Ezek. 7 The final desolation of Israel, Ezek. 7:1–15. The mournful repentance of them that escape, Ezek. 7:16–19. The enemies are permitted to defile the sanctuary, because of the abominations practised in it, Ezek. 7:20–22.

This introduceth a continuation and confirmation, with some illustration of what judgments were denounced in the former chapter.

Unto the land; the inhabitants who had sinned, and also to the land wherein they sinned. An end, end of God’s patience, of the peace and welfare of the people, and of the plenty, beauty, and desirableness of the land itself, is come, or is near at hand.

There shall be no more delays, mine anger is upon thee. It is I who send the Chaldeans, the pestilence, famine, &c. these are commissioned by me. Will judge, punish, thee according to thy way, as thou deservest. Recompense, Heb.

Mine eye: see Ezek. 5:11. Thine abominations, not only the punishment and smart, but the vileness, loathsomeness, and hatefulness of thy sins, shall be, in the midst of thee; ever before thee, and openly known to others also, or shall reach thy very heart. See Ezek. 6:10, Ezek. 6:13.

An evil and sore affliction, one misery enough to ruin the whole, so that there will be no need of another. Or, as the Chaldee paraphrase, one evil after another; and this bespeaks the extreme sadness of their condition who suffer under this evil.

Thus frequently is it repeated to show the certainty of the thing, the heaviness of the judgment, the great apprehensions they should have of it, and yet the great security they are under.

The morning; the word is variously rendered, and accordingly variously applied. It is, say some, of a Chaldee original, and signifies to cry out, to encompass, and to rise betimes in the morning, very fitly applicable here.

Shortly; or from a near distance, as well as in a short time, that the flood of my wrath may bear all down before it. Pour out my fury; my wrath shall not be poured out as water from a cloud at mighty distance, but like the breaking out of the sea on the neighbouring villages, which swallows up…

See Ezek. 5:11. According to thy ways, worse than the ways of heathens, and thy punishments shall be worse. That are in the midst of thee; still thou retainest the old, and addest new abominations; these to this day are in thee, not hidden, but openly.

If you will open your eyes, you may see the lowering day of vengeance: see Ezek. 7:7. The rod hath blossomed: this and what follows may refer either, 1.

Violence; with fierceness, which is their natural temper, a bitter and hasty nation, Hab. 1:6; with eagerness and impetuous vigour executing, and with injustice and violence oppressing all.

The time is come: see Ezek. 7:2–3, Ezek. 7:6–7. Though the buyer honestly possess what his money purchased, yet let him not hug himself in the thought of his riches.

He that now selleth is of that age that can scarce promise himself to live till the seventy years’ captivity expire. Shall not return; either out of captivity, or at the year of jubilee; he shall never with grief behold another in possession of that he was forced to sell.

The house of Israel have published their resolution for war, and summoned in all fit for arms, if the words be read as here. Or if in the imperative mood, Blow ye, &c., they are a smart irony against the preparations the Jews can possibly make for repelling the enemy, and defending their city.

Without; in the countries. Within; in the besieged city. With the sword of the Chaldean soldier. Shall devour him; shall eat him up; you, O Jews! shall be food for unsatiable pestilence and famine. Heavy tidings to sinful Jerusalem!

As we read the words they are a prediction, some shall escape, and a promise of some mercy in the escape. But if we read them as we may, And flee ye that are escaped of them, in the imperative, they are a command to, or direction for, such as would escape, like that Jer. 21:9.

All hands with which they should hold the instruments of fortification, the weapons of war, the tools of working, and that should carry away their goods, that they shall not be able to work at the ramparts, nor fight in the battle, nor earn-their bread, or carry away their substance on which they…

It is a very general usage in the Eastern parts in deepest sorrows and distresses to put sackcloth on, and to gird it close to their bodies. Horror; either dreadful apprehensions of growing evils, or continued shakings from impressions of what formerly they felt, according to Lev. 26:16, Lev.

They shall cast their silver; either, 1. The Jews themselves, that they be the lighter to flee, and might stop the pursuer, whom they hope silver may stop a while, and give them some space to get away; or, might occasion quarrels among soldiers of fortune, which might set them one against another…

The beauty of his ornament; their riches, the ornament of a nation, their silver, gold, &c. Or rather the temple and ark, and all that pertained to it, which was the beauty and glory of that nation, and they accounted it so.

I will give it, my temple, into the hands, power and possession, of the strangers, foreigners, who by direction of my law were excluded coming to it, they now shall enter into it, and take the riches of it as lawful prey.

My face will I turn; either from the Jews, who cry under such violence and profaneness; or, from the Chaldeans who act it, neither relieving the one nor restraining the other. My secret place; either, 1. My enclosed land of Judea. Or, 2. My city Jerusalem. Or, 3. The temple. And, 4.

A chain; either to signify that like criminals they should be brought in chains before God their Judge; or, as guilty and condemned, should be led away in chains; or else, as captives in chains, carried away in triumph, because murders and oppressions abounded in them, or because the crimes which…

The worst; the most violent, proud, and bloody men; such the Chaldeans showed themselves. Possess; not only dwell in their houses, but by right of conquest account them their own, and descending to theirs after them.

Destruction; such as an angry, provoked power makes when it cuts off all root and branch. They shall seek peace; either by inquiring of prophets; or rather, suing to Nebuchadnezzar, whom, after so many affronts, they will attempt to pacify.

Mischief upon mischief; loss upon loss, one sorrow on the neck of another. Rumour upon rumour; dreadful news one post after another of the enemies’ threats, preparations, marches, successes, and cruelties, wounding the heart of the stoutest.

The king, Zedekiah, shall mourn, droop and despair, and every magistrate shall despond. The hands of the people: see Ezek. 7:17. Shall be troubled; hang down, and melt away. I will no more forbear what they have deserved, I will repay, and they shall know my vengeance.