Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 7:20
As for the beauty of his ornament, he set it in majesty: but they made the images of their abominations [and] of their detestable things therein: therefore have I set it far from them.
20. Read: and the beauty of their ornament they turned into pride, and they made the images thereof; therefore will I make it unto them a thing unclean. The thing spoken of is still their silver and gold; this they not only turned into pride, but made also images of it. Hos 2:8, I multiplied unto her silver and gold, which they used for Baal; Eze 8:4, Of their silver and gold have they made them idols, that they might be cut off. Cf. ch. Eze 16:11; 2Sa 1:24; Jer 4:30.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Or, And the beauty of his ornament, he (the people) turned it to pride.
Have I set it far from them – Rather, as in the margin – therefore have I made it their defilement and their disgrace.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 20. As for the beauty of his ornament] Their beautiful temple was their highest ornament, and God made it majestic by his presence. But they have even taken its riches to make their idols, which they have brought into the very courts of the Lord’s house; and therefore God hath set it – the temple, from him – given it up to pillage. Some say it means, “They took their ornaments, which were their pride, and made them into images to worship.”
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The beauty of his ornament; their riches, the ornament of a nation, their silver, gold, &c. Or rather the temple and ark, and all that pertained to it, which was the beauty and glory of that nation, and they accounted it so.
He set it in majesty; God commanded it should be stately, beautiful, and rich; very magnificent, said Solomon, great, 2Ch 2:5, and God gave the riches with which it was built, 1Ch 29:11-16.
They made the images; either set up their idols which God so much abhorred in his temple, and provoked him with spiritual adulteries to his face, as if a wife should commit adultery before the eye of her husband; or, made their idols, those abominable images, those detestable things, of the silver and gold which I adorned them with.
I have set it far from them; I have parted between them; sent them from the temple, and their gold and silver from them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
20. beauty of his ornamentthetemple of Jehovah, the especial glory of the Jews, as a bride gloriesin her ornaments (the very imagery used by God as to the temple,Eze 16:10; Eze 16:11).Compare Eze 24:21: “Mysanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes.”
images . . . thereinnamely,in the temple (Eze 8:3-17).
set it far from themGodhad “set” the temple (their “beauty of ornament”)”for His majesty”; but they had set up “abominationstherein”; therefore God, in just retribution, “set it farfrom them,” (that is, removed them far from it, or took it awayfrom them [VATABLUS]). TheMargin translates, “Made it unto them an uncleanthing” (compare Margin on Eze7:19, “removed”); what I designed for their glory theyturned to their shame, therefore I will make it turn to theirignominy and ruin.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
As for the beauty of his ornament, he set it in majesty,…. Or, “for pride” i. The gold, silver, jewels, riches, and treasure, which the Lord gave to this people, they made a bad use of; and instead of contributing to the support of his worship and interest, and of giving liberally to the poor, they converted it to their own pride and luxury: or rather the temple, as Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it, is meant; which was a beautiful structure, and adorned with gifts, and set for glory, majesty, and excellency by the Lord; yea, where his excellent Majesty dwelt himself:
but they made the images of their abominations [and] of their detestable things therein; or, “of it” k; that is, of their gold and silver, which is another bad use they put their riches to: or rather “in it” l; that is, the temple; where, having made their idols, they placed them; see Jer 7:30;
therefore have I set it far from them; that being destroyed, and they being carried away captive into a strange land, far from that.
i “in superbiam”, V. L. Calvin, Starckius. k “ex eo”, Tigurine version. l “In eo”. Pagninus, Montanus, Polanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Starckius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
I doubt not that Ezekiel strengthens what he had just taught by other words, namely, that the people’s silver should be cast away, because it had been unworthily abused for luxury, vain pomps and superstitions. Some explain צבי עדיו, tzebi-gnediu, of the temple; and certainly I confess that the temple was the chief glory of the Jews, so that they might boast of it, if they had rightly and properly worshipped God there. Hence God conveyed great glory to the Jews when he desired a temple to be erected among them to himself, which should be as it were his earthly dwelling-place. But I do not see why we should take these words of the temple, because the Prophet explains his own discourse: for he mentions gold and silver: he said, there should be no use for gold and silver, because every one should cast it into the mud, since they should cast away all hope of life and safety. He now continues the same sentiment; he shows the lawful use of gold and silver: it was, says he, the glory of his ornament For whatever God has given to men is a testimony of his paternal favor: therefore God’s liberality is refulgent in us when he enriches us with his gifts. If therefore riches are a glory and ornament, so also are bodily health, and honors, and things of this kind. Since therefore God wishes his favor to be conspicuous in all his gifts, by which he adorns and marks men out, the Prophet properly says that the Jews were adorned with gold and silver. But he accuses them of ingratitude because they turned such glory to pride. For גאון , gaon, I here take in a bad sense, as in many other places: it sometimes signifies excellence, but I have no doubt that the Prophet here blames the Jews, because they were proud of their wealth, which they took as a testimony of God’s favor. Therefore, says he, he turned the beauty of their ornament, he turned it to pride It follows, and the images of their abominations and of their detestable things, or of their idols, for the Hebrews thus speak sometimes of idols, they made therewith Here ב, is used as if it were מ, as often in other places, and thus it points out the material; for he says, that the Jews made their images, which were so many abominations before God, out of gold and silver This was a second profanation of God’s gifts: the former was in pride, when the Jews through wantonness and abundance began to be insolent against God, thus they profaned the glory with which they had been adorned. But another pollution is also added, namely, that they made their idols of gold and silver, and offered to them gifts and sacrifices: as God complains in Hosea, (Hos 2:8,) that they converted whatever he had conferred upon them into impious worship. I had given, said he, my corn, and wine, and oil: but they adorned their idols: this was forsooth their thanksgiving, that blind to my liberality, they offered sacrifices to their idols of my corn and oil and wine. Of which matter Ezekiel discourses more fully in Eze 16:0. But he now says: that they made images of their abominations out of that glory by which he had distinguished them And at the end of the verse he confirms what we have lately seen: wherefore, says he, I will appoint it, namely, that beauty, to them for a castaway We see the same sentiment repeated which he had used before: but he here relates the reasons why the Jews should disregard their gold and silver in the day of God’s wrath, since they had unworthily defiled these gifts of God in which his grace and paternal favor shone forth. I will make, therefore says he, their gold or beauty as a castaway: he had said the same thing before, but had not yet expressed the reason of God’s wrath. It follows —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(20) In majesty.Rather, for pride. That which had been given them for the beauty of ornament, viz., their silver and gold (Eze. 7:19), they had perverted to purposes of pride. Nay, further, they had even made their idols of it; therefore God set it far from them. The same strong word is used here as in Eze. 7:19 = made it filth unto them. The singular and plural pronouns, he, his, they, their, them, all alike refer to the people.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
20. This is a difficult verse which should probably read, “And the beauty of their ornament, they turned it to pride, and they made the images of their abominations, of their detestable things, therefrom; therefore have I made it an impurity unto them.” The gold which they cast into the form of an idol (Eze 16:17; Hos 2:8; Hos 8:4), and worshiper as divine, is now to them like the most polluting uncleanness. They cannot purchase provisions with it while in the city, and if they seek to carry it with them it will increase the eagerness of pursuit (Eze 7:21).
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“As for the beauty of his ornament, he set it in majesty. But they made the images of their abominations, and their detestable things in it. Therefore have I made it to them as an unclean thing. And I will give it into the hands of the strangers for a prey, and to the wicked of the earth for a spoil, and they will profane it. My face also will I turn from them, and they will profane my secret place, and robbers will enter it and profane it.”
There are two ways of seeing this passage. One is to translate as above and see ‘the beauty of His ornament, set in majesty’, as the Temple or the Holy City (see Isa 52:1), and ‘My secret (or hidden) place’ as the inner room, the Holiest of All, where none may enter except in thought. The former were often thought of in terms of beauty. We can compare ‘our holy and our beautiful house’ (Isa 64:11; compare Hag 2:3), ‘beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion’ (Psa 48:2; compare Lam 2:15) and ‘Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shone’ (Psa 50:2). For the latter compare ‘the secret place of the Most High’ (Psa 91:1) where the thought may well be of one who meditated on God on His throne above the Ark of the covenant in the Holiest of All, and thus ‘dwelt there’. See also Psa 27:5, “For in the day of trouble He will keep me secretly in His pavilion, in the covert of His tabernacle will He hide me.’
We are told later of the detestable and abominable things that they set up or did in the Temple (Eze 8:5-10; Eze 8:14; Eze 8:16). Thus God would be saying that His Temple (or His Holy City) was now an unclean thing. That is why He would give it into the hands of aliens as a prey, and to the wicked of the earth for a spoil for them to profane it, and His secret place too would be profaned and He would allow robbers to enter it and steal all that was there (see 2Ch 36:18). This was the explanation of why He would not protect it. But later, in the restoration, He would call on it to again put on its beautiful garments (Isa 52:1).
Alternately we may translate as RSV, ‘their beautiful ornament they used for vainglory, and they made their abominable images and their detestable things of it, therefore will I make it an unclean thing to them. And I will give it into the hands of foreigners for a prey, and to the wicked of the earth for a spoil, and they will profane it. I will turn my face from them, that they may profane my precious place. Robbers will enter and profane it, and make a desolation.’ This was the way that the LXX translators saw it, ‘As for their choice ornaments, they employed them for pride, and they made of them images of their abominations: therefore have I made them uncleanness to them.’
Here Ezekiel would be thinking of their taking their silver and gold (the beauty of their ornament) and using it to make idolatrous images and other paraphernalia, and that would explain why their silver and gold became unclean. Then he would be adding the thought that that too was why God allowed the profanation of the Temple, His ‘precious place’. So the thought is the same in the end, but with differing emphasis. However in our view the first translation fits more exactly the pattern of the context.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 7:20. As for the beauty of his ornament Houbigant’s translation is, They made of it [the gold] beautiful and splendid ornaments, with which they adorned the abominable images of their gods: therefore will I cause it to be esteemed impure among them.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Eze 7:20 As for the beauty of his ornament, he set it in majesty: but they made the images of their abominations [and] of their detestable things therein: therefore have I set it far from them.
Ver. 20. As for the beauty of his ornament. ] That is mine ark, saith Junius; or my silver and gold, Eze 7:10 as others.
He set it in majesty.
Therefore have I set it far from them.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
it: i.e. His Sanctuary, or His holy city Jerusalem.
and. Some codices, with Syriac and Vulgate, read this “and” in the text = “and their”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the beauty: Eze 24:21, 1Ch 29:1, 1Ch 29:2, 2Ch 2:9, 2Ch 3:1-17, Ezr 3:12, Psa 48:2, Psa 50:2, Psa 87:2, Psa 87:3, Isa 64:11, Hag 2:3
but: Eze 5:11, Eze 8:7-10, Eze 8:15, Eze 8:16, 2Ki 21:4, 2Ki 21:7, 2Ki 23:11, 2Ki 23:12, 2Ch 33:4-7, 2Ch 36:14, Jer 7:30
set it far from them: or, made it unto them an unclean thing, Eze 7:22, Eze 9:7, Eze 24:21, Jer 7:14, Lam 1:10, Lam 2:1, Lam 2:7
Reciprocal: Deu 27:15 – an abomination 1Ch 16:29 – the beauty 1Ch 22:5 – exceeding 2Ch 2:5 – great 2Ch 3:7 – overlaid Psa 79:1 – holy Psa 96:9 – in the beauty of holiness Isa 24:5 – defiled Jer 12:7 – I have given Jer 14:21 – disgrace Jer 17:3 – I will Jer 23:11 – in Jer 30:18 – the palace Jer 52:13 – burned Lam 1:6 – all Eze 8:3 – the image Eze 8:6 – even Eze 10:18 – the glory Eze 11:18 – General Eze 16:16 – General Eze 23:38 – they have Eze 44:7 – ye have brought Dan 11:31 – they shall pollute Zep 3:11 – that rejoice Zec 11:10 – Beauty Mat 24:2 – There Mar 13:1 – out Luk 21:6 – there
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 7:20. God had given his people one of the most beautiful temples ever possessed by any nation. The majesty of the Lord was in evidence all through the structure and the whole setup was adapted to the worship of the true God. But the people corrupted the holy building with the images of their abominations which they used in their practices of idolatry. Therefore . . . far from them. This beautiful building that had been blessed with the glory of the Lord was to be taken from them.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Eze 7:20-22. As for the beauty of his ornament The temple and all that pertained to it, which was the beauty and glory of the Jewish nation, and accounted so by them; he set it in majesty God commanded that it should be a stately, beautiful, and magnificent structure; but they made the images of their abominations therein Set up their idols in his temple, and provoked him, their Maker and their husband, with their spiritual adulteries committed before his face; therefore have I set it far from them I have parted between it and them, have removed them far from the temple: or, I have given it into the hands of the Gentiles to profane and pollute it: see the marginal reading, and Eze 7:21. My face will I turn from them Either from the Jews or from the Chaldeans, neither relieving the former nor restraining the latter. And they (the Chaldeans) shall pollute my secret place My temple, and even the holy of holies. For the robbers shall enter into it The Chaldean soldiers shall break open all doors, and rush forward, and enter there, where neither the people, nor the Levites, nor the priests, except only the high-priest, were allowed to enter.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
7:20 As for the beauty of his {p} ornament, he set it in majesty: but they made the images of their abominations [and] of their detestable things in it: therefore have I set it far from them.
(p) Meaning, the sanctuary.