Ezekiel11
New American Standard
1Now the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of the Lord’s house which faced eastward. And behold, there were twenty-five men at the entrance of the gate, and among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people.
2Then He said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who devise wrongdoing and give evil advice in this city,
3who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses. This city is the pot and we are the meat.’
4Therefore, prophesy against them, prophesy, son of man!”
5Then the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and He said to me, “Say, ‘This is what the Lord says: “This is how you think, house of Israel, for I know your thoughts.
6You have multiplied your slain in this city, and filled its streets with them.”
7Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: “Your slain whom you have laid in the midst of the city are the meat and this city is the pot; but I will bring you out of it.
8You have feared a sword; so I will bring a sword upon you,” the Lord God declares.
9“And I will bring you out of the midst of the city, and hand you over to strangers, and execute judgments against you.
10You will fall by the sword. I will judge you to the border of Israel; so you shall know that I am the Lord.
11This city will not be a pot for you, nor will you be meat in the midst of it; I will judge you to the border of Israel.
12So you will know that I am the Lord; for you have not walked in My statutes, nor have you executed My ordinances, but you have acted in accordance with the ordinances of the nations around you.”’”
13Now it came about, as I prophesied, that Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I fell on my face and cried out with a loud voice, and said, “Oh, Lord God! Will You bring the remnant of Israel to a complete destruction?”
14Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
15“Son of man, your brothers, your relatives, your fellow exiles, and the entire house of Israel, all of them, are those to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘Keep far from the Lord; this land has been given to us as a possession.’
16Therefore say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Though I had removed them far away among the nations, and though I had scattered them among the countries, yet I was a sanctuary for them for a little while in the countries where they had gone.”’
17Therefore say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you from the countries among which you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.”’
18When they come there, they will remove all its detestable things and all its abominations from it.
19And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,
20so that they may walk in My statutes, and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God.
21But as for those whose hearts go after their detestable things and abominations, I will bring their conduct down on their heads,” declares the Lord God.
22Then the cherubim lifted up their wings with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel hovered over them.
23The glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood over the mountain which is east of the city.
24And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God to Chaldea, to the exiles. Then the vision that I had seen left me.
25And I told the exiles all the things that the Lord had shown 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