Ezekiel11
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1Moreover the Spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the east gate of Jehovah’s house, which looketh eastward: and behold, at the door of the gate five and twenty men; and I saw in the midst of them Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.
2And he said unto me, Son of man, these are the men that devise iniquity, and that give wicked counsel in this city;
3that say, The time is not near to build houses: this city is the caldron, and we are the flesh.
4Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man.
5And the Spirit of Jehovah fell upon me, and he said unto me, Speak, Thus saith Jehovah: Thus have ye said, O house of Israel; for I know the things that come into your mind.
6Ye have multiplied your slain in this city, and ye have filled the streets thereof with the slain.
7Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Your slain whom ye have laid in the midst of it, they are the flesh, and this city is the caldron; but ye shall be brought forth out of the midst of it.
8Ye have feared the sword; and I will bring the sword upon you, saith the Lord Jehovah.
9And I will bring you forth out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you.
10Ye shall fall by the sword; I will judge you in the border of Israel; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.
11This city shall not be your caldron, neither shall ye be the flesh in the midst thereof; I will judge you in the border of Israel;
12and ye shall know that I am Jehovah: for ye have not walked in my statutes, neither have ye executed mine ordinances, but have done after the ordinances of the nations that are round about you.
13And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord Jehovah! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?
14And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
15Son of man, thy brethren, even thy brethren, the men of thy kindred, and all the house of Israel, all of them, are they unto whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Get you far from Jehovah; unto us is this land given for a possession.
16Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Whereas I have removed them far off among the nations, and whereas I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them a sanctuary for a little while in the countries where they are come.
17Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: I will gather you from the peoples, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.
18And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence.
19And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh;
20that they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
21But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord Jehovah.
22Then did the cherubim lift up their wings, and the wheels were beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
23And the glory of Jehovah went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.
24And the Spirit lifted me up, and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me.
25Then I spake unto them of the captivity all the things that Jehovah had showed me.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Ezekiel 11.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Divine judgments against the wicked at Jerusalem. (1-13). Divine favour towards those in captivity. (14-21). The Divine presence forsakes the city. (22-25).
vv1-13
Where Satan cannot persuade men to look upon the judgment to come as uncertain, he gains his point by persuading them to look upon it as at a distance. These wretched rulers dare to say, We are as safe in this city as flesh in a boiling pot; the walls of the city shall be to us as walls of brass, we shall receive no more damage from the besiegers than the caldron does from the fire. When sinners flatter themselves to their own ruin, it is time to tell them they shall have no peace if they go on. None shall remain in possession of the city but those who are buried in it. Those are least safe who are most secure. God is often pleased to single out some sinners for warning to others. Whether Pelatiah died at that time in Jerusalem, or when the fulfilment of the prophecy drew near, is uncertain. Like Ezekiel, we ought to be much affected with the sudden death of others, and we should still plead with the Lord to have mercy on those who remain.
vv14-21
The pious captives in Babylon were insulted by the Jews who continued in Jerusalem; but God made gracious promises to them. It is promised, that God will give them one heart; a heart firmly fixed for God, and not wavering. All who are made holy have a new spirit, a new temper and dispositions; they act from new principles, walk by new rules, and aim at new ends. A new name, or a new face, will not serve without a new spirit. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. The carnal heart, like a stone, cannot be made to feel. Men live among the dead and dying, and are neither concerned nor humbled. He will make their hearts tender and fit to receive impressions: this is God's work, it is his gift by promise; and a wonderful and happy change is wrought by it, from death to life. Their practices shall be agreeable to those principles. These two must and will go together. When the sinner feels his need of these blessings, let him present the promises as prayers in the name of Christ, they will be performed.
vv22-25
Here is the departure of God's presence from the city and temple. It was from the Mount of Olives that the vision went up, typifying the ascension of Christ to heaven from that very mountain. Though the Lord will not forsake his people, yet he may be driven away from any part of his visible church by their sins, and woe will be upon them when He withdraws his presence, glory, and protection.
Key Words
רוּחַ: wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions)
נָשָׂא: to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative
בּוֹא: to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
קַדְמוֹנִי: (of time) anterior or (of place) oriental
שַׁעַר: an opening, i.e. door or gate
בַּיִת: a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
פָּנָה: to turn; by implication, to face, i.e. appear, look, etc.
קָדִים: the fore or front part; hence (by orientation) the East (often adverbially, eastward, for brevity the east wind)
הִנֵּה: lo!
פֶּתַח: an opening (literally), i.e. door (gate) or entrance way
Cross References
Ezekiel 11The leaders scoffingly twist Jeremiah's vision of the boiling caldron facing away from the north.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Direct parallel in Ezekiel's later restoration oracle, reiterating the promise of a heart of flesh.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The historical fulfillment of judgment on the border of Israel at Riblah.
Supported by JFB
God promises to give the returnees 'one heart' to fear Him forever.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The glory of the Lord was last seen departing to this same east gate.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Identifies the twenty-five men in the same location previously seen practicing sun-worship.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Ezekiel's subsequent detailed parable of the boiling caldron representing Jerusalem's fiery siege.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The scoffing leaders twist Jeremiah's letter to captives advising them to build houses in Babylon.
Supported by JFB
Confirms God's absolute sovereignty and knowledge over the immediate thoughts of their hearts.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallels the condemnation of wicked rulers who flay and chop up God's people like meat.
Supported by JFB
Ezekiel repeats his intercessory cry, falling on his face, when a representative leader falls dead.
Supported by JFB
Traces the progressive departure of the divine glory from the temple prior to leaving the city.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Ezekiel is transported in the visions of God by the Spirit between Chaldea and Jerusalem.
Supported by Matthew Poole
God reverses their confident proverb; they will be brought out of their defensive caldron.
Supported by JFB
Contrasts those who follow detestable things with those who keep God's statutes.
Supported by John Calvin