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"LORD saith;" and the LORD hath "not sent them: and they have made "others to hope that they would con"firm the word (y). 7. Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not "spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, "The LORD saith it;" albeit I "have not spoken? 8. Therefore thus "saith the LORD GOD; "Because ye "have spoken vanity and seen lies, "therefore behold, I am against you, "saith the LORD GOD. 9. And mine "hand shall be upon the prophets that

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see vanity, and that divine lies; they "shall not be in the assembly of my "people, neither shall they be writ"ten (z) in the writing of the house of "Israel, neither shall they enter (a) "into the land of Israel; and ye shall "know that I am the LORD GOD. "10. Because, even because they have "seduced my people, saying, "Peace," "and there was no peace; and one "built up a wall, and lo others "daubed it (b) with untempered mor "tar: 11. Say unto them which daub "it with untempered mortar, that it "shall fall: there shall be an over"flowing shower (c); and ye, O great "hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy "wind shall rend it. 12. Lo, when "the wall is fallen, shall it not be said "Where is the daubing unto you, "wherewith ye have daubed it ?"

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(y) v. 6. "That they would confirm the "word," i. e. "that what they foretold "would happen."

(z) v. 9. "Written, &c." i. e. inrolled in the registry of the house of Israel. (a) "Enter," i. e. "return."

(b) v. 10. "Daubed it, &c." (figurative): "lulled them with false hopes, false ap26 pearances of security; giving them what "had the semblance indeed of strength, "but not what is mentioned in verse 5. "a hedge to stand in the day of battle :" the daubers are the false prophets, and their wall pretended visions and false hopes of security and peace. See verse 16.

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(c) v. 11. "An overflowing shower, &c." Heavy calamities instead of peace." (d) v. 16. "And," or "when."

(e) v. 18. "Sew pillows," and "make "kerchiefs," i. e. (perhaps)" speak com"fort," lull into security." Sewing pillows or cushions to the arms, and making

"13. Therefore thus saith the LORD "GOD; "I will even rend it with a "stormy wind in my fury; and there "shall be an overflowing shower in "mine anger, and great hailstones in "my fury to consume it. 14. So will "I break down the wall that ye have "daubed with untempered mortar and "bring it down to the ground, so that "the foundation thereof shall be dis"covered, and it shall fall, and ye shall "be consumed in the midst thereof: "and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 15. Thus will I accomplish

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my wrath upon the wall, and upon "them that have daubed it with un"tempered mortar, and will say unto

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you, "The wall is no more, neither "they that daubed it;" 16. To wit, "the prophets of Israel which prophesy "concerning Jerusalem, and which see "visions of peace for her, and (d) there "is no peace, saith the LORD GOD. "17. Likewise, thou son of man, set "thy face against the daughters of thy "people, which prophesy out of their "own heart; and prophesy thou against "them, 18. And say, Thus saith the "LORD GOD; "Woe to the women that "sew pillows (e) to all (g) armholes (4), "and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls (i)! Will

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ye hunt the souls (k) of my people (?), "and will ye save the souls alive that kerchiefs on the head, might be symbols of quiet and peace."

(g)" All armholes," and "every sta"ture," "every one indiscriminately that "applies to you; without distinguishing "between those who look up to me, and "those who do not."

(h) "Armholes," or "elbows." (i)"To hunt souls," "by giving a "false confidence to sinners, and discou"raging the good.'

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(k)Hunt the souls of my people, and "save the souls alive that come unto you," i. e. " dishearten those who look to me, "and cheer up and encourage those who "look to you" the same as is meant in the next verse, by slaying the souls "that should not die, and saving the souls "alive that should not live;" and in v. 22. by making the heart of "the righteous "sad," and "strengthening the hands of "the wicked."

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come unto you (7)? 19. And will ye "pollute me (m) among my people for "handfuls of barley (n) and for pieces "of bread, to slay the souls that should "not die, and to save the souls alive "that should not live, by your lying to "my people that hear your lies? "20. Wherefore thus saith the LORD "God; "Behold, I am against your "pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the "souls to make them fly (o), and I will "tear them from your arms (p), and will "let the souls go, even the souls that ye "hunt to make them fly. 21. Your ker"chiefs also will I tear, and deliver

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() v. 18. 21. 23. "My people," i. e. "those who obey me," in opposition to the wicked, "those who come to you." This opposition should be attended to from v. 18. "The souls that should not die," and "the souls that are hunted to make them

fly," are those who in v. 18. 21. 23. have the appellation of "my people;" and in verse 22.-"the righteous, whom I have "not made sad," and "the souls that "should not live," are those "who come "unto you," who are called, v. 22. "the "wicked."

(m) v. 19. "Pollute me," "by pretended predictions, by ascribing to me what "have never said, and what will therefore never come to pass."

(n) "Handfuls of barley," i. e. "re"wards."

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CHAP. XIV. (9)

THEN came certain of the elders (7) of Israel unto me, and sat before me (s). 2. And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 3. "Son of man, "these men have set up their idols in "their heart (t), and put the stumbling"block (u) of their iniquity before (t) "their face: should I be enquired of at "all by them? 4. Therefore speak unto "them, and say unto them, Thus saith "the LORD God; Every man of the "house of Israel that setteth up his "idols in his heart, and putteth the "stumbling-block of his iniquity before "his face, and cometh to the prophet, "I the LORD will answer him that "cometh, according to the multitude of "his idols; 5. That I may take the "house of Israel in their own heart, "because they are all estranged from "me through their idols. 6. Therefore

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say unto the house of Israel, Thus "saith the LORD God, "Repent and "turn yourselves from your idols, and "turn away your faces from all your "abominations. 7. For every one of "the house of Israel, or of the stranger "that sojourneth in Israel, which sepa

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"and quiet when there is no peace, that my people (they who trust in me) shall be "free from the delusions you create."

(9) A solemn warning to the Jews to bring them back from idol worship; an intimation that in God's judgments one man's righteousness should save none but himself, but that still there should be a remnant left. Ezekiel was at this time in captivity in the land of Babylon. B. C. 593. (r) v. 1. "Of the elders," "who were "in captivity with Ezekiel."

(s) Sat before me," "that Ezekiel "might enquire of God on their behalf." Such enquiries were common in the times of the prophets. See ante, 579. note on 2 Sam. xxi. 1. and Jer. xxi. 2. and post, Ezek. xx. 1.

(t) v. 3." In their heart," and "before "their face;" "in mind and deed: not only "idolaters in heart, but have actually set idols to worship them." (u) "The stumbling-block of their ini"quity," i. e. "an idol."

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"rateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth "the stumbling-block of his iniquity "before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning "me; I the LORD will answer him by "myself. 8. And I will set my face 66 against that man, and will make him "a sign and a proverb (x), and I will "cut him off from the midst of my "people; and ye shall know that I am "the LORD. 9. And if (y) the prophet "be deceived when he hath spoken a "thing, I the LORD have deceived that "prophet, and I will stretch out my "hand upon him, and will destroy him "from the midst of my people Israel. "10. And they shall bear the punish"ment of their iniquity: the punish"ment of the prophet shall be even as "the punishment of him that seeketh "unto him: 11. That the house of "Israel may go no more astray from "me, neither be polluted any more "with all their transgressions: but that "they may be my people, and I may "be their God, saith the LORD God." 12. The word of the LORD came again to me, saying, 13. "Son of man, when "the land sinneth against me by tres"passing grievously, then will I stretch "out mine hand upon it, and will break "the staff of the bread thereof, and will "send famine upon it, and will cut off "man and beast from it. 14. Though

"these three men, Noah, Daniel (z),

(x) v. 8. "A sign and a proverb," "to be "referred to as an instance of God's ven"geance:" like 1s. lxv. 15. ante, 672. "Ye shall leave your name for a curse." See the note there.

(y) v. 9. "If, &c." or " if a prophet be "induced to speak a word," (i. e. " if he "assume to utter as a prophecy what he "has no commission to utter,) "I the Lord "will frustrate that prophet. 4 Hamm. "351." It is not to be supposed that God would punish a prophet for prophesying what he had himself suggested, and the offence referred to seems to be the daring to speak what God had not authorized. This presumption is made a subject of complaint in the preceding chapter, Ezek. xiii. 2, 3. and 6 to 9.

"and Job were in it, they should deliver "but their own souls (a) by their right

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eousness, saith the Lord GOD. 15. If "I cause noisome beasts to pass through "the land, and they spoil it, so that it "be desolate, that no man may pass "through because of the beasts: "16. Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord Gon, they "shall deliver neither sons nor daugh"ters; they only shall be delivered, "but the land shall be desolate. 17.Or "if I bring a sword upon that land, "and say, "Sword, go through the "land;" so that I cut off man and beast "from it: 18. Though these three men "were in it, as I live, saith the Lord "GOD, they shall deliver neither sons "nor daughters, but they only shall be "delivered themselves. 19. Or if I "send a pestilence into that land, and 66 pour out my fury upon it in blood, "to cut off from it man and beast: "20. Though Noah, Daniel, and Job

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were in it, as I live saith the Lord "GOD, they shall deliver neither son "nor daughter; they shall but deliver "their own souls by their righteousness. "21. For thus saith the Lord Gon, ""How much more when I send my "four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, "the sword, and the famine, and the "noisome beast, and the pestilence, "to cut off from it man and beast? "22. Yet behold, therein shall be left

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a remnant (b) that shall be brought

(z) v. 14. "Daniel," who was at this time living in Babylon.

(a)" Deliver but their own souls," ie "save only their own lives:" though God would have spared Sodom and Gomorrah, had there been ten righteous in it (Gen. xviii. 52.), and would have pardoned Je rusalem in Josiah's time could one righteous man have been found in it, (Jer. v. 1.) he had no longer such a disposition to forbearance.

(b) v. 22. "A remnant;" in all his denunciations God promised that a remnant should be left. This was calculated to keep up hope in the minds of the faithful, to satisfy them that God had not wholly cast off the nation, but that they might still expect out of it the great Deliverer, the

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CHAP. XVIII. (h)

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THE word of the LORD came unto me (i) again, saying, 2." What mean "ye, that ye use this proverb concerning "the land of Israel, saying, The fa❝thers (k) have eaten sour grapes, and "the children's teeth are set on edge? "3. As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye

Messiah. God afterwards signified distinctly by Jeremiah by what means they should escape: "He that abideth in this "city (Jerusalem) shall die by the sword, "and by the famine, and by the pestilence: "but he that goeth out, and falleth unto "the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall "live.

Jer. xxi. 9."

(c) Brought forth," viz. " in cap"tivity to Babylon," and accordingly in about five years, in the 11th of Zedekiah's reign, Zedekiah and the rest of the people that were left in Jerusalem, and the fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon, excepting only some of the poor of the land who were left to be husbandmen and vine-dressers, were carried to Babylon. 2 Kings xxv. 11, 12.-Jer. xxxix. 9, 10.-Jer. lii. 15, 16. and 2 Chron. xxxvi. 17 to 20.

(d)" Comforted," i. e. (perhaps) "by "being convinced of its justice, from see"ing the evil ways of those who were "spared, and by considering it a proof of "God's kind disposition towards the na"tion, that they also were not destroyed." (e) v. 23. They shall comfort you," i. e. (impersonally) 66 you shall be com"forted."

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(g) "Doings," i. e. "sins, presumptions."

(h) An intimation that every man should bear the consequences of his own acts; that a son should not suffer for his father's sins, nor be protected by a father's right

"shall not have occasion any more to "use this proverb in Israel. 4. Behold, "all souls are mine, as the soul of the "father, so also the soul of the son is "mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall "die. 5. But if a man be just, and do "that which is lawful and right, 6. And "hath not eaten upon the mountains (7), "neither hath lifted up his eyes (m) to "the idols of the house of Israel, nei"ther hath defiled his neighbour's wife, "neither hath come near to a men"struous woman, 7. And hath not "oppressed any, but hath restored (n) "to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled "none by violence, hath given his "bread to the hungry, and hath co"vered the naked with a garment, "8. He that hath not given forth upon 66 usury (0), neither hath taken any in66 crease, that hath withdrawn his hand "from iniquity, hath executed true

eousness; that a change from sin to righteousness or from righteousness to sin should produce the consequences of that change. A justification of God's ways, and an exhortation to repentance and obedience. The date is about 13 years after the commencement of the Babylonish captivity. B. C. 593.

(i) v. 1." Me," i. e. "Ezekiel," who was then captive in the land of Babylon.

(k) v. 2. The fathers, &c." Implying that the sons were punished not for their own sins, but for those of their fathers. The same proverb is noticed, Jer. xxxi. 29, 30. "In those days they shall say no

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more, the fathers have eaten a sour grape, "and the children's teeth are set on edge: "but every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape," (i. e. that sinneth) "his teeth "shall be set on edge," i. e. "shall bear "the punishment." The passage in Jeremiah is ascribed to the first year of the Babylonish captivity, twelve years before Ezekiel's.

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"judgment between man and man, "9. Hath walked in my statutes, and "hath kept my judgments to deal truly; "he is just, he shall surely live, saith "the Lord GOD. 10. If he beget a son "that is a robber, a shedder of blood, "and that doeth the like to any one of "these things, 11. And that doeth not 66 any of those duties, but even hath "eaten upon the mountains, and defiled "his neighbour's wife, 12. Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath 66 spoiled by violence, hath not restored "the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes "to the idols, hath committed abo"mination, 13. Hath given forth upon

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"shall be upon him, and the wickedness "of the wicked shall be upon him. "21. But if the wicked will turn from "all his sins that he hath committed, "and keep all my statutes, and do that "which is lawful and right, he shall

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surely live, he shall not die. 22. All "his transgressions that he hath com"mitted, they shall not be mentioned "unto him: in his righteousness that "he hath done, he shall live. 23. Have "I any pleasure at all that the wicked "should die? saith the Lord God; and "not that he should return from his ways and live? 24. But when the 66 righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, "and doeth according to all the abo"minations that the wicked man doeth, "shall he live? all his righteousness "that he hath done shall not be men❝tioned in his trespass that he hath

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66 usury, and hath taken increase: shall ❝he then live? he shall not live: he "hath done all these abominations, he "shall surely die; his blood shall be 66 upon him. 14. Now lo, if he beget

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trespassed, and in his sin that he hath "sinned, in them shall he die. 25. Yet ye say, "The way of the LORD is not equal." Hear now, O house of Israel, "Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? 26. When a righteous "man turneth away from his righteous

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ness, and committeth iniquity, and "dieth in them; for his iniquity that he "hath done, shall he die. 27. Again; "when the wicked man turneth away "from his wickedness that he hath com

"a son that seeth all his father's sins
"which he hath done, and considereth
"and doeth not such like, 15. That
"hath not eaten upon the mountains,
"neither hath lifted up his
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eyes to the
"idols of the house of Israel, hath not
"defiled his neighbour's wife, 16. Nei-
"ther hath oppressed any, hath not
"withholden the pledge, neither hath
"spoiled by violence, but hath given
"his bread to the hungry, and hath
"covered the naked with a garment,
"17. That hath taken off his hand from
"the poor, that hath not received usury
"nor increase, hath executed my judg-
"ments, hath walked in my statutes;
" he shall not die for the iniquity of his
"father, he shall surely live. 18. As
"for his father, because he cruelly op-
"pressed, spoiled his brother by vio-
"lence, and did that which is not good

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among his people, lo, even he shall "die in his iniquity. 19. Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? when the son "hath done that which is lawful and "right, and hath kept all my statutes, "and hath done them, he shall surely "live. 20. The soul that sinneth, it "shall die: the son shall not bear the " iniquity of the father, neither shall the "father bear the iniquity of the son; "the righteousness of the righteous

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mitted, and doeth that which is lawful “and right, he shall save his soul alive. "28. Because he considereth, and turn"eth away from all his transgressions "that he hath committed, he shall sure "ly live, he shall not die. 29. Yet, "saith the house of Israel, "The way "of the LORD is not equal." O house ❝ of Israel, are not my ways equal? are "not your ways unequal? 30. Therefore "I will judge you, O house of Israel,

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every one according to his ways, saith "the Lord GOD. Repent and turn "yourselves from all your transgressions, "so iniquity shall not be your ruin. "31. Cast away from you all your trans"gressions whereby ye have trans

gressed, and make you a new heart " and a new spirit; for why will ye die, "O house of Israel? 32. For I have

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