Ezekiel 24:16-18

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 24:15-27

These verses conclude what we have been upon all along from the beginning of this book, to wit, Ezekiel's prophecies of the destruction of Jerusalem; for after this, though he prophesied much concerning other nations, he said no more concerning Jerusalem, till he heard of the destruction of it, almost three years after, Ezek. 33:21. He had assured them, in the former part of this chapter, that there was no hope at all of the preventing of the trouble; here he assures them that they should not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 24:16

Son of man, behold ,.... This is said to raise the attention of the prophet, something strange and unusual, interesting and affecting, being about to be delivered: I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke ; meaning his wife; who very probably was of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to; however, of an amiable disposition, and in her conjugal relation very agreeable to the prophet; and, no doubt, a truly religious woman, and upon all account's desirable to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 24:17

Forbear to cry ,.... Groan or howl, or make any doleful noise: or, "be silent" F24 דם "tace", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus. : which the Talmudists F25 T. Bab. Moed Katon, fol. 15. 1. interpret of not greeting any person: make no mourning for the dead ; use none of those rites and ceremonies commonly observed for deceased relations and friends, particularly and especially for a wife; who is one of the seven persons for whom mourning is to be made, according to the Jewish... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 24:18

So I spake unto the people in the morning ,.... Did the duty of his office as a prophet; exhorted and instructed the people, particularly informed them of what had been said to him by the Lord, the evening or night before, concerning the death of his wife, and how he was to behave under such a providence; which he told them of before hand, that, when it came to pass, they might have a further proof of his being a true prophet of the Lord: and at even my wife died ; suddenly, as it was... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 24:16

Behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes - Here is an intimation that the stroke he was to suffer was to be above all grief; that it would be so great as to prevent the relief of tears. Curae leves loquuntur, graviores silent , is a well-accredited maxim in such cases. Superficial griefs affect the more easily moved passions; great ones affect the soul itself, in its powers of reasoning, reflecting, comparing, recollecting, etc., when the sufferer feels all the weight of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 24:17

Make no mourning - As a priest, he could make no public mourning, Leviticus 21:1 , etc. Bind the tire of thine head - This seems to refer to the high priest's bonnet; or perhaps, one worn by the ordinary priests: it might have been a black veil to cover the head. Put on thy shoes upon thy feet - Walking barefoot was a sign of grief. Cover not thy lips - Mourners covered the under part of the face, from the nose to the bottom of the chin. Eat not the bread of men - אנשים... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 24:18

At even my wife died - The prophet's wife was a type of the city, which was to him exceedingly dear. The death of his wife represented the destruction of the city by the Chaldeans; see Ezekiel 24:21 , where the temple is represented to be the desire of his eyes, as his wife was, Ezekiel 24:16 . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 24:15-16

A sudden and sorrowful bereavement. "Also the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes," etc. The death of the prophet's wife is introduced here as a type of the calamities which were impending over Jerusalem and its inhabitants. We believe that her death was a fact, and not merely "a vividly drawn figure" designed to set forth the more impressively the overwhelming troubles which were coming upon the Jews. We may notice, in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 24:15-17

Behold, I take away from thee , etc. The next word of the Lord, coming after an interval, is of an altogether exceptional character, as giving one solitary glimpse into the personal home life of the prophet. The lesson which the history teaches is, in substance, the same as that of Jeremiah 16:5 . The calamity that falls on the nation will swallow up all personal sorrow, but it is brought home to Ezekiel, who may have read those words with wonder, by a new and terrible experience. We are... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 24:15-27

Speechless and tearless sorrow. If the event here described really happened, and if the death of the prophet's wife was a fact and not a mere vision or parable, at all events there is no reason to suppose that this death took place from other than natural causes. Foreseeing what would happen, the God of men and of nations used the affliction of his servant and turned it to account, making it the occasion and the means of spiritual instruction and impression for the benefit of the Hebrew... read more

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