Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 20:4
Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge [them]? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers:
4. wilt thou judge ] The interr. seems to have the sense of an impatient imperative, and the repetition gives stronger expression to the imperative, cf. ch. Eze 22:2, Eze 23:36. “Judge” is explained by “cause them to know the abominations of their fathers.” To rehearse the history of the fathers is to hold the mirror up to themselves.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Wilt thou judge them? – We should rather say, Wilt thou not judge them? i. e., wilt thou not pronounce sentence upon them? Compare Eze 22:2.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. Wilt thou judge them] If thou wilt enter into any discussion with them, show them the abomination of their fathers. The whole chapter is a consecutive history of the unfaithfulness ingratitude, rebellion, and idolatry of the Jews, from the earliest times to that day; and vindicates the sentence which God had pronounced against them, and which he was about to execute more fully in delivering them and the city into the hands of the Chaldeans.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Wilt thou judge them? either, Wilt thou judge charitably, and, supposing they are upright and teachable, wilt thou plead with me for them? as Eze 14:3, or as Jer 14:9. Or else thus, Wilt thou argue with them, convince them, and reprove them? This is fittest to be done, and do this, handle them severely as they deserve. It is repeated, to whet the prophet, and quicken him to this work, and to intimate to us the great contumacy of the people.
Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers: tell them somewhat that they may go away wiser than they came. They expect to know what will be their fate, tell them what hath been their fathers carriage towards me, which they imitate, nay exceed. Their curiosity and perplexity would be informed what is to come, but their consciences need more to be informed: what their fathers have done they approved, and have outdone; by that let them know what to do, what to expect.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. Wilt thou judge? . . . judgeTheemphatical repetition expresses, “Wilt thou not judge?yes, judge them. There is a loud call for immediate judgment.”The Hebrew interrogative here is a command, not aprohibition [MAURER].Instead of spending time in teaching them, tell them of theabomination of their fathers, of which their own are the complementand counterpart, and which call for judgment.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Wilt thou judge them, son of man?…. Excuse them, patronise them, defend their cause, and plead for them? surely thou wilt not; or rather, wilt thou not reprove and correct them, judge and condemn them, for their sins and wickedness? this thou oughtest to do:
wilt thou judge [them]? this is repeated, to show the vehemency of the speaker, and the duty of the prophet:
cause them to know the abominations of their fathers: the sins they committed, which were abominable in themselves, and rendered them abominable unto God, and what came upon them for them; by which they would be led to see the abominable evils which they also had been guilty of, in which they had imitated their fathers, and what they had reason to expect in consequence of them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The context flows very well if we embrace this sense, that God swears that the Israelites did not come to be subject to his Prophet, and to submit themselves modestly to his instructions. If this sense pleases, it is well added, shall you judge them? that is, shall you spend thy breath in arguing with them? He means that they are rather to be dismissed than instructed; as Christ says, You shall not cast pearls before swine. (Mat 7:6.) And we know what God pronounces: My Spirit shall not always strive with man, because he is flesh. (Gen 6:3.) He now means that there was no need of any dispute, since there was no means of carrying it on; so in this passage, since the Prophet was dealing with men utterly broken down, who never listened to wise counsels, nor obeyed any admonitions, nor were softened by any chastisement, he adds, therefore, shall you judge them? Some indeed coldly and insipidly explain this of taking away the part of a judge, since God rather wishes them to be called to repentance than to be condemned. But here judging embraces within itself all reproaches and threats. On the whole, since they acted deceitfully, and by no means proposed to submit themselves to God, hence he uses this bitterness, What! are they worthy of your judging them? that is, of your contending with them? for the Prophet’s duty is to argue with sinners, to threaten them, and to cite them to God’s tribunal. God, therefore, pronounces them unworthy of such disputing, because they are not only deaf, but, hardened by abandoned obstinacy. Now, therefore, we understand the sense of the words, wilt you judge them? will you judge them? The repetition is emphatic, that God may strongly express the obstinacy of that desperate people. He afterwards adds, If this be done, then show them the abominations of their fathers. God here mitigates the asperity which he had used, and by means of a correction descends to a reason for it, namely, that he may for once try whether or not they are curable. If then they are to be judged, that is, if he chooses to enter into any dispute, and to argue with them, he says that he ought to begin not with themselves, but with their fathers. God wishes them to be judged, not only on account of the wickedness of a few years, but because before they were born their fathers were obstinately attached to their abominations. In fine, God shows that the wound was deep, and could not be cured, unless the hidden poison was carefully examined, which otherwise would cause putrid matter, from which at length inflammation would arise. For many think that they have properly discharged their duty when they have but lightly probed their wounds: but sometimes it is necessary to penetrate to the inmost parts, as the people had not only provoked God lightly, and for a short time, but their impiety had been growing for ages, and their sins had become a kind of inheritance to them. Since, then, this hidden poison existed, which could not be cured either easily or by any slight remedy, hence God orders them to begin with their fathers. Show them, therefore, the abominations of their fathers. It follows —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(4) Wilt thou judge them?The form of the repeated question is equivalent to an imperativejudge them. Instead of allowing their enquiry and entreaty for the averting of judgment, the prophet is directed to set before them their long series of apostasies and provocations. Judge is used in the sense of bring to trial, prefer charges.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Wilt thou judge “The interrogation seems to have the sense of an impatient imperative, and the repetition gives stronger impression to the imperative (compare Eze 22:2; Eze 23:36); ‘judge’ is explained by ‘cause them to know the abominations of their fathers.’ To rehearse the history of their fathers is to hold the mirror up to themselves.” Davidson.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“Will you judge them, son of man? Will you judge them? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers.”
Instead Ezekiel must pass His judgment on them. He was to show them why, as with their fathers before them, they could not expect any response from God.
‘Will you judge them, son of man? Will you judge them?’ Ezekiel was there in his silent vigil before God, and as he looked at the elders he was wondering what he could say to them about why God would not reply to their questions. What judgment could he give? God simply said, remind them of their history, a history of disobedience and rejection in the face of all that God had done for them, a disobedience and rejection that still continued. There were no grounds for it. God had been continually good to them. Indeed He had persevered in His goodness long after they had revealed that they did not deserve it.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 20:4. Wilt thou judge them, &c.? Wilt thou not judge them, &c.? Lowth. Make thyself, son of man, make thyself their judge: declare to them the abominations, &c. Houbigant. This whole chapter is a kind of decree; in which the prophet, after having set forth the crimes of the Jews, pronounces against them their rejection, and the things which God will do to a faithful people, who shall serve him truly on his holy mountain. See Eze 20:40 and Calmet.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
The Lord seems to appeal to the Prophet for his judgment to decide the equity of the Lord’s cause; and, in order to enable the Prophet so to do, the Lord enters upon their history, from the servitude of Israel in Egypt, from the first moment of the Lord’s forming them into a Church, when He promised them Canaan. There is great beauty in the expression of the Lord’s espying Canaan. The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof. But espying Canaan as the glory of all lands, means, that there the Lord would make known His more especial presence, and there fix His sanctuary among them. I pray the Reader to observe and take notice with me, of the several parts of the divine mercy. The very choice of Israel, and forming them into a Church as His people, resulted from His own free sovereign mercy. Deu 7:7-8 . And the manifestation which the
Lord made of himself to Israel was altogether originating in His own mind, no merit of theirs moving him to it. His entering into covenant with them, and the assurance He gave of His favor, all these were so many evidences of the divine mercy, and wholly to be referred into His own sovereign will and pleasure. Mal 1:2-3 ; Rom 9:15-16 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Eze 20:4 Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge [them]? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers:
Ver. 4. Wilt thou judge them? ] Or, Wilt thou excuse them? or, Wilt thou intercede for them? If thou hast never so good a mind to do so, yet do it not; rather reprove them for, and convince them of, their sins; spare thy charity, and exercise thine authority of “having in readiness to revenge their disobedience.” 2Co 10:6 An causam ageres eorum? Abigendi sunt potius quam docendi. Ostendit Dominus ulcus profundum esse.
Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Wilt thou . . . wilt thou . . . ? Note the Figure of speech Epizeuxis (App-6), for emphasis.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
judge them: or, plead for them, Eze 14:14, Eze 14:20, Eze 22:2, Eze 23:36, Eze 23:45, Isa 5:3, Jer 7:16, Jer 11:14, Jer 14:11-14, Jer 15:1, 1Co 6:2
cause: Eze 16:2, Eze 16:3, Mat 23:29-37, Luk 11:47-51, Luk 13:33-35, Act 7:51, Act 7:52
Reciprocal: 1Sa 7:6 – judged 2Ki 21:15 – since the day Isa 58:1 – spare Jer 6:27 – General Jer 34:14 – but Hos 2:2 – Plead with Mic 3:8 – to declare
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 20:4. Ezekiel was told to refer them to the abominable conduct of their fathers. This would not have been held against them had they profited by the mistakes of their fathers and learned the lesson that such an example teaches.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Eze 20:4. Wilt thou judge them Or, rather, Wilt thou not judge them? Wilt thou not reprove, or condemn them? Wilt thou not denounce my judgments against them? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers The abominable crimes of which their fathers have been guilty, and which they themselves, and the present generation of Jews, have also committed with fresh aggravations: and hereby let them know what they have to expect. This whole chapter is a kind of decree, in which the prophet, after having set forth the crimes of the Jews, pronounces against them their reprobation, and foretels what blessings God would bestow on a faithful people who should serve him truly on his holy mountain.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
20:4 Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge [them]? cause {b} them to know the abominations of their fathers:
(b) This declares the great leniency and patience of God who calls sinners to repentance before he condemns them.