Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 29:16
And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel, which bringeth [their] iniquity to remembrance, when they shall look after them: but they shall know that I [am] the Lord GOD.
16. the confidence ] Cf. Isa 30:2-3; Isa 36:4; Isa 36:6.
bringeth iniquity to remembrance ] The phrase occurs again Num 5:15; 1Ki 17:18; Eze 21:23-24, and appears to mean to accuse before God. The phrase here is scarcely in apposition to “confidence,” but is rather parallel to that word and a further description of Egypt no more a confidence and a reminder of iniquity. Egypt was a seduction to Israel, leading them to trust in it and distrust Jehovah; it was an accuser of Israel before Jehovah, calling Israel’s iniquity to his mind. The iniquity lay primarily in trusting in Egypt, but it might be wider and more general (1Ki 17:18).
when they shall look ] Rather: in their turning after them in Israel’s turning to the Egyptians for help. Cf. Eze 23:27, and on Eze 10:11. In the happy time of Israel’s restoration not only shall attack and enmity on the part of the surrounding nations be removed, but all temptation also to look to any for salvation but their God alone.
they shall know ] seems said of Israel. See last note.
That Ezekiel names a term of forty years as the period of Chaldean supremacy, and looks for the turn of the world’s affairs in Jehovah’s hand in so short a space of time is in conformity with the manner of representation in all the prophets. To all the day of the Lord is near (Joe 2:1; Zep 1:1; Isaiah 7). In Isaiah 23 seventy years are named as the period of Tyre’s humiliation, at the end of which time she shall be remembered and dedicate her hire to the Lord. In Jeremiah this period is the duration of the captivity of Judah. Such numbers as forty, seventy are general. They imply however that the prophets conceived of the time as comparatively short. It is less easy to suggest an explanation of this mode of conception. What has been named “perspective” in prophecy offers no explanation, for this so-called perspective is but another name for the thing to be explained. The explanation is to be sought rather on these lines: 1. The prophets deal with principles, with what might be called absolute conceptions. Such conceptions are good and evil, Jehovah and the false gods, true religion and idolatry, the kingdom of Jehovah and the power of the heathen world. What the prophets depict is usually a conflict of these principles, and every conflict which they perceive seems to them the absolute and final one, because it is a conflict of principles. True religion comes out of the struggle victorious the Kingdom is the Lord’s. 2. Moving thus among principles the mind of the prophets either took no note of time, or else as they deal in general with great movements of their own day, these present or imminent movements assume an absolute moral and religious meaning. They appear the embodiment of the principles which fill the prophetic mind. Consequently their issue is the final decision, which therefore appears at hand. When the prophets embody their general conception of the nearness of the final crisis in numbers, these numbers are usually round, and express merely a powerful religious presentiment.
Eze 29:17-21. A later passage of date 570, sixteen years after the fall of Jerusalem, written probably after Nebuchadnezzar’s thirteen years’ siege of Tyre had come to an end, and inserted among the prophecies relating to Egypt already collected. Nebuchadnezzar had served a great service for Jehovah against Tyre, for which neither he nor his army had received wages. Jehovah will recompense him for his service against Tyre by giving him the land of Egypt.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The false confidence of the Israelites brought to remembrance, i. e., discovered in the sight of God and man their iniquity, i. e., their treachery and perjury to the Chaldaeans; their falsehood being made evident when they look after (turn to) the Egyptians and seek their aid in rebellion. The ruin of Egypt shall put an end to all this.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
The confidence: on every occasion the Jews were wont, against express prohibition, to renew friendship with Egypt, and make leagues for defence by them, and here they sinfully rested, as Isa 30:2; 31:1; 36:6,9; see Eze 29:7.
Which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance; which sinful reliance on the arm of flesh provoked God to call to mind other their iniquities which accompanied this, viz. their idolatry, and going a whoring with these their confederates. God never forgets, but when he visits, punisheth, and judgeth a nation for their sin, then their sin is come up into remembrance.
When they shall look after them; or, in their, i.e. the house of Israels, looking after, i.e. with a desire that the Egyptians would, with hope they will, and with confidence that they can, relieve, rescue, and save them; when they forgot God, and respected Egypt.
They shall know; the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord, and whoso knows him will put their trust in him, Psa 9:10.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
16. Egypt, when restored, shallbe so circumscribed in power that it shall be no longer an object ofconfidence to Israel, as formerly; for example, as when, relying onit, Israel broke faith with Nebuchadnezzar (Eze 17:13;Eze 17:15; Eze 17:16).
which bringeth their iniquityto remembrance, when they shall look after themrather, “whilethey (the Israelites) look to (or, turn after) them”[HENDERSON]. Israel’slooking to Egypt, rather than to God, causes their iniquity(unfaithfulness to the covenant) to be remembered by God.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel,…. It having been treacherous to them, and moreover subdued by the Chaldeans, the Jews, even after their return from captivity, put no more confidence in them; it being now become as it is here prophesied it would, the basest of the kingdoms, more weak, and in a more abject state, than the rest, and so despised by its neighbours, as it was by the Jews:
which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance, when they shall look after them; as they had done in time past, when they looked after them for help, and expected it from them, and trusted in them, and served their idols; which brought to the Lord’s remembrance former iniquities and idolatries, for which he punished them; but now they should do so no more:
but they shall know that I am the Lord God; not the Egyptians, but the Israelites; who being returned from captivity, shall acknowledge and serve the only true God, and no more worship the idols of the nations.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(16) The confidence of the house of Israel.Here the result of this judgment in Gods providence concerning His people is brought out: they had hitherto continually transgressed by looking to Egypt for aid; now this temptation should be entirely removed. This trust of Israel in Egypt had continually brought their iniquity to remembrance when they looked to them for help, both by its being against the express command of God, and also by its involving treachery and rebellion against Chalda.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
16. Bringeth their iniquity to remembrance When Israel looked to Pharaoh instead of to Jehovah for help, it made the national wickedness more conspicuous than the national danger, and instead of helping, as he otherwise would have done, Jehovah chastised. (Compare Eze 21:23-24.)
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“And it shall no more be the one in whom the house of Israel put their trust, bringing their iniquity into remembrance when they turn to look after them. And they will know that I am the Lord Yahweh.
Thus never again would Israel turn to Egypt for assistance and rely on them. Rather they will look on Egypt with the result that their dire condition will remind them of their folly. And the sight will also bring home to them Who and What Yahweh is.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 29:16. Which bringeth, &c. Prompting them to mischief when they took after them, &c.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Eze 29:16 And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel, which bringeth [their] iniquity to remembrance, when they shall look after them: but they shall know that I [am] the Lord GOD.
Ver. 16. And it shall be no more the confidence. ] For I will cut them and keep them short enough; I will pull their plumes, so that they shall not stretch their wings beyond the nest; they shall have nothing so many clients and adherents.
Which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
iniquity. Hebrew `avah. App-44.
they shall know, &c. See note on Eze 6:10.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the confidence: Eze 29:6, Eze 29:7, Eze 17:15-17, Isa 20:5, Isa 30:1-6, Isa 31:1-3, Isa 36:4-6, Jer 2:18, Jer 2:19, Jer 2:36, Jer 2:37, Jer 37:5-7, Lam 4:17, Hos 5:13, Hos 7:11, Hos 12:1, Hos 14:3
bringeth: Eze 21:23, Num 5:15, 1Ki 17:18, Psa 25:7, Psa 79:8, Isa 64:9, Jer 14:10, Hos 8:13, Hos 9:9, Heb 10:3, Heb 10:17, Rev 16:19
but: Eze 29:6, Eze 29:9, Eze 29:21, Eze 28:22-24, Eze 28:26
Reciprocal: Jer 37:7 – Pharaoh’s Eze 30:8 – shall know Eze 30:25 – they shall know
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 29:16. No more the confidence of the house of Israel means that God’s people will be convinced they cannot rely on Egypt for support. While they had at times in the past looked to it, the Lord was displeased and such iniquity was remembered by Him.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Eze 29:16. It shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel At the same time that the Jews put confidence in Egypt they distrusted the promises and assistance of God, and forsook him to comply with the idolatries of their allies. Which bringeth Or, as Newcome translates it, Calling their iniquity to remembrance That is, as he interprets it, causing God to remember and punish the iniquity of his people. Or the sense of the verse may be, that the Israelites should no more look to Egypt for help; but, by the deplorable state it should be reduced to, be put in mind of the judgments which wickedness brings down from God; and of their own folly and iniquity in distrusting his assistance, and seeking to Egypt for help, contrary to his commands, and even complying with the Egyptian idolatries, in order to engage them in their favour.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
29:16 And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel, which bringeth [their] {h} iniquity to remembrance, when they shall look after them: but they shall know that I [am] the Lord GOD.
(h) Lest I should by this means punish their sins.