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3,811 commentary entries
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
The Representation of Jerusalem's Ruin. (b. c. 594.)
THE REPRESENTATION OF JERUSALEM'S RUIN. (B. C. 594.) We have here the sign by which the utter destruction of Jerusalem is set forth; and here, as before, the prophet is himself the sign, that the people might see how mu…
The Guilt of Jerusalem; The Punishment of Jerusalem. (b. c. 594.)
THE GUILT OF JERUSALEM; THE PUNISHMENT OF JERUSALEM. (B. C. 594.) We have here the explanation of the foregoing similitude: This is Jerusalem. Thus it is usual in scripture language to give the name of the thing signifi…
The Destruction of Idolatry. (b. c. 594.)
THE DESTRUCTION OF IDOLATRY. (B. C. 594.) Here, I. The prophecy is directed to the mountains of Israel (Ezekiel 6:1-2); the prophet must set his face towards them. If he could see so far off as the land of Israel, the m…
Mercy Promised to the Penitent; Effect of Repentance. (b. c. 594.)
MERCY PROMISED TO THE PENITENT; EFFECT OF REPENTANCE. (B. C. 594.) Judgment had hitherto triumphed, but in these verses mercy rejoices against judgment. A sad end is made of this provoking people, but not a full end. Th…
The Prophet's Lamentation. (b. c. 594.)
THE PROPHET'S LAMENTATION. (B. C. 594.) The same threatenings which we had before in the foregoing chapter, and in the former part of this, are here repeated, with a direction to the prophet to lament them, that those h…
The Desolation of Israel. (b. c. 594.)
THE DESOLATION OF ISRAEL. (B. C. 594.) We have here fair warning given of the destruction of the land of Israel, which was now hastening on apace. God, by the prophet, not only sends notice of it, but will have it incul…
The Desolation of Israel. (b. c. 594.)
THE DESOLATION OF ISRAEL. (B. C. 594.) We have attended the fate of those that are cut off, and are now to attend the flight of those that have an opportunity of escaping the danger; some of them shall escape (Ezekiel 7…
The Desolation of Israel. (b. c. 594.)
THE DESOLATION OF ISRAEL. (B. C. 594.) Here is, I. The prisoner arraigned: Make a chain, in which to drag the criminal to the bar, and set him before the tribunal of divine justice; let him stand in fetters (as a notori…
The Vision of the Divine Glory. (b. c. 593.)
THE VISION OF THE DIVINE GLORY. (B. C. 593.) Ezekiel was now in Babylon; but the messages of wrath he had delivered in the foregoing chapters related to Jerusalem, for in the peace or trouble thereof the captives looked…
Secret Abominations Discovered; The Chambers of Imagery. (b. c. 593.)
SECRET ABOMINATIONS DISCOVERED; THE CHAMBERS OF IMAGERY. (B. C. 593.) We have here a further discovery of the abominations that were committed at Jerusalem, and within the confines of the temple, too. Now observe, I. Ho…
The Chambers of Imagery. (b. c. 593.)
THE CHAMBERS OF IMAGERY. (B. C. 593.) Here we have, I. More and greater abominations discovered to the prophet. He thought that what he had seen was bad enough and yet (Ezekiel 8:13): Turn thyself again, and thou shalt…
Preparations to Destroy Jerusalem; The Righteous Marked for Salvation. (b. c. 593.)
PREPARATIONS TO DESTROY JERUSALEM; THE RIGHTEOUS MARKED FOR SALVATION. (B. C. 593.) In these verses we have, I. The summons given to Jerusalem's destroyers to come forth and give their attendance. He that appeared to th…
The Righteous Distinguished; The Prophet's Intercession. (b. c. 593.)
THE RIGHTEOUS DISTINGUISHED; THE PROPHET'S INTERCESSION. (B. C. 593.) In these verses we have, I. A command given to the destroyers to do execution according to their commission. They stood by the brazen altar, waiting…
The Vision of the Cherubim. (b. c. 593.)
THE VISION OF THE CHERUBIM. (B. C. 593.) To inspire us with a holy awe and dread of God, and to fill us with his fear, we may observe, in this part of the vision which the prophet had, I. The glorious appearance of his…
The Vision of the Divine Glory. (b. c. 593.)
THE VISION OF THE DIVINE GLORY. (B. C. 593.) We have here a further account of the vision of God's glory which Ezekiel saw, here intended to introduce that direful omen of the departure of that glory from them, which wo…
Message of Wrath to Jerusalem; Presumption of the Princes; Awakening Predictions. (b. c. 593.)
MESSAGE OF WRATH TO JERUSALEM; PRESUMPTION OF THE PRINCES; AWAKENING PREDICTIONS. (B. C. 593.) We have here, I. The great security of the prince's of Jerusalem, notwithstanding the judgments of God that were upon them,…
Judgments Predicted; Sufferings and Hopes of Pious Captives. (b. c. 593.)
JUDGMENTS PREDICTED; SUFFERINGS AND HOPES OF PIOUS CAPTIVES. (B. C. 593.) Prophecy was designed to exalt every valley as well as to bring low every mountain and hill (Isaiah 40:4), and prophets were to speak not only co…
The Visions of the Divine Glory. (b. c. 593.)
THE VISIONS OF THE DIVINE GLORY. (B. C. 593.) Here is, 1. The departure of God's presence from the city and temple. When the message was committed to the prophet, and he was fully apprized of it, fully instructed how to…
Zedekiah's Captivity Foretold. (b. c. 593.)
ZEDEKIAH'S CAPTIVITY FORETOLD. (B. C. 593.) Perhaps Ezekiel reflected with so much pleasure upon the vision he had had of the glory of God that often, since it went up from him, he was wishing it might come down to him…
Prediction of the Famine. (b. c. 593.)
PREDICTION OF THE FAMINE. (B. C. 593.) Here again the prophet is made a sign to them of the desolations that were coming on Judah and Jerusalem. 1. He must himself eat and drink in care and fear, especially when he was…
Message from God to the People; Impious and Deceitful Hopes. (b. c. 593.)
MESSAGE FROM GOD TO THE PEOPLE; IMPIOUS AND DECEITFUL HOPES. (B. C. 593.) Various methods had been used to awaken this secure and careless people to an expectation of the judgments coming, that they might be stirred up,…
The Guilt of False Prophets. (b. c. 593.)
THE GUILT OF FALSE PROPHETS. (B. C. 593.) The false prophets, who are here prophesied against, were some of them at Jerusalem (Jeremiah 23:14): I have seen in the prophets at Jerusalem a horrible thing; some of them amo…
The Punishment of False Prophets; The Doom of False Prophets. (b. c. 593.)
THE PUNISHMENT OF FALSE PROPHETS; THE DOOM OF FALSE PROPHETS. (B. C. 593.) We have here more plain dealing with the false prophets, and some further articles of their doom. We have seen the people made ashamed of the fa…
The Guilt of the False Prophetesses. (b. c. 593.)
THE GUILT OF THE FALSE PROPHETESSES. (B. C. 593.) As God has promised that when he pours out his Spirit upon his people both their sons and their daughters shall prophesy, so the devil, when he acts as a spirit of lies…