Exposition of Ezekiel 30-48, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 34 · Verses 17-22
Verſ. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22.
And as for you, O my flock, thus ſaith the Lord God, Behold, I judge between cattel and cattel, between the rams, and the he-goats.
Seemeth it a ſmall thing unto you, to have eaten up the good paſture, but ye muſt tread down with your feet the reſidue of your paſtures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye muſt foul the reſidue with your feet?
And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have troden with your feet: and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet.
Therefore thus ſaith the Lord God unto them, Behold, I, even I will judge between the fat cattel, and between the lean cattel.
Becauſe ye have thruſt with ſide, and with ſhoulder, and puſht all the diſeaſed with your horns, till ye have ſcattered them abroad.
Therefore will I ſave my flock, and they ſhall no more be a prey, and I will judge between cattel and cattel.
THeſe verſes exemplifie what was ſaid in the latter end of the 16. verſe.
1. Declaring how God would deal with the rich, who oppreſſed the poor, verſ. 17, 20, 22.
2. Setting out the cauſes moving God thereunto; verſ. 18, 19, 21.
Verſ. 17. As for you, O… my flock, thus ſaith the Lord God.
Here is an Apoſtrophe, God turns his ſpeech unto his flock, and ſhews himſelf very ſenſible of their condition, breaking out into a pathetical exclamation: O my flock, Thou art oppreſſed, and ſuffereſt hard things, which I ſee, am ſenſible of, and will ſpeedily remedy.
Behold, I judge between cattel and cattel.
I know the Cattel are not all of one nature; ſome are ſtrong, and ſome are weak; ſome are clean, and ſome unclean; and behold I take notice thereof, and put a difference between one and the other. The word for cattel is Seh, which ſignifies the ſmall cattel, as Lambs and Kids; Tzon the greater ſort of that kind, as ſheep and goats; and Bakar ſignifies Majora animalia, as Oxen, Aſſes, and the like.
Between the Rams and the he-goats.
The word for Rams is from foreign becauſe of their ſtrength, they are very ſtrong creatures: The word for he-goats is Gnattud …, which notes the greater goats, thoſe which lead the flo…k, and metaphorically the Rulers and leaders of the people, as Iſa: 14.9. Col gnattu de eretz, all the great goats of the earth, is the Hebrew; all the chief Ones of the earth ſaith our Tranſlation. By Rams ſome underſtand the good, gentle, and meek ones; by he-goats, the vile, wicked and unquiet ones. Diodate interprets Rams to be the violent, and Goats the filthy ones. I conceive by Rams & He-goats are meant, the leaders of the flock, the Rulers of the people which differed ingenio moribus factis, as Polanus ſaith; God would diſtinguiſh between the good and bad of theſe, and ſo of the people which are ſet out by the name of Cattel, and deal with them according to their wayes and works, where by Cattel are meant the meaner and poorer ſort of people, by Rams and He-goats, the rich and great ones.
Verſ. 18. Seemeth it a ſmall thing unto you to have eaten up the good Paſtures.
Here again by way of Apoſtrophe God ſpeaks to the Rams and He-goats, which had good paſtures, plenty of all things, great bleſſings, Milk, Honey, and fat of the Land; they had the chief places, Lands, and fruits of the earth, they had gotten all conſiderable in Church or State into their own hands; they lived deliciouſly and oppreſſed others, which they thought to be nothing; but ſaith God, Seemeth it a ſmall matter unto you? you deceive your ſelves, its a grievous crime, and that you ſhall know.
But ye muſt tread down with your feet the reſidue of your paſtures?
Wanton Sheep when they are full, run up and down, treading upon the paſtures, ſo that they become uneatable, or leſſe pleaſant, and nouriſhing, being eaten; ſo did the rich and great in State and Church, they corrupted juſtice, and the word of God with their inventions and traditions, ſo that the people were not fed, or fed with that which was unſavoury and unprofitable: Or thus, they troubled the poor, and ſuffered them not quietly to enjoy that little they had; they were cruel to the Godly and poorer ſort, though they had abundance, ſerving their pride and luſts therewith; or having the principal of all things, they ſlighted and vilified the reſt.
And to have drunk of the deep Waters, but ye muſt foul the reſidue with your feet?
The word for deep is foreign Miſhkah, which properly is ſedimentum, whatever ſettles and goes down to the bottom; ſo that by a figure call'd Hyppallage, Sedimentum aquarum, is put for aquas ſedimenti, waters of ſetling, that is, pure and clear waters, and ſo divers Expoſitors render the words. Some cattel when they have drunk, ſtamp and ſtir the mud in the waters, and ſo foul them that others cannot drink thereof; ſo did theſe Rams and Goats, ſo mud and foul the waters of the Sanctuary, and of the Civil ſtate, that the City of God was not made glad with them; there was no true juſtice, nor pure religion.
Verſ. 19. And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have troden with your feet, and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet.
By feet are expreſſed mens luſts, whereby they do defile things, Mark 9.45. If thy foot offend thee, cut it off. Foot is not to be taken litterally, but for any luſt that bears up a mans ſpirit for the preſent, and carries it up and down, as the feet do the body; they out of will, humour, luſt, mingled their traditions with the word of God, and corrupted juſtice, ſo that the flock had nothing pure in Church or State; they laid heavy burdens and taxes upon the people, and the commodities the Lord gave, which troubled their ſpirits, and ſowered their comforts unto them. Such interpretations they gave of the Law, as made it void and violated it, Ezek: 22.26.
Verſ. 20. Therefore, &c. Behold, I even I will judge between the fat Cattel, and between the lean Cattel.
Seeing ye deal thus with my Flock, ſaith God, I, even I that am the great ſhepherd, will distinguiſh and put a difference between Cattel and Cattel. There be fat ones, and lean ones, the one doth wrong and abuſe the other; the fat and ſtrong carry it proudly, and arrogantly againſt the lean and weak, which ought not to be: The Septuagint hath it between the ſtrong ſheep, and the weak ſheep: The Chaldee is, Between the rich man, and the poor man. The word for fat is Biriah, from Bara to create, becauſe there is a creating power put forth in making Cattel fat, and men rich.
Verſ. 21. Becauſe ye have thruſt with ſide and with ſhoulder, and puſht all the diſeaſed with your horns, &c.
Here he deſcribes the nature and manners of the fat Cattel; they being ſtrong were unkind, yea cruel towards the reſt, and thruſt them out of the fold, out of the flock, and paſtures alſo. The Noble men, the rich, and thoſe in power and place dealt ſometimes cunningly, ſometimes openly and violently with the poorer ſort, thruſting them out of their poſſeſſions, yea out of the Land; Ezek: 11.15. There were thoſe in Jeruſalem ſaid, Get ye far from the Lord; unto us is this Land given in poſſeſſion. Iſa: 66.11. Their brethren hated them, and caſt them out. The word to puſh is Nagach, which ſignifies to puſh with the horn, as Oxen and Rams do, Exod: 21.29. Now beſides this word is added Bekarnechem, which intends the ſenſe; you have puſhed with your horns, you have goared and hurt them greatly, you left not puſhing at them till you had ſlain them, or driven them quite away.
Verſ. 21. Therefore I will ſave my flock.
Seeing men are ſo unkind and cruel to my flock, uſing all their Art and power to do it miſchief, therefore will I take care of it, and deliver it; their ſides, ſhoulders and horns ſhall harm it no more; I will judge between Cattel and Cattel, I will bring judgement upon thoſe that have intreated my flock ſo ill, and it ſhall no longer be a prey unto them.
Firſt, Obſerve;
All in Gods Flock are not good, they are not all of one ſort; there are ſome fat, ſome lean, ſome ſtrong, ſome diſeaſed; there be He-goats and Rams, as well as others.
There were in Moſes dayes them that ſaid, All the Congregation is holy, every one of them, Numb: 16.3. but they that ſaid ſo, were unholy themſelves, He-goats and ſtrong Rams. As it was with Jeremies figs, there were good and bad, Jer: 24. ſo was it with the flock of God, there were good and bad in it; there were Lyons, Wolves, Goats and Swine mingled with the ſheep, Jer: 7.9, 10. Thieves, murtherers, adulterers, perjured perſons, and idolaters came to the Temple with thoſe that were innocent. In the waters are fiſh and frogs, in the field wheat and tares, and in the Flock of God, goats and ſheep.
Secondly, Obſerve;
Wicked men may have choice outward bleſſings, and that in abundance.
They had good paſtures, and in ſuch abundance as that they trod them down with their feet; the fat and ſweet of the Land was theirs, the beſt of all things, places and preferments were in their hands; honour, power, wealth, they abounded with. Nabal that ſtony-hearted-man was very great, he had three thouſand ſheep, one thouſand goats, 1 Sam: 25.2. and Job tells you that wicked men are mighty in power, Job 21.7. have houſes full of good things, Job 22.18. And David ſaith, They are fat, yea, incloſed in their own fat, Pſal. 17.10. They have the choiceſt of all things round about them. Ahab and Ahaz were both very wicked, yet one was King of Iſrael, and the other King of Judah; though all things come alike to all, yet uſually wicked men have the fatteſt paſtures, for their portion is in this life, Pſal: 17.14.
Thirdly, Obſerve;
Wicked men being fat and full, in place and power, do abuſe the bleſſings of God, are diſquieting and harmful unto others.
They are injurious to God, and thoſe they dwell amongſt: When their own turns were ſerved, they trod down the reſidue of the paſtures, they fowled the waters, they were unthankful for the beſt mercies, and made the reſt unfit for others; and this was not all, they thruſt with their ſides and ſhoulders, and puſh't with their horns; their ſtrength, wealth, honour, power, were all abuſed to the diſhonour of God, and prejudice of others. Thus was it of late amongſt us, the fat ones in State and Church did abuſe the bleſſings God had given them, corrupting juſtice and religion, diſquieting the inhabitants of the Land with their inventions, ſuperſtitions, oppreſſions, innovations, &c. And becauſe many would not bow to thei… wills, they thruſt ſorely at them with their ſides and ſhoulders, and puſh'd them ſo with their horns, that they drave them out of the Land. Its hard in proſperity to carry it rightly towards God or man.
Fourthly, Obſerve;
Though men think unthankfullneſſe towards God, and uncharitableneſs towards men, a ſmall matter, yet it is not ſo in Gods account.
Seemeth it a ſmall thing unto you to have eaten up the good paſture, but ye muſt tread down, &c. Muſt my flock eat & drink that which is troden down and fouled? and do you think it a ſmall matter? I tell you my thoughts are far otherwiſe; its a provoking ſin, calls for a weight of wrath, which when you feel, ye will confeſſe your ſin was not little. Many deal untowardly with men and God, and when they have ſo done, make ſlight of it, Iſa: 7.13. Is it a ſmall thing for you to weary men; but will ye weary God alſo? They refuſed to hear the Prophets, and to hear God, they wearied both with their delayes, ſhifts, and thought it a ſmall matter; but God judged it not ſo, as the 16. & 17. verſ. ſhew. God bleſſed Jeruſalem with choyce and various mercies, and ſhe ſacrificed her children unto idols; here ſhe was unthankfull to God, unmercifull unto her own fleſh, and thought it a matter of nothing; Ezek: 16.20. Is this of thy whoredoms a ſmall matter? Saith God, Thou thinkeſt ſo, but I think they are crying ſins, and will viſit thee accordingly, ver: 38.
Fifthly, Obſerve;
God will distinguiſh between the oppreſſors and the oppreſſed, between the bad and the good; he will puniſh the one, and deliver the other.
Behold, I, even I will judge between the fat Cattel and the lean; and becauſe the fat and ſtrong ones thruſt with their ſides and ſhoulders, and puſh'd with their horns, therefore God would feed them with judgement, (they ſhould have according to their deſerts) and deſtroy them; but for the weak, diſeaſed, oppreſſed, he would ſave them. Rich men, and thoſe that are great in the world, being wicked, do unjuſt things, thruſt hard at the people of God, keep them under, cut them ſhort, deprive them of their rights and liberties, yea, oft puſh them ſo with their horns, that they drive them out of all their enjoyments; Jerem: 40.12. Chap: 43.5. Iſa. 16.4. Let mine outcaſts dwell with thee Moab. The Goats and Rams had driven ſome of the …lock, not only out of the fold, but out of the field; this God beholds, and will recompence upon the oppreſſors heads, Pſal. 12.5. For the oppreſſion of the poor, for the ſighing of the needy, now will I ariſe, ſaith the Lord, I will ſet him in ſafety from him that puffeth at him. Japiach lo from him that would inſnare him. Lot ſighed and groaned in Sodom; and when the Sodomites did puff at him, and ſeek to inſnare him, the Lord aroſe and ſet him in ſafety, 2 Pet. 2.7, 8, 9. See Pſal: 37.37, 38, 39, 40. Did not the Lord of late make a diſtinction among us, between Cattel and Cattel? hath he not judged the fat and ſtrong ones, puniſhed the Rams and He-goats, and provided for his Flock? ſome there be ſtill, that thruſt with the ſide and ſhoulder, that puſh with their horns, with whom ere long God will reckon, and without repentance he will deſtroy them.