Ezekiel 4:14

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 4:9-17

The best exposition of this part of Ezekiel's prediction of Jerusalem's desolation is Jeremiah's lamentation of it, Lam. 4:3, 4; 5:10; where he pathetically describes the terrible famine that was in Jerusalem during the siege and the sad effects of it. I. The prophet here, to affect the people with the foresight of it, must confine himself for 390 days to coarse fare and short commons, and that ill-dressed, for they should want both food and fuel. 1. His meat, for the quality of it, was to be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 4:14

Then said I, ah, Lord God !.... The interjection "ah" is expressive of sighing and groaning, as Jarchi; or of deprecation, as the Targum, which paraphrases it, ""and I said", receive my prayer, O Lord God:' behold, my soul hath not been polluted ; not meaning that his soul had not been polluted with sin, or with an evil thought, as Kimchi interprets it; but by his soul he means the inward part of his body, his stomach and belly; which had not been defiled by taking in meats which were... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 4:14

My soul hath not been polluted - There is a remarkable similarity between this expostulation of the prophet and that of St. Peter, Acts 10:14 . read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 4:14

Verse 14 The Prophet here inserts the answer which he received to his request that God would relax his severe command: for it was abominable to eat flesh cooked with human dung, not only on account of the stench, but because religion forbade it: though the Prophet did not regard the taste of his palate, but objects that it was not lawful for him, and relates how anxiously he had abstained during his whole life from all polluted food. For if he had formerly dared to feed promiscuously on all... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 4:1-17

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 4:1-17

The siege of Jerusalem and the sufferings of the people symbolized. "Thou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee, and portray upon it the city, even Jerusalem," etc. This chapter presents difficulties to the student. There is the question whether it is to be understood literally or metaphorically; or, more correctly, whether the things here set forth were really done or were only visional. The commands given in Ezekiel 4:1-3 might have been literally executed; but the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 4:9-17

A symbolic famine. The moral intention for which God imposed this series of painful privations on his prophet was this, viz. to convince the people that their expectation of a speedy return to Jerusalem was vain and futile. Their honoured city, around which God had so long thrown the shield of his protection, could not (so they thought) long remain in the power of the heathen. To explode this bubble delusion, God represented before their eyes the rigours of a military siege, the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 4:14

Then said I, Ah, Lord God! etc. The formula is, curiously enough, equally characteristic of Ezekiel ( Ezekiel 9:8 ; Ezekiel 11:13 ; Ezekiel 20:49 ) and of his teacher and contemporary ( Jeremiah 1:6 ; Jeremiah 4:10 ; Jeremiah 14:13 ; Jeremiah 32:17 ). The Vulgate represents it by A, a, a . His plea, which reminds us at once of Daniel 1:8 and Acts 10:14 , is that he has kept himself free from all ceremonial pollution connected with food. And is he, a priest too, to do... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ezekiel 4:14

Abominable flesh - Flesh that had become corrupt and foul by overkeeping. Compare Leviticus 19:7. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ezekiel 4:14-15

Ezekiel 4:14-15. Then said I, Ah, Lord God, &c. He deprecates this, and entreats it may not be enjoined him. Behold, my soul hath not been polluted I have always carefully observed the distinction between meats clean and unclean: I beseech thee, command me not now to eat any thing so contrary to my former practice. Neither came their abominable flesh into my mouth The Hebrew word, פגול , abominable, is used of such meats as were forbidden by the law, as the learned reader may see,... read more

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