Though these three men were in it ,.... Before mentioned: as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters : believe me no more, or be it so and so, if they do; it is in the form of an oath, and in the same manner it is expressed in Ezekiel 14:16 ; but they only shall be delivered themselves ; their own souls or lives, and by their righteousness, as in Ezekiel 14:14 . read more
Human atonement valueless. The hopeful among the Jews probably remembered that in times of former correction God had yielded, in some measure, to the intercessions of the saints. If they had not gained all that they asked, they had gained some advantage. Why might that not occur again? Might not God concede some of his demand? This was impossible, for the first necessity was that righteous government be maintained. No good can ever come to men by tampering with righteousness. I. SIN ... read more
Jeremiah 14:0; Jeremiah 15:0 is a remarkable parallel to this prophecy. Here, as elsewhere, Ezekiel is commissioned to deliver to the exiles the same message which Jeremiah conveys to the inhabitants of Judaea. The answer discovers the nature of the questions which had been expressed or implied.(1) Can God cast out a people who are holy unto Himself?(2) Is it just to punish them with utter desolation?The prophet answers:(1) That when a people is so corrupt as to call down national judgment,... read more
Ezekiel 14:15-21. If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land We find it was one punishment of the inhabitants of Judea, to be infested by lions and other wild beasts. To this their neighbourhood to the deserts of Arabia exposed them; and God, at certain times, to punish them for their sins, either by causing a scarcity of food in the deserts, or by some other means, influenced these wild beasts to make incursions into Judea, in great numbers, which they otherwise were not wont to... read more
Justice in punishing Jerusalem (14:12-23)Some were no doubt saying that God would not destroy Jerusalem as Ezekiel had been prophesying. God would surely spare the city out of consideration for the godly people within it, even though such godly people may have been few in number. Ezekiel replied that even if some of the godliest people who ever lived were in the city, God would still destroy it; though he would deliver the godly (12-14). God’s punishment could take various forms, but the same... read more
5. The need of personal righteousness for deliverance 14:12-23This prophecy continues the emphasis on judgment from the previous one and stresses the irrevocability of Jerusalem’s destruction (cf. Jeremiah 7:16; Jeremiah 15:1-4). read more
The presence of these three men would not save the city if the Lord brought an invading army against it (Ezekiel 14:17-18). The same would be true if God judged His people with disease, the effect of siege warfare (Ezekiel 14:19-20; cf. Revelation 6:1-8). The Lord confirmed the certainty of each of the last three forms of judgment with His oath (Ezekiel 14:16; Ezekiel 14:18; Ezekiel 14:20). read more
§ 4. Further Prophecies of Israel's Guilt and approaching Punishment (Ezekiel 12-19)This is a somewhat miscellaneous group of prophecies intermediate in date between the preceding (August-September, 591 b.c.) and succeeding (July-August, 590 b.c.) sections. It includes fresh symbols of exile, flight, and famine (Eze 12:1-20), a doctrine of prophecy, true and false (Eze 12:21 to Eze 14:11), an explanation of God's exceptional treatment of Jerusalem in sparing a remnant (Eze 14:12-23), Ezekiel's... read more
A Divine Principle and an apparent ExceptionAs a rule when God punishes a land for its wickedness by such judgments as famine, wild beasts, sword, or pestilence, the presence in it of the most eminently righteous men will not save the wicked, not even the members of their own families. They will only escape themselves. Jerusalem will be a seeming exception to this principle, since a remnant of its wicked sons and daughters will be spared when the city is taken, and will escape into exile. But... read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 14:12-21
The scope of these verses is to show, I. That national sins bring national judgments. When virtue is ruined and laid waste every thing else will soon be ruined and laid waste too (Ezek. 14:13): When the land sins against me, when vice and wickedness become epidemical, when the land sins by trespassing grievously, when the sinners have become very numerous and their sins very heinous, when gross impieties and immoralities universally prevail, then will I stretch forth my hand upon it, for the... read more