Ezekiel 19:14 Komentář

The scope of this chapter is much the same with that of the 17th, to foretel and lament the ruin of the house of David, the royal family of Judah, in the calamitous exit of the four sons and grandsons of Josiah - Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jeconiah, and Zedekiah, in whom that illustrious line of kings was cut off, which the prophet is here ordered to lament (Eze 19:1). And he does it by similitudes. I. The kingdom of Judah and house of David are here compared to a lioness, and those princes to lions, that were fierce and ravenous, but were hunted down and taken in nets (Eze 19:2-9). II. That kingdom and that house are here compared to a vine, and these princes to branches, which had been strong and flourishing, but were now broken off and burnt (Eze 19:10-14). This ruin of that monarchy was now in the doing, and this lamentation of it was intended to affect the people with it, that they might not flatter themselves with vain hopes of the lengthening out of their tranquility.

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 19 The subject matter of this chapter is a lamentation for the princes and people of the Jews, on account of what had already befallen them, and what was yet to come, Eze 19:1. The mother of the princes is compared to a lioness, and they to lions; who, one after another, were taken and carried captive, Eze 19:2; again, their mother is compared to a vine, and they to branches and rods for sceptres, destroyed by an east wind, and consumed by fire, Eze 19:10.

And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches,.... By "her branches" are meant the rest of the Jews left in the land; and by the "rod" of them King Zedekiah, now on the throne, when this prophecy was given out; the "fire" said to go out of him signifies his rebellion against the king of Babylon, his breaking covenant and oath with him, which greatly provoked the Lord, and brought down the fire of his wrath upon him, Kg2 24:20; which hath devoured her fruit; destroyed the people by sword, famine pestilence, and captivity; yea, the city and temple of Jerusalem, with the palaces and houses therein, were burnt with material fire; their king was taken, and his eyes put out; his sons were slain, and all the princes of Judah: so that she hath no strong rod to be a sceptre to rule; none to be king, or succeed in the kingdom; and there never was a king after of the family of David, or of the tribe of Judah, till Shiloh the Messiah came; though there were princes and governors, yet no sceptre bearer, no king. The Targum of the whole is, "and there came people who were strong as fire, and, because of the sins of her pride, slew her people; and there were not in her strong rulers, kings that are mighty to subdue kingdoms;'' this is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation; that is, this prophecy, as the Targum, is a lamentation, or matter of lamentation; what of it had been already fulfilled occasioned lamentation; and, when the rest should be fulfilled, it would be the cause of more. Lamentable was the case of the Jews already, but it would be still more so when all that was foretold of them should be accomplished. It denotes the continuance of the sad estate of that people; and perhaps may refer to their present condition, which will continue till they are turned to the Lord. Next: Ezekiel Chapter 20

(Verse 10 and following) Your mother is like a vine planted over the water, your blood. Its fruits and branches grew abundantly from many waters. And solid rods became scepters of rulers for it, and its stature was elevated in its branches. And it saw its height in the multitude of its palm trees. And in anger, it was uprooted and thrown to the ground, and a scorching wind dried up its fruit. Its strong rods withered and dried up, and fire consumed it. And now she has been transplanted into a desert in an impassable land and thirsty. And fire went out from the rod of its branches, which consumed its fruit, and there was no strong branch in it, the scepter of rulers. It lamented, and it will be mourned. Your mother is like a vineyard, like a flower in a pomegranate tree planted in water. Its fruit and offspring came from much water. And a branch of strength was made for it among the tribes of leaders: and it was exalted in its greatness among its branches. And he saw his greatness in the multitude of his palm trees, and it was broken in fury: it was thrown to the ground, and a burning wind dried up its chosen ones. They were avenged, and the rod of his strength was dried up. Fire consumed it, and now they have planted it in a desert, in a land without water, and fire has come out from the rod of its chosen ones, and devoured it, and there was no rod of strength in it. It is a lamentation in three parts, and it will be a mourning. In different speeches, the same thing is said. And just as in previous readings we read that Jerusalem is compared to a beautiful woman, and again a lioness who nursed lions in her lair, now the vine or vineyard is compared to the most beautiful one, which was planted over the waters and therefore the branches, nourished by the moisture, have grown so much that one branch, which Scripture calls a very strong or mighty rod, has become the ruler's scepter. In order to translate the Septuagint into the language of the three leaders, so that kings would be made from it. But the vineyard itself was of such beauty that the splendor of its strength was equal to the flowers of the pomegranate, which in Hebrew is called a vineyard in your blood, compared to the redness of the flowers. Therefore, the lofty and upright vineyard was exalted. For God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). It was uprooted in the anger of the Lord and thrown down to the ground, so that the ruins of Jerusalem would preserve the elegant translation of the vine. However beautiful the vineyard may be, and however far its branches extend, if you take away the poles and stakes, joined to the earth, it withers from the heat, especially if the burning wind, which the Greeks call καύσωμα, dries up its fruit, so that it withers and is consumed as if by the heat of fire. As for the addition in the Septuagint: They have been avenged, instead of what is written in Hebrew, they have withered, I cannot determine what significance it may have. Therefore, how is that vineyard of such fertility and abundance, and of such beauty, now transplanted into a desert, into a rough and thirsty land? However, it signifies the land of Babylon to which they were transplanted, or Egypt to which they fled, or the land of Judah itself, in which a few poor remained, of whom Godolias (also called Gotholias) was appointed governor to gather and govern the remnants of the people (2 Kings 25). Against whom he rose up from the royal stock, and from the branch of the vineyard of Ishmael, who slew him in Maspha (also called Masepha), and ate up all the fruit of the vineyard, and from thence was no strong rod to be left, nor a sceptre of great power (Jeremiah 40 and 41). For no king remained that might govern the people, but they all fled with Johanan the son of Careah into Egypt. Therefore bewail we and lament that the royal race which in Judea hath ceased no more till he come that is to be laid upon it: and he shall be the desire of nations (Genesis 49:10). From this it is clear, both from the previous passage, in which it is said: Why did your mother, a lioness, lie down among lions? and from this passage, in which it is written: Your mother, like a vine planted by the water, belonged to Jerusalem, which lost its lions and its branches, and the rod that would rise among the tribes or the scepter of those in power did not remain in it. For it begins with mourning and ends in mourning. Assume mourning over the leaders of Israel. This is, in the beginning and now at the end, a lamentation; and with lamentation and mourning, the royal line is to be pursued like a parable. Furthermore, according to the allegory, which others refer to heavenly Jerusalem, they say that from it many have fallen into this valley of tears, and kings have ceased to be, and the once beautiful vine has been dried up by the burning wind, so that no green shoots remain in it, which later Jeremiah laments under the form of the city; we understand (Matthew 24) this concerning the Church, because in the last times, with multiplied iniquity, the love of many will grow cold, so that even the chosen ones of God may be tested, and its princes may be caught in the snares of the devil, who is not content with capturing only one king, but hastens to capture kings and princes daily, according to what is written: His chosen food (Habakkuk 1:16). The branches of the Church, which not long ago were equal to flowers and the redness of blood, are now withered by the wind. This interpretation also corresponds to the parable of the Gospel, in which, when the sun rises, what had sprouted withers and dries up suddenly (Mk 4). So that hardly any of the branches remain that can rise up as a rod and become a worthy leader of the people. In other words, this is what Amos speaks of: 'I will send a famine upon the land: not a famine of bread or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of God' (Amos 8:11). Where should we mourn and lament over the princes of Israel, through whose fault and pride Judaea was deserted and Jerusalem captured.

This chapter contains two beautiful examples of the parabolic kind of writing; the one lamenting the sad catastrophe of Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim, Eze 19:1-9, and the other describing the desolation and captivity of the whole people, Eze 19:10-14. In the first parable, the lioness is Jerusalem. The first of the young lions is Jehoahaz, deposed by the king of Egypt; and the second lion is Jehoiakim, whose rebellion drew on himself the vengeance of the king of Babylon. In the second parable the vine is the Jewish nation, which long prospered, its land being fertile, its princes powerful, and its people flourishing; but the judgments of God, in consequence of their guilt, had now destroyed a great part of the people, and doomed the rest to captivity.

Fire is gone out - A vindictive and murderous disposition has taken hold: - Of a rod of her branches - Ishmael, son of Nethaniah, who was of the blood-royal of Judah: - Hath devoured her fruit - Hath assassinated Gedaliah, slain many people, and carried off others into the country of the Ammonites. But he was pursued by Jonathan, the son of Kareah, who slew many of his adherents, and delivered much of the people. She hath no strong rod - None of the blood-royal of Judah left. And from that time not one of her own royal race ever sat upon the throne of Israel. This is a lamentation - This is a most lamentable business. And shall be for a lamentation - These predictions shall be so punctually fulfilled, and the catastrophe shall be so complete, that it shall ever remain as a lamentation; as this state of Jerusalem shall never be restored. Even to the present day this, to a Jew, is a subject of mourning.

ELEGY OVER THE FALL OF DAVID'S HOUSE. (Eze 19:1-14) princes of Israel--that is, Judah, whose "princes" alone were recognized by prophecy; those of the ten tribes were, in respect to the theocracy, usurpers.

fire . . . out of a rod of her branches--The Jews' disaster was to be ascribed, not so much to the Chaldeans as to themselves; the "fire out of the rod" is God's wrath kindled by the perjury of Zedekiah (Eze 17:18). "The anger of the Lord" against Judah is specified as the cause why Zedekiah was permitted to rebel against Babylon (Kg2 24:20; compare Jdg 9:15), thus bringing Nebuchadnezzar against Jerusalem. no strong rod . . . sceptre to rule--No more kings of David's stock are now to rule the nation. Not at least until "the Lord shall send the rod of His strength ("Messiah," Psa 110:2; Isa 11:1) out of Zion," to reign first as a spiritual, then hereafter as a literal king. is . . . and shall be for a lamentation--Part of the lamentation (that as to Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim) was matter of history as already accomplished; part (as to Zedekiah) was yet to be fulfilled; or, this prophecy both is a subject for lamentation, and shall be so to distant posterity. Next: Ezekiel Chapter 20