Bible Commentaries

Jeremiah 51:9 — Babylon. — Say the foreign nations that came to help her, or the people of God, Vox electorum. - Oecolamp. say others, that were kept captive by her, as Daniel and the rest. But she is not healed. — Or, She could not be healed. See Hosea 7:1 . For her judgment reacheth unto heaven. — It coelo clamor, proportionable to her sin. Revelation 18:5

Lamentations 3:6 — where poor prisoners lie as forgotten. The Persians called their prisons ληθας , oblivions. And Ezekiel saith that Babylon was to the Jews as a grave, where they lay for dead till those dead bones lived again. Ezekiel 37:1-14 As they that be dead of old. — Free among the dead and forgotten. It may be said of a saint, in some cases, that “ Vivit, et est vitae nescius ipse sum. ”

Ezekiel 10:9 — of a beryl stone. And when I looked, behold the four wheels. — This chapter compared with the first, do, like glasses set one against another, cast a mutual light. As the colour of a beryl stone. — Lapidis berylli thalassis. See Ezekiel 1:16 . Wheels are voluble, and the sea tumultuous; so are all things and places in this present life: lay hold on life eternal.

Ezekiel 16:19 — [thus] it was, saith the Lord GOD. My meat also … thou hast even set it before them. — Either as consecrated to them, or otherwise to be consecrated by them, which made Daniel so scrupulous of meddling with the king’s meat. Ezekiel 1:8 Thus it was. — Just so, and no otherwise, however thou would palliate the business, and art ready to put me to my proofs. as Jeremiah 2:35

Ezekiel 19:13 — And now she [is] planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty ground. And now she is planted in a wilderness. — Babylon was no wilderness, but fruitful beyond credulity, Herodot., lib. i. cap. 193; Plin., lib. vi. cap. 26. But the poor captive Jews had little joy from it, for some time at least. In a dry and thirsty ground. — In terra sicca et sitioulosa. So it was to them, though never so well watered, because they wanted there the waters

Ezekiel 21:27 — were. Princes of the people there were. Those three high priests, Alexander, Aristobulus, and Hircanus, who called themselves kings, had very ill Success. Until he come. — Christ the rightful King of Israel. To this text alludeth Nathanael. John 1:49

Ezekiel 22:18 — This is even our case; we are quite degenerate, and altogether unlike our zealous progenitors. “ Heu! pietas ubi prisca! profana O tempora! Mundi Faex, vesper, prope nox! O Mora! Christe veni. ” All they are brass. — See on Isaiah 1:22 .

Ezekiel 3:2 — donum prophetiae, Alsted. Chronol., 347. and yielded to become a prophet. This was well; but not long after, Ezekiel, through infirmity of the flesh, would have declined the office, and therefore sought to lurk among his countrymen at Telabib, Ezekiel 3:15 till Christ called him out again and newly employed him. Ezekiel 3:16 And he caused me to eat that roll. — See on Ezekiel 3:1 .

Ezekiel 31:16 — shake at the sound of his fall. — As the earth seems to shake at the fall of some mighty cedar. “ Sic subito casu, quae valuere, ruunt. ” Shall be comforted. — In so noble a companion and partaker of their misery. Compare Isaiah 14:1-3

Ezekiel 34:4 — them. The diseased have ye not strengthened. — Five sorts of sheep are here reckoned up that needed the shepherd’s best care and cure, but nothing was done; or, if anything, it was overdone, for with force and cruelty they ruled over them. See 1 Peter 5:3 .

Ezekiel 34:5 — And they were scattered, because [there is] no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd. — None but an idol shepherd, Zechariah 11:17 a foolish shepherd; Ezekiel 34:1-5 and the sheep, being a foolish creature, even to a proverb, προβατων ηθος ; and προβατιου βιον

Ezekiel 35:3 — have at thee. And I will stretch out my hand against thee. — I will have my full blow at thee. I will make thee most desolate. — Heb., Desolation and desolation. I will make an utter end; desolation shall not rise up the second time; Nahum 1:9 I will make short work. Romans 9:28

Ezekiel 42:3 — described in this chapter, was of the visible and external. The pavement which was for the utter court. — Which might signify that those who would enter into heaven must keep themselves unspotted of the world, "undefiled in the way." Psalms 15:1-5 Psalms 24:3-5

Ezekiel 47:7 — very many trees on the one side and on the other. Behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees. — These were trees of righteousness, fruitful Christians. Arboretum Christi est Ecclesia. The trees of Christ are the churches. See Psalms 1:3 ; Psalms 92:12 Isaiah 44:3-5 ; Isaiah 55:11-13 Jeremiah 17:8 Revelation 22:2 , where and elsewhere it is easy to observe that John the Divine borroweth the elegancies and flowers of this and other prophets in his description of the Church Christian.

Ezekiel 5:11 — this prophet especially), and therefore should not be used as an oath or asseveration by any other, since he only liveth (to speak properly). Therefore will I also diminish thee. — Or, I will break thee down; or, I will shave thee. as Ezekiel 5:1 Jeremiah 48:37

Ezekiel 7:10 — have your funeralia, funeral. Nebuchadnezzar (that rod of my wrath) is at hand. Pride hath budded. — And will shortly bring forth, viz., the bitter fruit of your bold rebellion. Not much unlike to this was the almond rod seen by Jeremiah. Ezekiel 1:11

Daniel 8:1 — Which was his last year, when Babylon was closely besieged: therefore Daniel was not now really at Shushan, but in vision only. Daniel 8:2 A vision appeared unto me. — While waking likely: and for further explication of the former vision, Daniel 7:1-2 whereof because Daniel made so good use, ampliorem gratiam accipit, saith Oecolampadius, he now receiveth further grace.

Daniel 8:10 — saints are the world’s great luminaries, yea, the only earthly angels, although wicked people count and call them the "filth and offscouring of all things." And of the stars. — Such as shone in the light of holy doctrine; Revelation 1:10 persecutors’ spite is specially against such. Zechariah 13:7

Zechariah 2:3 — went forth, and another angel went out to meet him, And behold the angel — Zechariah’s angel, as one calleth him. Went forth — to take direction from Christ, and to give the prophet further information. See Trapp on " Zechariah 1:9 " And another angel went out to meet him — So ready is Christ to answer prayers and to satisfy his weak but willing people, that draw near unto him with a true heart, Hebrews 10:22 . If any such ask and miss it is because they ask amiss,

Matthew 20:5 — hour — God hath his servants of all sexes and sizes, calling when and whom he pleaseth. And they have the comfort and credit of it that are first called, so they walk worthy of their time, and that vocation wherewith they are called, Ephesians 3:1 . Thus it was an honour to Mnason that he was an "old disciple," Acts 21:16 ; and to Andronicus and Junia, that Paul should say of them, "who also were in Christ before," Romans 16:7 .