Ezekiel 22:2

(2) Wilt thou judge.—The same expression as in Eze_20:4. (See Note there.) The sense of the margin, “plead for,” is not appropriate here.

Bloody city.—In Eze_22:2-6 crimes of bloodshed and idolatry are dwelt upon, between which there seems always to have been a close connection. The same words are used in Eze_24:6; Eze_24:9, and in Nah_3:1.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Eze 22:2 Now, thou son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city? yea, thou shalt shew her all her abominations.

Ver. 2. Wilt thou judge?] Or, Plead for, or excuse? See Eze 20:4.

The bloody city.] The saints’ slaughter house.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Eze 22:2-5. Wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city? — Wilt thou plead for it? Or rather, Wilt thou not judge? see note on Eze 20:4. The expression is doubled to awaken the prophet more fully, and to quicken him to his work. Jerusalem is termed the bloody city, Hebrew, עיר הדמים, the city of bloods, because of the blood of innocent persons, of children sacrificed to Moloch, and of prophets and righteous men shed in her, and that by courts of justice under colour of law. Yea, thou shalt show her — Make her know; all her abominations — That I may be justified in all the desolations which I have brought, and shall still more fully bring upon her. The city sheddeth blood in the midst of it — Openly and impudently; that her time may come — The time of her destruction, as the consequence of her having filled up the measure of her iniquities; and maketh idols against herself — To her own ruin. Thou hast caused thy days to draw near — The days of thy sorrows and sufferings; and art come even to thy years — To the end of thy years of trial, so that thou shalt be borne with no longer. Therefore have I made thee a reproach unto the heathen — Have exposed thee to their contempt and scorn; and a mocking to all countries — A proverb, and a by-word, and cause of astonishment to all people, according to the prediction of Moses, (Deu 28:37,) and the solemn warning given by the Lord to Solomon, when he appeared to him after the dedication of the temple, 1Ki 9:7. Those that are near — And are eye-witnesses of thy apostacy and degeneracy, as the Edomites, Ammonites, Moabites, and Philistines; and those that be far from thee — The Medes, Persians, Hyrcanians, &c., to whom thou shalt be carried captive; shall mock thee, which art infamous — Of a most infamous name; and much vexed — Afflicted, empoverished, and ruined: or rather, who art full of tumult and trouble, as רבת המהומה more properly signifies: that is, in which there are continually confusion and disorder, by the commission of acts of violence.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Art thou ready to execute thy charge, which I commit unto thee against Jerusalem, that murdereth the Prophets and them that are godly?

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 2. Wilt thou judge the bloody city] Pronounce the sentence of death against the murderers.

Show her all her abominations.] And a most revolting and dreadful catalogue of these is in consequence exhibited.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

2. wilt thou judge] See on ch. Eze_20:4, cf. Eze_23:36.

yea, thou shalt shew] Rather: then thou shalt cause her to know … Eze_22:3 and thou shalt say.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Now, thou son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city?.... Or, "city of bloods" (y)? the city of Jerusalem, in which was shed the blood of the prophets sent unto her; the doubling of the word denotes the vehemency with which it was expressed: wilt thou plead for and excuse such a city as this? surely no; so some: or wilt thou do thy work and office as a prophet? hast thou courage enough to do it? will thou rebuke and reprove? as the Targum; wilt thou examine her case, judge truly, and condemn her, as thou oughtest to do? hast thou an inclination to take this affair in hand? then be directed to it, as follows:

yea, thou shalt show her all her abominations; lay them before her; convict her of them; show her the evil of them, and the punishment they deserve; every kind of sin she was guilty of; for, as for particular acts, it was impossible to reckon them; those sins that were the most flagrant, and most frequently committed, and which were abominable to the Lord, and rendered her so in his sight, are intended.

(y) "civitatem sanguinum", V. L. Munster, Montanus.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Blood. Why dost thou cease to admonish and rebuke the people? (Worthington) --- Pronounce sentence on Jerusalem, (Haydock) for her cruelties. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Some would have the prophet here to be questioned, whether he would, and why he would, plead for such a city. Others, that God doth forbid him to plead for it, or be solicitous about it. I rather think God doth awake: him to more vigorous reproving of this sinful people, and threatening them for sin. The question is doubled to awaken the prophet more fully, and to quicken him to his work.

The bloody city; Jerusalem, which is guilty of the murders of innocent ones, of prophets and holy men.

Show her; make her know, at least tell her by writing; for the prophet was at Babylon now, and could not speak to then at Jerusalem, but he might and must send word to then what their abominations were.

All her abominations; all the kinds, not all individual acts of them.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

DESCRIPTION OF THE GROSS SINS OF THE INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM, INCLUDING EVEN THE PROPHETS AND PRIESTS OF JEHOVAH.

2. Wilt thou judge [see Eze_20:4] the bloody city — What a name for the holy sanctuary, now filled with child sacrifices (Eze_20:26) and murders (Eze_22:6; Eze_22:9; Eze_9:10; Eze_16:38; Eze_23:37; Eze_23:45).

Yea, thou shalt show — Literally, then cause her to know.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Judge - The question is doubled, to awaken the prophet more fully, and to quicken him to his work.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

will you judge the city of bloodshed Jerusalem.

and let her know The “heh” in והודעתה is pointed, so that the meaning is, “and let her know.”

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.