Albert Barnes Commentary Ezekiel 14:12-23

"And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Son of man, when a land sinneth against me by committing a trespass, and I stretch out my hand upon it, and break the staff of the bread thereof, and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast; though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord Jehovah. If I cause evil beasts to pass through the land, and they ravage it, and it be made desolate, so that no man may pass through because of the beasts; though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, they should deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only should be delivered, but the land should be desolate. Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off from it man and beast; though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, they should deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only should be delivered themselves. Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my wrath upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast; though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, they should deliver neither son nor daughter; they should but deliver their own souls by their righteousness. For thus saith the Lord Jehovah: How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the evil beasts, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast! Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be carried forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings; and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it. And they shall comfort you, when ye see their way and their doings; and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord Jehovah." — Ezekiel 14:12-23 (ASV)

(Jeremiah 14; Jeremiah 15) is a remarkable parallel to this prophecy. Here, as elsewhere, Ezekiel is commissioned to deliver to the exiles the same message that Jeremiah conveys to the inhabitants of Judea. The answer reveals the nature of the questions that had been expressed or implied:

1. Can God cast out a people who are holy to 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, individual piety will save only the individuals themselves.
2. The corrupt condition of the people will be made so evident, that no one will question the justice of God in dealing so severely with them.

(Ezekiel 14:12) Or, “When a land” – the case is first put in a general form, and then is brought with increased force home to Jerusalem – “sinneth against me by trespassing grievously,” and I stretch out “mine hand upon it,” and break the staff of bread “thereof,” and send famine “upon it and” cut off “man and beast: though these three men” etc.

(Ezekiel 14:14) Noah, Daniel, and Job – These are three striking instances of men who, for their integrity, were delivered from the ruin that fell upon others. Some have thought it strange that Daniel, a contemporary and still young, should have been classed with the two ancient worthies. But the account of him (Daniel 2) shows that by this time Daniel was a very remarkable man , and the introduction of the name of a contemporary gives force and life to the illustration.

There is a kind of climax in the order in which the names occur. Noah did not rescue the guilty world, but he did bring his wife, sons, and sons’ wives out with him. Daniel raised only a few, but he did raise three of his countrymen with him to honor. Job was spared neither son nor daughter.

(Ezekiel 14:22–23) Ye shall be comforted ... – by a truer estimate of the dispensations of the Almighty. This visitation will be recognized as inevitable and just.