Albert Barnes Commentary Ezekiel 43:7-8

Albert Barnes Commentary

Ezekiel 43:7-8

1798–1870
Presbyterian
Albert Barnes
Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes Commentary

Ezekiel 43:7-8

1798–1870
Presbyterian
SCRIPTURE

"And he said unto me, Son of man, [this is] the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever. And the house of Israel shall no more defile my holy name, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, and by the dead bodies of their kings [in] their high places; in their setting of their threshold by my threshold, and their door-post beside my door-post, and there was [but] the wall between me and them; and they have defiled my holy name by their abominations which they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger." — Ezekiel 43:7-8 (ASV)

He said – that is, God "said." Both the Septuagint and the Vulgate break this verse into two, so as to make the first half the solemn words of dedication. They place a full stop after "forever;" these words mark the distinction between the new and the former sanctuary.

The palace of Solomon adjoined the southern side of the embankment of the temple-platform; there was only a wall between Yahweh and them. When the kings gave themselves up to idolatry, this vicinity was a pollution and defilement to the temple.

Thus, it has been conjectured that "the garden of Uzza," in which Manasseh and Amon were buried (2 Kings 21:18, 2 Kings 21:26), and on which the mosque of Omar now stands, was on the temple area itself. If so, this would explain the mention of high places in connection with the defilement by the carcases of kings, since the platform of the mosque of Omar at the time of Ezekiel rose to a considerable height above the temple.

Besides this, idolatrous kings of Judah did actually introduce their idolatries into the temple courts themselves (compare 2 Kings 16:11; 2 Kings 21:4).