Observations Upon the Old Testament, Commentary · Lamentations – Ezekiel
Lamentations.
THese are not those of Jeremie, for Josiah, 2 Chron. XXXV. 25. No more, then those were for him, Ezek. XIX. 1, 14. which indeed were commanded to be taken up by Ezekiel, for Jehoachaz, and Jehojakim; But these were written by Jeremie, in the time of the Babylonish captivity, after the Temple of the Lord, and Citie of Jerusalem were burnt, and destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar: Lamenting here those more then lamentable miseries; As the whole Matter and Contents of this Book doth declare: And particularly, that very passage it self, chap. IV. 20. which is appliable properly to King Zedekiah; and not to King Josiah. The LXX and Jerome, doth expresse this very time, in the beginning of the Book it self.
These Lamentations are full of Pathetical expressions. And for the weight of the Matter, and the Help of Memorie; The first, second, and fourth Chapters do containe twenty two verses apiece, according to the number of the Letters of the Hebrew Alphabet; and do begin each verse with one of them in their order methodicaly. And chap. III. contains 66. verses, treble the former number: And begins each three of them, with one letter of the Hebrew Alphabet, in the order methodicaly. The last Chapter only is without this Art.
Many Signes of Lamentations are expressed here. Which from hence, and other Scriptures, may more fully be gathered, thus; Sighing, Mourning; mournful Songs; weeping, howling; Fasting; changing of the garments, mourning women, Ier. IX. 17. 2 Chron. XXXV. 25. Amos V. 16. rending of the Cloathes; wearing black, and sack cloth; sitting on the ground, and keeping silence; lying prostrate upon the ground, sitting, lying, covering, rowling, wallowing in ashes; in dust, and ashes; casting up dust, ashes, earth upon them, and their heads; spreading, and wringing the hands; laying the hands upon the head; smiting with the hand; stamping with the feet; hanging down the head; uncovering the head, and bare, and againe in some ages, the covering the head, covering head and face too, as our close mourners; covering the upper lip; bare-foot, shaving the head and beard; making baldnesse; plucking off the haire; beating the breast; printing marks upon the flesh; tearing it; cutting it. Amongst other places, see these, viz. Lam. II. 10. and III. 16. Lev. X. 6. and XIII. 45. and XIX. 27, 28. and XXI. 5, 10. Deut. XIV. 1. Iosh. VII. 6. 1 Sam. IV. 12. 2 Sam. I. 2. and XIII. 19. and XIV. 2. and XV. 30, 32. and XIX. 4. 2 Chron. XXXV. 25. Ier. IX. 17. Ezra IX. 3. Ester IV. 1, 3. and VI. 12. Iob I. 20. II. 12. XLII. 6. Esay XV. 2, 3. and LVIII. 8. Jer. II. 37. and VI. 26. and XIV. 3, 4. and XVI. 6, 7. and XXV. 34 Ezek. XXIV. 17. and XXVII. 30. Micah I. 10, 16. Amos V. 16. Nahum. II. 7. Luke XVIII 13. Lam. I. 17. Ier. VII. 29. and IX. 17, 18. XIV. 3, 4. XVI. 6, 7. XLI. 5. XLVIII. 36, 37. Lam. III. 48. Ezek. VI. 11. VII. 18.
In the Observations and Explanations upon this Book; as also upon Daniel; and the twelve small Prophets; I am the briefer, because that portion fell to my share in the last Great English Annotations; to which in many things I shall now refer thee.
Ezekiel.
EZEKIEL, like as Ieremie, was both Priest, and Prophet. Being carried captive with Jehojacin, He prophesies in Chaldea: And calling that His captivity, as was said, he makes it his Epocha; and from thence begins the accompt and reckoning of years, in all the distinct times of his several Prophecies, throughout his Book; Thus,
In Jehojacins Captivity. In the
V. Year, fourth monethmonth, fifth day, He begins to Prophesie, chap. I. 2, 3. And so continues on in the seven first chapters: with some other short Notations of Times, soone following, chap. III. verse 15, 22,—27. and chap. IV. v. 5.
VI. Year, sixth monethmonth, fifth day, (420. dayes from the former time, chap. I. v. 2.) He was carried in a Vision to Jerusalem, chap. VIII. 1, 2, 3. chap. IX. chap. X. chap. XI. 24. And thereafter doth continue on Prophesying to the twentieth chapter.
VII. Year, fifth monethmonth, tenth day, (335. dayes from that time, chap. VIII. 1.) He was consulted by the Elders. And thereupon Prophesied, Chapters 20, 21, 22, 23.
IX. Year, tenth monethmonth▪ tenth day (when the siege of Ierusalem began, 2 Kings XXV. 1, 2.) He Prophesied, Chapters 24, 25.
X. Year, tenth monethmonth, twelfth day; Against Pharaoh, and Egypt, Chap. XXIX. v. 1,—17.
XI. Year, first monethmonth (though some think the fifth) fifth day, against Tyrus, Chapters 26, 27, 28. v. 1,—20.
Zidon, chap. XXVIII. v. 20,—26.
First monethmonth, seventh day; Against Egypt, chapter XXX. v. 20,—26.
Third monethmonth, first day; Against Egypt, chap. XXXI.
Fourth monethmonth, ninth day; The Citie taken, Jer. LII. 5, 6. 2 Kings XXV. 2, 3, 4.
Fifth monethmonth, tenth day; Nebuzaradan burnt the Temple, and Citie, Jer. LII. 12, 13.
XII. Year, tenth monethmonth, fifth day; The newes brought to Ezekiel. And then he Prophesied, chap. XXXIII. v. 21,—33. and chapters XXXIV.—XL.
Twelfth monethmonth, first day; Against Egypt, ch. XXXII. 1,—16. Fifteenth day; Against Egypt, chap. XXXII. v. 17,—32. and chap. XXXIII. 1,—20.
XXV. Year, first monethmonth, tenth day; He hath that large Vision, chapters XL.—XLVIII.
XXVII. Year, first monethmonth, first day; Against Egypt, chap. XXIX. v. 17,—21. and chap. XXX. v. 1,—19.
The Glory of the Lord
Appearing
By Chebar, ch. I. 3,—28.
In the Plaine, chap. III. 22, 23.
In Jerusalem, ch. VIII. 4, and c. X. 15, 20, 22.
Departing, by degrees, chap. VIII. 3, 4, 5, 6. and IX. 3. and chap. X. 3, 4, 5, 18, 19. and chap. XI. 22, 23.
Returning, chap. XLIII. 2, 3, 4.
The Measures mentioned in the Description of Ezekiels Visionarie Temple; and Division of the Land, chap. XL.—XLVIII. are Calamus, and Cubitus; the Reed, and the Cubit. The length of the Reed is defined, chap. XL. 5. and XLI. 8. That of the Cubit, is more usualy known; adding that, chap. XLI. 8. and XLIII. 13. See more of these, in my Annotations upon Ezekiel XL. 5. among those large Annotations upon the Bible, printed Anno 1651. By the Cubits are measured, the Gates, East, North, South, of the Exterior; and of the Inner Courts: with their Posts, Porches, Arches, and Chambers: The Courts, and the Pillars, and Chambers about them; The Tables: Chambers of the Singers, and of the Priests; and the Porch of the House, chap. XL. The several Parts, Places, and Chambers of the Temple; and of the Separate Place, chap. XLI. The North-Chambers; and South-Chambers; before the Separate Place, ch. XLII. The Altar of Burnt-Offerings, chap. XLIII. And the waters, chap. XLVII. 3. By Reeds, besides a few other parts, chap. XL. 6, 7, 8. there is, or seemes to be, Measured; The Wall about the outmost Court; five hundred Reeds, on each side of that square Court, ch. XLII. 15,—20. Which, if Literaly understood, it makes the Temple, and all Holy Building about it; and the Courts of it, to be bigger then Solomons Temple, and all the Citie of Jerusalem with it. But if we understand by five hundred Reeds, Reeds of five hundred Cubits, that is, making up five hundred Cubits, on each side of that Square Court; as Tremelius doth; And indeed the Suburbs of it are named to be fifty Cubits …ound about, chap. XLV. 2. Then we shall bring that Sacred Visionarie Building into a spacious, yet reasonable and proportionable quantity; But with a very harsh, as it seemes, translation of the words of the sacred Text. And as for that Oblation of the Land offered to the Lord, that Holy Portion for the Priests; and for the Levites: and that Land for the Citie of Jerusalem, and Suburbs, and Use of it being in all 25000. square; mentioning neither Reeds, nor Cubits, chap. XLVIII. 20. And the Princes Portion of Land, lying on the outside of it, East, and West, chap. XLVIII. 21. If we take that great Square to be so many Reeds, as most do; with very great probability in this Visionarie Division; We shall so make that Visionarie Square to be as big as the whole Land of Canaan. But if we understand it of Cubits, we shall bring it to be about the compasse of twenty five miles on each side of the square: and so leave a proportionable quantity of Land for the twelve Tribes, chap. XLVIII.
stand upon thy feet—set me upon my feet] chapter II verse 1, 2. God with the command gives the power and act of performance. And so Grace, and Regeneration is both Gods Fromise, and Work, Ezek. XI. 19, 20. and XVIII. 31. with chap. XXXVI. 26. and chap. XI. 19.
land of Pathros] A Province in Egypt, chapter XXIX verse 14 chap. XXX. 14. Jer XLIV. 1, 15. possessed by the Pathrusim, or Pathruses which were of the lineages of Mitsraim, or Egyptus, Gen. X. 14. 1 Chron. I. 12. Likely the same with Thebais, higher and further up in the Countrey the Noph, Esay XI. 11.
Lybia] Heb. chapter XXX verse 5 Phut, or Phuth, or Put. These Lybians were of the same race with the Ethiopians, Gen. X. 6. 1 Chron. I. 6. Seated in Africa, to the West of Egypt.
Lybia] These were in Africa, and came of Lud, the sonne of Mizraim, and grandchild of Cham, Gen. X 6, 13. Ger. XLVI. 9. The Lydians in Asia, or Anatolia came of Lud the sonne of Shem, Gen. X. 22. Esay LXVI. 19. See the Annotations on Ezek. XXX. 5.
Tehaphnehes] Or, Tahapanes, verse 18 or Tachapanes, Tapanhes, or Tachpanches, and the same, as it seemes in a contracted forme Hanes, or Chanes, Esay XXX. 4. a Prime Citie in Egypt: taking likely its name from Tahpenes Queene of Egypt, 1 Kings XI. 19, 20. Seated not farre from Pelusium; whence termed by the Greeks and Latines Daphnae Pelusiacae. See Jer. II. 16. Here J…remy was, chap. XLIII. 8.
Ezek. XLVIII. 8,—22. In this Visionary Description, The Portion or holy Oblation of Land, for the Priests, and the Sanctuary; for the Levites; for the Citie, and Suburbs; for the Prince; was all at most no greater or biger then the several Portions for each of the other Tribes. And therefore in that Draught of mine set forth by my learned and industrious friend Master Thomas Fuller in his Pisgah-sight of Palestine, V. Book. page 189. I desire to be rightly so understood, and no otherwise. The said Draught is represented there in a far larger Proportion. But the only Reason was, That so there might be roome enough for the setting down of the several Situations, and Limits among themselves, of the Priests Portion, and of the Sanctuarie in the midst of it; And of the Levites Portion by themselves; And of the Citie Jerusalem, and Suburbs, of it, by themselves; And of the Princes Portion, lying, and guarding, as it were, all the former, at both Ends, East, and West. The true quantity of all this, in relation to the other Tribes, being no other then I have formerly expressed.