Ezekiel 7:24 - Exposition

The worst of the heathen; literally, evil ones of the nations— with the superlative implied rather than expressed. For the thought, comp. Deuteronomy 28:50 ; Lamentations 5:11-13 ; Jeremiah 6:23 . The Chaldeans were probably most prominent in the prophet's thoughts, but Jeremiah 35:5 and Psalms 137:7 suggest that there was a side glance at the Edomites. The pomp of the strong , etc. Another echo of Leviticus 26:1-46 . ( Leviticus 26:31 ). The "pomp" is that of Judah trusting in her strength. The "holy places" find their chief representative in the temple, but, as the word is used also of a non-Jehovistic worship ( Ezekiel 28:18 ; Amos 7:9 ), may include whatever the people looked on as sanctuaries—the "high places" and the like. The Vulgate gives possidebuut sanctuaria; the Revised Version margin, they that sanctify them; but the Authorized Version is probably right in both cases. Luther renders ihre kirchen, which reminds us of Acts 19:37 .