Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 15:8
And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord GOD.
8. The figure of “burning” in the fire is expressed in literal language: the land shall be made a desolation. Like his predecessor Jeremiah, the prophet sets little store by the existence of Israel as a state or kingdom among other states. Israel’s mission is religious, not political. See on ch. Eze 13:3.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 8. They have committed a trespass] They have prevaricated; they are the worst of sinners, and shall have the heaviest of punishments. Can men suppose that it is possible to hide even their dark hearts from God?
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Desolate: see Eze 6:14.
A trespass; not one single trespass, but they have been so perpetually trespassing that it seemed a continued act, and all done with greatest aggravation.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8. trespassrather, “theyhave perversely fallen into perverse rebellion.” The Jews werenot merely sinners as the other nations, but revoltersand apostates. It is one thing to neglect what we know not,but quite another thing to despise what we profess to worship[JEROME], as the Jews didtowards God and the law.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And I will make the land desolate,…. The land of Judea uncultivated, men and beast being cut off; see Eze 14:15;
because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord God; acted a treacherous and perfidious part; apostatized from God, having committed idolatry, which was the cause of their ruin; and therefore it was not without a cause that the Lord did what he did, in it; see Eze 14:23.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
8. A trespass Literally, unfaithfulness. “The phrase means they have been shamefully treacherous.” Cowles.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Eze 15:8. Because they have committed a trespass Because they have grievously trespassed. The Vulgate and Chaldee have it, Because they have been prevaricators. “They are not mere sinners,” says St. Jerome, “like other nations, but have been guilty of prevarication;” for it is one thing to neglect what a person is ignorant of, and another to contemn what we should worship.
REFLECTIONS.Jerusalem in her beauty was the joy of the whole earth; but now that sin has defiled her, the flames are kindling to devour her palaces.
1. She is compared to a wild and barren vine, the most unprofitable and useless tree in the forest; unfit for any work, and only suited for fuel to the fire. And if when flourishing it be not fit for any service, how much less when reduced to ashes.
2. The application of this similitude to Jerusalem follows. This city, with the inhabitants thereof, as the unprofitable vine, is doomed to the flames, because of their great provocations. God’s wrath is kindled; and his face, as an implacable enemy, set against them; they were wholly unprofitable, brought him no glory: yea, noxious as the plants of a wild vine; therefore their land shall be desolate, the fire devour them, and one calamity on another pursue them, till they are utterly consumed, and God terribly made known to them, in the judgments that he would execute upon them. Note; Wrath pursues impenitent sinners, till it is perfected in the everlasting burnings.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
REFLECTIONS
PRECIOUS Lord Jesus! who can read this chapter, and call to mind Thy wonderful condescension in calling Thyself the vine, without connecting with it Thy people’s everlasting safety in Thee. Thou, dearest Lord, wert the true vine of the Lord’s right hand planting. Thou wert the branch of growth. And though, from the unequalled humbleness of Thy person, Thou didst appear nothing more than as a root out of a dry ground, as unpromising as the stalk of the vine, yet Thy branches have run over the wall. And though the archers sorely grieved Thee, and shot at Thee, yet Thy bow abode in strength, and the arms of Thine hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob.
Thy Jerusalem, Thy holy city, O Lord, hath found redemption from being united to Thee. As branches in Thee Thy people flourish and bring forth fruit. Without Thee they are nothing. Oh! for grace to live wholly in Thee and upon Thee, and forever to be tasting of the precious fruit of Thy soul-strengthening grapes; yea, Lord, to drink of the fruit of the vine which Thou didst yield for Thy people, when trodden in the wine-press of the wrath of Almighty God. Lord Jesus! I would take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord. I would sit under Thy shadow with great delight, for Thy fruit is sweet to my taste.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Eze 15:8 And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord GOD.
Ver. 8. And I will make the land desolate. ] The land itself often suffereth, propter incolarum inemendabilem malitiam, “for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.” Psa 107:4 Idolatry especially is a land desolating sin.
Because they have committed a trespass.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
committed a trespass. Figure of speech Polyptoton. App-6. Hebrew “trespassed a trespass” for emphasis = committed a great trespass, as in Eze 14:13.
trespass. Hebrew. ma’al, App-44.
saith the Lord GOD = [is] Adonai Jehovah’s oracle.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
I will: Eze 6:14, Eze 14:13-21, Eze 33:29, Isa 6:11, Isa 24:3-12, Jer 25:10, Jer 25:11, Zep 1:18
committed a trespass: Heb. trespassed a trespass, 2Ch 36:14-16
Reciprocal: Eze 12:20 – General Eze 33:28 – I will lay
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 15:8. The land was to be made desolate by having its populations removed away into the Babylonion captivity.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Yahweh would desolate the land of Judah because His people had not been faithful to the Mosaic Covenant. The exiles could still be fruitful, but only if they remained faithful to the Lord.
"It is clear from Mat 21:33-41 and other passages that God desires fruit. This is spiritual fruit, fruit of the spiritual life. Instead, God finds sour grapes or none at all. Unless men come into vital relationship with the true vine [cf. Joh 15:1], there can be no fruit. The vital link must be formed by faith." [Note: Feinberg, p. 84.]
"This parable implies that the exiles had asked about God’s consistency. They understood that they were his chosen people, his choice vine. How could he destroy them? They had been through the fire of two invasions and deportations by the Babylonians, but each time they had endured and sprouted up again. They did not believe that God’s judgments would destroy Judah as Ezekiel had proclaimed." [Note: Alexander, "Ezekiel," p. 808.]