Exposition of Ezekiel 14-19, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 16 · Verses 57-58
VERS. 57, 58.
Before thy wickedneſſe was diſcovered, as at the time of thy reproach of the daughters of Syria, and all that are round about her, the daughters of the Philiſtims which deſpiſe thee round about.
Thou haſt borne thy lewdneſſe, and thine abhominations ſaith the Lord.
THe Prophets had told Jeruſalem of her wickedneſſe, but ſhe would take no notice of it; much like Strumpets, who though they be the common talk of the world for wickedneſſe; yet becauſe they enjoy their lovers, have pleaſure and proſperity, mind not their ſinne or ſhame: but when ſome ſtroake of God is upon them, then their wickedneſſe appears wickedneſſe indeed, however they think of themſelves. The 57 verſ. ſets out Jeruſalems pertinacy and ſtubbornneſſe.
Of thy reproach of the daughters of Syria.
Heb. is, of the reproach of the daughters of Aram. Aram was one of the ſons of Sem, Gen. 10.22. from whom the Aramites deſcended, who peopled many places, which therefore are mentioned with diſtinction. Gen. 28.2. Padan-Aram, 2 Sam. 10.6. The Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah: the Original is, the Aramites of Beth-rehob, & the Aramites of Zobah. Aram Naharaim, Pſal. 60. Title, that is Aram which was between two Rivers cal'd Meſopotamia, Gen. 24. 10. So Aram-Maachah, 1 Chron. 19.6. Syria-Maachah; the Originall is, Aram-maachah: and 2 Sam. 8.5. Aram-Dammeſecke, which in our tranſlation is the Syrians of Damaſcus. The Septuagint renders the word Aram Syria conſtantly, as Mizraim, Aegypt, and Cuſh, Aethiopia: and under the name of Syrians were included alſo the Meſopotamians, Chaldeans, and Aſſyrians, as Plinie teſtifies in the fifth book of his natural Hiſtory.
Some refer this time to the dayes of Ahaz, who was exceedingly wicked. In his reigne Rezin King of Syria, 2 K. 16.6. the Edomites & Philiſtims invaded the land, & brought Judah low, and Tiglath Pilezer, King of Aſſyria, whom hee ſent for to help him, diſtreſſed him, 2 Chr. 28.17, 18, 19, 20, 21. and helped him not, though he gave him the gold and ſilver of the Temple, a portion of his own, and of the Princes. This was a great reproach that they were impoveriſht, diſappointed, and ſpoyled: And in the time of this diſtreſſe did Ahaz treſpaſſe yet more againſt the Lord.
This did Jeruſalem no good, but ſhe ſinn'd more, and ſo her wickedneſſe was diſcovered, both former and preſent.
Or thus you may take the ſenſe; before thy wickedneſſe was diſcovered by my ſending the Syrians & Philiſtims upon thee, thou did'ſt never take notice of my proceedings with Sodome and her daughters.
Which deſpiſe thee.
Hebrew is, foreign from foreign or foreign a Chaldie word which ſignifies to deſpiſe, contemn, diſgrace, as alſo to ſpoil, or from foreign ſpinam immittere, as Kerker interprets it, to pricke as with a thorn, and ſo are either ſpoylings or deſpiſings, they are as thorns in the ſides of thoſe that are ſpoiled or deſpiſed.
Verſ. 58. Thou haſt born thy lewdneſſe.
By lewdneſſe here is meant, the puniſhment of lewdneſſe. In verſ. 52. he ſaith, beare thy ſhame: here, thou haſt born thy lewdneſſe. She had had a part of her puniſhment, not all, more was behind then ſhee had received. The Hebrew word for thou haſt born is rendred diverſly: by ſome in the future, thou ſhalt beare: by ſome in the imperative, beare thou. The context ſeems to me to call for one of theſe, either bear thou thy lewdneſſe; or, thou ſhalt beare it. The learned doe obſerve, and ſay, that in the Hebrew tongue oft the preter tenſe is put for the future, and ſo it's moſt ſuitable here; God was bringing of judgements upon her, and ſaith in the next verſ. I will deale with thee as thou haſt done.
Obſer. 1.
That wickedneſſe is a cloſe and covert thing, it walks mask'd, and in the dark: before thy wickedneſſe was diſcovered. Jeruſalems wickedneſſe lay hid. Chap. 8.12. Sonne of man haſt thou ſeene what the Ancients of the houſe of Iſrael doe in the darke, every man in the chambers of his imagery? Sin loves corners and chambers: they that were the chiefe men in publique, were the chiefe ſinners in ſecret. Iſa. 29.15. They ſeeke deep to hide their counſell from the Lord, and their works are in the darke; they would neither be ſeen of men or God. Job 24.15, 16, 17. The eye of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, ſaying, no eye ſhall ſee me, and diſguiſeth his face. In the dark they digge through houſes which they had marked for themſelves in the day-time; they know not the light. For the morning is to them as the ſhadow of death, they are affraid of being diſcovered.
Men whoſe deeds are evill hate the light, John 3.20. Wickedneſſe is a night-bird, and loves darkneſſe, veiling, muffling, ſecrecy. Wicked ones take ſecret counſell, Pſal. 64.2. and privily laye ſnares, verſ. 5. and ſecretly murther the innocent, Pſal. 10.8. and ſlaunder their neighbours, Pſal. 101.5. Paul tels you it is a ſhame to ſpeak of thoſe things are done in ſecret, Epheſ. 5.12. The greateſt miſchiefs, treaſons, rebellions, murthers are hatch'd in the dark, and covered over with the faireſt pretences. Wickedneſſe hath a black and ugly face, which if ſeene, would affrighten men; ſhee therefore appears covered and diſguis'd.
2. Wickedneſſe ſhall not always be vail'd and hid; God will reveale and make known the wickedneſſe of men, Cities, States, and Kingdomes; he will pluck the vizard from their faces, and diſcover them to the world, how cloſely ſoever their ſin was contrived and acted. David ſin'd cloſely and cunningly, 2 Sam. …2.12. but God diſcovered it. The Iſraelites did ſecretly thoſe things that were not right againſt the Lord their God, 2 K. 17.9. and God made them known. Sinfull thoughts, counſels, affections, words, actions, geſtures have been diſcovered, Pſalm. 50.21. Nahum 1.11. James 4.4. Mal 3.13, 14, 15. 1 King. 21.19. Prov. 6.13. Chriſt told you long ſ…nce, there is nothing cov…red which ſhall not be revealed, or hid which ſhall not be made knowne, Matth. 10.26. And before Chr…ſts time Solomon left i… upon record, Eccleſ. 12.14. That God ſhall bring every wor…e into judgement with every ſecret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evill.
Let us judge our ſelves throughly for wickedneſſe committed, that ſo it may be hid, and take heed for the future that we do evill no more, l ſt it be diſcovered to our ſhame and confuſion. You may remember what diſcoveries God hath made of Treaſons, Murthers, Plots, and Miſchiefes in our dayes. Things have b…en brought to light that lay in deep darkneſſe, and men have wondered at the diſcoveries. Job. 12.22. He diſcovereth deep things out of darkneſſe.
3. Times of trouble are times of diſcovery; when great afflictions are upon ſinners, then their wickedneſs is made known.
When the Syrians and Philiſtims came againſt Jeruſalem and her Territories, ſpoil'd and plunder'd them ſorely, then her wickedneſſe appear'd. Before thy wickedneſſe was diſcovered, as at the time of thy reproach, &c.
Some-what her wickedneſſe was ſeen before, but not ſo fully, ſo greatly as then. When Cities and States have peace, proſperity, they diſſemble and clo…k their wickedneſſe, and many that know things, are affraid to ſpeak out: but when Gods hand is heavy, by war, plague, or other ſad judgements, then men will ſpeak freely, and judg of the ſins by the puniſhments; what grievous puniſhments; there were grievous ſins. When Sodoms judgment was ſo dreadfull, it was a proclamation to the world that her ſins were anſwerable. When winter comes, the birds neſts are ſeene that were hidde before: And ſo, when the winter of affliction comes, the neſts of wickedneſſe do appeare. When the leproſie clave to Gehezi, it diſcovered his covetouſneſs, 2 K. 5.26, 27 Have not the troubles of England diſcovered the wickedneſſe of England? I believe England never appear'd abroad or at home more ulcerous, black and loathſome then now.
4. Times of warring, plundering, ſpoyling, are times of reproach. When the Syrians and Philiſtims warred againſt the Jewes, took Elath, 2 King. 16.6. Beth-ſhemeſh, Aialon, Gederoth, Shocho, Timnah, Gimzo, with the Villages thereof, 2 Chron. 28.18. This was a time of reproach, as at the time of thy reproach.
It was a reproach to have Strangers come arm'd and invade their land, to beate their men of war, to cary away their wealth, to conquer and keepe their Townes and Cities.
5. When people are unfaithfull with God, and fall to baſe wayes, and unwarrantable courſes, it's juſt with God to leave them to be contemn'd & deſpis'd of all about them.
Jeruſalem was not faithfull to her God and Husband, but fell to foule courſes, dealt unjuſty with God and man: and what then? the daughters of the Philiſtims deſpiſed her round about. Thoſe that honour God he will honour, but thoſe deſpiſe him ſhall be lightly eſteemed, 1 Sam. 2.30.
Jeruſalem deſpiſed the holy things of God, Ezek. 22.8. Thou haſt deſpiſed mine holy things; therefore the Lord cauſed her to be deſpis'd, and ſo he will any that turn from him after lying vanities. Job. 12.21. He poureth ontempt upon Princes. Pſalm. 107.40. And cauſeth them to wander in the wilderneſſe where there is no way.