Ezechiele 7:5 Commento

In this chapter the approaching ruin of the land of Israel is most particularly foretold in affecting expressions often repeated, that if possible they might be awakened by repentance to prevent it. The prophet must tell them, I. That it will be a final ruin, a complete utter destruction, which would make an end of them, a miserable end (Eze 7:1-6). II. That it is an approaching ruin, just at the door (Eze 7:7-10). III. That it is an unavoidable ruin, because they had by sin brought it upon themselves (Eze 7:10-15). IV. That their strength and wealth should be no fence against it (Eze 7:16-19). V. That the temple, which they trusted in, should itself be ruined (Eze 7:20-22). VI. That it should be a universal ruin, the sin that brought it having been universal (Eze 7:23-27).

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 7 This chapter contains a prophecy of the speedy destruction of the Jews, as being just at hand; of the particular judgments that should come upon them; of the horror that should seize them, and the distress that all ranks of men among them should be in, a few only escaping, who are described as in mournful circumstances. The destruction in general is denounced as being very near; the end being come, which is often repeated; and as it is represented as sudden, so without mercy; which is declared, Eze 7:1; the particular judgments, sword, pestilence, and famine, are mentioned in Eze 7:15, and the few that should escape are compared to mourning doves, Eze 7:16; the trembling, horror, and shame that should be upon all, are intimated in Eze 7:17; the unprofitableness of their gold and silver to deliver them, and the unsatisfying nature of these things, are expressed, Eze 7:19; the profanation and destruction of their temple are prophesied of, Eze 7:20; and for their murder, rapine, and oppression, it is threatened that their houses should be possessed by the worst of Heathens, and their holy places defiled; and one calamity should come upon another; when their application to prophets, priests, and ancient men for counsel, would be in, vain, Eze 7:23; and king, prince, and people, should be in the most melancholy and distressed circumstances, Eze 7:27.

An end is come, the end is come,.... These words, so often repeated, show the eagerness and concern of the prophet's mind; the speed and haste destruction was making; and the great stupidity of the people, which required such a frequent repetition: it watcheth for thee; that is, their damnation slumbered not, but was awake, and waited till the time was up, which was just at hand, for it to take place; see Pe2 2:3; behold, it is come; either the end, or rather the evil before mentioned; it was just at the door; it denotes the certainty of it, and its near approach.

(Verse 5, 6) This is what the Lord God says: A single affliction, behold, is coming: the end is coming, the end is coming. He has awakened against you, behold, he is coming. Constriction is coming upon you, you who dwell in the land. These are not found in the Septuagint, but they have been added in their edition of Theodotion's translation under asterisks. However, we will follow the Hebrew. Instead of affliction, which according to Symmachus, who interpreted it as κάκωσιν, we have put for the sake of clarity: and in Hebrew and in Greek it is written κακία, or πονηρία: that is, wickedness. It is said (Al. Dicit) that the final time of the sins of the land of Israel has come: so that it may no longer escape the judgement of God, which it has deserved for a long time. And because it had not yet completed its sins, punishment was therefore delayed; according to what is written: For the sins of the Amorites are not yet complete (Genesis XV, 16). Therefore, the Lord also said to the Jews: And you, He says, fill up the measure of your fathers (Matthew XXIII, 32). Therefore, misery comes to you; affliction comes, and captivity comes. And lest you think that I threaten future things again, I show with my finger and demonstrate. Behold, it comes, the end comes, the end comes. He who seemed to you until now to be sleeping and resting, has suddenly awakened against you and risen up. Constriction comes, which is called Sephphira in Hebrew, and which Aquila interpreted as προσκόπησιν, that is, contemplation and foresight, which you always fear will come to you with trepidation; and which Theodotio interpreted as πλοκὴν, that is, the order and intertwining of all evils. Furthermore, what is said about you who dwell on earth, according to the Book of Revelation of John, we must understand: Woe to all who dwell on the earth. (Rev. 8:13). For the holy person is not an inhabitant of the earth, but a stranger and a pilgrim; and he says: I am a stranger and a sojourner, like all my fathers. (Psalm 38:13). Therefore, even Abraham the Hebrew, that is, a wanderer and a stranger passing through, is remembered; hastening to pass from the present world to the future. We can interpret this passage spiritually against the Jewish people, upon whom came the end and completion from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom they killed between the temple and the altar (Matt. XXIII). For as long as they did not lay hands on the Son of God, the judgment of the Lord slept and was delayed. But when they killed the heir, so that the inheritance would perish, then He arose against them and all the order of miseries and confusion awakened. Because they did not seek the heavenly things, but desired to cling to earthly things.

This chapter, which also forms a distinct prophecy, foretells the dreadful destruction of the land of Israel, or Judah, (for after the captivity of the ten tribes these terms are often used indiscriminately for the Jews in general), on account of the heinous sins of its inhabitants, Eze 7:1-15; and the great distress of the small remnant that should escape, Eze 7:16-19. The temple itself, which they had polluted with idolatry, is devoted to destruction, Eze 7:20-22; and the prophet is directed to make a chain, as a type of that captivity, in which both king and people should be led in bonds to Babylon, Eze 7:23-27. The whole chapter abounds in bold and beautiful figures, flowing in an easy and forcible language.

An evil, an only evil - The great, the sovereign, the last exterminating evil, is come: the sword, the pestilence, the famine, and the captivity. Many MSS. read אחר achar, after. So evil cometh after evil; one instantly succeeds another.

LAMENTATION OVER THE COMING RUIN OF ISRAEL; THE PENITENT REFORMATION OF A REMNANT; THE CHAIN SYMBOLIZING THE CAPTIVITY. (Eze. 7:1-27) An end, the end--The indefinite "an" expresses the general fact of God bringing His long-suffering towards the whole of Judea to an end; "the," following, marks it as more definitely fixed (Amo 8:2).

An evil, an only evil--a peculiar calamity such as was never before; unparalleled. The abruptness of the style and the repetitions express the agitation of the prophet's mind in foreseeing these calamities.

The execution of the judgment announced in Eze 7:2-4, arranged in four strophes: Eze 7:5-9, Eze 7:10-14, Eze 7:15-22, Eze 7:23-27. - The first strophe depicts the end as a terrible calamity, and as near at hand. Eze 7:3 and Eze 7:4 are repeated as a refrain in Eze 7:8 and Eze 7:9, with slight modifications. Eze 7:5. Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Misfortune, a singular misfortune, behold, it cometh. Eze 7:6. End cometh: there cometh the end; it waketh upon thee; behold, it cometh. Eze 7:7. The fate cometh upon thee, inhabitants of the land: the time cometh, the day is near; tumult and not joy upon the mountains. Eze 7:8. Now speedily will I pour out my fury upon thee, and accomplish mine anger on thee; and judge thee according to thy ways, and bring upon thee all thine abominations. Eze 7:9. My eye shall not look with pity upon thee, and I shall not spare; according to thy ways will I bring it upon thee, and thy abominations shall be in the midst of thee, that ye may know that I, Jehovah, am smiting. - Misfortune of a singular kind shall come. רעה is made more emphatic by אחת רעה, in which אחת is placed first for the sake of emphasis, in the sense of unicus, singularis; a calamity singular (unique) of its kind, such as never had occurred before (cf. Eze 5:9). In Eze 7:6 the poetical הקיץ, it (the end) waketh upon thee, is suggested by the paronomasia with הקּץ. The force of the words is weakened by supplying Jehovah as the subject to הקיץ, in opposition to the context. And it will not do to supply רעה (evil) from Eze 7:5 as the subject to הנּה באה (behold, it cometh). באה is construed impersonally: It cometh, namely, every dreadful thing which the end brings with it. The meaning of tzephirâh is doubtful. The only other passage in which it occurs is Isa 28:5, where it is used in the sense of diadem or crown, which is altogether unsuitable here. Raschi has therefore had recourse to the Syriac and Chaldee צפרא, aurora, tempus matutinum, and Hvernick has explained it accordingly, "the dawn of an evil day." But the dawn is never used as a symbol or omen of misfortune, not even in Joe 2:2, but solely as the sign of the bursting forth of light or of salvation. Abarbanel was on the right track when he started from the radical meaning of צפר, to twist, and taking tzephirâh in the sense of orbis, ordo, or periodical return, understood it as probably denoting rerum fatique vicissitudinem in orbem redeuntem (Ges. Thes. p. 1188). But it has been justly observed, that the rendering succession, or periodical return, can only give a forced sense in Eze 7:10. Winer has given a better rendering, viz., fatum, malum fatale, fate or destiny, for which he refers to the Arabic tsabramun, intortum, then fatum haud mutandum inevitabile. Different explanations have also been given of הד הרים. But the opinion that it is synonymous with הידד, the joyous vintage cry (Jer 25:30; Isa 16:10), is a more probable one than that it is an unusual form of הוד, splendor, gloria. So much at any rate is obvious from the context, that the hapax legomenon dh̀ is the antithesis of מהוּמה, tumult, or the noise of war. The shouting of the mountains, is shouting, a rejoicing upon the mountains. מקּרוב, from the immediate vicinity, in a temporal not a local sense, as in Deu 32:17 (= immediately). For כּלּה , see Eze 6:1-14;12. The remainder of the strophe (Eze 7:8 and Eze 7:9) is a repetition of Eze 7:3 and Eze 7:4; but מכּה is added in the last clause. They shall learn that it is Jehovah who smites. This thought is expanded in the following strophe.