Exposition of Ezekiel 14-19, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 16 · Verses 39-43
VERS. 39, 40, 41, 42, 43.
And I will alſo give thee into their hands, and they ſhall throw down thine eminent place, and ſhall breake down thy high places, they ſhall ſtrip thee alſo of thy cloaths, and ſhall take thy fine jewels, and leave thee naked and bare.
They ſhall alſo bring up a company againſt thee, and they ſhall ſtone thee with ſtones, and thruſt thee through with their ſwords.
And they ſhall burne thine houſes with fire, and execute judgments upon thee in the ſight of many women: and I will cauſe thee to ceaſe from playing the harlot, and thou alſo ſhalt give no hire any more.
So will I make my fury towards thee to reſt, and my jealouſie ſhal depart from thee, and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry.
Becauſe thou haſt not remembred the dayes of thy youth, but haſt fretted me in all theſe things: Behold therefore I alſo will recompence thy way upon thy head ſaith the Lord God, and thou ſhalt not commit this lewdneſſe above all thine abhominations.
THe Analyſis of theſe words is before, I ſhall open ſome things in them, and then give you the obſervation.
Verſ. 39. Give thee into their hand.
This phraſe is ſometimes expreſt, by delivering into the hand, 2 Chron. 25.20. Sometimes by leaving in the hand, Neh. 9.28. Sometimes by giving up, 1 King. 14.16. States, Churches, Cities, Families, Perſons, come not into the hands of wicked men without the providence of God. They may all ſay as Chriſt did to Pilate, John 19.11. Thou couldſt have no power at all againſt me, except it were given thee from above. So neither Chaldeans, Babylonians, nor any other could have had power againſt Jeruſalem, and the Jews, unleſſe it had been given them from above. Pſalm. 106.41. He gave them into the hand of the heathen: He brought the Heathens upon them, and delivered them up into their hands, vid. Jer. 20.5.21.7. Till God puts a people out of his owne hands, and into the hands of others, they cannot hurt them.
They ſhall throw downe.
Heb. foreign from foreign to pull downe, ſubvert, demoliſh. Sept. foreign they ſhall deſtroy. Suffodiendo evertent, they ſhall underdigge, undermine, and utterly lay them waſt, Fr. is, ilz ruineront, they ſhall ruine.
Eminent place.
Not the Temple, or Citie, but ſome eminent place they had built, as it's in the 24. and 31. ver. and with it all other high places where they had been idolatrous.
Obſer.
Gods hatred is ſo great againſt idolatry, and idolaters, that he will not endure the places where they have us'd idolatrous worſhip; the places where they ſinn'd muſt be deſtroyed, broken, utterly raz'd and ruin'd, 2 King. 18 4. Hezekiah is commended for 4. things: and the firſt is, for removing the high places; then for breaking the Images, cutting downe the groves, and breaking the brazen Serpent. Amos 5.5. Bethel ſhall come to nought. What was the matter that that place ſhould come to nought? 1 King. 12.28, 29. Jeroboam had ſet up a golden Calfe there, made an Altar, and brought the people to worſhip God in a falſe way, and in a falſe place: Gods anger was ſo kindled againſt this, that preſently he ſent a Prophet to cry againſt that Altar in that place, and to threaten the ruine of it, Chap. 13.2, 3. And in 2 King. 23.15. it's made good: Joſias breaks downe the Altar, the high place, ſtamps it to powder, and burnes them and the grove to aſhes: and after God laid waſt both City and Temple, becauſe they had fill'd them with Altars and Idols; they would not hear the Prophets crying out againſt thoſe things; God raiſed up meanes, &c. and ſo here againſt Altars, Croſſes, &c.
They ſhall ſtrip thee alſo of thy cloaths, and take thy faire Jewels.
Heb. for faire jewels is, thy inſtruments of ornament, or veſſels of glory: thoſe things that did adorne, make thee glorious, as in the 17. verſ.
Obſer.
When we abuſe the mercies of God, we give him cauſe to take them away: They deckt their high places with their garments, verſ. 16. They made Images of their Jewels, v. 17, &c. Here God threatens to take away both the one and the other; he would give them into their hands ſhould rob them of their faire Jewels, and ſtrip them of all their cloaths. Iſa. 42.22. This is a people robbed and ſpoiled, 24. Who gave Jacob for a ſpoile, and Iſrael to the robbers? did not the Lord, he againſt whom we have ſinn'd? for they would not walke in his wayes, neither were they obedient unto his law, therefore he hath poured out upon him the fury of his anger, &c. Oft times you are rob'd of your cloaths & goods, becaueſe you have abuſed them to the diſhonour of God.
And leave thee naked and bare.
Before in the 8. verſ. it's ſaid, that God covered her nakedneſſe; he found her naked, and now he would leave her naked and bare.
Obſer.
When God hath ſhewed much kindneſſe to a people, and they have been ingratefull, he will reduce them to their former condition; he found this woman naked, and he would leave her naked. God did much for Ephraim, yet Ephraim was ingratefull, forgot God, went out to other lovers; and what ſaith the Lord, Hoſ. 2.2, 3. Plead with your mother, let her put away her whoredomes and adulteries, leſt I ſtrip her naked, and ſet her as in the day when ſhe was borne. God was upon the doing of it, and therefore put her upon a courſe of preventing it; but becauſe ſhe tooke not his counſell, in verſ. 9. he ſaith, I will return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the ſeaſon thereof, and will recover my wool and my flaxe given to cover her nakedneſſe, and then her condition would be as at the firſt. God had ſpread his skirt over this Jewiſh woman, cloath'd her with imbroidered ſilk, and fine linnen, deck'd her with choiſe ornaments and Jewels, put his comelineſſe upon her: but ſhe abuſed all his bounty, and love, prov'd ingratefull and whoriſh, and therefore hee would put her into her firſt condition, ſtrip her of all, and leave her naked: ſhe came out of captivity, ſhe ſhould goe into captivity: ſhe was caſt out, and now ſhe ſhould be caſt out againe: ſhe was poore, beggerly, and had nothing, & ſhould be made ſo again.
Verſ. 40. Verſ.41. From the 40. verſ. and beginning of the 41.
Note, when God intends the ruine of a people, he will bring ſore judgements upon them one after another, till they be conſum'd. I will bring up a company againſt thee? what company this was you may ſee, Hab. 1.6. The Chaldeans, that haſty and bitter Nation: and what ſhould they doe?
1. They ſhould ſtone her like a harlot, with ſtones; great ſtones ſhould they ſling in, which ſhould braine many of her children.
2. They ſhould thruſt her through with ſwords, they ſhould ſlaſh and cut in pieces her ſons and daughters.
3. They ſhould burn her houſes with fire. Each of theſe judgements were very dreadfull; what ſadde apprehenſions had the Jewes, when they ſaw the Chaldeans before the walls and gates of Jeruſalem, and cal'd to mind what the Prophets had foretold they ſhould doe to Jeruſalem. In 2 King. 25.8, 9, 10. 2 Chron. 36.17, 18.19, 20. Jer. 52.12, 13, 14, &c. you may finde theſe judgements executed when the Army came up, and that in Micah made good, where it's ſaid, That for the Judges, Prieſts, and Prophets ſinnes, Sion ſhould be ploughed as a field, Jeruſalem become as heapes, and the mountaine of the houſe as the high places of the forreſt.
In the ſight of many women.
Vatab. Prad. Sanct. Pol. Piſc. Lavat.By women I find Expoſitors underſtand other Nations, Cities & Towns, and it ſuits well with the matter in hand; for here the Jewiſh State and Nation is treated of under the notion of a woman: and therefore other Nations & Cities may be meant by the name of women, and ſo ſome interpret the word women in Iſa. 32.9.11. The Jews ſay, theſe women were regna & provinciae: R. David. chald poraphr.yet ſome thinke by women here are to be underſtood the women in the Chaldean Army, which were of diverſe Nations. Maldonate thinks here is an alluſiſion to the puniſhment of adultereſſes, who were to be ſton'd or burnt in the ſight of other women; for the greater ſhaming of the ſufferers, and for admonition of the ſpectators; that they beholding adultereſſes brought to ſo ſhamefull and dreadfull an end, might learn to be faithfull both to God and man: and ſuch was the caſe here with Jeruſalem, ſhe was puniſht as a whore in the ſight of the nations, for the learning of the Nations. When the Lord puniſheth a Nation with ſharp and heavy judgements, other Nations ſhould take notice thereof, and be inſtructed thereby, to take heed of thoſe ſinnes that nation is judged for, elſe God is provoked more, and the judgment will be heavier. Jer. 3.8. I put Iſrael away, and gave her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous ſiſter Judah feared not, but went & played the harlot alſo. God looked that Judah ſhould have learnt by Iſraels judgements to have taken heed of ſuch ſins ſhe was guilty of: but ſhe did not, and that exaſperated him the more. So Edom, Obad. 11, 12, 13, 14. Becauſe ſhe made no good uſe of Jeruſalems ſufferings, but was glad at it; therefore the Lord threatens her, that ſhame ſhould cover her, and that ſhe ſhould be cut off for ever.
Verſ. 10. And I will cauſe thee to ceaſe from playing the harlot, and thou alſo ſhalt give no hire any more.
Theſe words afford us this Obſervation.
Obſer.
That by great judgements God cauſeth a people to give over their great ſinnes to ceaſe and reſt from them. God would take away Jeruſalems wealth, her jewels, her gold and ſilver, her change of raiment; diminiſh her portion, caſt her into captivity, and then ſhe ſhould not have to give to lovers, or ſpend upon Idols, then ſhe ſhould not have leiſure nor opportunity to ſeeke or ſerve them. Iſa. 27.9. The fruit of Gods judgements is to take away ſinne; by theſe ſoare judgements God cured them of their Idolatry for ever.
Thus God hath dealt of late with Germany, Ireland, England; by his ſore judgements, hee hath taken away the matter and occaſion of ſinning from thouſands, they have not wherewithall to ſinne as formerly.
Poverty, Sickneſſe, Impriſonment, loſſe of places, make men ceaſe from ſin, though their hearts be ſtill the ſame.
Verſ. 42.
In this verſe is mentioned Gods Fury, Jealouſie, Anger. Fury is the exceſſe of Anger. Iſa. 22.45. He hath poured upon him the fury of his anger. When anger is boyled up to the height, that is the fury of it: Jealouſie is hot diſpleaſure, vehemens ira, Pſalm. 79.5. 1 Cor. 10.22. Anger is a deſire of puniſhing that which hath wronged us; now theſe are given to God as becomes God; hee is not as man, to become furious, jealous, angry, with perturbation, diſtemper, and imperfection; but he doth ſuch acts as doe intitle him to fury, jealouſie, anger, yet without any change or weakneſſe.
So will I make my fury towards thee to reſt.
Some read it, I will make my fury to reſt upon thee: ſo the French, je feray re poſer ma feureur ſur coy, and ſo it may refer to the whole time of their being in Babylon. Chap. 5.13. The Lord ſaid, hee would cauſe his fury to reſt upon them. It's very dreadfull when Gods fury is out againſt a people, but it's moſt dreadful when his fury reſts upon them. Heb is thus, I will make to reſt my fury towards thee; that is, I will be furious no longer: when I have judg'd thee as adultereſſes and murtherers are judged; when I have ſton'd thee with ſtones, thruſt thee through with ſwords, and burnt thee with fire; there will be no more materials for my fury to feed upon, it ſhal reſt and end. Sept. foreign I will diſmiſſe mine anger upon thee, there ſhall be an end of it; this ſenſe the words following do evince: and my jealouſie ſhall depart from thee, &c.
Obſer. 1.
When Gods people ſinne againſt him, eſpecially in ways of falſe worſhip and idolatry, they diſquiet and trouble him, they cauſe his anger to kindle, his jealouſie to burne, and provoke him to fury: a man, when his wife goes to other men, is inraged, ſo divided, and perplex'd, that hee knows not what to doe. The Sept. reads it, for I will be no more angry. foreign I will not be ſolicitous any longer; I will not be divided and diſtracted with cares and thoughts about thee? The heart and ſpirit of God was much troubled about his people when they left him, and went out to ſinful practiſes. Hoſ. 6.4. O Ephraim what ſhall I doe unto thee? O Iudah what ſhall I doe unto thee? God was even at a ſtand with them. Hoſ. 11.8. How ſhall I give thee up Ephraim? How ſhall I deliver thee Iſrael? He was divided in himſelfe; he conſidered this people were his wife, and ſo his mercy led him to ſpare them; yet a whoriſh wife, and ſo his anger, jealouſie, and fury provoked him to puniſh them. Hence ſaith hee, Ezek. 6.9. I am broken with the whoriſh heart which hath departed from me. Jer. 5.7. How ſhall I pardon thee, for this thy children have forſaken me. God had a fire and ſtrife within himſelfe; faine he would have pardon'd Jeruſalem, but he knew not how to accompliſh it without prejudice to his juſtice, truth, and glory.
2. When judgments are throughly executed upon a whoriſh and backſliding people, then God is at reſt, and ſatisfied: When this woman, this Jewiſh eſtate fell into the hands of enemies, was plundered and ſpoiled, had her children ſton'd and thruſt through, her City burnt to aſhes, and all her glory laid in the duſt; then God caus'd his fury to reſt, his jealouſie to depart, then he was quiet, and angry no more. Before judgement be throughly executed, God is troubled, and reſtleſſe; but when it's done, he is pacified, comforted, as it is Ezek. 5.13. Before Jonas had judgment paſſed upon him, there was a great wind, and a mighty tempeſt in the Sea, the Lords anger, jealouſie & furie were up, and let out: but when Jonas was ſent, and caſt into the ſea, juſtice done, it's ſaid the Sea ceas'd from her raging, it was ſo preſently: and what was the reaſon of it; the Lord firſt ceas'd from his fury, he was pacified, and manifeſted it by ſtilling of the Seas; the marriners did it not ſo much out of love to juſtice, as love to ſave themſelves: they ſaw all like to periſh, a common ſhipwrack at hand, Jonas was detected to be the Delinquent: and ſo to ſecure themſelves, they threw him over, and had their deſire. When juſtice was executed upon Sauls bloody houſe for ſlaying the Gibeonites, the 3. yeares ſamine ceaſed; till that was done, there was nothing but fury, jealouſie, and anger from God: but being done, the Lord cauſed his diſpleaſure to ceaſe, and was at reſt, 2 Sam. 21. God would bring the Aſſyrians upon the Jewes, and what then? the indignation ſhall ceaſe, and mine anger in their deſtruction, Iſa. 10.25. When I have laid all waſt, and deſtroyed them, then ſhall I be angry, jealous, furious no more. Eſth. 7.10. They hanged Haman upon the Gallows, and then was the Kings wrath pacified.