Ezekiel 11
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Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
At the door of the gate five and twenty men - The same persons, no doubt, who appear, Eze 8:16, worshipping the sun. Jaazaniah the son of Azur - In Eze 8:16, we find a Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan. If Shaphan was also called Azur, they may be the same person. But it is most likely that there were two of this name, and both chiefs among the people.
Open source ↗PROPHECY OF THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CORRUPT "PRINCES OF THE PEOPLE;" PELATIAH DIES; PROMISE OF GRACE TO THE BELIEVING REMNANT; DEPARTURE OF THE GLORY OF GOD FROM THE CITY; EZEKIEL'S RETURN TO THE CAPTIVES. (Eze. 11:1-25) east gate--to which the glory of God had moved itself (Eze 10:19), the chief entrance of the sanctuary; the portico or porch of Solomon. The Spirit moves the prophet thither, to witness, in the presence of the divine glory, a new scene of destruction. five and twenty men--The same as the twenty-five (that is, twenty-four heads of courses, and the high priest) sun-worshippers seen in Eze 8:16. The leading priests were usually called "princes of the sanctuary" (Isa 43:28) and "chiefs of the priests" (Ch2 36:14); but here two of them are called "princes of the people," with irony, as using their priestly influence to be ringleaders of the people in sin (Eze 11:2). Already the wrath of God had visited the people represented by the elders (Eze 9:6); also the glory of the Lord had left its place in the holy of holies, and, like the cherubim and flaming sword in Eden, had occupied the gate into the deserted sanctuary. The judgment on the representatives of the priesthood naturally follows here, just as the sin of the priests had followed in the description (Eze 8:12, Eze 8:16) after the sin of the elders. Jaazaniah--signifying "God hears." son of Azur--different from Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan (Eze 8:11). Azur means "help." He and Pelatiah ("God delivers"), son of Benaiah ("God builds"), are singled out as Jaazaniah, son of Shaphan, in the case of the seventy elders (Eze 8:11-12), because their names ought to have reminded them that "God" would have "heard" had they sought His "help" to "deliver" and "build" them up. But, neglecting this, they incurred the he…
Open source ↗Moreover, the spirit lifted me up,.... From the inner court of the temple, where the prophet was, according to the last account of him, Eze 8:16; it was the same Spirit that took him by the lock of his head, and lifted him up, as in Eze 8:3; and perhaps in the same manner: and brought me unto the east gate of the Lord's house, which looketh eastward; where were the cherubim, and the wheels, and the glory of God above them, Eze 10:19; and behold at the door of the gate five and twenty men; not the same as in Eze 8:16; for they were in a different place, between the porch and the altar; and about different service, they were worshipping there; and seem to be men of a different order, priests; whereas these were at the door of the eastern gate, sitting as a court of judicature, and were civil magistrates; though Jarchi and Kimchi take them to be the same. Some say Jerusalem was divided into twenty four parishes, districts, or wards, and everyone had its own head, ruler, and governor; and that there was one who was the president over them all, like the mayor and aldermen of a city; among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azur; not the same that is mentioned in Eze 8:11; he was the son of Shaphan, this of Azur; he was one of the seventy of the ancients of Israel, this one of the twenty five heads or rulers of the people; he seems to have been a prince; by having a censer in his hand, this was a priest: the Septuagint and Arabic versions call him Jechoniah: and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah; these two are mentioned by name, as being principal men, and well known by the prophet; and the latter is observed more especially for what befell him, hereafter related: princes of the people; men who were entrusted with power and authority to exercise the laws of the nation; and who should…
Open source ↗Judgment upon the rulers of the nation. - Eze 11:1. And a wind lifted me up, and took me to the eastern gate of the house of Jehovah, which faces towards the east; and behold, at the entrance of the gate were five and twenty men, and I saw among them Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, the chiefs of the nation. Eze 11:2. And he said to me: Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity, and counsel evil counsel in this city; Eze 11:3. Who say, It is not near to build houses; it is the pot, and we are the flesh. Eze 11:4. Therefore prophesy against them; prophesy, son of man. - Ezekiel is once more transported from the inner court (Eze 8:16) to the outer entrance of the eastern gate of the temple (תּשּׂא רוּח, as in Eze 8:3), to which, according to Eze 10:19, the vision of God had removed. There he sees twenty-five men, and among them two of the princes of the nation, whose names are given. These twenty-five men are not identical with the twenty-five priests mentioned in Eze 8:16, as Hvernick supposes. This is evident, not only from the difference in the locality, the priests standing between the porch and the altar, whereas the men referred to here stood at the outer eastern entrance to the court of the temple, but from the fact that the two who are mentioned by name are called שׂרי העם (princes of the people), so that we may probably infer from this that all the twenty-five were secular chiefs. Hvernick's opinion, that שׂרי העם is a term that may also be applied to princes among the priests, is as erroneous as his assertion that the priest-princes are called "princes" in Ezr 8:20; Neh 10:1, and Jer 35:4, whereas it is only to national princes that these passages refer. Hvernick is equally incorrect in supposing that these twenty-five men tak…
Open source ↗We have here, I. The great security of the prince's of Jerusalem, notwithstanding the judgements of God that were upon them, The prophet was brought, in vision, to the gate of the temple where these princes sat in council upon the present arduous affairs of the city: The Spirit lifted me up, and brought me to the east gate of the Lord's house, and behold twenty-five men were there. See how obsequious the prophet was to the Spirit's orders and how observant of all the discoveries that were made to him. It should seem, these twenty-five men were not the same with those twenty-five whom we saw at the door of the temple, worshipping towards the east (Eze 8:16); those seen to have been priests or Levites, for they were between the porch and the altar, but these were princes sitting in the gate of the Lord's house, to try causes (Jer 26:10), and they are here charged, not with corruptions in worship, but with mal-administration in the government; two of them are named, because they were the most active leading men, and perhaps because the prophet knew them, though he had been some years absent - Pelatiah and Jaazaniah, not that mentioned Eze 8:11, for he was the son of Shaphan, this is the son of Azur. Some tell us that Jerusalem was divided into twenty-four wards, and that these were the governors or aldermen of those wards, with their mayor or president. Now observe, 1. The general character which God gives of these men to the prophet (Eze 11:2): "These are the men that devise mischief; under pretence of concerting measures for the public safety they harden people in their sins, and take off their fear of God's judgements which they are threatened with by the prophets; they gave wicked counsel in this city, counselling them to restrain and silence the prophets, to rebel aga…
Open source ↗11:1-11 Having given Ezekiel a glimpse of the divine perspective on Jerusalem, the Spirit brought him back to overhear the words of the city’s inhabitants. The wicked counselors asserted that though the assault by the Babylonians (the fire) was troublesome (hot), the defenses of the city (the iron pot) were sufficient to protect them (the meat). These counselors were telling people to build houses—on stolen land (see 11:15, 17)—in which they could live safely. God, however, was determined to judge the wicked.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
רוּחַ (rûwach, H7307) — wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively,… נָשָׂא (nâsâʼ, H5375) — to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) קַדְמוֹנִי (qadmôwnîy, H6931) — (of time) anterior or (of place) oriental שַׁעַר (shaʻar, H8179) — an opening, i.e. door or gate יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God בַּיִת (bayith, H1004) — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.) פָּנָה (pânâh, H6437) — to turn; by implication, to face, i.e. appear, look, etc. קָדִים (qâdîym, H6921) — the fore or front part; hence (by orientation) the East (often adverbially, eastward, for… פֶּתַח (pethach, H6607) — an opening (literally), i.e. door (gate) or entrance way חָמֵשׁ (châmêsh, H2568) — five עֶשְׂרִים (ʻesrîym, H6242) — twenty; also (ordinal) twentieth אִישׁ (ʼîysh, H376) — a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term… תָּוֶךְ (tâvek, H8432) — a bisection, i.e. (by implication) the centre
Open source ↗אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… אָדָם (ʼâdâm, H120) — ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.) אֱנוֹשׁ (ʼĕnôwsh, H582) — a man in general (singly or collectively) חָשַׁב (châshab, H2803) — properly, to plait or interpenetrate, i.e. (literally) to weave or (generally) to… אָוֶן (ʼâven, H205) — strictly nothingness; also trouble. vanity, wickedness; specifically an idol יָעַץ (yâʻats, H3289) — to advise; reflexively, to deliberate or resolve רַע (raʻ, H7451) — bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral) עֵצָה (ʻêtsâh, H6098) — advice; by implication, plan; also prudence עִיר (ʻîyr, H5892) — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere…
Open source ↗אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) קָרוֹב (qârôwb, H7138) — near (in place, kindred or time) בָּנָה (bânâh, H1129) — to build (literally and figuratively) בַּיִת (bayith, H1004) — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.) סִיר (çîyr, H5518) — a pot; also a thorn (as springing up rapidly); by implication, a hook בָּשָׂר (bâsâr, H1320) — flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the…
Open source ↗נָבָא (nâbâʼ, H5012) — to prophesy, i.e. speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse) בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… אָדָם (ʼâdâm, H120) — ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
Open source ↗רוּחַ (rûwach, H7307) — wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively,… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God נָפַל (nâphal, H5307) — to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or… אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) בַּיִת (bayith, H1004) — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.) יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisrâʼêl, H3478) — Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity יָדַע (yâdaʻ, H3045) — to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses,… מַעֲלָה (maʻălâh, H4609) — elevation, i.e. the act (literally, a journey to a higher place, figuratively, a thought…
Open source ↗רָבָה (râbâh, H7235) — to increase (in whatever respect) חָלָל (châlâl, H2491) — pierced (especially to death); figuratively, polluted עִיר (ʻîyr, H5892) — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere… מָלֵא (mâlêʼ, H4390) — to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively) חוּץ (chûwts, H2351) — properly, separate by awall, i.e. outside, outdoors
Open source ↗אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) אֲדֹנָי (ʼĂdônây, H136) — the Lord (used as a proper name of God only) יְהֹוִה (Yᵉhôvih, H3069) — {YHWH} חָלָל (châlâl, H2491) — pierced (especially to death); figuratively, polluted שׂוּם (sûwm, H7760) — to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and… תָּוֶךְ (tâvek, H8432) — a bisection, i.e. (by implication) the centre בָּשָׂר (bâsâr, H1320) — flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the… סִיר (çîyr, H5518) — a pot; also a thorn (as springing up rapidly); by implication, a hook יָצָא (yâtsâʼ, H3318) — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and…
Open source ↗יָרֵא (yârêʼ, H3372) — to fear; morally, to revere; caus. to frighten חֶרֶב (chereb, H2719) — drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or… בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) נְאֻם (nᵉʼum, H5002) — an oracle אֲדֹנָי (ʼĂdônây, H136) — the Lord (used as a proper name of God only) יְהֹוִה (Yᵉhôvih, H3069) — {YHWH}
Open source ↗יָצָא (yâtsâʼ, H3318) — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and… תָּוֶךְ (tâvek, H8432) — a bisection, i.e. (by implication) the centre נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), זוּר (zûwr, H2114) — to turn aside (especially for lodging); hence to be aforeigner, strange, profane;… עָשָׂה (ʻâsâh, H6213) — to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application שֶׁפֶט (shepheṭ, H8201) — a sentence, i.e. infliction
Open source ↗נָפַל (nâphal, H5307) — to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or… חֶרֶב (chereb, H2719) — drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or… שָׁפַט (shâphaṭ, H8199) — to judge, i.e. pronounce sentence (for or against); by implication, to vindicate or… גְּבוּל (gᵉbûwl, H1366) — properly, a cord (as twisted), i.e. (by implication) a boundary; by extension the… יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisrâʼêl, H3478) — Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity יָדַע (yâdaʻ, H3045) — to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses,… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
Open source ↗סִיר (çîyr, H5518) — a pot; also a thorn (as springing up rapidly); by implication, a hook בָּשָׂר (bâsâr, H1320) — flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the… תָּוֶךְ (tâvek, H8432) — a bisection, i.e. (by implication) the centre שָׁפַט (shâphaṭ, H8199) — to judge, i.e. pronounce sentence (for or against); by implication, to vindicate or… גְּבוּל (gᵉbûwl, H1366) — properly, a cord (as twisted), i.e. (by implication) a boundary; by extension the… יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisrâʼêl, H3478) — Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
Open source ↗יָדַע (yâdaʻ, H3045) — to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses,… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God הָלַךְ (hâlak, H1980) — to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively) חֹק (chôq, H2706) — an enactment; hence, an appointment (of time, space, quantity, labor or usage) עָשָׂה (ʻâsâh, H6213) — to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application מִשְׁפָּט (mishpâṭ, H4941) — properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a… גּוֹי (gôwy, H1471) — a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight… סָבִיב (çâbîyb, H5439) — (as noun) a circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with or without…
Open source ↗נָבָא (nâbâʼ, H5012) — to prophesy, i.e. speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse) פְּלַטְיָה (Pᵉlaṭyâh, H6410) — Pelatjah, the name of four Israelites בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… בְּנָיָה (Bᵉnâyâh, H1141) — Benajah, the name of twelve Israelites מוּת (mûwth, H4191) — to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill נָפַל (nâphal, H5307) — to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or… פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… זָעַק (zâʻaq, H2199) — to shriek (from anguish or danger); by analogy, (as a herald) to announce or convene… גָּדוֹל (gâdôwl, H1419) — great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent קוֹל (qôwl, H6963) — a voice or sound אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) אֲהָהּ (ʼăhâhh, H162) — Oh! אֲדֹנָי (ʼĂdônây, H136) — the Lord (used as a proper name of God only) יְהֹוִה (Yᵉhôvih, H3069) — {YHWH}
Open source ↗דָּבָר (dâbâr, H1697) — a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude)
Open source ↗Cross-references
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He stretched out what looked like a hand and took me by the hair of my head. Then the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and carried me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court, where the idol that provokes jealousy was seated.
Now as I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I fell facedown and cried out in a loud voice, “Oh, Lord GOD, will You bring the remnant of Israel to a complete end?”
So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the LORD upon me.
Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard a great rumbling sound behind me: ‘Blessed be the glory of the LORD in His dwelling place!’
And the Spirit lifted me up and carried me back to Chaldea, to the exiles in the vision given by the Spirit of God. After the vision had gone up from me,
So He brought me to the inner court of the house of the LORD, and there at the entrance to the temple of the LORD, between the portico and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs to the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east; and they were bowing to the east in worship of the sun.
Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love bribes and chasing after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, and the plea of the widow never comes before them.
Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey, shedding blood, and destroying lives for dishonest gain.
The princes of Judah are like those who move boundary stones; I will pour out My fury upon them like water.
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing.