Ezekiel 20

Ezekiel 20:1

The remnant - Those who lived in the valleys near Ashkelon. But thyself - Why will you afflict yourselves, when all your mourning will do you no good.

Ezekiel 20:2

O thou sword - Perhaps they are the words of the prophet, lamenting the havock which he made among the Philistines by the Chaldeans.

Ezekiel 20:3

How - God lets the prophet know that he had given this sword its commission, and therefore it could not stop ’till Ashkelon and the people on the sea - shore were destroyed by it.

Ezekiel 20:5

How - God lets the prophet know that he had given this sword its commission, and therefore it could not stop ’till Ashkelon and the people on the sea - shore were destroyed by it.

Ezekiel 20:6

Heshbon - Heshbon was one of the principal cities of the Moabites. Probably the enemies sat there in counsel, when they had taken it, against the other parts of the country.

Ezekiel 20:7

Horoniam - Another city of Moab.

Ezekiel 20:9

Luhith - To this city the Moabites fled for sanctuary, and flying made so great an out - cry that their enemies who pursued them heard it.

Ezekiel 20:10

And be - Save your lives, though all ye have be lost.

Ezekiel 20:11

Trusted - In thy idols. Chemosh - Chemosh was their principal idol.

Ezekiel 20:13

Give wings - The Moabites have need of wings like a bird to escape that ruin which is coming upon them.

Ezekiel 20:15

At ease - The Moabites ever since they began to be a people, have been a quiet people. Settled - Like a cask of wine, that has not been racked but has continued in the same state. Not emptied - A metaphor of wine which is drawn out from vessel to vessel, when it is drawn off the lees. It is expounded by the next words. Therefore - And this is the reason why they retain their old sins, pride, presumption, and luxury.

Ezekiel 20:16

Wanderers - The Chaldeans, who wandered from their own country to conquer other people. Break his bottles - He had before compared the Moabites, to wine settled upon the lees, here he saith, that God would send those that should not only disturb, but destroy them.

Ezekiel 20:17

Bethel - The golden calves, which Jeroboam set up at Dan and Bethel.

Ezekiel 20:20

Is near - Josephus tells us this destruction came upon the Moabites five years after the siege of Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 20:21

Staff - A staff and a rod are as well, ensigns of power and government, as instruments to punish offenders.

Ezekiel 20:22

Dibon - Dibon, Aroer, and Ataroh were built by the children of Gad. It should seem the Moabites were not come into the possession of them. In thirst - It was a place well watered, but God threatens she should be in thirst, that is, driven into some dry, barren countries. The spoiler - The king of Babylon.

Ezekiel 20:24

Arnon - Arnon was the name of a river; it was the border of Moab: probably the adjacent country or city might take its name from the river.

Ezekiel 20:29

The horn - That is the beauty and the strength of Moab.

Ezekiel 20:30

Drunken - Fill him with the intoxicating wine of God’s vengeance.

Ezekiel 20:31

Was he found - Why didst thou deal by Israel as men deal by thieves, when they are brought to shame?

Ezekiel 20:32

O ye - Still the prophet speaks of the Moabites, as a people whose armies were routed, and calls to them to leave their houses in cities, not promising themselves any security, either to or from their houses, or from the walls of the cities, but to get them to rocks, which are naturally fortified, and from whence (if from any place) security may be promised.

Ezekiel 20:34

I know - He shall never execute what he thinks to do. But - His boastings and his lies, still never effect his designs.

Ezekiel 20:35

Kir - herez - A city of Moab.

Ezekiel 20:36

Sibmah - Sibmah was famous in those days for vines. Jazer - Jazer was it seems first taken, and carried into captivity.

Ezekiel 20:40

Pipes - The prophet means such pipes as they were wont to use at funerals, and other sad occasions.

Ezekiel 20:44

He - Nebuchadnezzar shall come swiftly, and spread himself over Moab.

Ezekiel 20:47

Fear - A variety of dangers upon all sides.

Ezekiel 20:49

Heshbon - Heshbon was it seems a place of force. The crown - That is, the glory.