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Ezekiel 22
1Moreover the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
2You, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? then cause her to know all her abominations.
3You shall say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: A city that sheds blood in the midst of her, that her time may come, and that makes idols against herself to defile her!
4You have become guilty in your blood that you have shed, and are defiled in your idols which you have made; and you have caused your days to draw near, and are come even to your years: therefore have I made you a reproach to the nations, and a mocking to all the countries.
5Those who are near, and those who are far from you, shall mock you, you infamous one [and] full of tumult.
6Behold, the princes of Israel, everyone according to his power, have been in you to shed blood.
7In you have they set light by father and mother; in the midst of you have they dealt by oppression with the foreigner; in you have they wronged the fatherless and the widow.
8You have despised my holy things, and have profaned my Sabbaths.
9Slanderous men have been in you to shed blood; and in you they have eaten on the mountains: in the midst of you they have committed lewdness.
10In you have they uncovered their fathers' nakedness; in you have they humbled her who was unclean in her impurity.
11One has committed abomination with his neighbor's wife; and another has lewdly defiled his daughter-in-law; and another in you has humbled his sister, his father's daughter.
12In you have they taken bribes to shed blood; you have taken interest and increase, and you have greedily gained of your neighbors by oppression, and have forgotten me, says the Lord Yahweh.
13Behold, therefore, I have struck my hand at your dishonest gain which you have made, and at your blood which has been in the midst of you.
14Can your heart endure, or can your hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with you? I, Yahweh, have spoken it, and will do it.
15I will scatter you among the nations, and disperse you through the countries; and I will consume your filthiness out of you.
16You shall be profaned in yourself, in the sight of the nations; and you shall know that I am Yahweh.
17The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
18Son of man, the house of Israel is become dross to me: all of them are brass and tin and iron and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are the dross of silver.
19Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because you have all become dross, therefore, behold, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.
20As they gather silver and brass and iron and lead and tin into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire on it, to melt it; so will I gather you in my anger and in my wrath, and I will lay you there, and melt you.
21Yes, I will gather you, and blow on you with the fire of my wrath, and you shall be melted in its midst.
22As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so you will be melted in its midst; and you will know that I, Yahweh, have poured out my wrath on you.
23The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
24Son of man, tell her, You are a land that is not cleansed, nor rained on in the day of indignation.
25There is a conspiracy of her prophets in its midst, like a roaring lion ravening the prey: they have devoured souls; they take treasure and precious things; they have made her widows many in its midst.
26Her priests have done violence to my law, and have profaned my holy things: they have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they caused men to discern between the unclean and the clean, and have hidden their eyes from my Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.
27Her princes in its midst are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, [and] to destroy souls, that they may get dishonest gain.
28Her prophets have plastered for them with whitewash, seeing false visions, and divining lies to them, saying, Thus says the Lord Yahweh, when Yahweh has not spoken.
29The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery; yes, they have troubled the poor and needy, and have oppressed the foreigner wrongfully.
30I sought for a man among them, who should build up the wall, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none.
31Therefore have I poured out my indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I brought on their heads, says the Lord Yahweh.
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Adultery: Israelites Ezekiel 22:9–11
Among you are slanderous men bent on bloodshed; within you are those who eat on the mountain shrines and commit acts of indecency. / In you they have uncovered the nakedness of their fathers; in you they violate women during their menstrual impurity. / One man commits an abomination with his neighbor’s wife; another wickedly defiles his daughter-in-law; and yet another violates his sister, his own father’s daughter.
Aliens: Oppressed Ezekiel 22:29
The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy and have exploited the foreign resident without justice.
Aliens: To be Treated with Justice Ezekiel 22:29
The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy and have exploited the foreign resident without justice.
Backsliders: Backsliding of Israel Ezekiel 22:18
“Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me. All of them are copper, tin, iron, and lead inside the furnace; they are but the dross of silver.
Blood: Shedding of Human: Jews often Guilty of Ezekiel 22:4
you are guilty of the blood you have shed, and you are defiled by the idols you have made. You have brought your days to a close and have come to the end of your years. Therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations and a mockery to all the lands.
Brass: Smelted Ezekiel 22:20
Just as one gathers silver, copper, iron, lead, and tin into the furnace to melt with a fiery blast, so I will gather you in My anger and wrath, leave you there, and melt you.
Bribery: General Scriptures Concerning Ezekiel 22:12, 13
In you they take bribes to shed blood. You engage in usury, take excess interest, and extort your neighbors. But Me you have forgotten, declares the Lord GOD. / Now look, I strike My hands together against your unjust gain and against the blood you have shed in your midst.
Charging Interest Ezekiel 22:12
In you they take bribes to shed blood. You engage in usury, take excess interest, and extort your neighbors. But Me you have forgotten, declares the Lord GOD.
Children: Wicked Ezekiel 22:7
Father and mother are treated with contempt. Within your walls the foreign resident is exploited, the fatherless and the widow are oppressed.
Christian Minister: False and Corrupt Ezekiel 22:25, 26, 28
The conspiracy of the princes in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing its prey. They devour the people, seize the treasures and precious things, and multiply the widows within her. / Her priests do violence to My law and profane My holy things. They make no distinction between the holy and the common, and they fail to distinguish between the clean and the unclean. They disregard My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. / Her prophets whitewash these deeds by false visions and lying divinations, saying, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says,’ when the LORD has not spoken.
Commerce: Evil Practices Connected With Ezekiel 22:13
Now look, I strike My hands together against your unjust gain and against the blood you have shed in your midst.
Copper Brass: Characterised by Fusibility Ezekiel 22:18, 20
“Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me. All of them are copper, tin, iron, and lead inside the furnace; they are but the dross of silver. / Just as one gathers silver, copper, iron, lead, and tin into the furnace to melt with a fiery blast, so I will gather you in My anger and wrath, leave you there, and melt you.
Covetousness: General Scriptures Concerning Ezekiel 22:12, 13
In you they take bribes to shed blood. You engage in usury, take excess interest, and extort your neighbors. But Me you have forgotten, declares the Lord GOD. / Now look, I strike My hands together against your unjust gain and against the blood you have shed in your midst.
Covetousness: Leads to Murder Ezekiel 22:12
In you they take bribes to shed blood. You engage in usury, take excess interest, and extort your neighbors. But Me you have forgotten, declares the Lord GOD.
Crime: Partial Lists of Ezekiel 22:8–12, 27–30
You have despised My holy things and profaned My Sabbaths. / Among you are slanderous men bent on bloodshed; within you are those who eat on the mountain shrines and commit acts of indecency. / In you they have uncovered the nakedness of their fathers; in you they violate women during their menstrual impurity.
Defilement: Moral, Caused by Making and Serving Idols Ezekiel 22:3, 4
and tell her that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘O city who brings her own doom by shedding blood within her walls and making idols to defile herself, / you are guilty of the blood you have shed, and you are defiled by the idols you have made. You have brought your days to a close and have come to the end of your years. Therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations and a mockery to all the lands.
Dishonest Gain Ezekiel 22:27
Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey, shedding blood, and destroying lives for dishonest gain.
Dishonesty: General Scriptures Concerning Ezekiel 22:29
The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy and have exploited the foreign resident without justice.
Dross: Figurative Ezekiel 22:18, 19
“Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me. All of them are copper, tin, iron, and lead inside the furnace; they are but the dross of silver. / Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because all of you have become dross, behold, I will gather you into Jerusalem.
Extortion: General Scriptures Concerning Ezekiel 22:12
In you they take bribes to shed blood. You engage in usury, take excess interest, and extort your neighbors. But Me you have forgotten, declares the Lord GOD.
False Prophets: Often Practised Divination and Witchcraft Ezekiel 22:28
Her prophets whitewash these deeds by false visions and lying divinations, saying, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says,’ when the LORD has not spoken.
False Prophets: The People: Oppressed and Defrauded By Ezekiel 22:25
The conspiracy of the princes in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing its prey. They devour the people, seize the treasures and precious things, and multiply the widows within her.
Falsehood: General Scriptures Concerning Ezekiel 22:9
Among you are slanderous men bent on bloodshed; within you are those who eat on the mountain shrines and commit acts of indecency.
Fatherless: The Wicked: Vex Ezekiel 22:7
Father and mother are treated with contempt. Within your walls the foreign resident is exploited, the fatherless and the widow are oppressed.
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Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
Pastoral and devotional reflections focused on spiritual formation and application.
Ezekiel 22:1-16 Ezek. 22:1-16
The prophet is to judge the bloody city; the city of bloods. Jerusalem is so called, because of her crimes. The sins which Jerusalem stands charged with, are exceeding sinful. Murder, idolatry, disobedience to parents, oppression and extortion, profanation of the sabbath and holy things, seventh commandment sins, lewdness and adultery. Unmindfulness of God was at the bottom of all this wickedness. Sinners provoke God because they forget him. Jerusalem has filled the measure of her sins. Those who give up themselves to be ruled by their lusts, will justly be given up to be portioned by them. Those who resolve to be their own masters, let them expect no other happiness than their own hands can furnish; and a miserable portion it will prove.
Ezekiel 22:1-999 Chapter 22
The sins of Jerusalem. (Ezek. 22:1-16) Israel is condemned as dross. (Ezek. 22:17-22) As the corruption is general, so shall be the punishment. (Ezek. 22:23-31)
Ezekiel 22:17-22 Ezek. 22:17-22
Israel, compared with other nations, had been as the gold and silver compared with baser metals. But they were now as the refuse that is consumed in the furnace, or thrown away when the silver is refined. Sinners, especially backsliding professors, are, in God's account, useless and fit for nothing. When God brings his own people into the furnace, he sits by them as the refiner by his gold, to see that they are not continued there any longer than is fitting and needful. The dross shall be wholly separated, and the good metal purified. Let those who suffer pains, or lingering sickness, and find that their hearts can scarcely bear these light and momentary afflictions, take warning to flee from the wrath to come; for if these trials are not sanctified by the power of the Holy Spirit, to the cleansing their hearts and hands from sin, far worse things will come upon them.
Ezekiel 22:23-31 Ezek. 22:23-31
All orders and degrees of men had helped to fill the measure of the nation's guilt. The people that had any power abused it, and even the buyers and sellers find some way to oppress one another. It bodes ill to a people when judgments are breaking in upon them, and the spirit of prayer is restrained. Let all who fear God, unite to promote his truth and righteousness; as wicked men of every rank and profession plot together to run them down.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary
Historical, contextual, and verse-level study notes for deeper biblical exploration.
Ezekiel 22:1-31 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
Repetition of the charges in the twentieth chapter; only that there they were stated in an historical review of the past and present; here the present sins of the nation exclusively are brought forward.
Ezekiel 22:2 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
See Eze 20:4; that is, "Wilt thou not judge?" &c. (compare Eze 23:36). the bloody city--literally, "the city of bloods"; so called on account of murders perpetrated in her, and sacrifices of children to Molech (Eze 22:3, 4, 6, 9; 24:6, 9).
Ezekiel 22:3 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
sheddeth blood ... that her time may come--Instead of deriving advantage from her bloody sacrifices to idols, she only thereby brought on herself "the time" of her punishment. against herself--(Pr 8:36).
Ezekiel 22:4 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
thy days--the shorter period, namely, that of the siege. thy years--the longer period of the captivity. The "days" and "years" express that she is ripe for punishment.
Ezekiel 22:5 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
infamous--They mockingly call thee, "Thou polluted one in name (Margin), and full of confusion" [Fairbairn], (referring to the tumultuous violence prevalent in it). Thus the nations "far and near" mocked her as at once sullied in character and in actual fact lawless. What a sad contrast to the Jerusalem once designated "the holy city!"
Ezekiel 22:6 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
Rather, "The princes ... each according to his power, were in thee, to shed blood" (as if this was the only object of their existence). "Power," literally, "arm"; they, who ought to have been patterns of justice, made their own arm of might their only law.
Ezekiel 22:7 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
set light by--Children have made light of, disrespected, father ... (De 27:16). At Eze 22:7-12 are enumerated the sins committed in violation of Moses' law.
Ezekiel 22:9 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
men that carry tales--informers, who by misrepresentations cause innocent blood to be shed (Le 19:16). Literally, "one who goes to and fro as a merchant."
Ezekiel 22:10 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
set apart for pollution--that is, set apart as unclean (Le 18:19).
Ezekiel 22:12 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
forgotten me--(De 32:18; Jer 2:32; 3:21).
Ezekiel 22:13 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
smitten mine hand--in token of the indignant vengeance which I will execute on thee (see on Eze 21:17).
Ezekiel 22:14 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
(Eze 21:7).
Ezekiel 22:15 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
consume thy filthiness out of thee--the object of God in scattering the Jews.
Ezekiel 22:16 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
take thine inheritance in thyself--Formerly thou wast Mine inheritance; but now, full of guilt, thou art no longer Mine, but thine own inheritance to thyself; "in the sight of the heathen," that is, even they shall see that, now that thou hast become a captive, thou art no longer owned as Mine [Vatablus]. Fairbairn and others needlessly take the Hebrew from a different root, "thou shalt be polluted by ('in,' [Henderson]) thyself," &c.; the heathen shall regard thee as a polluted thing, who hast brought thine own reproach on thyself.
Ezekiel 22:18 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
dross ... brass--Israel has become a worthless compound of the dross of silver (implying not merely corruption, but degeneracy from good to bad, Isa 1:22, especially offensive) and of the baser metals. Hence the people must be thrown into the furnace of judgment, that the bad may be consumed, and the good separated (Jer 6:29, 30).
Ezekiel 22:23 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
From this verse to the end he shows the general corruption of all ranks.
Ezekiel 22:24 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
land ... not cleansed--not cleared or cultivated; all a scene of desolation; a fit emblem of the moral wilderness state of the people. nor rained upon--a mark of divine "indignation"; as the early and latter rain, on which the productiveness of the land depended, was one of the great covenant blessings. Joel (Joe 2:23) promises the return of the former and latter rain, with the restoration of God's favor.
Ezekiel 22:25 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
conspiracy--The false prophets have conspired both to propagate error and to oppose the messages of God's servants. They are mentioned first, as their bad influence extended the widest. prey--Their aim was greed of gain, "treasure, and precious things" (Ho 6:9; Zep 3:3, 4; Mt 23:14). made ... many widows--by occasioning, through false prophecies, the war with the Chaldeans in which the husbands fell.
Ezekiel 22:26 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
Her priests--whose "lips should have kept knowledge" (Mal 2:7). violated--not simply transgressed; but, have done violence to the law, by wresting it to wrong ends, and putting wrong constructions on it. put no difference between the holy and profane, &c.--made no distinction between the clean and unclean (Le 10:10), the Sabbath and other days, sanctioning violations of that holy day. "Holy" means, what is dedicated to God; "profane," what is in common use; "unclean," what is forbidden to be eaten; "clean," what is lawful to be eaten. I am profaned among them--They abuse My name to false or unjust purposes.
Ezekiel 22:27 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
princes--who should have employed the influence of their position for the people's welfare, made "gain" their sole aim. wolves--notorious for fierce and ravening cruelty (Mic 3:2, 3, 9-11; Joh 10:12).
Ezekiel 22:28 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
Referring to the false assurances of peace with which the prophets flattered the people, that they should not submit to the king of Babylon (see on Eze 13:10; Eze 21:29; Jer 6:14; 23:16, 17; 27:9, 10).
Ezekiel 22:29 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
The people--put last, after the mention of those in office. Corruption had spread downwards through the whole community. wrongfully--that is, "without cause," gratuitously, without the stranger proselyte giving any just provocation; nay, he of all others being one who ought to have been won to the worship of Jehovah by kindness, instead of being alienated by oppression; especially as the Israelites were commanded to remember that they themselves had been "strangers in Egypt" (Ex 22:21; 23:9).
Ezekiel 22:30 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
the hedge--the wall (see on Eze 13:5); image for leading the people to repentance. the gap--the breach (Ps 106:23); image for interceding between the people and God (Ge 20:7; Ex 32:11; Nu 16:48). I found none--(Jer 5:1)--not that literally there was not a righteous man in the city. For Jeremiah, Baruch, &c., were still there; but Jeremiah had been forbidden to pray for the people (Jer 11:14), as being doomed to wrath. None now, of the godly, knowing the desperate state of the people, and God's purpose as to them, was willing longer to interpose between God's wrath and them. And none "among them," that is, among those just enumerated as guilty of such sins (Eze 22:25-29), was morally able for such an office.
Ezekiel 22:31 God's Judgment on the Sinfulness of Jerusalem.
their own way ... recompensed upon their heads--(Eze 9:10; 11:21; 16:43; Pr 1:31; Isa 3:11; Jer 6:19).