Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 24:18
So I spoke unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.
18. The death of the prophet’s wife was no doubt an actual occurrence. And there is nothing improbable in his demeanour after it, with the view of attracting the attention of his fellow-captives. At the same time his tendency to idealize occurrences precludes absolute certainty.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 18. At even my wife died] The prophet’s wife was a type of the city, which was to him exceedingly dear. The death of his wife represented the destruction of the city by the Chaldeans; see Eze 24:21, where the temple is represented to be the desire of his eyes, as his wife was, Eze 24:16.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I spake unto the people; told them what God had told me, and which I expected would be.
In the morning; it is likely he had this revelation in the night, or evening before, and he tells them betimes in the morning, what God would do in taking away his wife, and what he must not do when she is dead, and to be buried. The next morning after her death he observed Gods command, and without any sign of sorrow or mourning for his great loss.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
So I spake unto the people in the morning,…. Did the duty of his office as a prophet; exhorted and instructed the people, particularly informed them of what had been said to him by the Lord, the evening or night before, concerning the death of his wife, and how he was to behave under such a providence; which he told them of before hand, that, when it came to pass, they might have a further proof of his being a true prophet of the Lord:
and at even my wife died; suddenly, as it was said she should; this shows who is meant by the desire of his eyes, and what by the taking it away;
and I did in the morning as I was commanded; neither moaned, nor sighed, nor wept, nor shed a tear, nor used any of the common ceremonies of mourning, but dressed and ate as at other times, as he was ordered to do; this was the next morning after his wife died. So the Syriac version,
“in the morning of the other day;”
and the Arabic version,
“in the morning of the following day.”
Thus whatever the Lord commands is to be done, though ever so contrary to the customs of men, or to natural inclinations and affections.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(18) In the morning: and at even.What the prophet spake unto the people in the morning was what he has recorded (Eze. 24:3-14). Shortly after this the warning of Eze. 24:15-17 must have come to him, and then his Wife died in the evening of the same day. Accordingly, on the following morning the strange conduct which had been commanded him was observed by the people; their curiosity is awakened, and, rightly surmising that there must be some especial significance in the strange doings of their prophet, they come to inquire the meaning of his actions. In reply (Eze. 24:20-24), he announces again the destruction of the Temple, and that in the depth of sorrow and trouble at its fall there shall be no outward show of mourning.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
18. In the morning “The next morning.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. And I did in the morning as I was commanded.’
Ezekiel was totally obedient. In the morning he spoke to the people as though everything was normal, and when in the evening his wife died, he continued without mourning, so that the people were amazed and recognised that this had some great significance (compare Jer 16:5-13).
Note the way the procedure is described so as to indicate that he continued normal life. ‘In the morning I — in the evening my wife died — in the morning I –’. His life just went on as normal.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 24:18 So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.
Ver. 18. And at even my wife died. ] Though a good woman probably, and to the prophet a great comfort, the sweet companion of his life and miseries, yet she died suddenly, and by some extraordinary disease; all things come alike to all.
And I did in the morning as I was commanded.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
as = according as.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
and at: 1Co 7:29, 1Co 7:30
Reciprocal: Eze 12:7 – I did so Eze 24:16 – the desire
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE TEARLESS SORROW
So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.
Eze 24:18
I. We all know the striking though brief notice of the death of Ezekiels wife: she was taken away simply that the prophets conduct might be a type to the people. No sorrow was to be considered by him tantamount to fulfilling in each part his ministry; he might not grieve because it would hinder the lesson he was to inculcate.
II. Ezekiels life reads to us a lesson of no ordinary import.The very ties of his life were created for the express purpose of being rent asunder, in order that he might show to the people of God by his sufferings the meaning of his warnings; his afflictions became the interpreters of his words, his personal bereavements the parallel comment on his discourses. In the evening my wife died. And he was forbidden to weep. No rending of the hearts affectionno human suffering, however keenno tearing up by the roots of family ties, however close, were for one moment to enervate the vigour and force of his example. The expression of sorrow would have melted away the severe outline of that perfect form of resignation which he was to exhibit. Surely, brethren, the prophet of the captivity speaks, in words of no light import to us, of the necessity of our living for our people, and showing by patient sufferings and denials the truth, the reality, of what we daily read and hourly teach.
III. In every human experience there are times when the personal must be subordinated to the national and universal.We must choke back our sobs, crush down our almost uncontrollable emotion, preserve a calm and tranquil exterior, that we may devote ourselves more earnestly and continuously to the crying need of others. There is nothing nobler than the self-restraint which anoints the head and washes the face, that it may have leisure from itself to do its life-work, and to press to its bosom those who are suffering around. There was an illustration of this in a recent railway accident, when a little girl, badly hurt, insisted on the helpers caring for others first.
Rev. E. Monro.
Illustrations
(1) Ezekiel was told to veil his emotion for a specific reason, and as a sign to his people. But may we not staunch our flowing tears for yet another reason, when we remember into how much blessedness our dear ones have gone? Heaven is not far away, but enwraps us. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, as the veil of mortality drops from over our vision, we see the presence in which we have ever been. They have found themselves surrounded by a great kindred, and they have known as they have been known, have recognised as they have been recognised. Many recognised Jesus, though in the Resurrection Body. It must be a great hour, when the soul passes unto that loving and rejoicing throng, to be welcomed into everlasting habitations of which our Lord spoke.
(2) Ezekiels natural tenderness is shown in the graphic words, the desire of thine eyes. He loved his wife with the most devoted attachment; but though he knew that she would be taken from him at a stroke, he spoke to the people in the morning as usual.
The lesson was obvious. However much the people might love their relatives, there would be no opportunity to mourn for them after the usual fashion; the most that would be possible would be to moan to one another. Oh for Ezekiels devotion!
I am His,
Not mine, not hers; I dare not weep for her
When God hath need of me.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
Eze 24:18. There are two mornings spoken of in this verse, one was on the day when God was to take away “the desire of his eyes, the other was the morning of the next day. In the first morning Ezekiel spoke to the people about what was to happen and in the evening of that day the stroke came which was the death of his wife, The next morning the prophet started his attitude of apparent indifference as he was commanded.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
24:18 So I spoke to the people in the morning: and at evening my wife died; and I did {r} in the morning as I was commanded.
(r) Meaning the morning following.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
In the morning of the next day, or perhaps a few days later, Ezekiel addressed the people, and that evening his wife died. The prophet faithfully did as the Lord had commanded him. His actions bewildered the exiles who asked him to explain why he was behaving so abnormally.
"Ezekiel’s entire life was a testimony to the exiles. Likewise, this should be the case with all who are the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." [Note: Alexander, "Ezekiel," p. 862.]