Exposition of Ezekiel 1-5, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 3 · Verse 15
VER. 15.
Then I came to them of the captivity of Tel-abib, &c.
IN this Verſe is the terminus of his journey, and his condition at the end of it, mourning and ſadneſſe.
The word Tel-abib ſignifies a heap of new fruits, or green eares of corn,A cervum novarū frugum. Ad opera ruſtcana exercenda. of TEL acervus & ABIB ſpica matureſcens; Jerome, and the Vulgar tranſlate it, a heap of new fruit or corne; and Jerome thinks the Jewes were placed there, to plough, ſow, reap, threſh, and that now they were beating out the new corn; but this opinion wee cannot admit, for it was in the fourth monethmonth, Chap. 1.1. that Ezekiel had his Viſion, and their harveſts in thoſe hot countries were not in the fourth monethmonth, but rather in the firſt or ſecond. The Iſraelites came out of Egypt in the monethmonth Abib, Exod. 13.4. and that was their firſt monethmonth, Exod. 12.2. and anſwered to the latter end of that monethmonth is call'd January, and to the beginning of the other call'd February; and in Exod. 9.31. it's ſaid, the Barley was in the eare; the word is Abib, an eare of corn, and denominates the monethmonth, becauſe in it the Barley eared; ſo then it could not be harveſt when Ezekiel came to them at Tel-abib, it was rather over: wee take the word for the name of a place, as Telmelah, Telharſa in Ezra 2.59. in their Etymologie, the one ſignifies a heap of wood, the other a heap of ſalt; yet by Ezra they are call'd places: theſe were they went up from Telmelah, Telharſa, &c. ſo Tel-abib here: And it was in the middle part of Meſopotamia, between two rivers, Chebar and Saocorah; and here they were placed as Junius thinks, both to ſecure them, that they might not think of geting away, being ſhut up between two rivers, or if they did, not eaſily accompliſh it; and ſecondly, to ſecure the place, which was ſubject to inundations, and ſo un-inhabited, and opened to enemies, but now by their labour, art and ſtrength, might be made uſefull and defenſive.
By the river of Chebar: of that River, was ſpoken in Chap. 1. ver. 1.
I ſate by them, that ſate, and remained there aſtoniſhed ſeven dayes.
Sitting notes a quiet poſture of the body, abiding in a place, Exod. 16.3. when wee ſate by the fleſh-pots, that is, abode, dwelt where wee had them. Alſo great grief, Lam. 2.10. The Elders of the daughter of Sion ſit upon the ground and keep ſilence; and ſo in that place in Iſaiah 47.8. I ſhall not ſit as a widow, ſolitary, mourning, in deep ſorrow; to which alludes that in Lam. 1.1. How doth the City ſit ſolitary? how is ſhe become as a widow? great grief ſilenceth the whole man; the tongue ſpeaks not, the body moves not, Job 2.13. Jobs friends ſit down with him upon the ground ſeven dayes and nights, and none ſpake a word to him, for they ſaw that his grief was very great; ſo great, it made them all quiet and huſht, and ſeven dayes he ſate in that dolefull poſture, becauſe they were uſed to mourn ſeven dayes in caſes of great grief, as Joſeph mourned ſeven dayes for his father, Gen. 50.10.Septemdialis luctus eſt quoddam acerbi doloris …nd… cium & benevolentis animi legitimum argumentum. and ſeven dayes mourning is an argument of great grief, and a teſtimony of much love. If we refer our Prophets mourning, to the condition which the Jewes were coming to, it might be lawfull, hee ſaw their death and funerall was at hand; and ſo being ſenſible, laid it deeply to heart, and bewailed it ſeven daies, teſtifying his good will and affection to them; but if we refer it to his unwillingneſſe to go in the ſervice Chriſt call'd him to, it is not excuſeable, but a farther argument of his great weakneſſe. The cauſe of the Prophets ſitting there ſeven dayes, might be to know the ſtate of the people more exactly, to whom he was to propheſie; it might be upon divine command; it might alſo be for fa…ther direction from God when to begin his Prophecy; a Prophet he was made, but had no time appointed to begin his hard work; it might alſo be to prepare and awaken the people, that ſeeing him ſit ſtill, ſad, amazed, they might inquire what this ſtrange ſadneſſe meant, and ſo his word take the deeper impreſſion when hee ſhould ſpeak unto them.
Aſtoniſhed.
The Hebrew word Maſmim, from Shamam, foreignnotes great aſtoniſhment, even to wonder, Iſa. 59.16. hee wondered that there was no interceſſour; it notes alſo deſolation, and may here be rendered, I ſate deſolate ſeven dayes; the Spirit left me in that place, and men regarded me not, being full of grief, and telling them I had ſad newes, ſo the word is uſed, Lam. 5.18. The mountain of Sion is deſolate; and thus we may take it: the Viſion being ended, the Prophet ſet down there by the Spirit, and neither ſeeing, hearing, or having to do now with Chriſt, the living creatures, wheels, or the Spirit, found himſelf deſolate, and was aſtoniſhed at that great change.foreign. The Septuagint renders it converſans, intimating the Prophets meditating, and inward diſcourſing of the miſeries and woes were written in the roul, and coming upon the people; the hard task he had to perform among this people.
Obſerv. 1. That in the place and condition God ſets his, they muſt abide in the ſame; the Spirit brings Ezekiel to Tel-abib, there hee continues, abides, till the Spirit adviſeth his departure; let him be among captives, between overflowing rivers, he continues and ſtirs not; it muſt not be any ſleight thing that removes men from the Calling God hath ſet them in; Miniſters may not at pleaſure skip from place to place, as if there were no tie upon them, neither captivity, incorrigibleneſſe of perſons, nor diſcommodity of place are weighty enough to take off Ezekiel from that place and people the Spirit had ſet him over; when the Holy Ghoſt hath ſet men over a flock, they muſt take heed to that flock, and not ſeek occaſion to be gone upon diſcontents, &c. the worſt are forwardeſt to remove, the Bramble will leave his place to be King, when the Olive, Fig-tree, and Vine will not ſtir; Chriſt will not be made a King by intreaty, nor by force.
2. The men of this world are politique for their own ends; the captivity were placed at Tel-abib, between two rivers, that they might not get away, that they might make that part of the countrey ſtrong and uſefull: worldly men are wiſer in their generation then the children of light; how cunningly did Pharaoh deal with the Iſraelites? Exod. 1.10.Let us work wiſely with them, (ſaith hee) they multiply, and we are in danger, left upon any occaſion they take part with our enemies, or make a head of themſelves, or attempt an eſcape; Come, let us ſet task-maſters over them, wear them out with much work, and imploy them to build cities for us. Here was the cunning to avoyd the name of tyranny, hee will not deſtroy them with ſword, fire, open violence, but work they muſt in brick and clay, and fall by hard labour; ſo hee covers up his cruelty under a faire pretence, and provides for his own ſecurity and profit in the Iſraelites ſervice. Wicked and worldly men are all ſelf, and all their actions draw homewards, they are their own centers; the wiſdome of the fleſh, of the Serpent, of the world is theirs, and they muſt needs be crafty for themſelves.
3. The condition of the Saints and ſervants of God is very changeable here: Ezekiel hath a glorious Viſion, ſight of, and converſe with Chriſt, the company of Angels, ſees the courſe and motion of things in the world, had the Spirit enter into him, comforting him, aſſuming and aſſiſting him; and now he is a deſolate, an aſtoniſhed man, he ſits as one forſaken of all; here was a great change, and it was not Ezekiels caſe alone, others, even all the Worthies of God, have found the like: David was ſtrong through divine favour, and quickly troubled for the want of Gods face; hee had his ſingings and his ſorrowings, Pſal. 30. hee was oft in the valleys, Pſal. 25.16, 17. I am deſolate and afflicted; the troubles of my heart are inlarged; and Pſal. 143. My ſpirit is overwhelmed, my heart within me is deſolate. Paul is one day rapt up into the third heavens, and another day hee hath a thorne in the fleſh; if hee have the revelation of the Spirit to exalt him, hee hath the buffettings of Satan to humble him; Paul himſelf knew changes.
4. Diſtempers of ſpirit faſten and continue oft with the ſervants of God: Ezekiel was in his diſtemper of bitterneſſe and heat of ſpirit ſeven dayes; it's not eaſie to ſhake off diſtempers when they have taken hold of us: Jonas was in an ill humour and frame of ſpirit many dayes together; hee muſt be drencht, buried and boyl'd in the Whales belly, ere hee will be pliable to the Will of God; when Ʋzzah was ſmitten for his error, David was diſpleaſed, and in a pet with God himſelf, and would not bring the Ark in three moneths to Sion, 2 Sam. 6.
5. Diſtemperedneſſe of ſpirit unfits for the ſervice of God;Jam. 1.19, 20. Per iram ſapientia perditur ut quid qu…ve ordine agendu… ſit omnino neſc…atur, Greg 5. Moral. c. 30. he fits ſeven dayes, and nothing is done. The Apoſtle James knew this, and therefore ſaid, Be ſlow to wrath; for the wrath of man worketh not the righteouſneſſe of God; wrath darkens the mind, and puts all out of frame: wiſe men in their wrath ſee not their wayes nor work, when the light of Reaſon, truth, and the Spirit is gone, what can a man do befitting God? wrath makes men bungle in their own buſineſſes,Per iramlux veritatis amittitur, Spiritus ſanct… ſplendor excluditur, ibid. much more in the Lords, it works not the righteouſneſſe of God, but its own righteouſneſſe, that ſeems right in its own eyes, that ſhall be done; Ezekiel thought it right not to propheſie, not to ſubmit to the will of Chriſt, and work of the Spirit, but his paſſion was prejudice to him and to the work of God; it's evill when wrath prevents reaſon, forceth it to action,Aquin. 3. p. q. 15. art. 9. then what ever is done, is the work of anger, not of reaſon, not of righteouſneſſe; when wrath hath the kingdome, when that is in the head and heart, there is no place for the righteouſneſſe of God:Vbi eſt ira, ibi non eſt Dominus, ſed amica Satanae, l. 2. Conſt. this made Clem. ſay, where wrath dwels, God dwells not. Wrath is a ſpeciall friend of Satans, many of his counſels and deſignes are effected by it; the more of this humour, the more ſervice hath hell, the leſſe of it, the more ſerviceable for heaven: Moſes was the meekeſt man upon the earth, and he did moſt work for heaven; Chriſt was meeker then all other, and he did work the righteouſneſſe of God effectually, hee did work for heaven and earth.
6. That the Prophets could not propheſie at their pleaſure; Ezekiel ſits ſeven dayes, and there's no propheſying. Aquinas hath a queſtion, whether prophecy be a habite; if it were ſo, it is in the power of man to uſe it any time, but ſo could not the Prophet, when the Shunamites ſon was dead, and ſhee came to Eliſha, what ſaid hee? Her ſoul is in bitterneſſe, and the Lord hath hid it from me, 2 Kings 4.27. and hath not told me: unleſſe the Lord reveal himſelf unto them, de novo, the Prophet could not tell things; the School-men therefore conclude, that prophecy is not in the Prophet per modum habitus, ſed per modum impreſſionis tranſeuntis, habites are permanent things, but prophecy is a tranſient thing, as light in the ayr; for as the ayr doth alwayes need a new illumination; ſo the mind of a Prophet doth alwayes need a new revelation, elſe the Prophet ſits in darkneſſe, and knowes not more then other men; Lam. 2.9. Her Prophets find no viſion from the Lord; and ſo in Pſal. 74.9. There is no more any Prophet, neither is there among us any that knoweth how long. It was night oft with the Prophets: Nathan ſpake not from heaven, when hee bid David go, and do all was in his heart touching the building of God an houſe; for it is ſaid, that night came the Word of the Lord unto Nathan, 2 Sam. 7.3, 4. before he had not a word, and when it came, it was not for David, but Solomon, to build the houſe;Aliquando Prophetiae ſpiritus deeſt Prophetis, nec ſemper corum mentibus praeſto eſt, Hom. 1. in Ezek. ſo that it's true which Gregory ſaith, Sometimes the ſpirit of prophecy is wanting to the Prophets, and their mindes are dark; Samuel miſtook, when hee ſaid, Surely the Lords anointed is before him, 1 Sam. 16.6, 7.