Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 12:24
For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel.
24. Another thing which robbed the word of the true prophets, who threatened judgment, of its force was the fact that there were other prophets who spoke in a contrary sense, preaching peace and security. Prophets, though alike speaking in the name of Jehovah, contradicted one another, and the people, even if anxious to know the truth, had no criterion whereby to judge between them. The scene between Jeremiah and Hananiah (Jeremiah 28) is very instructive as to the condition in which the people were left. There was nothing in Jeremiah to shew him to be a true prophet, and nothing in Hananiah to prove him false. Truth and falsehood could be distinguished in those days in no other way than now: he who has to distinguish must find the criterion in himself he that is of the truth heareth my voice. The people believed that Jehovah spoke by prophets, but by which prophets, whether Jeremiah or his opponents, they had to decide out of their own hearts, and not unnaturally (Mic 2:11) they despised Jeremiah as a false prophet and held to his opponents (Jer 18:18).
no more flattering divination ] These false prophecies of peace shall cease, for the same judgment which confirms the true prophecy shall annihilate the false. The term “divination” was employed of the methods of reaching the mind of the deity used by the native populations of Canaan (Deu 18:10; 1Sa 6:2). They were such appliances as lots, arrows, and other methods of augury (Eze 21:21). Possibly these methods had in some degree passed into use in Israel, and were employed by a low prophecy. In true prophecy these mechanical arts were discarded: Jehovah spoke to the mind of the prophet in his mind. Here, however, the word “divination” is used of the oracles of the prophets who were false, even though not employing any external arts of augury. Their prophecy is called “flattering,” lit. smooth, because it promised immunity from trouble and disaster. Cf. Jer 14:14.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Eze 12:24-25
It shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord God.
Critical moments
Do not enter a fools paradise; do not enter upon vain imaginations, saying, As it was yesterday, so it will be tomorrow,–for there is a moment which changes all things. Study the action of time, and you will see how many critical moments there are. It is only a moment that separates the night from the day, the day from the not-day, the positive from the negative–an almost incalculable line, so minute, so infinitesimal. God can work wonders in a moment. He may take eternity for some works, but in many a moment He strikes men blind, and turns men into perdition. There is but a step between thee and death. Thy breath is in thy nostrils: a puncture in the right place, and life is gone. One touch, and the balance is lost, and he who was strong an hour since will be buried next week. Seizing these realities, grasping them with the whole mind and heart, the Church ought not to be other than in dead earnest. (J. Parker, D. D.)
Gods warnings to be heeded
You see that buoy, sir, moored in the bay? said the captain of the steamship in which we visited the Orlmeys. Yes, I replied, after carefully picking out in the twilight the well-known danger signal. Well, there is a reef of rocks, that, starting from the shore, runs to a point within ten yards of the buoy. The worst tiring about it is that there is no indication of the reef; even at low water it is covered with water, and woe be to the ship that should strike on that dangerous reef. In the dark nights that buoy is an object of deep interest to me. Anxiously do I look out for it, and we steer with care until it is found. The reef was never seen by the captain, but marked on his chart. He believed his chart to be true. So must we, as believers and Christians, trust in the testimony of the Word of God, and heed its warnings. (J. Ellis.)
Gods reckonings sometimes long delayed
An ungodly farmer one day met his Christian neighbour, also a farmer, and began to taunt him. Why, my corn grows as well as yours. What difference does it make, all your prayers and talking about Gods blessing? I dont see any good youll get by it. The Christian neighbour looked the man full in the face, and replied, Friend, God does not pay every week, but He does pay in the end.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
These proverbializing scoffers compared the true prophets with the false. These predict prosperity and return of the captives from Babylon within few years, and before Jerusalem be destroyed; so they flattered the people. The true prophets foretell long captivity, bloody slaughters, strait siege, a burnt city and temple. Now these scoffers bear up themselves on these flatteries, and argue against the Divine menaces, and are ready to inquire, Why may not Ezekiels vision be as vain as he saith theirs is? and if one, why not both? Well, these fools are capable of no better answer than that which will destroy at once their doubts and their hopes. Judgment executed shall convince the false prophets of their lying divination, and these atheists of their illogical inferences.
No more; for this many years, for seventy years to come, and till wickedness shall again take root with the prosperity of the returned captivity.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
24. no more . . . vain vision . . .flattering divinationAll those false prophets (La2:14), who “flattered” the people with promises ofpeace and safety, shall be detected and confounded by the eventitself.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For there shall be no more any vain vision,…. Or prophecy; such as the false prophets had given out, that the people should be in peace and safety, and not be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon; which they gave heed to, and so encouraged the lying prophets to go on prophesying smooth things; when the prophecies of the true prophets were accomplished, then the false ones were rejected, and their prophecies no more regarded; nor could there be any more a place for them, or a reception of them:
nor flattering divination within the house of Israel; the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions, read, “in the midst of the children of Israel”; and so the Targum; but Kimchi says, that copies that so read are wrong; and which is confirmed by the Masora, which observes, that the reading is so in all places but in this. The Syriac version renders it “doubtful prediction”; and the Vulgate Latin version, “ambiguous divination”; like the prophecies and answers of the Heathen oracles, which were delivered in terms of doubtful signification, and might be taken in more senses than one. The Septuagint version is, “he that divines for grace”; in order to ingratiate himself into the people, to gain their good will, or their money, or both; and therefore divines smooth things, and flatters them with that which is most agreeable to their inclination; but when they shall see the city taken, and themselves carried captive, they will no more regard such soothing diviners, who pretended from the stars to tell what shall come to pass, as the Arabic version suggests.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Here God deprives the Jews of another source of confidence; for they flattered themselves, and had their own agitators, that is false Prophets, who puffed them up with flatteries: hence when they heard prophecies of sadness they despised them, and afterwards hardened themselves as if the Prophets had frightened them needlessly. Every one was too much inclined to this besotted confidence, but, as I have said, enticements were added, by which the flatterers deceived them. For the false Prophets said, that God would not be so severe, and that those predictions about the destruction of the city and temple were at variance with many promises. We see then that the Prophets were despised by the voluntary contumacy of the people, and also by the perverse acts of the false Prophets. Afterwards God asserted, that the days approached: now he adds, that there should be no more vision of vanity, not that the false Prophets were altogether removed, but because their mouth was stopped, since the event had proved their wickedness. Since then the people were made ashamed by slaughter, in this sense and for this reason it is said, that prophecies of vanity must be taken away: afterwards, divination of flattery from the midst of the house of Israel For in ease and shade they promised themselves a prosperous delivery from their miseries. For when the people were dragged out of the city into exile, some were slain, others spoiled of their fortunes and treated ignominiously, then the character of those Prophets appeared who had nursed the perverse confidence of the people by their vain enticements. Now we understand the Prophet’s genuine sense. It follows —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
“For there will no more be any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel. For I am Yahweh. I will speak, and the word I speak will be performed. It will not be deferred any longer. For in your days, O rebellious house, will I speak the word and will perform it, says the Lord Yahweh.”
The great problem for Israel was that of conflicting voices. There were the prophets who prophesied peace and security, words pleasing to men’s ears (Jer 28:2-4; Jer 28:11). And there were those like Jeremiah and Ezekiel who spoke dire warnings of what was shortly to come. And the people as a whole preferred the former.
But now, said Yahweh, this would cease. Once the horror came on them, prophecies of peace and security would be in vain. They would be obviously untrue. Those who spoke with meaningless promises, and flattered with pleasant words through divination, would be shown up and would cease. For what Yahweh had said, He would do. He had spoken, and He would bring it about. Indeed in the very days of Ezekiel’s listeners all he had warned about would come about. Yahweh would perform it.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 12:24 For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel.
Ver. 24. For there shall be no more. ] God could have really confuted them by present execution; but he is patient.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
vain vision.Compare Lam 2:14.
house.Some codices, with one early printed edition (Rabbinic in margin), Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read “sons”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Eze 13:23, 1Ki 22:11-13, 1Ki 22:17, Pro 26:28, Jer 14:13-16, Jer 23:14-29, Lam 2:14, Zec 13:2-4, Rom 16:18, 1Th 2:5, 2Pe 2:2, 2Pe 2:3
Reciprocal: Psa 12:2 – flattering Jer 14:14 – divination Eze 13:6 – have seen Eze 21:29 – they see Mic 7:4 – the day
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 12:24. Vain vision and flattering divination refers to the false predictions and unauthorized assurances that the evil leaders had been giving to the people. The actual fall of the city would certainly put an end to that.