And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and sat before me.
All Commentaries on Ezekiel 20:1 Go To Ezekiel 20
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Month: the year of the world 3411, August 27. (Usher)
Ezechiel had prophesied in the fourth year; then was silent a year and two months, or 430 days. He opened his mouth again in the sixth year, (chap. viii. 1.) and now in the seventh year he is ordered not to answer. (Worthington)
We know not what the ancients wanted to know; but their design was evil. (Calmet) Ver. 4. Judgest them; or, if thou wilt enter into the cause, and plead against them. (Challoner)
Lay before them the iniquities of their fathers, and their own, which bring on the reprobation of the greatest part. God will form his Church out of a few of them and of the Gentiles. The return of a small number from captivity is also insinuated. Ver. 6. Excelleth. Hebrew, "is beauty or a desire. "Septuagint, "a honeycomb. "(Calmet) Ver. 7. Scandals, (offensiones) that is, the abominations or idols, to the worship of which they were allured by their eyes. (Challoner)
Moses found them in this condition in Egypt, and he could not entirely reclaim them. (Calmet)
Many still secreted their idols, chap. xxiii. 1., and Acts vii. 42. (Haydock) Ver. 8. Egypt. Their disorders called for such severity. But God was restrained by the dangers (Calmet) of blasphemy, to which the faithful and idolaters would thus have been exposed. (Haydock)
He saved them as he had promised, though they did not deserve it. (Worthington) Ver. 10. Brought. Literally, "cast "(Haydock) as if they had been reluctant. Ver. 11. Live, and enjoy temporal felicity, which was chiefly promised, though the faithful observers of the law would obtain an eternal reward. Ver. 12. Sign, as also to promote piety and instruction. Ver. 13. Sabbaths. We only read of one man gathering sticks, and the people manna once on those days, Exodus xv., and xvi. But Moses does not mention all. (Calmet)
Sabbath often denotes the whole law, which they transgressed; and as long as they retained an affection for idols, they could not observe the sabbaths so as to please God. Ver. 14. But. Literally, "And I did for "This motive caused me to spare them. (Haydock)
I punished only the most guilty adorers of the calf, and murmurers, Numbers xiv. 28. (Calmet)
Some were always preserved for a succession, ver. 9, 22. (Worthington) Ver. 23. Again, or also. (Haydock)
Four times are specified ver. 13, 15, 21., which may allude to the adoration of the calf, the graves of concupiscence, the murmuring, and commerce with the women and idols of Moab, Exodus xxiii., and Numbers x., and xiv., and xxv. (Calmet) Ver. 25. Not good. The laws and ordinances of their enemies: or those imposed upon them by that cruel tyrant the devil, to whose power they were delivered up for their sins; (Challoner) which may be styled the statutes of your fathers, ver. 18. (Haydock)
God is often said to do what he only permits. (Calmet)
He abandoned them to their own perversity. (St. Jerome) (Deuteronomy xxxii. 21, 37.)
If God had spoken of the Decalogue, would he say such laws were not good, after he had testified that the observers shall live in them? ver. 11. He established the ceremonial law, at the same time. See Kimchi; Menochius Chaldean, "I have given them up to their foolish desires. They have established bad statutes and laws which will not give them life. "This seems the best explanation. (Calmet)
Hebrew, "Have I given.(26) and have I polluted them? "(Manasse Ben. Israel.) The precepts had also a bad effect, and were given in condescension to the weakness of the people, (Origen) particularly the ceremonial part. (St. Just.; St. Chrysostom; St. Jerome)
They did not justify, (St. Augustine) and were not good, compared with those of the new law. (St. Gregory, mor. xxviii. 9.)
Thus Solon gave the Athenians "the best laws that they would receive "(Plutarch) though others more perfect might have been devised. (Calmet) Ver. 26. I polluted them That is, I gave them up to such blindness, in punishment of their offences, as to pollute themselves with the blood of all their first-born, whom they offered up to their idols in compliance with their wicked devices. (Challoner) (Menochius) (Leviticus xviii. 21., and 4 Kings iii. ultra, and xxi. 6. (Calmet)
Offered. Protestants, "caused to pass through the fire all, chap. xvi. 21.
For their. Protestants, "that I might make them desolate to the end, that "Ver. 29. Called high. Hebrew, "Bamah "(Haydock) out of contempt. (Calmet)
The Jews were so much attached to the high places, that they called the altar of the Lord by the same name. Thus heretics are convicted by the very names they use, calling sacrifice service (Worthington) Ver. 32. Stones. This was the secret intention of the ancients, (
