Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 11:13
And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?
13. While Ezekiel was uttering this prophecy Pelatiah fell down dead, and the prophet seemed to see in the event the coming destruction of all the remnant of Israel before the wrath of God, and fell on his face to intercede for them. This incident is exceedingly difficult to estimate. The prophet tells us that all the occurrences in ch. 8 11 were done in vision. Unfortunately this does not justify us in assuming that the death of Pelatiah was a mere symbolical death, and no reality. For the “vision” is in great measure a mere schema under which the prophet groups much that had reality, such as his own thoughts, his discourses to the people, and probably actual events happening in Jerusalem. But in grouping the events under the schema of the vision he idealises them, making them expressive of general conceptions and principles, and it is impossible to distinguish between things which were actual but are idealised, and things which are purely creations of the symbolizing imagination. It is possible that Ezekiel prophesied against these princes in Jerusalem (ch. Eze 11:4), as Jeremiah did against the false prophets in Babylon, whom a horrible fate overtook (Jer 29:21), and against Hananiah (Jer 28:15. seq.), and it is possible that soon afterwards Pelatiah suddenly died, and that these real occurrences have been drawn by the prophet under his schema of the vision. On the other hand the death of Pelatiah may be merely symbolical, to shew with what certainty the word of God takes effect, the symbol being modelled on Jeremiah’s prophecy against Hananiah.
a full end ] See on ch. Eze 9:8.
14 seq. The answer of the Lord to the prophet’s intercession. The destruction of the inhabitants of Jerusalem is not the end of Israel. The Israel in exile is the Israel whom the Lord regards and will yet restore.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The death of Pelatiah was communicated in this vision, which represented ideally the idolatry in which Pelatiah had actually been foremost.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 13. Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died.] Most probably he was struck dead the very hour in which Ezekiel prophesied against him. His death appears to have resembled that of Ananias and Sapphira, Ac 5:1, &c.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Either this refers to some particular prediction of the death of this man; as Jeremiah did of Hananiahs death, Jer 28:17; though I do not remember that Ezekiel had spoken of it before, and therefore I take the words for a usual transition. If you suppose the first guess at the meaning of,
it came to pass, then this will be best interpreted by
according to, or
even as; if you adhere to the latter, then this when is
whilst, or
as, I was prophesying.
Died; and so was a pledge or presage of the following death of the other twenty-four.
Then; immediately, in the most humble manner, as that people were used to do, Jos 7:10; 2Ch 20:18. He fell down upon his face, in order to pray.
Cried; with intense and earnest mind he prayed, as well as with a loud voice: see Eze 9:8. Much like phrase is that in Est 4:1.
Ah Lord God! an expression of his tender compassions for them.
Wilt thou make, & c.? a very usual way of interceding, and so common in Scripture, that it is a wonder any should find fault with it who know the Scripture.
Make a full end, by slaying all as this man is cut off. This mans name implieth one that escaped, or was delivered by Gods good hand; and perhaps the prophet alludes to it; however, he is very solicitous, as others were, for the remnant, which was ever least, 2Ki 19:30,31; Isa 10:21,22; Jer 23:3; 31:7; and in this manner does Eze 9:8, intercede for the Jews.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13. Pelaliahprobably theringleader of the scorners (Eze11:1); his being stricken dead (like Ananias, Acts5. 5) was an earnest of the destruction of the rest of thetwenty-five, as Ezekiel had foretold, as also of the general ruin.
fell . . . upon . . .face(See on Eze 9:8).
wilt thou make a full end ofthe remnantIs Pelatiah’s destruction to be the token of thedestruction of all, even of the remnant? The people regarded Pelatiahas a mainstay of the city. His name (derived from a Hebrewroot, “a remnant,” or else “God delivers”)suggested hope. Is that hope, asks Ezekiel, to be disappointed?
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And it came to pass when I prophesied,…. Or, “as I prophesied” i; that is, while he was prophesying, or declaring the above things from the mouth of the Lord, concerning the slaughter of the Jews by the sword, and the captivity of the rest:
that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died; one of the princes of the people, and was among the five and twenty men the prophet saw at the door of the east gate of the temple, Eze 11:1; this man dropped down dead on a sudden, just as Ananias and Sapphira at the feet of Peter, Ac 5:5. It was in a vision Ezekiel saw this, and in the temple; but no doubt at the same time this prince died at his own house, whose death was notified to the prophet in this way;
then fell I down upon my face; as greatly surprised at the event, and filled with concern at what would be the issue of this providence; looking upon it as a pledge and earnest, a token and forerunner, of the utter destruction of the people:
and cried with a loud voice; expressing the vehemency of his affection, and the earnestness of his supplication:
and said, ah, Lord God! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel? or, “art thou making?” k the ten tribes had been carried captive many years ago, and a large number of the other two tribes in Jeconiah’s captivity, so that there were but a remnant left in the land; and, upon the sudden and awful death of this prince, the prophet feared the Lord was going to make an utter end of them at once; which he deprecates.
i “me prophetante”, Junius & Tremellius, Polanus. k “tu faciem”, Montanus, Starckius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And it came to pass, as I was prophesying, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died: then I fell upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said: Alas! Lord Jehovah, dost Thou make an end of the remnant of Israel? – The sudden death of one of the princes of the nation, while Ezekiel was prophesying, was intended to assure the house of Israel of the certain fulfilment of this word of God. So far, however, as the fact itself is concerned, we must bear in mind, that as it was only in spirit that Ezekiel was at Jerusalem, and prophesied to the men whom he saw in spirit there, so the death of Pelatiah was simply a part of the vision, and in all probability was actually realized by the sudden death of this prince during or immediately after the publication of the vision. But the occurrence, even when the prophet saw it in spirit, made such an impression upon his mind, that with trembling and despair he once more made an importunate appeal to God, as in Eze 9:8, and inquired whether He meant to destroy the whole of the remnant of Israel. , to put an end to a thing, with before the object, as in Zep 1:18 (see the comm. on Nah 1:8). The Lord then gives him the comforting assurance in Eze 11:14-21, that He will preserve a remnant among the exiles, and make them His people once more.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
It is by no means doubtful that this Phalatias died at the same time at which the vision was offered to God’s servant. We shall see at the end of the chapter that the Prophet was always in exile; but then he seemed to himself caught up into the temple, and seemed also to himself to behold Phalatias dead. And yet it is possible that he died at his own home, and not in the entrance or threshold of the temple. But we know that the vision was not limited to places. As, therefore, Ezekiel was only by vision in the temple, so also he saw the death of Phalatias; and in this way God began by a kind of prelude to show that the slaughter of the city was at hand. For Phalatias was one of the chief rulers, as was said in the first verse of this chapter, and was doubtless a man of good reputation: hence his death was a presage of a general destruction. Hence this exclamation of the Prophet, Ah Lord God, wilt thou utterly consume the remnant of Israel? for now only a small number out of an immense multitude remained. Phalatias is seized, and in this way he shows that destruction hangs over the whole people. Hence it came to pass that the Prophet fell upon the earth astonished, and exclaimed that it was by no means agreeable to God’s promises to destroy the remnant of Israel. For some remnant ought to remain, as we often see in other places: even in the general slaughter of the whole people, God always gave some hope that he would not abolish his covenant. For this reason the Prophet now exclaims.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(13) Pelatiah . . . died.This Pelatiah was one of the princes of the people mentioned in Eze. 11:1-2 as those that devise mischief and give wicked counsel. The prophets mind is greatly affected by his sudden death, and he earnestly intercedes that in the judgments God will not make a full end of the remnant.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13. Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died At the very time when the prophet in vision is crying out against these wicked counselors (Eze 11:7) he sees the chief conspirator fall dead. He thinks the end has at last come and God’s extremest punishment has begun, and once again he utters the wail which had before broken from his heart (Eze 9:8). He had all along, it seems, hoped that repentance would follow these plain warnings, and forgiveness would be granted; but he now fears that the total destruction has commenced of which he had so long prophesied.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And it happened that when I prophesied Pelatiah, the son of Benaiah, died. Then I fell down on my face and cried with a loud voice, and said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh, will you make a full end of the remnant of Israel?” ’
As Ezekiel obeyed Yahweh and pronounced his words against the house of Israel, Pelatiah fell down and died. The assumption is made that the two were connected although it is not stated. Certainly it deeply affected Ezekiel who saw it that way. He saw in this the beginning of the destruction of all Israel, and pleaded for God’s mercy. This will be promised in the following verses, and explains why at this early stage the revelation of future restoration began, a brief light in a dark scenario (but see also Eze 5:3; Eze 6:8-9).
It is probable that we are to see Pelatiah as dying in Jerusalem. Thus Ezekiel’s vision would receive confirmation as to its genuineness and accuracy once the news reached Babylonia some weeks later. This incident tends to confirm that at least ‘in spirit’ Ezekiel was in Jerusalem and was not just having visions in Babylonia of being transported and present there.
It is ironic that the name Pelatiah means ‘Yahweh delivers’. This may have been why Ezekiel, in the moment of shock after the death, saw it as the end of all hope. But that it was not he essentially knew. (Such names compounded with plt are attested from the Amorite period in Canaan and were common in Ugarit in 13th century BC as well as in later Aramaic. They were thus fairly common).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 11:13. Pelatiahdied He fell down dead before the prophet, struck with the menaces of the Lord, as with a blast of lightning. Though this passed in vision, it is probable that Pelatiah really died at Jerusalem, while Ezekiel was carried thither in spirit; and though the prophet was in Mesopotamia, it was easy for him to know the fact itself by the frequent commerce which was between Judaea and the provinces beyond the Euphrates. See Calmet.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
I detain the Reader, and stop his progress, at this single verse, in order that he may remark, with me, the solemn effects of Ezekiel’s preaching and ministry. And observe what mercy to the Prophet was mingled with judgment to Pelatiah. Well might the Psalmist declare his intention to sing both of judgment and mercy, and to direct his song to the Lord, Psa 101:1 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Eze 11:13 And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?
Ver. 13. And it came to pass that when I prophesied. ] God heweth men by his prophets, and slayeth them by the words of his mouth, and his judgments are as the light, or lightning, that goeth forth. Hos 6:5 Elisha hath his sword as well as Jehu and Hazael. 1Ki 19:17 See Jer 1:10 2Co 10:6 .
Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died.
Then fell I down upon my face.
And cried with a loud voice.
a Magnum est subito opprimi.
b A bishop considered in regard to his relation to the archbishop or metropolitan, by whom he may be summoned to attend synods and give his suffrage. D
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Eze 11:13
13Now it came about as I prophesied, that Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I fell on my face and cried out with a loud voice and said, Alas, Lord GOD! Will You bring the remnant of Israel to a complete end?
Eze 11:13 it came about as I prophesied, that Pelatiah son of Benaiah died This was a visible and immediate sign to the elders back in the exile of the validity of Ezekiel’s message. The word of this man’s death would not reach them for several weeks.
Alas, Lord GOD! Will You bring the remnant of Israel to a complete end This same question was asked by Ezekiel as the six angelic destroyers went through the city (Eze 9:8).
It is uncertain why the death of an evil leader (Eze 11:2) would illicit this response.
For the theological concept of remnant see Special Topic: The Remnant, Three Senses .
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
fell I down, Re. See note on Eze 1:28.
Ah. Figure of speech Epchonesis. App-6.
a full end. Compare Jer 4:27; Jer 5:10, Jer 5:18.
the remnant of Israel. Compare Eze 9:8.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Eze 11:13
Eze 11:13
“And it came to pass when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord Jehovah! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?”
DEATH OF PELATIAH
Eichrodt has the following perceptive paragraph regarding this startling event.
Ezekiel still in his vision-journey to Jerusalem, and still uttering his inspired prophecy of the doom of the city and of the destruction of its evil leaders, suddenly saw in his vision Pelatiah fall down dead! The simplicity of the wording makes it plain that both the death and the despairing cry that it wrung from the prophet were part of the vision that Ezekiel experienced. It is equally impossible to deny that there would have been no sense in writing an account like this if it had not been verified, not long afterward, when the news came to Tel Abib of Pelatiah’s sudden death in Jerusalem, giving staggering proof that the prophet’s words were already being fulfilled.
“The narrative here gives us to understand that the death of Pelatiah in Jerusalem occurred at the very moment when Ezekiel (in his vision) saw it happen in Babylon.
“Wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel …” (Eze 11:13)? The same dreadful thought came to Ezekiel here that had once before come to him in Eze 9:8. Apparently, Ezekiel was still laboring under the delusion that, in spite of all God had already told him, the “righteous remnant” would be found, partially at least, in the city of Jerusalem. Not so. Ezekiel’s words here suggest that, “He had forgotten all the grounds of hope, still thinking, perhaps, that the “real Israel” somehow, just had to be in Jerusalem.
Upon this second occasion of Ezekiel’s fear that the remnant might perish, “He received comforting assurance that the exiles would be spared and restored, while the people in Jerusalem who had despised them would perish. It should be remembered that the elders of the exiled Israel in Babylon were hearing every word of this.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
And it: Whilst the prophet, in vision, was delivering this message to the princes, Pelatiah suddenly died; and it is highly probable the he was actually struck dead at this very time, in so remarkable a manner as to render the vision much noticed. The prophet, alarmed and distressed for the welfare of his people, anxiously enquired whether the Lord meant to destroy the remnant of Israel.
when: Eze 11:1, Eze 37:7, Num 14:35-37, Deu 7:4, 1Ki 13:4, Pro 6:15, Jer 28:15-17, Hos 6:5, Act 5:5, Act 5:10, Act 13:11
Then: Deu 9:18, Deu 9:19, Jos 7:6-9, 1Ch 21:16, 1Ch 21:17, Psa 106:23, Psa 119:120
Ah: Eze 9:8, Amo 7:2, Amo 7:5
Reciprocal: Jer 4:10 – Ah Jer 4:27 – yet Jer 5:18 – I will not make Jer 30:11 – though Jer 32:17 – Ah Eze 7:2 – An end Eze 13:9 – mine Eze 20:17 – neither
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 11:13. A partial demonstration of the predictions Ezekiel bad been hearing and which he delivered, was made by the sudden death of one of the leading men. The human side of the prophet showed itself by his com-plaint to the Lord of what looked to him like a threat of complete destruction of Israel.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Eze 11:13. And when I prophesied, Pelatiah died Mentioned Eze 11:1, a principal man among the twenty-five princes, who made all the mischief in Jerusalem: see note on Eze 11:2. It seems this was done only in vision now, (as the slaying of the ancient men, Eze 9:6,) but it was an assurance, that when this prophecy was published it would be done in fact. And the death of Pelatiah was a pledge of the complete accomplishment of the prophecy. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried The prophet thought this an earnest of the common destruction which was coming upon all the inhabitants of the city, and thereupon he earnestly deprecated so severe a judgment. See chap. Eze 9:8.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
11:13 And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of {f} Benaiah died. Then I fell down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?
(f) It seems that this noble man died of some terrible death, and therefore the prophet feared some strange judgment of God toward the rest of the people.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
In his vision Ezekiel saw Pelatiah ("Yahweh rescues" or "Yahweh provides escape") die (cf. Eze 11:1). Evidently Pelatiah really did die in Jerusalem when Ezekiel saw this vision or shortly after that. Ezekiel was able to see this real event happening in Jerusalem. This was a sign that God would judge the people as He had said.
"Because Pelatiah’s name means ’the Lord rescues,’ perhaps Ezekiel saw his death as an ironic and bad omen." [Note: Chisholm, p. 245. See also Allen, p. 163.]
Pelatiah’s death greatly affected Ezekiel (cf. Act 5:5). He wondered if God would deliver anyone in Jerusalem. He fell on his face before the Lord and asked Him if He was going to destroy the godly remnant of the nation as well as the wicked (cf. Eze 9:8). The compassion of Ezekiel came out again as he saw God judging the sinful Jews of Jerusalem.
"Perhaps Ezekiel felt that Pelatiah’s sudden death signaled a decision by God that there would be no remnant, hence his cry, ’Will you completely destroy the remnant of Israel?’ (Eze 11:13)." [Note: Cooper, p. 141.]
All societies tend to put in leadership or allow to rise to leadership individuals who reflect, appeal to, and will carry out the expectations and values of the majority. These judgments on Israel’s leaders view them as reflections of and manifestations of a corrupt society. Ezekiel saw in the death of its leaders the death of all the people, whom the leaders represented.