Bible Commentaries
Ezekiel 8

Verse 1

the sixth year , &c. See table on p. 1105.

fifth. Some codices read "first".

the elders of Judah: i.e. of' the Jewish colony at Tel = Abib (Ezekiel 3:15 ).

the hand. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6 .

the Lord GOD . Hebrew Adonai Jehovah. See note on Ezekiel 2:4 .

Verse 2

lo. Figure of speech Asteriemos. App-6 .

Fire = a man. So the Septuagint, reading "ish ( App-14 ) instead of ' esh = fire.

Verse 3

the spirit . Probably an angel. See below. Heb, ruach . App-9 .

me. Emph.: i.e. Ezekiel himself, as Philip. Compare 1 Kings 18:12 . 2 Kings 2:16 . Acts 8:39 . 2 Corinthians 12:2 , 2 Corinthians 12:4 .Revelation 1:10 ; Revelation 4:2 ; Revelation 17:3 ; Rev 17:21 , Revelation 17:10 . Compare Ezekiel 11:24 , Ezekiel 11:25 ; Ezekiel 40:2 , Ezekiel 40:3 .

the visions of God: i, e. the visions given him by God. The Genitive of Origin ( App-17 .)

God . Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .

to Jerusalem: i.e. to the actual city itself, not a vision of it.

door . entrance.

jealousy . Pat by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Effect), App-6 , for the effect produced by it, as explained in the next clause. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 4:16 ). App-92 . Elsewhere only in 2 Chronicles 33:7 , 2 Chronicles 33:15 .

provoketh to jealousy . Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 20:5 Deuteronomy 32:16 ), App-92 .

Verse 4

behold . Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 .

the glory , &c. See note on Ezekiel 1:28 .

the God of Israel . See note on Isaiah 29:23 ,

plain = valley.

Son of man . See note on Ezekiel 2:1 .

Verse 6

seeest thou . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 .

abominations. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6 , for the idols and the sin of idolatry which Jehovah abominated.

the house of Israel . See note on Exodus 16:31 .

I should go far off. Literally to a removal far away: i.e. that they (or I) should remove, &c.

Verse 7

a = one: i.e. a single, or certain; as though it were mysterious or remarkable.

Verse 10

abominable. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 7:0 and Leviticus 11:0 ). Elsewhere only in Isaiah 66:17 . App-92 .

beasts. This animal = worship was part of Egyptian idolatry.

idols = manufactured gods.

Verse 11

seventy. The number of the elders. See Numbers 11:18 . 2 Chronicles 19:8 . Jeremiah 26:17 ,

men . Hebrew. 'ish. App-14 .

ancients = elders. Contrast Exodus 24:1 , &c.

Jaazaniah. His father, Shaphan, had taken part in Josiah's reformation (2 Kings 22:8 , &c.) Two of his sons were friendly to Jeremiah ( Ahikam, Jeremiah 26:24 ; and Gemariah, Ezekiel 36:10 , Ezekiel 36:25 ). Another Jaazaniah is mentioned in Ezekiel 11:1 .

Verse 12

in the dark. This was a special feature of this animal idolatry.

The LORD seeth us not : or, there is no Jehovah seeing us. Compare Ezekiel 9:9 .

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

Verse 14

Tammuz. With Art. An idol personifying vegetable and animal life, worshipped in Phoenicia and Babylonia.

Verse 16

between the porch and the altar . The place appointed for the priests.

five and twenty. The number of the heads of the twenty-four courses of the priests.

their backs toward the temple . Because their faces were toward the sun-rising.

worshipped the sun . This form of idolatry seen as early as Job 31:26 , Job 31:27 ; and foreseen in Deuteronomy 4:19 ; adopted as early as Asa (2 Chronicles 14:5 ); abolished by Josiah (2 Kings 23:5 , 2 Kings 23:11 ).

Verse 17

the . Some codices, with three early printed editions, read "all the".

Lo . Figure of speech Asterismce. App-6 .

the branch = the Asherah ( App-42 ), represented by a branch out to a certain shape.

their . This is one of the eighteen emendations of the Sepherim ( App-33 ), by which they record their change of'aphphi (My nostrils) of the primitive text, to' aphpham (their nostrils), in order to remove what was thought to be an indelicate and derogatory Anthropomorphism.

Verse 18

Mine eye. Mine ears . Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 13:8 ). App-92 . See Ezekiel 5:11 ; Ezekiel 7:4 , Ezekiel 7:9 ; Ezekiel 9:5 ; and compare Jeremiah 21:7 . Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6 .