John Gill Commentary Ezekiel 13:4

John Gill Commentary

Ezekiel 13:4

1697–1771
Reformed Baptist
John Gill
John Gill

John Gill Commentary

Ezekiel 13:4

1697–1771
Reformed Baptist
SCRIPTURE

"O Israel, thy prophets have been like foxes in the waste places." — Ezekiel 13:4 (ASV)

O Israel, your prophets are like the foxes of the deserts . ] The false prophets, as the Targum; these are called Israel's prophets, because received, embraced, and encouraged by them; not the Lord's, for they were not sent by him, nor had any messages from him; and such are comparable to foxes, for their craftiness and cunning, and lying in wait to deceive, as these seduced the Lord's people, (Ezekiel 13:10); and such are false teachers, who walk in craftiness, and handle the word of God deceitfully, and are deceitful workers; and to foxes in the deserts, which are hungry and ravenous, and make a prey of whatsoever comes within their reach, as these prophets did of the people, (Ezekiel 13:19).

Kimchi interprets "deserts" of breaches and ruinous places in the walls of a vineyard, where the foxes lie, or through which they enter into the vineyard and spoil it; as these false prophets entered in among the Israelites, like to a vineyard, and did them much hurt and damage, by insinuating themselves among the weak, and those of little faith, which the above writer compares to breaches in vineyards; see (Song of Solomon 2:15).

It may be the deserts may have respect to the land of Chaldea, where Israel was carried captive, and where these foxes, the false prophets, could play their part to advantage; not being under the notice and restraints of the sanhedrim at Jerusalem.