Exposition of Ezekiel 14-19, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 16 · Verses 23-29
VERS. 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29.
And it came to paſſe after all thy wickedneſſe (woe, woe, unto thee ſaith the Lord God)
That thou haſt alſo built unto thee an eminent place, and haſt made thee an high place in every ſtreet.
Thou haſt built thy high places, at every head of the way, and haſt made thy beautie to be abhorred, and haſt opened thy feete to every one that paſſed by, and multiplyed thy whoredomes.
Thou haſt committed fornication with the Aegyptians, thy Neighbours, great of fleſh, and haſt increaſed thy whoredomes to provoke mee to anger.
Behold therefore I have ſtretched out my hand over thee, and have diminiſhed thine ordinarie food, and delivered thee unto the will of them that hate thee, the daughters of the Philiſtins which were aſham'd of thy lewd wayes.
Thou haſt played the whore alſo with the Aſſyrians, becauſe thou waſt inſatiable, yea thou haſt played the Harlot with them, and yet couldeſt not be ſatisfied.
Thou haſt moreover multiplyed thy fornications in the Land of Canaan, unto Chaldea, and yet thou waſt not ſatisfied herewith.
IN theſe verſes the Lord doth further accuſe and charge this woman, that ſhe made no ſtop nor ſtand in her wickednes, but proceeded further and further, After all thy wickedneſſe thou haſt alſo built unto thee an eminent place, and haſt made thee an high place in every ſtreet.
This is ſet out unto us,
1. By the eminencie of the place, ſhe built not ſome little low place, obſcure, unnoted, but one eminent, great, gloroious, high.
2. From the multitude of high places and Altars, ſhe made not here and there one, but in every ſtreet, at every heads of the waye, where was the moſt concourſe of people, ibid.
4. From her impudencie, Thou haſt opened thy feet to every one that paſſed by, thou didſt not through frailtie of nature, violence of temptation, tranſgres with one two or a few, but like an arrant whore paſt ſhame, Thou haſt opened thy feet to every one.
5. From the ſeveral Nations ſhe committed folly with, ſhe was not content to be idolatrous her ſelfe, but made Covenants and Leagues with others, and drew them in; as,
1. The Aegyptians, who are deſcribed to be,
1. Her Neighbours.
2. Great of fleſh, verſe 26.
2. The Aſſyrians, verſe 28.
6. From the extent of her whoredomes, which was from Canaan to Chaldea, verſe 29. not only in Canaan but in Chaldea ſhe was Idolatrous.
7. From her inſatiablneſſe, verſe 28, 29.
8. From the effects which are,
1. Threatning from God, verſe 23. Woe, woe unto thee.
2. Abhorrencie of her beautie, verſe 25. And haſt made thy beautie to be abhorred.
3. Puniſhment, verſe 27.
1. Set downe in generall, under this expreſſion, I have ſtretched out my hand over thee.
2. In particular, and that in two things.
1. In diminution of their comforts, I have diminiſhed thine ordinarie food.
2. In puttting them into the power of their enemies, I delivered thee unto the will of them that hate thee.
4. Shame, ſo lew'd, and vile were her wayes, that even her enemies were aſham'd of her, verſe 27.
In the 23. verſe, there is nothing to open.
You may obſerve,
1. That when Gods owne people goe on in ſinful wayes, its grievous unto him, it affects, yea afflicts his heart, here God taking notice, and ſpeaking of this Iſraelitiſh womans ſinfull practiſes, and proceeding on in them, breakes out in the middeſt of a ſentence ſaying, Woe, woe unto thee, he was ſo full with thoughts of her ingratitude, unkindneſſe, rebellion, idolatrie, &c. that he opens, empties, and eaſes himſelfe in theſe expreſſions, Gen. 6.5.6. When God ſaw the wickedneſſe of man to be great, it repented him that he had made man on the earth, and grieved him at the heart, Pſal. 78.40. They did oft grieve him in the Deſart, Pſal. 95.10. God ſaith, Forty yeares long was I grieved with this generation, Iſa. 63.10. They vexed his holy Spirit, therefore Iſa. 1.24. Ah, I will eaſe me of mine Adverſaries, and avenge me of mine enemies. Chriſt wept over Jeruſalem.
2. The end of wickedneſſe is woe, ſhe had been notoriouſly wicked, and what followed upon it? woe, woe, its double, and notes intenſeneſſe, ſhe had been intenſe in ſinning, and God was intenſe in threatning; woe to thee thou haſt left me, woe to thee thou haſt imbraced other gods, woe to thy eſtate and bodie, Aſſryrians ſhall come and deſtroy them, and woe to thy ſoule, I will deſtroy that: God was greatly exaſperated, and therefore powres out a double woe againſt her, one temporall, another eternall, let who will be wicked, be it Judah and Jeruſalem, woe and woe muſt be their portion, let it be the Lords owne people, he will not ſpare, if they repent not, if they turne not from their evill wayes, he will denounce woes againſt them, and bring woes upon them, The wages of ſinne is death, a temporall death, there is one woe, an eternall death there is another woe.
Verſe 25. Thou haſt made thy beautie to bee abhorred.
This woman was very lovelie, through her ſtate and Church beautie, ſhe was renowned among the Nations for it, but when ſhe became Idolatrous, ſhe ſpotted her beautie, ſo as it became abhominable. Take the faireſt woman that is moſt deſireable, and priz'd, if once ſhe come to be common, and open her feet to all commers, as the phraſe here is, ſhe grows loathſom, abhominable, ſuch was the jewiſh ſtate of our Prophets metaphoricall woman, who multiplyed Altars, Idolatries, and committed fornication with the Nations far and neare, the Lord had ſaid long before, when they fell to Idolatry, that their ſpot was not the ſpot of his children, Deut. 32.5. when they were free from this ſin they were beautifull and glorious, Numb. 24.5. How goodly are thy Tents O Jacob, and thy Tabernacles O Iſrael, Chap. 23.21. He hath not beheld iniquitie in Jacob, neither hath he ſeene perverſnes in Iſrael. The Vulg. reads it thus, Non eſt idolum in Jacob, ne que videtur ſimulachrum in Iſraele, idolatrie makes the moſt glorious Nation abhominable, Prov. 14.34. ſinne is a reproach to any people, and eſpecially this ſinne, 1. Pet. 4.3. they are cal'd, Abominable Idolatries; they are ſo in themſelves, and they make ſo. What ever a womans beauty is, if ſhee be mad and phrantick, you deſpiſe her and her beauty, you will not have to doe with her. Idolatry is a madneſſe; Jere. 50.38. They are madd upon their idolls; and ſuch madneſſe makes the beauty of a State or Church loathſome.
Verſe 27. And have diminiſhed thine ordinary food.
The Hebr. for ordinary food is foreign ſtatutum tuum: Septu: is, foreign legitima tua, I will take away thy lawfull things. Vulg. is, juſtificationem tuam; Which Mariana ſaith, was Gods Covenant whereby ſhe was juſtified: Sanct: Some outward ſigne of inward holineſſe: Oecol: Succidi conſtitutum tuum, I have cutt downe thy conſtitution: Calv: demenſum tuum: ſo Piſc: and Jun: Caſt: inſtitutum tuum: Lav: ſtatutum cibum tibi: Fr: ton eſtat; foreign ſaith Prad: is a Statute, Conſtitution, an Ordinance, a Law, forme of living, Worſhip, Caeremonie, at que id omne quod manat a legiſlatore. Jerom interprets it of their Ceremonies, Sabbaths, and Solemnities: Theod: of the Law it ſelfe: others of their holy things. But God dealing here with this Jewiſh eſtate as a huſband with an expenſive and adulterous wife, ſaith; I have cut thee ſhort of thy allowance, I have diminiſhed thy portion. Proverb. 31.15. She ariſeth while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her houſhold, and a portion to her maidens: its foreign and its taken for a portion of meat and drinke, and its not amiſſe to take it ſo here; thou haſt abuſed thy fine flower, honey and oyle, but I will leſſen them, thou ſhalt have little of theſe hereafter, thy portion ſhall be ſmaller. The confining it to things edible I like not; let us extend it to other things alſo, and the ſenſe will be more full, viz. to her garments, ornaments, ſilver, gold, incenſe, &c. Hoſ. 2.9. I will take away my corne, my wine, recover my wooll and my flax; and ſo it ſuits with the Chaldie interpretation, auferam bonum tuum; Its our ſinne that cauſes God to diminiſh our comforts.
Deliver thee to the will of them that hate thee.
The Hebrew for will is foreign in animam, Septu. foreign in animas; ſo the Vulgar, in animas. Cal. deſiderio ceu libidini; ſo others; Fr. en la volonté, its an Hebraiſme, the ſoule put for the will, luſt or deſire in it, and ſo its frequently uſed; Exod. 5.19. My luſt ſhall be ſatisfied upon them. Pſal. 78.18. They asked meat for their luſt; the Heb. is, ſoule, Pſal. 105.22. To binde his Princes at his pleaſure, benaphſho, according to the luſt and pleaſure of his ſoule. Pſal. 41.3. Give him not to the will of his enemies; Heb. ſoule of his enemies. Luk. 23.25. He delivered Jeſus to their will.
The daughters of the Philiſtims.
In Scripture ſenſe, Villages and Townes are counted daughters, as chiefe Cities were called Mothers; 2 Sam. 20.19. Thou ſeekeſt to deſtroy a Citie and a Mother in Iſrael, that was Abel where they asked counſell; and becauſe Cities had Townes and Villages belonging to them, as you may reade 1 Chron. 7.28. Bethel and the Townes thereof, Gezer with the Townes thereof, Shechem Gaza and the Townes thereof; ſo ver. 29. Bethſheon and her Townes, Taanach and her Townes, &c. Theſe Townes were accounted the daughters of thoſe Cities, becauſe they were either made, govern'd by, or ſome wayes belonging to thoſe Cities, and the Citizens thereof. And ſo diverſe Expoſitors doe take the daughters of the Philiſtims here to be the Townes and Villages of Paleſtina. And ſo the daughters of Jeruſalem oft mentioned in the Canticles, to be the Villages adjacent. But its better to interpret the words of the perſons, then of the places; and to underſtand by daughters of Philiſtims the Philiſtims themſelves. 2 Sam. 1.20. Tell it not in Gath, leaſt the daughters of the Philiſtims rejoyce; that is, not the villages but the Philiſtims themſelves: ſo Pſal. 48.11. Let the daughters of Judah be glad, that is, the people of Judah: in ver. 26. that which is Aegyptians, in the originall is ſonnes of Aegypt; and ver. 28. with the Aſſyrians, in the Heb. is the ſonnes of Aſhur: and here by daughters of Philiſtims is meant the Philiſtims; and daughters are mentioned rather then ſonnes, becauſe the Lord had ſpoken of the Jewiſh eſtate as a woman, and ſo continues the allegorie in the ſame ſexe. The Philiſtims hated the Jewes much, often war'd againſt them, and brought them under, as you may obſerve in the booke of Judges, Chap. 10. & 13. they were glad when miſchiefe befell them, therefore when Saul and Jonathan were ſlaine, David would not have it told in Gath or Askelon, leaſt the Philiſtims ſhould triumph, 2 Sam. 1.20.
Obſer.
To be delivered up to the wills of men that hate us is a ſad judgement, to be given up to the wills and luſts of men is ſad, but eſpecially to the wills and luſts of thoſe that hate us; David when God propounded the three ſad things to him, 2 Sam. 24. one whereof was to flee before his enemies, he choſe rather famine or plague, then to fall into the hands of man, ver. 14. He knew that the hands and hearts of men were mercileſſe. Pſal. 27.12. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies; why, they beare falſe witneſſe, they breath out crueltie. Levit. 26.17. They that hate you ſhall reigne over you: the Philiſtims and Babylonians hated them, and they were Lords over them, and very ſad was their bondage under them, 2 Chron. 28.18. the Philiſtims invaded the Cities of the low Countrie, and of the South of Judah, and had taken Bethſhemeſh, Ajalon, Gederoth, Shocho, Timnah, Gimzo, with the Villages thereof; for the Lord brought Judah low, becauſe of Ahaz King of Iſrael who made Judah naked, and tranſgreſſed ſore againſt the Lord.
2. Thoſe are counted Gods people may ſo exceed in ſin as that Gods enemies may be aſham'd of them; the Philiſtims which hated God and the Jewes, were aſham'd of their lewd wayes, they bluſh'd at the ſinnes the Jewes gloried in; they gloried in their idolatry, they made high places every where; they committed ſpirituall whoredome with greedineſſe; other Nations kept their Gods, but they changed their God and glory for that did not profit, Jer. 2.11. This levitie and idolatry of theirs made the heavens aſtoniſhed, and the Philiſtims aſham'd: they ſaw more filth and loathſomeneſſe in this ſinne, then the Jewes; ſuch abominable idolatry affected their hearts. The word in Hebrew for lewd is foreign ſcelus wickedneſſe, yea ſome notable and emphaticall wickedneſſe. The abuſing and forcing the Levites Concubine unto death, Judg. 19. is cald Judg. 20.6. foreign lewdneſſe, wickedneſſe, abomination; and Hierom upon the 24 of Ezek. interprets it immunditia execrabilis & ſceleſta, an execrable and villanous filthineſſe. The impudency of this Jewiſh woman was ſuch in her accurſed idolatry, that the daughters of the Philiſtims were aſham'd at it, durſt not doe the like, and were chaſt in compariſon of Jeruſalem and her daughters, who luſted after the Gods, and worſhip of the Nations on every ſide. The Aegyptians deified Onyons, Leekes, Catts, Beetles or Dors, Oxen, Sheepe, Dogges, Apes, Hawkes, Crocodiles, Serpents, Battes, Moules, & quaedam pudenda dictu, and with Aegyptian idolatry did the Jewes intangle themſelves, as alſo with the Aſſyrian and Chaldean; if they had any new gods, the Jewiſh hearts were on fire for them, and unquiet till they injoy'd them, the Nations were content with their own gods, but Jeruſalem muſt have all.
3. Wicked and wanton luſts are unſatiable, this metaphoricall woman had vile luſts in her, ſhee luſted after the Aegyptians, Aſſyrians, Chaldeans, committed fornication with them, opened her feet to all paſſengers, yet was ſhe not ſatisfied therewith, ver. 29. And in the 28. its ſaid, She was unſatiable, and could not be ſatisfied. Eccleſ. 1.8. The eye is not ſatisfied with ſeeing, …or the eare filled with hearing, th'one would ſee more, th'other heare more; and ſo it is with the luſts of men and women, they would ſee, heare, and have more. There be foure things that are never ſatisfied, that ſay not it is enough, the grave, the barren womb, the earth, the fire, Prov. 30.15, 16. And I may adde there be foure evills or luſts that will never be ſatisfied.
Firſt is the covetous luſt, it would have more when it hath moſt. Eccleſ. 4.8. The covetous mans eye is not ſatisfied with riches. Chap. 5.10. He that loveth ſilver ſhall not be ſatisfied with ſilver.
2. Is revenge, he is haunted with this luſt, be he great or ſmall, will not be ſatisfied, Prov. 6.34, 35. He will not ſpare in the day of vengeance, he will not regard any ranſome, neither will he reſt content though thou giveſt many gifts.
3. Frowardneſſe of ſpirit: Prov. 17.20. A froward heart findeth no good; doe what you will to him or for him hath it, he finds no ſatisfying good in it.
4. Is the luſt of the fleſh, which is the moſt inſatiable, Eph. 4.19. They gave themſelves over unto laſciviouſneſſe, to worke all uncleanneſſe with greedineſſe. Rom. 1.26, 27. They burned in their luſt one towards another, not in a naturall way, but in that which was againſt nature, men with men and women with women. Hiſtory tells of that notorious Strumpet Meſſalina, who gloried ſhe had exceeded another Harlot, and ſaid, Se inter diem & noctem viginti quin que paſſam concubitus, that in 24. houres ſhe had entertaind 25. men. To this luſt idolatry is compar'd, and cald fornication, whoredome, becauſe idolaters are as inſatiable in their way, as men and women in the luſts of the fleſh. Hoſ. 2.5. I will goe after my lovers, I will have more idolls and more idolatrous practiſes, Ephraim was not ſatisfied with what ſhe had: ſo Jeruſalem had the Aegyptian, Aſſyrian, and Chaldean Gods, and they did not quench but increaſe her thirſt after more ſtill. Thus it is with any luſt whatſoever if you give way to it, it growes ſtrong, inſatiable, like water breaking over the bankes, and will not be ſtopped, like fire getting ſtrength, and cannot be quenched; its wiſdome therefore to deale with our luſts betimes, to keepe them in, under, yea to crucifie and mortifie them.
Some Interpreters underſtand the fornication and whoredome committed with the Aegyptians, Aſſyrians, and Chaldeans in the 26. 28, 29. ver. to be meant of thoſe ſinfull Leagues the Jewes made with them, Iſa. 20.5, 6. Iſa. 30.1, 2, 3. 2 King. 18.21.24. Iſa. 31.1. 2 King. 16.7, 8. 2 Chron. 28.16. They had little cauſe to confederate with any of the Nations, eſpecially the Aegyptians, who had kept them under hard bondage many yeares, drown'd their children, were the groſſeſt idolaters under heaven, and purſued them to the red Sea, to bring them back to their taskes of brick, clay, and ſtraw, or to deſtroy them; and God had forbid them to ſeek helpe from the Nations, and therefore Jer. 2.18. What haſt thou to doe in the way of Aegypt, to drinke the water of Sihor, or what haſt thou to doe in the way of Aſſyria, to drinke the waters of the river? What haſt thou to doe to treat and Covenant with, or to fetch helpe from them, to drinke of Nilus and Euphrates, thoſe muddie rivers and forſake the fountaine of living waters, the Lord God of Iſrael? Ver. 19. Thine owne wickedneſſe ſhall correct thee, &c. thou ſhalt fall by them, and ſuffer, it was a wicked thing and evill, and bitter thing, a forſaking of God, and caſting him off, who had taken the protection of that land and people to himſelfe in a peculiar manner.
Its queſtioned whether a Nation or Prince may Covenant and confederate with them that are of a falſe Religion; it ſhould ſeeme to be negative, becauſe here the Jewes confederating with the Aegyptians and Aſſyrians is cald fornication, whoredome; and God was twice wroth with Jehoſhaphat for entering into League with the Kings of Iſrael, who had ſet up falſe worſhip, once for joyning with Ahab, 2 Chron. 19.2. and after for joyning with Ahaziah, 2 Chron. 20.36, 37. But notwithſtanding theſe inſtances, its not unlawfull for thoſe of the true Religion to make Leagues and Covenants with forrainers that are of another Religion. Abraham was in confederacie with Aeſhcol and Aner, who were Amorites, Gen. 14.13. with Abimelech, Chap. 21.27. Jacob with Laban, Gen. 31.44, 45. Solomon with Hiram, 1 King. 5.12. Joſhua with the Gibeonites, Joſh. 9.15. If they were unlawfull, theſe men muſt all lie under cenſure. Theſe Leagues are for defence againſt violence of wicked men, for preſervation of peace, without prejudice to the true Religion, tending to the propagation of it, they are warrantable. But when diſtruſt of divine aſſiſtance, covetouſneſſe, compliance with idolaters, unjuſt warre with, and oppreſſion of others, and hazard of corrupting the worſhip of God, are the grounds and ends of making Leagues with them, they are unlawfull. The Jewes diſtruſted God, and ſought to Aegypt and Aſſyria for helpe, complyed with idolaters, corrupted the pure worſhip of God thereby; therefore their Leagues were unlawfull. As for that of Jehoſhaphat with Ahab and Ahaziah, beſides his complyance and covetouſneſſe, there was a ſpeciall conſideration in it, viz. that they being revolters from God (for the ten Tribes fell from the true God, and ſet up the Calves) he ſhould joyne in Covenant with them; he helped Ahab in his warre againſt Ramoth Gilead, which the Prophet Micaiah had told them they ſhould not proſper in. There being a law againſt revolters, Deut. 13.13, 14, 15.
Howbeit Leagues be lawfull with others, yet they are d…ngerous, and ſhould cautiouſly be made.