The duty of a watchman. BEFORE CHRIST 587. 1 ch. 25. 12, &c. EZEKIEL, XXXIII. were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living. 28 Yea, thou shalt be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised, and shalt lie with them that are slain with the sword. 29 There is 'Edom, her kings, and all her princes, which with their 2Heb.given, might are 2 laid by them that were slain by the sword: they shall lie with the uncircumcised, and with them that go down to the pit. or, put. k ch. 38.6,15. & 39. 2. 30 There be the princes of the 1 ch. 23. 21. north, all of them, and all the 'Zidonians, which are gone down with the slain; with their terror they are ashamed of their might; and they lie uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword, and bear their shame with them that go down to the pit. 31 Pharaoh shall see them, and m ch.31. 16. shall be m comforted over all his multitude, even Pharaoh and all his army slain by the sword, saith the Lord God. 587. a ch. 3. 11. b ch. 14. 17. land when I 3 Heb. 1 bring a sword upon her. c 2 Sam. 18. 24, 25. 2Kings 9.17. ver. 7. Hos. 9. 8. 4 Heb. he that hearing heareth. 32 For I have caused my terror in the land of the living: and he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that are slain with the sword, even Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord God. CHAPTER XXXIII. 1 According to the duty of a watchman, in warning the people, 7 Ezekiel is admonished of his duty. 10 God sheweth the justice of his ways towards the penitent, and towards rcvolters. 17 He maintaineth his justice. 21 Upon the news of the taking of Jerusalem he prophesieth the desolation of the land. 30 God's judgment upon the mockers of the prophets. A came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, speak to athe children of thy people, and say unto them, b3 When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: 3 If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; 4 Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take a ch. 18.13. him away, ahis blood shall be upon ⚫ ver. 8. his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. 6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken Justice of God's ways. away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand. BEFORE CHRIST 587. f ch. 3. 17, 7 So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the &c. house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. 8 When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 9 Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. 10 Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we spine away in them, how should ch. 24. 23. we then live? 13 When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; "if he ch. 3. 20. trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. 14 Ágain, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; 15. If the wicked Prestore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. 16 None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live. Desolation of the land. BEFORE CHRIST 587. ☐ ch. 18. 26, 27. EZEKIEL, XXXIV. not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal. 18 "When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. 19 But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby. 20 ¶ Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways. 21 ¶ And it came to pass in the twelfth year y of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten. & 22 Now the hand of the LORD was upon me in the evening, afore he that was escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb. с 23 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, f 24 Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance. 25 Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes 10. & 19, 26. toward your idols, and shed blood: and shall ye possess the land? Deut. 12.16. i ch. 18. 6. k ch. 22.6,9. 26 Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye m defile every one his neighbour's wife: and shall ye possess the land? 27 Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; As I live, surely they that are in the wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts 2 to be devoured, and they that be in the forts and Pin the caves shall die of the pestilence. 28 4 For I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through. 29 Then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed. 30 ¶ Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak 4 Reproof of the shepherds. one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD. BEFORE CHRIST 587. u ch.14.1. & 20. 1, &c. 2 Heb. according coming of to the people sit before thee. I ch. 8. 1. y Pa. 78. 36, 29. 13. Heb. they orests. 32 And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath. a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not. make loves, Matt.13.22. 6 Heb. a song of loves. 33 And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among 20. them. CHAPTER XXXIV. 1 A reproof of the shepherds. 7 God's judgment against them. 11 His providence for his flock. 20 The kingdom of Christ. AND the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, a b a 1 Sam. 3. b ch. 2. 5. 587. ■ ch. 39. 24. 2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GoD unto the shepherds; Woe be Jer. 23.1. to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Zech.11.17. Zech.11.16. 3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothes. 56. 11. you with the wool, dye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. a ch. 33. 25, 26. Mic. 3.1,2,3. Zech. 11.5. zech.11.16. e ver. 16. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but Luke 15.4. with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. 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. 6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them. 7 ¶ Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 81 Pet. 5.3. 8 As I live, saith the Lord God, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat 1 ver. 5, 6. to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock; m ver. 2, 10. God's providence BEFORE CHRIST 587. n ch. 3. 18. Heb. 13. 17. o ver. 2, 8. 2 Heb. According to the seeking. p ch. 30. 3. Joel 2. 2. q Is. 65.9,10. Jer. 23. 3. ch. 28. 25. & 31, 24. & 37. 22. TM Ps. 23. 2. EZEKIEL, XXXV. 9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds • feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them. 11 ¶ For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. 12 2 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. 13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains Jer. 33.12. of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the over his flock. 24 And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it. 25 And I will make with them arch. 37.26. covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. 1 h g Lev. 26. 6. Is. 11.6-9. 35.9 Hos. 2. 18. Jer. 28. 6. h ver. 28. 20040: Gen. 12.2. 15.10.2 26 And I will make them and the places round about my hill ka bless-ch. ing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be a showers of blessing. 27 And "the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them. 28 And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid." r 29 And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more. 30 Thus shall they know that "I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord GOD. 31 And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God. CHAPTER XXXV. The judgment of mount Seir for their hatred of Israel. ́OREOVĚR the word of the Moko vame unto me, saying, с Zech. 8. 13. 1 Lev. 20. 4. m Ps. 68. 9. Mal. 3. 10. Lev. 26. 4. P. 85, 12. Is. 4.2. Lev. 26.13. Jer. 2. 20. 2 Son of man, a set thy face against b mount Seir, and prophesy against it, 3 And say unto it, Thus saith the Obad. 10, Lord GOD; Behold, O mount Seir, 1 am against thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I lation and will make thee most desolate. &C. d ch. 6. 14. 4 Heb.desodesolation: So ver. 7. 6 Heb. desolation and desolation, ver. 3. i Judg. 5. 6. ch. 29. 11. & 32. 5 7 Thus will I make mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it 1 him that passeth out and him that returneth. 8 And I will fill his mountains kch. 31. 12. with his slain men: in thy hills, and in thy valleys, and in all thy rivers, shall they fall that are slain with the 1 Jer. 49. 17, sword. | The land of thou son of man, prophesy unto the a mountains of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD: d C 2 2 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the enemy hath said against ch. 25. 3. you, Aha, even the ancient high places are our's in possession: 3 Therefore prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen, and ye are taken up in the lips of talkers, and are an infamy of the people: е e Deut. 28. 37. Kings 9.7. Lam. 2. 15. Or, we, are made to come upon the lip of the tongue. bottoms, or, dules. ch. 34. 23. 8 Ps. 79. 4. 4 Therefore, ye mountains of Is-3 rael, hear the word of the Lord God; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, to the de-Or solate wastes, and to the cities that are forsaken, which became a prey 9 1I will make thee perpetual deso- and derision to the residue of the lations, and thy cities shall not re-heathen that are round about; turn and ye shall know that I am 5 Therefore thus saith the Lord m ch. 6. 7. & the LORD. GOD; Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all Idumea, which have appointed my land into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey. 14 Thus saith the Lord GOD; When the whole earth rejoiceth, I will make thee desolate. 15 As thou didst rejoice at the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was desolate, so will I do unto thee: " thou shalt be desolate, O mount Seir, and all Idumea, even all of it: and they shall know that I am the LORD. CHAPTER XXXVI. 1 The land of Israel is comforted, both by de- 7 Therefore thus saith the Lord 8 ¶ But ye, O mountains of Israel, 9 For, behold, I am for you, and 10 And I will multiply men upon | 18 Wherefore I poured my fury ch. 16. 36, upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it: 19 And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them. z ch. 7. 3. & 18. 30. & 39. 24. a Is. 52. 5. Rom. 2. 24. bch.20.9,14. 20 And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they a profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land. 21 ¶ But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. 22 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house • Pa. 106. 8. of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. d ch. 20. 41. & 28. 22. 8 Or, your. e ch. 34. 13. & 37. 21. f Is. 52. 15. Heb. 10. 22. 23 And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. 24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. 25 ¶ Then will I sprinkle clean 28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. 29 I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and " I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you. 30 P And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen. ch. 28. 25. Jer. 30. 22. ch. 11. 20. & 37. 25. & 37.27. 63. ch. 34. 27. 26.39. 31 Then shall ye remember your ach. 16. 61, own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe your-Lev. 26 selves in your own sight for your & 20. 48. iniquities and for your abominations. 32 Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel. 33 Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded. 34 And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. 35 And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited. 36 Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it. • Deut. 9. 5. ver. 22. t ver. 10. a Is. 51. 3. Joel 2. 3. ch. 28. 13. ch. 17. 24. & 37. 14. & 22. 14. y See ch. 14. 3. & 20.3,31. 37 Thus saith the Lord Gon; y I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men likever. 10. a flock. 38 As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the LORD. leb.flock things. of holy |