Bible Commentary: Ezekiel 5-23

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Bible Commentary for Ezekiel 5 thru Ezekiel 23

Ezekiel Chapter 5

Ezekiel was told to shave the hair of his head and his beard off and take the hair and weigh it, then divide it into three equal parts. When he had completed the 430 days of the siege, he was to take a third of the hair and burn it inside the city. He was to take another third and strike it with the sword on the outside of the city. The last third he was to scatter to the wind but from this third he was to take a few strands and put them in the hem of his garment and a few of these he would also put in the fire.

Ezekiel was told that Jehovah had set Jerusalem in the center of the nations but she had been more rebellious than any of the other nations were because she had rejected Jehovah’s laws and decrees that she was under obligation to obey. She was not even as moral as the pagan nations around her. Because of this, Jehovah would treat her in a manner worthy of her conduct. Fathers would eat the flesh of their children and children would eat the flesh of their fathers because He would intensify the famine inside the city. (Leviticus 26:29) Because they had defiled His sanctuary, He would withdraw his favor and protection and would show no pity for them and their sufferings.

The demonstration with Ezekiel’s hair was to show what would happen to the people of Judah. One third of them would die inside the city either by famine, plague or fire. One third would be killed outside the city by the sword of the enemy army and one third would be scattered to the winds with a sword pursuing them wherever they went. These were the ones that Jehovah had described to Jeremiah as being figs that were too bad to be eaten. (Jeremiah 24:8-10) A few of these ones would be taken into captivity and would return with the remnant of those Jehovah would save.

After Jehovah had expended his wrath upon them, they would finally recognize that He had accomplished what He had spoken to them. Judah would become a desolated ruin and she would be a warning and an object of horror to the nations around her. Jehovah would send famine and wild beasts against her until all her children were destroyed and she was completely devastated.

Ezekiel Chapter 6

Ezekiel is told to prophesy against the mountains, hills, ravines and valleys because Jehovah was going to bring the sword against them. These were the places where idolatry was practiced, where the people would build their high places, their altars to these idols and their incense altars to carry out their worship. These places were to be desecrated by scattering bones upon them. The high places and altars were to be demolished and all the people who worshipped there were to be slain. All the towns where idolatry was practiced were also to be laid waste.

There would be a few who would survive the sword that Jehovah would send after them and these one would remember how they had grieved Jehovah by turning away from Him and lusting after their idols. They will become ashamed of their detestable conduct and they will know that Jehovah was not issuing idle threats when He told them about the calamities that He would bring upon them. Ezekiel was to show his contempt for the wicked and detestable practices of his people that would be punished by sword, famine and plague. No one would escape punishment no matter where he was living. They will know when they saw the dead bodies of the idolaters lying among their places of worship that Jehovah would not tolerate forever their idolatries. There are four mentions of the statement that ‘they will know that I am the LORD [Jehovah]’ in this chapter and it is in reference to His own people that He is speaking.

Ezekiel Chapter 7

Ezekiel would now prophesy concerning the land of Israel where the people lived. He will announce that the end had now come upon the whole land, as it was time for Jehovah to unleash His anger upon it. He would repay them in accordance with their conduct; He would neither show pity upon them nor would He spare them. They could look for nothing but doom and disaster as panic seizes them. When Jehovah pours out his anger upon them, there will be no doubt that He is the one doing it; they would recognize it as the work of Jehovah in payment for their wickedness. That day is imminently upon them bringing doom with it. The budding of the rod may have reference to Jehovah having chosen the instrument that he would use to completely devastate the land, the Babylonians. Those who buy land would make no profit from it and those who sold their land would never recover it because they were both under Jehovah’s wrath. No matter how much preparation is made to defend the city, they would not prevail because of Jehovah’s wrath being upon them.

Those who lived in the country would fall by the sword and those in the city would die by famine and plague. Any who escaped to the mountains would be so frightened and fearful because of their sins that they would be unable to act decisively. They would don sackcloth, shave their heads and throw their silver and gold into the streets because it will not save them from Jehovah’s wrath. All of the things that they once viewed as worthwhile will now be discarded as though they were something unclean. Jehovah says that all of it will be given as plunder to the invading army and He would even allow them to enter the temple and desecrate it.

Chains were to be prepared to deport the people into captivity because of the bloodshed and violence being carried on in the city. Their land would be possessed by the most wicked of nations bringing an end to the pride of the Judeans about their city and their temple, as these will be desecrated. When terror faces them, they will want to sue for peace but they will only receive calamity upon calamity. Their prophets will have no visions, the priest will no longer teach the law and their elders will not give any more counsel, as they have no answers. Their king and their princes will also be paralyzed with fear. No one can help them as Jehovah is judging them in accordance with their conduct as respects his covenant with them. Twice it is mentioned in this chapter that Israel will know Jehovah their God.

Ezekiel Chapter 8

It is the sixth year of his exile as he sat in his house; Ezekiel saw the same figure that he had seen in his first vision sitting atop the chariot. He referred to him as having the appearance of the ‘glory of Jehovah.’ This one came and took him by the tuff of his hair and brought him to Jerusalem to the north gate, which was the entrance to the inner courtyard where the priest ministers. The ‘glory of Jehovah’ then drew his attention to the idol that stood there and he asked Ezekiel if he saw the detestable things that were being practiced right in front of Jehovah’s face. He was going to show him still more detestable things.

He took him to the entrance of the court and he saw a hole in the wall. The figure told him to dig an even bigger hole so that he could get through it. He then told Ezekiel to go in and see what was being done. Ezekiel did so and he saw all kinds of detestable animals portrayed on the walls as well as idols placed there. Seventy of the elders were standing in front of the wall with a censer in his hand and were offering incense to the idols. Among these seventy men was Jaazaniah, son of Shaphan. Shaphan was the secretary to Josiah, a former king of Judah, and was the grandfather of Gedaliah. (2 King 22:3; Jeremiah 40:5) These men had deluded themselves by saying that Jehovah was not in the land and did not see what they were doing. The ‘glory of Jehovah’ was to show Ezekiel even more detestable things.

He took him back to the entrance of the north gate where he saw women sitting and mourning for the god, Tammuz. Then he took him into the inner courtyard, the court of the priest, and there at the entrance to the temple, between the portico and altar, he saw twenty-five men with their backs to the temple facing east, bowing down to the sun. These men were no doubt priests who served in the temple. He asked Ezekiel if he thought it was a trivial matter for the house of Judah to be doing these detestable things in the temple. And if this were not bad enough, they were also promoting violence in the land provoking Jehovah even more. It is unclear what is meant by the phrase ‘putting the branch or twig to their noses,’ but the implication is that they were grossly insulting Jehovah in what they were doing. Therefore, He would deal with them in His anger and He would show them no mercy or pity no matter how loudly they called on him.

Ezekiel Chapter 9

The ‘glory of Jehovah’ called for the guards of the city to come to him and bring their weapons of destruction with them. Ezekiel saw six men coming towards them from the Upper Gate that faces north carrying their deadly weapons along with a seventh man who was wearing white linen and carrying a writer’s kit. The ‘glory of Jehovah’ then moved from atop the cherubim to the threshold of the temple. He then told the man with the writing kit to go throughout the city and put a make on the foreheads of those who were lamenting over all of the detestable things going on in Jerusalem. He then told the six men to follow him and all those that did not have a mark on their forehead should be put to death. They were to make no distinctions or show any compassion due to age, sex or gender. They were to start at the sanctuary. So they began with the priest standing in front of the temple. They were told to defile the temple and fill the court with dead bodies.

When they began their work, Ezekiel became concerned that there would be no one left in the city when the men finished their work. So he asked if Jehovah were going to destroy the entire remnant at this outpouring of His anger. The ‘glory of Jehovah’ told him that because of the greatness of the sin of the people, all of the bloodshed and injustice that was seen in the land, Jehovah was only bringing down on them what they justly deserved. The man with the writing kit returned and said that he had done exactly what he had been commanded to do.

Ezekiel Chapter 10

The ‘glory of Jehovah’ then told the man in linen to take some fiery coals from between the cherubim and the wheels of the chariot and spread it over the city of Jerusalem. The chariot at that time was standing on the south side of the temple and a cloud filled the inner court. The ‘glory of Jehovah’ had moved to the threshold of the temple and the cloud filled the temple and the court was radiant because of the ‘glory of Jehovah.’ When the man in linen went and stood beside one of the wheels, one of the cherubim reached his hand that was under his wing and took some of the fire and gave it to the man in linen, which he took and left.

Ezekiel then describes the cherubim and the wheels again. He mentions an additional feature that the living creatures had that he had not mentioned before, that is, that their bodies, their wings and their hands were full of eyes just as the wheels were. Ezekiel heard the wheels at that time being called ‘whirling wheels.’ The ‘glory of Jehovah’ left the temple and moved to his position over the cherubim. As Ezekiel watched, the cherubim then spread their wings upwards and rose upwards with the wheels moving with them in preparation to leave the temple but they stopped at the entrance to the east gate of the temple.

Ezekiel Chapter 11

Ezekiel was then taken to the east gate and at the entrance to that gate he saw twenty-five men among whom were two men that he recognized. They were not the same ones that he had seen in front of the temple worshipping the sun. They are believed to be the political leaders of the city. He was told that these men were plotting evil and giving wicked advice to the people. The NIV Bible Commentary, Volume I, page 1289, says of them: “They were encouraging the people to build homes at a time when the prophets were continually warning of the impending Babylonian destruction. These leaders were complacent and apathetic, believing that there was no imminent danger. They declared that Jerusalem’s inhabitants were secure inside Jerusalem’s walls by promulgating the proverb: “This city is a cooking pot and we are the meat.” Jerusalem, “the pot” provided security to its inhabitants, “the meat,” just as a pot protects the meat within it. Prophets like Ezekiel were declared to be misguided men using scare tactics.”

Therefore Ezekiel was told to prophesy against them. They had filled the city with the bodies of those that were more righteous than they were. These were the ones that the city would act as a ‘pot’ for, because He would drive these wicked men out of the city and turn them over to foreigners who would inflict punishment upon them. The city would not act as a pot for them because Jehovah would execute judgment on them at the borders of Israel. They would know that He is Jehovah because He will act against them as they had not followed his decrees or kept His laws but had followed the pagan nations around them. At the time that Ezekiel was prophesying, one of the leading men, Pelatiah, died. This served to confirm to Ezekiel that his prophecy was going to be fulfilled and he again wants Jehovah to show mercy to the remnant left in Judah.

Then Jehovah told him that the people in Judah were not concerned about those already in exiles. They believed that these ones had offended Jehovah and that they would never return to the land. Jehovah reminded Ezekiel that those that He had already sent into exile were the true remnant. They were the ones He would gather from the nations and restore to the land. (Jeremiah 24:5-7) When they are restored to the land they will remove all the detestable idols from it and He would give them a new spirit and an undivided heart, not one of stone but one of flesh. They would obey His laws and He would consider them to be His people and He would be their God. The chariot then left the city and stopped over the Mount of Olives, east of the city. Ezekiel was then brought back to the exiles and he told them what he had seen.

Ezekiel Chapter 12

Jehovah tells Ezekiel that he is living among a rebellious people who have closed their eyes and ears to what Jehovah tells them. They still want to believe that Jehovah will not destroy their holy city so Ezekiel is to become a sign to them. While they watch, he is to bring his belonging out from his house packed for exile. He is to dig a hole in the wall, then at dust, he is to put his belongings on his shoulder and carry them out through the hole that he had dug in the wall. He is also to cover his face so that he cannot see the land. Ezekiel did as he was commanded as the people watched him.

The next morning when the word of Jehovah again came to Ezekiel, he was told how to respond to the people’s question when they wanted to know what he was doing. He is to tell them that this oracle concerns the king of Judah and the house of Israel. He has just enacted the events that would be done by the king of Judah and the people when they are about to be taken into exile. Zedekiah would try to elude the king of Babylon by leaving Jerusalem through a breach in the wall of the city at dusk and his face would be covered. But he would not escape the Babylonians and he would be blinded and then taken into exile in Babylon. Even though Zedekiah was brought to Babylon, he would never see the land; it would be as though his face was covered. (Jeremiah 39:4-7) Jehovah will allow a few to escape the sword, famine and plague and will disperse them among the nations. While among these nations they will acknowledge the sins that they committed against Jehovah and will recognize that He is the Sovereign of the universe.

Ezekiel is to act out another drama to convince the exiles that Jerusalem will be destroyed. As he eats his food and drinks his water, he is to tremble violently. He will tell the people that this is what Jehovah says the people in Jerusalem will do when they are under siege. They will eat and drink in anxiety and despair because of the terror they were experiencing as a result of Jehovah’s punishing them for their sins. Their inhabited cities would become desolated places and they would have to recognize Jehovah as the Sovereign LORD [Jehovah].

Ezekiel was reminded of a proverb that was repeated in Judah that the words of the prophets always came to nothing. He was told that Jehovah was going to put an end to this proverb. Ezekiel would say to them that the days were near for the fulfillment of the words of the prophets. Each passing day brought them closer to the fulfillment of those words of Jehovah, which was the exact opposite of how they viewed the matter. He would also put a stop to the false visions and flattering divinations of their own prophets but Jehovah’s word was assured of being fulfilled. Even those who believed that the visions were too far in the future for them to be concerned about, Ezekiel would assure them that Jehovah’s words would not be delayed but would be fulfilled.

Ezekiel Chapter 13

Ezekiel is now told to prophesy against the prophet of Israel that Jehovah had not sent, those who were prophesying from their own imaginations. Jehovah’s word to them was that they were following their own spirit and had not seen a vision from Him. They were like foxes that prefer to make their homes in places that are crumbling down. They had done nothing to try to mend the breakdown of the moral fiber of the people or to prepare them for what Jehovah would bring upon them. They continually said before the people that ‘this is what Jehovah declares’ when Jehovah had not said anything to them and they expected that He would uphold their word. They were continually lying to the people and giving them false hopes.

Therefore because of the false visions, Jehovah would be against them. They would lose their positions of influence among the people, their names would be not be listed in the records that would be kept of all the citizens of Israel and none of them would return to Israel after the restoration as they would die in captivity. As they had misled the people by declaring peace to them when they were facing destruction, they had, in effect, built a wall that had been ‘whitewashed’ with their false prophecies. Jehovah would send torrential rains, hailstones and violent winds that would cause the wall to collapse. When Jehovah brings down their wall of falsehoods, the first thing that the people will want to know from them is why their prophecies did not come true.

Ezekiel now prophesies against the prophetesses who also claim to have been by Jehovah but who in reality have not. They are censured for sewing magic charms for their wrist and putting on veils, that were nothing more than items used in magic rituals in order to trap the people. They had profaned Jehovah and all they had to show for it was a meager bit of food. They did not care what was in the best interest of the people. Their lies have caused the death of those that should have lived and have spared those who should have died. Jehovah’s judgment for them was that he would expose them as the charlatans they were and free his people from their clutches. They would come to know that Jehovah is sovereign over them and had brought them down.

Ezekiel Chapter 14

Jehovah’s word came to Ezekiel when the elders came to him to ask him to inquire of Jehovah for them. Ezekiel was told that these men were secretly harboring idolatry in their hearts, they were double-minded, so they were not worthy to inquire him. But if they did, Jehovah would answer them in accordance with their idolatry. He would do this so that the people as a whole could benefit. Ezekiel was to urge them to repent and renounce all of their detestable practices. If any Israelite or an alien came to inquire of Jehovah through His prophet but who had not repented of their idolatry and who still secretly harbored idolatry in their hearts, He would be against that person and would personally answer him by cutting him off from the people. He would make an example of this person before others so that they would know that He keeps His word.

Since Jehovah will not respond to the idolater, then if the prophet utters a prophecy to this person, it means that he is a false prophet and Jehovah will destroy him from among the people. All will bear his guilt and this would be a warning to the rest of the people to repent of their sins and turn to Jehovah.

Ezekiel relates to the elders the certainty of Jehovah’s judgment once it has been pronounced against a nation. If Jehovah pronounces judgments against a nation because of their being unfaithful to Him and he sends any of His four judgments against that land, that is, famine, wild beasts, the sword or a plague upon that land to kill the inhabitants and the animals, these judgments would stand. Even if righteous men like Job, Noah and Daniel lived in this land they could not stay this judgement; they would not be able to save their own sons and daughters, they could only save themselves.

Yet when He brings against Jerusalem famine, sword, wild beast and plague, it will be a very bad situation, but there will be survivors of this disaster. When these ones are brought to Babylon, those already there will be able to observe from the conduct of these survivors that Jehovah was justified in all that he had done in Jerusalem. He had not been vindictive but had acted in justice.

Ezekiel Chapter 15

Jehovah now questions Ezekiel regarding the value of the wood of a vine compared to that of any other tree in the forest. Can the wood of the vine be used to make anything useful such as pegs to hang things from? The obvious answer to this question is, No. After it has been thrown on the fire and charred, it would be even less useful for anything. Just as Jehovah has given the wood of the vine as fuel for the fire, He would do the same for those living in Jerusalem as He considered them as a useless vine that no longer bore righteous fruit. Although they had escaped the fire when Nebuchadnezzar came up against them in the eighth year of rulership as he did not destroy them at that time. (2 Kings 24:10-16) Jehovah would bring him back and this time Jerusalem would be completely consumed by the fire.

Ezekiel Chapter 16

Jehovah tells Ezekiel to recount the history of Jerusalem to show the elders that corruption was nothing new for this city. Jerusalem was the home of the pagan nation of the Jebusites until it was conquered by David and made the capital of the nation of Israel. Her mother was a Hittite and her father, an Amorite. She is pictured as an unwanted child from birth and was not given the care a normal infant would have been. She was thrown into the open field and left to die. Then Jehovah came by and saw her kicking in her blood and He caused her to keep living. She grew up as a plant in the field and when she matured, he saw that she was beautiful although still destitute.

Later when she was old enough for marriage, Jehovah took her under his protective cloak, cleaned her up and put ointment on her. He then clothed her in costly garments of embroidered cloth and fine linen, adorned her with jewels and put leather sandals on her feet. He entered a covenant with her and she became His wife. She was fed the best of foods and she became a queen. Her fame spread to all the nations because of her beauty. Then she began to trust in her beauty and her fame and she became unfaithful. She built high places on which to carry on her prostitution and took the fine jewelry given her and made idols for herself and offered to them the incense, oil, fine flour and honey that Jehovah had given her to eat. (Isaiah 57:3-10) Then she took her sons and daughters that she bore him and sacrificed them to her idols. (Jeremiah 19:5) She never remembered the days of her youth when she was neglected and naked.

She grew more and more lustful of idolatry and she built shrines on every street providing a place for any and all pagan rituals that she was not yet involved in. Jehovah calls her insatiable in her appetite for prostitution. She prostituted herself with Egypt (Isaiah 30:1-7), Assyria (2 Kings 16:7-9) and Babylonia, the land of merchants (Isaiah 39:1, 2). Even the pagan Philistines were shocked at her lewd conduct. She was not like other prostitutes who receive a fee for their services, but she bribed her lovers to come to her giving them gifts and pursuing them.

Because she gave her wealth away, exposed her nakedness to her lovers, offered her children to idols, Jehovah will gather all her lovers against her and He would strip her bare in front of them. She will receive the punishment of a woman who commits adultery or who sheds blood, which was death. He would bring vengeance upon her by pouring out on her His wrath and jealous anger. He would allow her lovers to destroy her mounds and lofty shrines; she would be stripped of her clothing and jewelry and would be left with nothing. They would bring the sword against her, stone her and burn her houses down. She would be left so destitute that she would discontinue her prostitution, as she would have nothing left with which to entice anyone. Afterwards Jehovah’s anger would be appeased and it would turn away from her.

The proverb, ‘Like mother, like daughter,’ is true of Jerusalem. As her mother despised her husband and her children, so has Jerusalem despised Jehovah, her husband. She is also like her sister cities, Samaria and Sodom in that not only did she copy their detestable practices but she also acted in a even more depraved manner than they had. Her younger sister, Sodom and her daughters were guilty of being arrogant, haughty, insolent and having an abundance of material riches. She did not take care of the poor and needy among her and she committed detestable things before Jehovah so He destroyed her. (Genesis 19:1-25) Her older sister, Samaria, though guilty of committing many sins before Jehovah, did not do half as much bad as Jerusalem did.

Therefore because of the grossness of Jerusalem’s sins, her sister appeared to be righteous in comparison to her. Jehovah will restore the fortunes of all three cities but Jerusalem will be ashamed of her conduct because her activities gave rise to Sodom and Samaria being comforted. Before Jerusalem’s wickedness was exposed, she was too proud to even mention the name, Sodom, just as she, at this time, is being despised by Edom and her other neighbors. She will have to bear the consequences of his sins before all.

Jehovah would discipline Jerusalem because she broke the covenant yet He would not completely forget her. He would remember that He had covenanted with her in the past and He would later give her an ‘everlasting covenant.’ She will then acknowledge her sins and become ashamed because of them. Jehovah will then no longer consider Samaria and Sodom to be her sisters, but they will become her daughters though not because of the covenant He made with her. Jerusalem will at this time recognize Jehovah as her sovereign Lord when he atones for her sins and because of the humiliation that she suffers, she will never be proud again.

Ezekiel Chapter 17

Jehovah again spoke to Ezekiel and told him to set forth a riddle or parable to the house of Israel, something that would need to be explained to them. The word used here for riddle is the same one used for the questions that the Queen of Sheba propounded to Solomon. (1 Kings 10:1) His riddle set forth that a great eagle came to Lebanon and broke off the topmost part of a cedar tree and brought it to a land of merchants and planted it. He then took some of the seed of their land and planted it near abundant waters. It grew and became a spreading vine and turned its branches towards him but its roots remained under it. Another great eagle came along and enticed the vine to look to him for sustenance. Jehovah’s question to the people dealt with whether this vine would continue to prosper in spite of its defection or would it not be uprooted by the one who had originally planted it.

Then Jehovah had Ezekiel explain the parable to the people. The king of Babylon would come to Jerusalem and carry off her king and her nobles and bring them to Babylon. He would then take another of the royal seed and put him on the throne and make him swear an oath of loyalty to him so that their kingdom would continue. Jehoiachin was the king that Nebuchadnezzar removed from the throne and he replaced him with Zedekiah. Zedekiah later rebelled against the king of Babylon by turning to the king of Egypt for help. Would Zedekiah’s kingdom succeed after breaking his treaty with the king of Babylon?

Jehovah answers His own question by saying that Zedekiah’s kingdom would not succeed as he would be taken to Babylon and there he would die. Pharaoh would be of no help to him when the king of Babylon came and built ramps and siege works for the purpose of destroying many people. Zedekiah showed that he despised the treaty that he had sworn to keep and he was also showing that he despised Jehovah’s covenant as Nebuchadnezzar was acting under His direction. Jehovah considered Zedekiah’s actions as showing unfaithfulness to him and He would execute His judgments upon him and all Israel would know that He has done this.

Jehovah now gives Ezekiel a future prophecy where He would plant a twig that was taken from the topmost branch of a cedar upon a high mountain in Israel. It would, unlike Jehoiachin or Zedekiah, produce branches and become a cedar itself and produce much fruit. Birds of every kind would find shelter among its branches suggesting that all the other nations will come under Israel’s protection. All the trees of the forest will know that it is Jehovah that brings down the already existing tree and elevates the low dry tree or dries up the green tree and makes the dry tree flourish. This prophecy will have a modern-day fulfillment when Jehovah takes his anointed leader, the Modern-day Servant, whom He has already plucked from the cedar-like Watchtower Society, and makes him flourish.

Ezekiel Chapter 18

There was a proverb that was popular in Israel that stated “the fathers eat sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” The meaning is that children usually ended up paying for the sins of their fathers and this could have been a corruption of the commandment recorded at Exodus 20:5. Jehovah declared to Ezekiel that Israel would not have any more reason to quote this proverb because the one who sinned would be the one who would receive the punishment. A similar thought was expressed by Jeremiah recorded at Jeremiah 31:29. Ezekiel now cites several cases that would underscore this matter.

Ezekiel describes a man who does what is right and just. He does not eat meat sacrificed to idols, does not practice idolatry, keeps himself morally and sexually clean, does not oppress or rob the poor but supplies their needs, does not charge usury or interest to his brother, is compassionate and fair and he faithfully keeps Jehovah’s law. He would keep living because of his righteous acts. But if this man has a son who is violent and sheds innocent blood, who eats food sacrificed to idols, oppresses the poor, commits robbery, worships idols and lends at usury and takes excessive interest. He is deserving of death because he has done all of the detestable things that Jehovah hates. His blood will be on his own head; he will answer for his own sins. But if this man has a son who sees all the detestable things that his father does and he does not imitate him, but keeps all of Jehovah’s righteous requirements, then he will not die for his father’s sins but will continue living.

Still the people wonder why the son should not be punished for the sins of his father. They obviously believed that a son must inherit some of the father’s sinful tendencies. Jehovah’s word to them is that as long as the son does what is right and just and is careful to obey His decrees, he will live. The son will not share his father’s guilt nor will the father share the guilt of the son. Each one will die for the sins he commits. A wicked man can repent of his wickedness and turn to doing righteousness; then he will not die. Jehovah would not remember his previous offenses and he would live because of his righteous acts. Jehovah does not take any pleasure in the death of the wicked but that they should turn from their wicked ways and live. Conversely, if a righteous man turns from his righteous ways and begins to do the detestable things that the wicked man does, then he will die. His righteous acts will not be remembered only those wicked things he did afterwards, for these he will die.

To the Israelites, Jehovah’s ways were not adjusted right. But in reality it was the people’s ways that were not adjusted right. A righteous man who turns to doing wickedness would die for his sins and a wicked man who turns from his wickedness to doing righteousness would save his life. This is the way that Jehovah views the matter but the people found fault with it. He will judge each person individually according to his ways so He urges them to repent and turn away from their offenses so that they can have their sins forgiven. But they would need to a new heart and new spirit in order to produce righteous works. Jehovah urges the people to change their ways and live because He does not take any pleasure in anyone dying.

Ezekiel Chapter 19

Ezekiel now composes laments or funeral dirges for the last kings of Judah. The first one described here is for Jehoahaz, son of Josiah. His mother is described as a ‘lioness among lions,’ which may refer to the nation of Israel. She reared him to become a strong lion and he learned to tear the prey and to devour men. But because of the evil he committed, Jehovah sent the king of Egypt against him and he took him to Egypt where he died.

The next one is for Jehoiachin and not for his father, Jehoiakim because he had been killed in Jerusalem. With the removal of her first lion-like son, she took another of her cubs and raised him to be a strong lion. He learned to tear prey and to devour men. With a lion-like roar, he wreaked havoc upon the land and brought fear to its inhabitants. A trap was set for him and he was caught and brought to the king of Babylon and was put in prison there.

The next lament is written for King Zedekiah. Israel, as his mother, is here described as a vine planted by water that was fruitful and full of branches. It had many strong branches that were fit to hold a ruler’s scepter and it towered above all the other foliage. But it was uprooted and thrown to the ground so that the east wind caused it to shrivel. It was stripped of its fruit and its branches were consumed by fire when the Babylonian army defeated Judah. Then it was transplanted to a dry and thirsty land, that is, into captivity. The fire that spread from it main branch and destroyed it fruit represents the destruction of Judah by the Babylonians. After this, there was no one left who was fit to be Israel’s ruler.

Ezekiel chapter 20

In the seventh year of his captivity, the elders again came to Ezekiel to inquire of Jehovah. The NIV Bible Commentary, page 1303, gives the likely reason for their inquiry: “The news of Egypt’s victory in the Sudan had reached the remnant of Judeans at Tel Abib. Rumors also indicated that Psammetik II would make a triumphal conquest of Palestine. The exiles’ expectations were most certainly heightened as they hoped that Egypt would prove to be the redeemer to free them from Nebuchadnezzar. Zedekiah had foolishly shared the same dream when he revolted from Babylonian rule and placed his confidence in Egypt’s strength somewhere between the end of 591 and 589 B.C. Such a move was ill-timed; for the Pharaoh soon became ill, and the potential might of Egypt never materialized.”

Jehovah then spoke to Ezekiel and told him that He would not let them inquire of Him. He would let Ezekiel judge them. First he was to confront them with the detestable practices that their fathers had engaged in. When Jehovah revealed himself to them in Egypt and swore to bring them out of this land to a land that flowed with milk and honey, a most beautiful land, he told them to rid themselves of the vile images that they were worshipping so that they would not continue to be defiled. But they did not listen; they kept those idols before them. So Jehovah was determined to pour out His wrath upon them but He would do so in a manner such that His name would not be profaned.

He brought them out of Egypt and into the desert where He gave them His decrees and laws so that if they obeyed them, they would continue living. He also gave them His Sabbaths that would serve as a sign between Israel and Jehovah and would emphasize that they were a holy people. The people refused to obey His decrees and laws and did not honor his Sabbaths. So He said that He would pour out his wrath upon them but would not do anything to profane His great Name. He also swore that He would not bring them into the land He had promised them. But He looked with pity upon them and did not completely destroy them. He left their children alive and He commanded them to obey His commands and decrees and keep His Sabbaths and they would recognize Him as their God. (Numbers 14:26-35)

But their children also rebelled against Him and did not obey His laws nor keep His Sabbaths. Although He would have destroyed them, He withheld His hand for the sake of His Name. He would disperse them among the nations for their disobedience. He also allowed them to become defiled by their idolatries so that they would become horrified because of the extent of their defilement. In their desolated state they would recognize Jehovah as their God.

Ezekiel reminds them that early in their history when their forefathers entered the land of promise, they had blasphemed Jehovah by offering sacrifices to idols on every high hill and under every leafy tree. Ezekiel then asks the elders what was the high place that they went up to in imitation of their forefathers. They were not acting any differently than their fathers had. Ezekiel was told to say to them that as long as they continued to lust after their vile images defiling themselves even to this day, Jehovah would definitely not allow them to inquire of Him.

Israel wanted to be like the nations around them but Jehovah would not allow them to do this. He was their sovereign and He would rule them with a mighty hand and with outpoured wrath. In the future, He would being them from the lands where they had been scattered into the wilderness of the people where He would enter into judgment with them just as He had done with Israel in the wilderness of Mount Sinai. He would make them pass under the rod and would bring them into the bond of the covenant. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Volume I, page 1265, says of this rod: “This pictures a shepherd holding out his rod and forcing the sheep to pass under it single file for counting (cf. Jer. 33:13). The shepherd would let those sheep that were actually his enter the fold, a place of protection.” Jehovah would purge from Israel all those who rebel against Him and these would not be allowed to enter the land that He would give to future Israel. The covenant that He brings Israel into would be a different covenant because they had invalidated their current covenant with Him because of their disobedience. They would then have come to truly know Jehovah.

Israel would continue to serve their idols at that time but in the future, they would no longer profane His name by their idols. In His holy mountain they will all serve Him and offer to Him the required sacrifices. They would be acceptable to Him as fragrant incense when He re-gathers them from among the nations. They will then remember all of their vile conduct by which they defiled themselves and they will be ashamed and will loathe themselves. They will know that Jehovah dealt with them for the sake of His holy name and not according to their evil conduct.

Ezekiel is told to set his face towards the south and prophecy against the forest of the Negev. Jehovah was going to start a fire that would consume all of the trees of the forest and the blazing flame would not be put out. It would scorch the face of everything from north to south. All would know that it was Jehovah who started this fire. Since the people did not understand or did not want to understand what he was saying, they concluded that he was only speaking in parables or riddles.

Ezekiel Chapter 21

Ezekiel is now directed by Jehovah to repeat the above parable but some of the wording would be changed. He is now told to prophesy against Jerusalem, the sanctuary and against the land of Israel. Here a sword is used as the means of destruction rather than fire. Jehovah will draw His sword from its scabbard and will cut off everyone from north to south; everyone will be affected by this devastation. All will know that this is the sword of Jehovah. Ezekiel is instructed to groan or sigh with bitterness before all the people. When they ask him why he is groaning, he is to say, ‘it is because of the news (or the report, according to the NWT) that is coming. Every heart will melt, all hands will become feeble, every spirit will become faint and all knees will drip with water because of it.’ Jehovah assures them that the sword is coming against Jerusalem.

Jehovah tells Ezekiel to prophesy using a song that may have been song by warriors before going into battle. (See footnote for verse 9 in the NIV) Jehovah’s sword has been polished and sharpened for battle such that it flashes like lightning. Ezekiel will cry out in bitterness because the sword is coming against God’s people and their rulers will die along with the people so Ezekiel would show a sign of mourning by striking his thigh. Ezekiel is to continue to prophesy and clap his hands together in front of the elders that the sword will strike two or three times moving swiftly against the people as though coming from all sides. So that no one will escape, the sword is stationed at all the gates. It will slash to the right and to the left as it pursues the people. When Jehovah’s wrath has subsided, then the sword will stop.

Jehovah told Ezekiel to draw a map that would mark out the two directions that the sword of Nebuchadnezzar could take. At the junction of the two roads, he is to put up a signpost. On his map, he will mark one road as going to Rabbah in Ammon and the other going to Jerusalem in Judah. When Nebuchadnezzar comes to this junction in the road, he will stop and seek an omen to tell him in which direction he should go. He will cast the lot, examine the liver and consult his god. The lot for Jerusalem will be in his right hand and he will go there and set up the battering rams against her gates and build a ramp and siege works against her wall. Those in Judah who had sworn an oath with the king of Babylon will hope that the omen is a false one but since they did not keep their oath with him, he will take them captive.

Jehovah’s judgment is expressed against the high priest, Seraiah, who Nebuchadnezzar killed at Riblah. (Jeremiah 52:24-27) He was told to take off the turban, the unique headgear of the high priest, and remove the crown, the plate that was worn over the turban with the words ‘Holy is Jehovah’ inscribed on it. Jehovah would make a ruin or a twisting of the priesthood because of the wicked activities of the high priest. The office of high priest would be downgraded and would remain in a low state until the one that Jehovah declares to be worthy arrives and it will be given to him. He will lead the nation in a restorative work as its high priest. (See The Report, Volume I, pages 104-107)

Ezekiel is told to turn his attention to the Ammonites who thought they had escaped Nebuchadnezzar’s sword and were now heaping reproach upon the people of Judah. The same sword that had been polished and sharpened for Judah will also come against Ammon. Her diviners seeing only false visions encouraged Ammon to come up against Judah. Jehovah’s judgment of Ammon would not come at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar but Jehovah would bring against her in her own land brutal men, possibly nomadic tribes from the east (25:4), who would make them fuel for the fire and would shed their blood until they ceased to exist. This was Jehovah’s word to them.

Ezekiel Chapter 22

Ezekiel is now told to confront Jerusalem with all of her detestable practices. She is a city that has brought guilt upon herself because of the blood she has shed and has defiled herself by the idols she has made. She has shortened her days and brought an end to her years by these means. The list of her sins is long; her princes use their power to shed blood, children treat their parents with contempt, the aliens are oppressed, the fatherless and the widow are maltreated, the Sabbaths are desecrated and the people despise the holy things.

There are those who eat at the shrines, commit lewd acts, dishonor their father’s bed, violate women during their menstrual cycle, they defile their daughter-in-laws and their sisters, accepts bribes, charges excessive interest and the lists goes on. Jehovah will strike his hands together in anger because of her bloodshed and unjust gain. When He calls her to account for her sins, she will loose her courage. She will be scattered among the nations and He will bring an end to her uncleanness. When she has been exposed before the nations, she will know that Jehovah is God.

Ezekiel’s message concerning the people of Israel is that they are like dross to Jehovah. Just as people take metals and put them into a furnace and then heat the fire to a high temperature to melt these, so Jehovah will gather all the people inside the city that will become a crucible and he will blow on them with his fiery wrath and they will melt. They will acknowledge that He has poured out his burning anger upon them.

Ezekiel’s message concerns all those who live in the land. The land itself will experience drought on the day of Jehovah’s wrath because of the wickedness of the people living there. The princes use their positions for material gain, mistreating the people, and they commit murder thereby leaving many widows in the land. The priests did not teach Jehovah’s law but allowed the people to go unrestrained. They do not make a distinction between what is holy and what is common, what is clean and what is unclean and they close their eyes as the people profane God’s Sabbaths. The officials are also guilty of shedding innocent blood for the sake of unjust gain. The prophets did not denounce these vile deeds of the leaders but chose to ignore them. They keep the people in a stupor through false visions and lying divinations claiming that Jehovah spoke to them when He did not. The ordinary people themselves were no better. They were guilty of extortion, robbery and oppression of their fellowman. When Jehovah looked for someone to stand in the gap, to stem the tide of moral degradation, He could not find one man. Therefore He would have to bring destruction upon them in harmony with their deeds.

Ezekiel Chapter 23

Ezekiel presents another parable showing the guilt incurred by Judah through her idolatry as well as her foreign alliances. He related that there were two sisters who began a career of prostitution in Egypt as young women. The older sister was Oholah and the younger was named Oholibah. Oholah represented Samaria, the capital city of the ten-tribe kingdom, and Oholibah represented Jerusalem, the capital city of the two-tribe kingdom. Both of them belonged to Jehovah.

Oholah engaged in prostitution with the Assyrians while she stilled belonged to Jehovah. She defiled herself with the idols of those she lusted after. Then Jehovah handed her over to the Assyrians who stripped her bare and killed all her children with the sword. (2 Kings 15:19, 20)

Oholibah, who saw this happen to her sister, did not turn back but continued in her prostitution and she became more depraved than her sister. Not only did she lust after the Assyrians, but she also went after the Babylonians. (2 Kings 16:5-9; Ezekiel 16:29) After she had been defiled by the Babylonians, she turned away from them. But it was too late; Jehovah had turned away from her in disgust. Still, after this, she returned to her prostitution and lusted after more virile lovers, even returning to Egypt where her prostitution began.

Jehovah would bring her lovers against her, those she had spurned, all of the Babylonians and their allies and they would come against her with their weaponry and a great number of people. Jehovah would allow them to punish her according to their standards. According to the NIV Bible Commentary, page 1311, “Jerusalem’s judgment is described in terms of ancient Near Eastern punishment for an adulteress: her ‘nose’ and ‘ears’ would be cut off.” Many would be killed by the sword and by fire and the remainder would be taken into captivity. This army would also strip her of her garment and her jewelry. By these means Jehovah would put a stop to her lewdness and prostitution and she would lose her desire for such activities.

Jehovah would hand Oholibah over to those she hated and they would deal with her in hatred by taking from her everything that she had worked for leaving her naked and bare. She will be exposed before the nations as an adulteress and an idolater. Because she imitated her sister, she will drink from the same cup that her sister was given. It is a large cup that holds much mocking and ridicule. As she drinks it she will become full of drunkenness, sorrow, ruin and desolation, the punishment her sister received. After draining the cup, she will break it and in agony will tear her breasts. Jehovah declares that because she forgot Him and pushed Him behind her, she will bear the consequences of her sins.

Jehovah tells Ezekiel to put before both of these women their sins as they had committed the same ones. They were guilty of committing adultery with their idols even sacrificing the children they bore to Jehovah to these idols for their food. They at the same time defiled Jehovah’s sanctuary by entering it to offer worship to Him on the very same day that they sacrificed to their idols. They carried on their detestable practices on His Sabbaths desecrating them also. They sought out relations with other political nations, doing just as a harlot would, entertaining them in luxury using the incense and oil that belonged to Jehovah. All sort of rabble responded bringing with them the hire of a harlot, bracelets for their arms and crowns for their heads.

Jehovah’s judgment upon these women was that righteous men would sentence them to the punishment of women who commit adultery and shed blood. A mob would come against them and terrorize and plunder them. They would stone them and kill her sons and daughter with the sword and burn down all of their houses. Their punishment is intended to be a warning to other women not to imitate the lewd conduct of Oholah and Oholibah. These women would then recognize that Jehovah is the Sovereign God.



NOTE: Bible translations used in this commentary are the New American Standard Bible (NASB), the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) and the New International Version (NIV)

***©2005 by YORWW Congregation