John Gill Commentary Ezekiel 11

Moreover, the spirit lifted me up From the inner court of the temple, where the prophet was, according to the last account of him, (Ezekiel 8:16); it was the same Spirit that took him by the lock of his head, and lifted him up, as in (Ezekiel 8:3); and perhaps in the same manner: and brought me unto the east gate of the Lord's house, which looketh eastward; where were the cherubim, and the wheels, and the glory of God above them, (Ezekiel 10:19);

and behold at the door of the gate five and twenty men; not the same as in (Ezekiel 8:16); for they were in a different place, between the porch and the altar; and about different service, they were worshipping there; and seem to be men of a different order, priests; whereas these were at the door of the eastern gate, sitting as a court of judicature, and were civil magistrates; though Jarchi and Kimchi take them to be the same. Some say Jerusalem was divided into twenty four parishes, districts, or wards, and everyone had its own head, ruler, and governor; and that there was one who was the president over them all, like the mayor and aldermen of a city;

among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azur; not the same that is mentioned in (Ezekiel 8:11); he was the son of Shaphan, this of Azur; he was one of the seventy of the ancients of Israel, this one of the twenty five heads or rulers of the people; he seems to have been a prince; by having a censer in his hand, this was a priest: the Septuagint and Arabic versions call him Jechoniah: and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah; these two are mentioned by name, as being principal men, and well known by the prophet; and the latter is observed more especially for what befell him, hereafter related:

princes of the people; men who were entrusted with power and authority to exercise the laws of the nation; and who should have been reformers of the people, and ought to have given them good advice, and set them good examples; whereas they were the reverse, as follows:

Then said he unto me, son of man
That is, the Lord, or, the Spirit of the Lord, that lifted him up: these are the men that devise mischief ;
or "vanity" ^F4 ; this is to be understood not of the two only that are named, though it may of them chiefly; but of all the twenty five, who formed schemes for the holding out of the siege, and for the security of the city, and of themselves in it, which was all folly and vanity: and give wicked counsel in this city ;
either in ecclesiastical affairs, to forsake the worship of God, and cleave to the idols of the nations; or in civil things, as follows:

FOOTNOTES:

• F4: (Nwa) "vanitatem", Calvin, Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius; "vanum", Cocceius, Starckius.

Which say [it is] not near, let us build houses
Meaning that the destruction of the city was not near, as the prophet had foretold, (Ezekiel 7:3Ezekiel 7:6Ezekiel 7:7Ezekiel 7:10Ezekiel 7:12) ; and therefore encourage the people to build houses, and rest themselves secure, as being safe from all danger, and having nothing to fear from the Chaldean army; and so putting away the evil day far from them, which was just at hand: though the words may be rendered, "it is not [proper] to build houses near"^F5; near the city of Jerusalem, in the suburbs of it, since they would be liable to be destroyed by the enemy; but this would not be condemned as wicked counsel, but must be judged very prudent and advisable: and the same may be objected to another rendering of the word, which might be offered, "not in the midst to build houses"; or it is not proper to build houses in the midst of the city, in order to receive the multitude that flock out of the country, through fear of the enemy, to Jerusalem for safety; since by this means, as the number of the inhabitants would be increased, so provisions in time would become scarce, and a famine must ensue, which would oblige to deliver up the city into the hands of the besiegers; wherefore the first sense seems best.

The Septuagint and Arabic versions render them, "are not the houses lately built?" and so not easily demolished, and are like to continue long, and we in them; this [city is] the cauldron, and we [be] the flesh ;
referring to, and laughing at, what one of the prophets, namely Jeremiah, had said of them, comparing them to a boiling pot, (Jeremiah 1:13) ; and it is as if they should say, be it so, that this city is as a cauldron or boiling pot, then we are the flesh in it; and as flesh is not taken out of a pot until it is boiled, no more shall we be removed from hence till we die; we shall live and die in this city; and as it is difficult and dangerous to take hot boiling meat out of a cauldron, so it is unlikely we should be taken out of this city, and carried captive; what a cauldron or brasen pot is to the flesh, it holds and keeps it from falling into the fire; that the walls of Jerusalem are to us, our safety and preservation; nor need we fear captivity.

FOOTNOTES:

• F5: (Mytb twnb bwrqb al) "non in propinque aedificandae domus", Junius & Tremellius, Cocceius, Polanus; "non in propinquo aedificare domos", Montanus, Piscator, Starckius.

Therefore prophesy against them
Evil things against them, things that are disagreeable to them; since they flatter themselves with good things, and cry peace and safety, let them know that destruction is coming upon them: or, "concerning them" ^F6 ; what will befall them, and that it will be otherwise with them than they imagine: prophesy, O son of man ;
this is repeated, not only to stir up the prophet to the performance of his work and office, not fearing the faces, and revilings, and mockings of men; but to show the indignation of the Lord at their scoffs and jeers, and the certain accomplishment of what should be predicted.

FOOTNOTES:

• F6: (Mhyle) "de eis", V. L. "super eos", Pagninus, Montanus.

And the spirit of the Lord fell upon me
In an extraordinary manner, and afresh, and enlightened his mind, and showed him things that should come to pass; and filled him with boldness and courage to declare them.

The Targum interprets it of the spirit of prophecy: and said unto me, speak ;
what I shall show and put into your mouth, that speak out; be not afraid, but boldly declare all that I give you in commission to say:

thus saith the Lord, thus have you said, O house of Israel ;
as in (Ezekiel 11:3) ; which perhaps was said in secret, and spoken privately, but known by the Lord; and it was not only the princes that said it, but the whole body of the people joined in with it, and agreed to it; though it is very probable they were influenced by the former:

for I know the things that come into your mind, [everyone of] them ;
not only their scoffing words, but the thoughts of their hearts; not one of them escaped the knowledge of God; the consideration of which should command an awe on men, and engage them to a watchfulness over their thoughts, words, and actions.