Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 5:7
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye multiplied more than the nations that [are] round about you, [and] have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept my judgments, neither have done according to the judgments of the nations that [are] round about you;
7 17. Because she has surpassed the nations in evil, her chastisements shall be without example in severity.
Because ye multiplied ] R.V. because ye are turbulent. Both renderings assume an otherwise unknown verb, supposed to be derived from the noun “multitude,” “tumult,” &c. The existence of such a verb is improbable. The suggestion of Boett. followed by Corn. because ye rebelled (hamroth) is perhaps best, as Eze 5:6 is then resumed. The sense of R.V. could be got by a very slight change (hamoth), cf. Eze 22:5, last words; Amo 3:9.
neither according to the judgments ] that is, the ordinances and practices of the nations. Others with Syr. would omit the neg.: but have done according to. The charge of the prophet, however, is that Israel had exceeded the nations in wickedness; cf. Eze 16:47-48; Jer 2:10-11, “Hath a nation changed their gods, which yet are no gods?”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Because ye multiplied – Some prefer: Because ye have raged tumultuously.
Neither have done according to the judgments – (or, ordinances) of the nations The reproach is that the Israelites have not even been as faithful to their one true God as the nations have been to their false gods (compare 2Ki 17:33).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Ye multiplied: there is some difficulty in assigning what it is they multiplied in, either numbers of people, benefits received from God, luxury, pride, tumultuousness, with increase of your riches; or in idols, superstitions, and appendant wickednesses. This last seems most agreeable with the text; the rest may not be excluded.
According to the judgments of the nations; while you have exceeded the nations in superstition and idolatry, you have fallen short of them in the moralities of their life, and done less good than they, taught by a far more imperfect law than-you, Rom 2:21-24.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. multipliedrather, “havebeen more abundantly outrageous”; literally, “totumultuate”; to have an extravagant rage for idols.
neither have done accordingto the judgments of the nationshave not been as tenacious ofthe true religion as the nations have been of the false. The heathen”changed” not their gods, but the Jews changed Jehovah foridols (see Eze 5:6, “changedMy judgments into wickedness,” that is, idolatry, Jer2:11). The Chaldean version and the Masora supportthe negative. Others omit it (as it is omitted in Eze11:12), and translate, “but have done according tothe judgments,” c. However, both Eze11:12 and also this verse are true. They in one sense “didaccording to the heathen,” namely, in all that was bad inanother, namely, in that which was good, zeal for religion, they didnot. Eze 5:9 also provesthe negative to be genuine; because in changing their religion, theyhave not done as the nations which have not changed theirs, “I(also) will do in thee that which I have not done.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Therefore thus saith the Lord God,…. Having observed their sins, and which are still enlarged upon, the Lord proceeds to denounce his judgments against them:
because ye multiplied more than the nations that [are] round about you; not in numbers, nor in wealth and riches, or in blessings and privileges, and therefore grew wanton and forgetful; though this was true: but in sins and wickedness, which abounded among them, and in which they exceeded the nations round about them; and so the Targum paraphrases it,
“because that ye have sinned more than the people that are round about you:”
[and] have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept my judgments; which as repeated to show the certainty of fact, and how much the Lord resented it:
neither have done according to the judgments of the nations that [are] round about you. The Syriac version leaves out the negative particle and renders the words thus, “but ye have done the judgments of the nations which are round about you”; and it may be observed, that it is omitted in parallel text, Eze 11:12; and this is what the Jews are often reproved for, that they followed the laws and customs of the Gentiles, and worshipped their gods; and the opposition to the preceding clause seems to require this sense; but the retaining the negative particle is confirmed by the Targum, Masora, and the Septuagint and Arabic versions; and also by the Talmud t, which reconciles the passage with the parallel text before mentioned, thus,
“according to those things which are right among them (the Gentiles) ye have not done; [but] according to what are corrupt among them ye have done;”
and the meaning is, either that they did not walk according to the law and light of nature, which the Gentiles had, and attended to, Ro 2:14; or that they did not follow them in their conduct and behaviour; they were not so zealous for the true God as the Heathens were for their idols; they were not so tenacious of the laws and worship the true God of Israel as the Gentiles were of their superstitious rites and ceremonies; the Gentiles did not change their gods, and manner of worship, but retained what, they received from their ancestors time immemorial; but the Jews changed their glory for that which did not profit, Jer 2:11.
t T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 39, 9.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
This verse is variously expounded on account of the word המנכם , hemenekem: for some read it jointly in one context, as if through being multiplied they did not worship God; as if he meant that they were luxurious through their opulence, as horses are restive through too much food and fatness. That passage of Moses has been marked: Israel, when highly fed, kicked; therefore they think that this place is like it, and so they combine it together: because thou hast been multiplied beyond. all Gentiles which were around thee, thou hast despised my judgments, for thou hast become blind and drunken by prosperity. (Deu 32:15.) But I do not approve of this sense, for it is clearly too forced. Others derive it from המה, hemeh, which signifies to be agitated or disturbed, and elicit this sense, because ye are tumultuous beyond all nations — -that is, because your lasciviousness and licentiousness surpass that of all people, whilst your eagerness has drawn you on as it were without a bridle. But I fear that explanation is far-fetched, and so I take it simply for to be multiplied, or multiplication; for machor may be either a noun or a verb, but in the same sense. At the same time, I do not refer this to the number and multitude of the people, nor even to the abundance of goods, as the majority do; for they say that the number of persons was multiplied, which does not suit the sense; if it be referred to wealth, it is indeed true that God had acted liberally towards that city, but I take it actively, that they have multiplied beyond all nations: and Jerome, in my opinion, has not rendered it badly by translating, “because ye have surpassed the nations,” yet he has departed from the proper sense of the word: so it will be better to retain the verb “multiply” or the noun “multiplication,” yet actively, because they had wantoned intemperately in their superstitions, so that they surpassed all nations in evil doing. On account then of your multiplying, or on account of your multiplication beyond all nations, that is, because ye were not content with moderate impiety, but heaped together all kinds of wickedness, so that your impiety has arrived at the highest pitch whence a curse follows it: but before he comes to that he confirms what he had said before, namely, because they had not walked in his statutes, and had not kept his judgments This, therefore, is the meaning of to multiply, because when the law was delivered to them they despised it, and imitated the wickedness of the nations and the countries around them. These sentences then agree, because beyond all the nations they had been rebellious in impiety against God, and then because they had multiplied beyond all nations and countries. Again the reason is to be observed, because they did not walk in God’s statutes For the Gentiles held no course, hence it is not surprising that they wandered in their own oblique direction. But a way had been shown to the Jews: the language of Moses was not in vain. (Deu 30:19.) I call heaven and earth to witness that I have set before you life and death: choose ye therefore life. Since then God had thus laid down the doctrine of salvation for the Jews, he was the more indignant at their insolence and baseness in not walking according to his statutes. Life then had been set before them, as Moses says; it remained for them to walk therein, which the Gentiles could not do.
Now he adds, and according to the judgments of the Gentiles which are round about you Here the Prophet seems to blame what otherwise and in many places is praised. For the Jews ought to be separate from the Gentiles, so that they might worship God in purity, and the Prophets often expostulate with them because they followed the judgments or statutes of the Gentiles. On these words I have said nothing, because they occur often, and it has been already shown in many places why God calls his judgments laws. Some distinguish between judgments and statutes, because judgments belong to mortals, and statutes to ceremonies. But this distinction is not everywhere observed. But God, in very many places, commends the precepts of his law, since he shows that nothing necessary to a complete system of teaching was omitted. But. this name is sometimes transferred to perverse rites and vicious superstitions, so that to walk in the judgments of the Gentiles, is to corrupt oneself with their perverse morals. As I have said already, the Jews were often condemned by the Prophets because they gave themselves up to the corruptions of the Gentiles.
Here, therefore, the Prophet says, that they had not done according to the judgments of the Gentiles But he understands that in this particular, also, they had surpassed the madness of the Gentiles, because they had not embraced the law of God so as to remain constantly in obedience to it. For we saw in the second chapter of Jeremiah, (Jer 2:10,) that the Gentiles were obstinate in their madness. Although that was not praiseworthy, yet God deservedly blames his people because they held him in less honor than the Gentiles did their idols. For we know how obstinately the nations were fixed in their superstitions, for they did not change their religion except by some violent impulse, just as if heaven and earth were shaken together. Since, therefore, the religion of each was firm and fixed, God accuses the Jews of trifling deservedly, because they inclined towards the errors and madness of the heathen. This, therefore, is Ezekiel’s meaning when he says, the Jews had not done according to the statutes of the Gentiles: as if he had said, they should have looked at the Gentiles, and as they saw them obstinately worshipping idols, so they should have persisted in my law and in pure worship. But while the obstinacy of the Gentiles was so great that they could not be torn away from their own superstition, my people, says he, have perfidiously declined from me and my law by rash impulse, and without necessity for it. Now, therefore, we perceive why the Prophet adds this to their crimes, that the people had not walked after the judgments or manners of the Gentiles. Hence they might have perceived, that what men had once embraced they ought not lightly to have thrown away, because when we are suddenly and easily turned aside in the matter of the worship of God, it is certain that we have never put forth living roots. Since, then, the Gentiles instructed the Jews in their duty, their crime became more detestable.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
B. The First Threat 5:710
TRANSLATION
(7) Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: Because you are more tumultuous than the nations which are round about you in My statutes you have not walked, and My judgments you have not done, nor have you done according to the judgments of the nations which are round about you; (8) therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold I, even I, am against you, and I will execute judgments in your midst in the sight of the nations. (9) And I will do in you that which I have not done and the likes of which I will not do again, because of all your abominations. (10) Therefore, fathers shall eat sons in your midst, and sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments in You, and I will scatter all your remnant to every wind.
COMMENTS
1. The basis of the threat (5.7). Because Jerusalem was more tumultuous than surrounding nations (Eze. 5:7) she would have to have the judgment of God. The word translated tumultuous (hamanchem) is of uncertain meaning.[167] It seems to be connected with the noun hamon which means a tumultuous crowd. They raged in their opposition against God. Such a description is appropriate to these lawless ones who rejected the judgments and statutes of the Lord. In fact, Judah had not even measured up to the standards of heathen nations nor have you done according to the judgments of the nations round about you (Eze. 5:7). Judah had sunk even deeper into wickedness than pagan nations. The thought here may be that of Jer. 2:10 f, viz., that the heathen were more loyal to their non-gods than was Israel to the God of creation.
[167] KJV if multiplied more than the nations. ASV. We are turbulent than the nations.
2. The specifics of the threat (Eze. 5:8-10). Five specific details concerning the forthcoming judgment of God are set forth in Eze. 5:8-10.
(1) The future judgment is the work of the sovereign ruler of Judah (Eze. 5:8 a). Yahweh is adonay, sovereign. It is He who has become the adversary of Judah. The formula I am against you seems to be derived from the background of hand to hand combat. The dreadful thought that God has entered into mortal combat against Jerusalem is underscored by the emphasis on the first person pronoun I, even I, am against you. This great sovereign God not only declares in Eze. 5:8 His hostility toward Jerusalem, He announces His intention to execute judgments in the midst of that city (Eze. 5:8). The last expression is repeated in Eze. 5:10.
(2) The future judgment will take place in the sight of the nations (Eze. 5:8). Repeatedly Ezekiel emphasizes this thought.[168] Judah had publicly profaned the honor of God, and thus the Holy One of Israel must be publicly vindicated. The death of Judah would be a hideous example to others.
[168] See Eze. 20:9; Eze. 20:14; Eze. 20:22; Eze. 20:41; Eze. 22:16; Eze. 28:25; Eze. 38:23; Eze. 39:27.
(3) The judgment would be unprecedented. The abominations of Judah were without precedent, so also would be the mani festation of Gods judgment (Eze. 5:9). Modern students find it easy to criticize the spiritual blindness and obduracy of Israel in refusing to believe the prophetic threats that Jerusalem would be overthrown. This verse should serve to explain in part the bewilderment and incredulity which this message of destruction produced. There was no precedent to prepare for the disaster. Currey observes that
The punishments of God are cumulative. The calamities of the Babylonian were surpassed by the Roman siege (Mat. 24:21), and these again were but a foreshadowing of still more terrible destruction at the last day.[169]
[169] Currey, BC, p. 37.
(4) The judgment would result in horrible barbarisms. In the extremities of the forthcoming siege cannibalism would be practiced in Jerusalem. That children would be devoured during that brutal period had been prophesied already.[170] The gruesome fulfillment is recorded in Lam. 4:10. But Ezekiel here goes beyond previous threats in that he predicts that sons shall eat their fathers. Human plight can know no greater depths.[171]
[170] Lev. 26:29; Deu. 28:53; Jer. 29:9.
[171] Feinburg, PE, p. 38.
(5) The judgment would involve the scattering of Gods people. In Eze. 5:10 Ezekiel alludes to those Jews who would flee from the Babylonian invasion as well as those who would be carried off to Babylon or sold into slavery in distant lands.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(7) Because ye multiplied.Rather, Because ye have raged, as the same word is translated in Psa. 2:1, and as its meaning is given in the lexicons. The meaning is, because they had shown more self-will and opposition to God.
Neither have done according to the judgments of the nations.These words admit of either of two senses: neither have kept those natural laws observed by the heathen, and in this case the Israelites would have been represented as worse in their actual conduct than the surrounding heathen; or, neither have kept your Divine laws as the heathen have observed those laws which they know by the light of nature and tradition. The latter we conceive to be the true sense here. If Israel did precisely what the heathen did, they would be far more unfaithful (See Eze. 11:12.) In Eze. 16:47, also, they are distinctly charged with being even more corrupt than the heathen; and there, too, the thought is plainly that they had sinned against more grace. (See Excursus III.)
EXCURSUS C: ON CHAPTER 5:7.
The expression in this verse, and also that in Eze. 16:47, are explained in the commentary as meaning that the Israelites were not absolutely worse than the heathen, but only relatively, in view of their opportunities and privileges; yet the language in both places, as well as in many other passages of the prophets, seems on its face to be absolute. The question may, therefore, be naturally asked whether it is justifiable to interpret it in a relative sense, and if so, on what grounds? The answer to these questions must be sought in a consideration of the whole character and history of Israel, which will show that what might be only a relatively greater wickedness in them according to a human standard, becomes, under the circumstances, an absolutely greater sin against God.
It certainly is not true that the Israelites as a nation habitually committed sins which were, in themselves considered, of greater enormity than the abominations of the heathen; nor is it to be supposed that they were originally chosen of God because they had a worse disposition than any other people. How, then, did they come to be regarded by Him as worse, and how did they come to have a greater proclivity to evil? The law of the moral government of the world, that responsibility is proportioned to privilege, is much insisted upon in Scripture; and hence the neglect or misuse of privilege leads to a severer condemnation than if the privilege had never been given. This law is in accordance with the fact of universal experience that grace, when resisted, hardens the heart and alienates it further from God. It is only in view of this fact that we can account for the rejection of our Lord by those among whom His mighty works were done. The same fact explains the strong terms in which the prophets continually reproach their people. The Gentiles, with less of grace and of religious privilege, could not fall into the same extreme hardness of heart by their rejection.
But this suggests the still more radical question, Why should the Israelites have been more prone to abuse their greater privileges than the Gentiles to slight those which were far inferior? The reason lies in the very nature of the privileges themselves; for the opposition of the natural heart was far more roused by the one than by the other. The various religions of the heathen were alike in imposing little check on the passions and selfishness and self-will of man; in fact, they often not only encouraged but deified the worst traits of human nature. The law of God, on the contrary, set before men as the object of their worship a Being of absolute purity and holiness, and made the devotion to Him of heart and soul and strength its first and most absolute command. If the privilege of the Israelite was far greater, it yet required of him a harder struggle against the evil of his nature to avail himself of its benefits; and the failure in this, as it led him away from a higher standard of holiness, necessarily precipitated him into a greater depth of sin. Hence arose the striking contrasts in Israels history between the saintliness of an Elijah, an Isaiah, or a Daniel, and the extreme wickedness of the people whom the prophet was now sent to rebuke. There is nothing therefore strange or abnormal in the history of Israel as compared with that of the Gentiles. The same old story is constantly repeated in the vices of Christian lands, and is seen everywhere in the greater faithfulness to their standards of the devotees of every false or corrupted religion. In passing, one cannot but remark upon that merciful providence of Almighty God by which His revelation has been ever progressive, rising only as men were in some degree prepared by the lower revelation to bear the higher.
Yet, while these results may thus be traced to the working of providential laws, the fault is without excuse, whether in ourselves or in the Israelites of old. Neither they nor we would willingly forego the privilege, and with this the responsibility for its improvement is inseparably joined. God gave then, as He gives now, sufficient grace to those that seek it; and freely pardons the sin of all that strive against its power.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. Because ye multiplied R.V., “Because ye are turbulent;” but Cornill’s emendation seems commendable: “because ye are rebellious.”
Neither have done according to the judgments of the nations Not only have they failed to live up to the rules of right which Jehovah has approved and ordained, but they have even fallen below the heathen standard of righteousness (Eze 16:47-48; Jer 2:10-11).
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh, “Because you are more turbulent than the nations which are round about you, and have not walked in my statutes nor have kept my ordinances, nor have done after the ordinances of the nations which are round about you, therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh, Behold I, even I am against you, and I will execute judgments against you in the eyes of the nations, and I will do in you what I have previously not done, and as I will not do any more the like, because of all your abominations. Therefore the father shall eat the sons in the midst of you, and the sons shall eat the fathers, and I will execute judgments in you, and the whole remnant of you will I scatter to all the winds.” ’
God’s indictment continues. The raging of the nations was well known (Psa 2:1; Psa 46:6) but Israel had been even more turbulent than they, rebelling against His statutes and ordinances, and against all moral standards. Therefore judgments would come on them so that the nations might see that Yahweh did not allow His people to behave so. They were intended to be a witness to the nations, but instead they had become their worst example. Thus God, even Yahweh, was against them. So He would do among them something unlike He had done before or will do after, because of their abominations (compare Eze 5:11). Thus would they be an example to the nations.
For what was included in the word ‘abominations’ see Eze 18:10-13.
Their situation would become so bad that they would become cannibals, eating even members of their own family (compare Jer 19:9; Lam 4:10 which confirm that cannibalism is meant and not just murder). Then His judgments would come on them, plague, pestilence, famine and slaughter, and those who were left would be scattered in all directions. Winds came from all directions.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 5:7. Ye multipliedneither have done according to the judgments of the nations Ye have sinnedbut have done after the manners of the heathen. Houbigant. See ch. Eze 11:12. God here calls the law of conscience and of nations his statutes and judgments; which the Jews had more infamously transgressed than the Gentiles, who had not the written law of God.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Eze 5:7 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye multiplied more than the nations that [are] round about you, [and] have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept my judgments, neither have done according to the judgments of the nations that [are] round about you;
Ver. 7. Because ye multiplied, ] scil., Your transgressions and superstitions, or because ye have abounded with blessings, and made me so ill a requital. Some render it Quia tumultuastis vos plus quam vicinae gentes; and indeed there were many murders committed among them, and many revolts from foreign princes whom they had sworn to serve.
Neither have done according to the judgment of the nations.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
multiplied = rebelled.
statutes. See notes on Gen 26:5. Deu 4:1.
neither have kept = and have not kept.
neither have done, &c.: or, “and according to the statutes of the nations which are round about you have not done”. Some codices, with two early printed editions and Syriac, omit this “not”. Compare Eze 11:12.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
neither have done: Eze 5:11, Eze 16:47, Eze 16:48, Eze 16:54, 2Ki 21:9-11, 2Ch 33:9, Jer 2:10, Jer 2:11
Reciprocal: Jer 5:28 – overpass Eze 16:27 – which
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 5:7. Multiplied is from HAMON and the definition in Strong’s lexicon is, “A noise, tumult, crowd; also disquietude, wealth.” The thought is that Jerusalem made a greater ado than the surrouding nations as to her importance of wealth and strength. In spite of such claims, however, she did not show as consistent an attitude toward the law she professed to follow as dirt the heathen nations.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Eze 5:7-9. Therefore, because ye multiplied more than the nations Their multiplying, in the common sense of the word, was a blessing promised to them, and could not be alleged against them as a crime; therefore a word ought to be supplied here, as is done in many versions, namely, because ye multiplied your crimes, or wickedness, more than the nations, &c., neither have done according to the judgments [or manners] of the nations that are round about you Namely, by persevering in the religion of your forefathers: you have not been so constant and zealous for the true religion as they have been for a false one. Or, as others interpret the clause, You have exceeded them in superstition and idolatry, and fallen short of them in moral duties. Therefore, behold, I, even I, am against thee I will vindicate my laws from being contemned as they have been by you; for why should I suffer it to be said, See how they who profess to worship the true and only God, live immersed in wickedness, and without any virtue? And I will do in thee that which I have not done As your sins have particular aggravations above those of other nations, so your punishment shall be proportionably greater. I will not do any more the like The punishments you shall suffer shall be more remarkable for their greatness than those I shall at any time inflict upon other nations.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
5:7 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye {f} multiplied more than the nations that [are] around you, [and] have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept my judgments, neither have done according to the judgments of the nations that [are] around you;
(f) Because your idols are in greater number, and your superstitions more than among the professed idolaters, read Isa 65:11 or he condemns their ingratitude in respect to his benefits.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The Lord promised to judge Jerusalem in the sight of the other nations because she had been so unfaithful and rebellious. She had not even observed the common laws that her neighbors obeyed.