a while with Gedaliah, 2 King. 25 2.
V. 4. cast them] They which were with Gedaliah, soone by Ismael, come to nothing. 2 King. 25. 25.
thereof shall] Out of that fire, to wit, by the death of Gedaliah, miseries shall arise to the rest of the Jews, which are set out by Jeremie, Chap. 41.
V. 5. This is Jerusalem] That is to say, this figure represents Jerusalem, and sheweth how I will use her.
I have set] Amongst many nations I had sanctified and made choise of it for mine abode, and enriched it with singular graces.
my judgements] My Word and Law into idolatry and superstition.
V. 7. ye multiplied] Because your idols are in greater number, and your superstitions more then among the professed idolaters; see Isa. 65. 11. Or he condemneth their ingratitude in respect of his benefits.
according to the judgements] Namely by cleaving to your God, as every one of them hath done to their God, Jer. 2. 10, 11. Or by following your meere naturall reason, as the best among other Nations have done, Rom. 2. 14.
V. 10. shall eat the sonnes] Lev. 26. 29. Deut. 28. 53. 2 King. 6. 29. Lam. 4 10. Baruch 2. 3.
execute judgements] In these times of siege Ezekiel foretold extreme sorrow should be in Israel, by plague, famine and sword; fathers should eat their children, and children their fathers Moses foresaw, and foretold that, Deut. 28. 53. Daniel after told of a greater desolation, when Christ is utterly denied by them, Dan. 9. 27.
V. 11. neither shall mine eye spare] Chap. 7. 4, 9. and 8. 18.
V. 12. I will scatter] Chap. 6. 8.
I will draw] Lev. 26. 33.
V. 13. be comforted] That is, I will not be pacified till I be avenged, Isa. 1. 24.
V. 15. a reproach] Deut. 28. 37.
V. 16. When I shall send] Deut. 32. 23.
evill arrows] Which were the grashoppers, mildew, and whatsoever were occasions of famine.
and will break your staffe of bread] Lev. 26. 26. Chap. 4. 16. and 14. 13.
V. 17. evill beasts] Levit. 26. 22.
CHAP. VI.
Vers. 2. THe mountains] Chap. 36. 1. That is, to the mountains of the Tribe of Judah, situate about Jerusalem, Psal. 125. 2. For the ten Tribes (which many times are called by the name of Israel) were now carryed into Assyria in the reign of King Ezechias. See Jer. 4. 1.
V. 3. Ye mountains] That is to say, O ye people of Judah which dwell in a hilly Countrey of vallies, wherein you practise your idolatries, Isa. 57. 5.
V. 4. your images] Or, sunne-images. and so vers. 6. See Levit. 26. 30. 2 King. 23. 11.
V. 5. lay the dead] Heb. give.
their idols] In contempt of their power and force, which shall neither be able to deliver you, nor themselves, 2 King. 23. 20.
V. 6. your images] Levit. 26. 30.
works may be abolished] Namely, your Idols, Altars, Chappels, and all other superstitious inventions of man.
V. 8. that ye may have some] He sheweth that in all dangers God will preserve a few, which shall be as the seed of his Church, and call upon his Name.
V. 9. I am broken] That is, my patience hath been overcome. Or I have been grieved and afflicted, even as a husband would be at the evill carriage of his adulterous wife. See I sal. 78. 40. Isa. 7. 13. & 63. 10.
lothe themselves] They shall be ashamed to see that their hope in idols was but vain, and so shall repent.
V. 11. Smite with thine hand] Chap. 21. 17. By these signs he would that the Prophet should signifie the great destruction to come.
V. 13. ye know that I] That is, all Nations, when ye shall see my judgements.
under every green tree] Isa. 57. 5. Hos. 4. 13.
V. 14. more desolate then the wildernesse] Or, desolate from the wildernesse.
Diblath] This place is not mentioned else-where: unlesse it be Diblathaim, of which Jer. 48. 22. which was in the Countrey of Moab, neer unto the great desert.