Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 1. Cause them that have charge over the city] By those six men with destroying weapons the Chaldeans are represented, who had received commission to destroy the city; and when the north is mentioned in such cases, Chaldea and the Chaldean armies are generally intended. There appears to have been six men with a sort of slaughter-bills, and one man with an inkhorn. These may represent the seven counsellors of the eastern monarchs, who always saw the king's face, and knew all the secrets of the government. One of them was that minister who had the office of reporting concerning criminals, who carried the book of death and the book of life into the presence of the king, where the names were entered of criminals who were destined to suffer, and of those who were either considered as innocent or recommended to mercy; those of the former in the book of death, those of the latter in the book of life. This person with the inkhorn might be termed, in our phrase, the recorder.
Matthew Henry Commentary
- The desolation of the land. (Ezek. 7:1-15) The distress of the few wh should escape. (Ezek. 7:16-22) The captivity. (Ezek. 7:23-27)
Ezek. 7:1-15 The abruptness of this prophecy, and the many repetitions show that the prophet was deeply affected by the prospect of thes calamities. Such will the destruction of sinners be; for none can avoi it. Oh that the wickedness of the wicked might end before it bring the to an end! Trouble is to the impenitent only an evil, it hardens their hearts, and stirs up their corruptions; but there are those to whom it is sanctified by the grace of God, and made a means of much good. The day of real trouble is near, not a mere echo or rumour of troubles Whatever are the fruits of God's judgments, our sin is the root of them. These judgments shall be universal. And God will be glorified in all. Now is the day of the Lord's patience and mercy, but the time of the sinner's trouble is at hand.
Ezek. 7:16-22 Sooner or later, sin will cause sorrow; and those wh will not repent of their sin, may justly be left to pine away in it There are many whose wealth is their snare and ruin; and the gainin the world is the losing of their souls. Riches profit not in the day of wrath. The wealth of this world has not that in it which will answe the desires of the soul, or be any satisfaction to it in a day of distress. God's temple shall stand them in no stead. Those are unworth to be honoured with the form of godliness, who will not be governed by its power.
Ezek. 7:23-27 Whoever break the bands of God's law, will fin themselves bound and held by the chains of his judgments. Since the encouraged one another to sin, God would dishearten them. All mus needs be in trouble, when God comes to judge them according to their deserts. May the Lord enable us to seek that good part which shall no be taken away _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew ויקרא7121 באזני241 קול6963 גדול1419 לאמר559 קרבו7126 פקדות6486 העיר5892 ואישׁ376 כלי3627 משׁחתו4892 בידו׃3027
