Ezekiel 24:25

Eze 24:25 Also, thou son of man, [shall it] not [be] in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their minds, their sons and their daughters,

Ver. 25. When I take from them their strength.] Their kingdom, temple, all.

And that whereupon they set their minds.] Heb., The lifting up of the soul, or the burden of their souls, that whereof they are most solicitous.

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 24:25-27. Also thou son of man, shall it not be, &c. — This question is to be resolved affirmatively; it shall be: in the day when I take from them their strength — Their walls, fortifications, and defences, with all that is dear and valuable to them; the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes — Their kingdom, city, and temple, the emblem of my special presence among them, and protection over them, whose beauty and magnificence were their peculiar glory, and the most grateful object of their sight; together with their sons and daughters, whereon they placed their affections; he that escapeth in that day — Namely, when the city shall be taken, and both it and the temple burned; shall come unto thee, to cause thee to hear it, &c. — To acquaint thee, that what thou didst prophesy is come to pass. See the fulfilling of this recorded Eze 33:21-22. In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him that is escaped — This implied, that the prophet was to prophesy no more about the affairs of Jerusalem and Judah till after the destruction of the city and temple; when the fulfilling of this part of his predictions, so contrary to the expectations of those who despised his prophecies, would give him more credit with them, and make them pay a higher regard to what other things he should prophesy of. According to this we find, that the spirit of prophecy, in regard to the affairs of Judea, did not come on him again till the news of the taking of Jerusalem was brought to him. See Eze 3:21-23.

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

Sequel of the Destruction of Jerusalem to the Prophet Himself

Eze 24:25. And thou, son of man, behold, in the day when I take from them their might, their glorious joy, the delight of their eyes and the desire of their soul, their sons and their daughters, Eze 24:26. In that day will a fugitive come to thee, to tell it to thine ears. Eze 24:27. In that day will thy mouth be opened with the fugitive, and thou wilt speak, and no longer be mute; and thus shalt thou be a sign to them that they may know that I am Jehovah. - As the destruction of Jerusalem would exert a powerful influence upon the future history of the exiles on the Chaboras, and be followed by most important results, so was it also to be a turning-point for the prophet himself in the execution of his calling. Hvernick has thus correctly explained the connection between these closing verses and what precedes, as indicated by ואתּה in Eze 24:25. As Ezekiel up to this time was to speak to the people only when the Lord gave him a word for them, and at other times was to remain silent and dumb (Eze 3:26 and Eze 3:27); from the day on which a messenger should come to bring him the tidings of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, he was to open his mouth, and not continue dumb any longer. The execution of this word of God is related in Eze 33:21-22. The words, "when I take from them their strength," etc., are to be understood in accordance with Eze 24:21. Consequently מעזּם is the sanctuary, which was taken from the Israelites through the destruction of Jerusalem. The predicates which follow down to משּׂא refer to the temple (cf. Eze 24:21). משּׂא נפשׁ, an object toward which the soul lifts itself up (נשׂא), i.e., for which it cherishes a desire or longing; hence synonymous with מחמל נפשׁ htiw suomynon in Eze 24:21. The sons and daughters are attached ἀσυνδετῶς. בּיּום (in that day), in Eze 24:26, which resumes the words 'בּיום ק (in the day when I take, etc.) in Eze 24:25, is not the day of the destruction of the temple, but generally the time of this event, or more precisely, the day on which the tidings would reach the prophet. הפּליט, with the generic article, a fugitive (vid., Gen 14:13). להשׁמעוּת אזנים, to cause the ears to hear (it), i.e., to relate it, namely to the bodily ears of the prophet, whereas he had already heard it in spirit from God. השׁמעוּת, a verbal noun, used instead of the infinitive Hiphil. את־הפּליט, with the escaped one, i.e., at the same time "with the mouth of the fugitive" (Hitzig). את expresses association, or so far as the fact is concerned, simultaneousness. The words,"then wilt thou speak, and no longer be dumb," do not imply that it was only from that time forward that Ezekiel was to keep silence, but point back to Eze 3:26 and Eze 3:27, where silence is imposed upon him, with the exceptions mentioned there, from the very commencement of his ministry; and in comparison with that passage, simply involve implicite the thought that the silence imposed upon him then was to be observed in the strictest manner from the present time until the reception of the intelligence of the fall of Jerusalem, when his mouth would be opened once more. Through the "words of God" that were given to His prophet (Ezekiel 4-24), the Lord had now said to the people of Israel all that He had to say concerning the approaching catastrophe for them to consider and lay to heart, that they might be brought to acknowledge their sin, and turn with sorrow and repentance to their God. Therefore was Ezekiel from this time forward to keep perfect silence toward Israel, and to let God the Lord speak by His acts and the execution of His threatening words. It was not till after the judgment had commenced that his mouth was to be opened again for still further announcements (vid., Eze 33:22). - Ezekiel was thereby to become a sign to the Israelites. These words have a somewhat different meaning in Eze 24:27 from that which they have in Eze 24:24. There, Ezekiel, by the way in which he behaved at the death of his wife, was to be a sign to the people of the manner in which they were to act when the judgment should fall upon Jerusalem; whereas here (Eze 24:27), למופת refers to the whole of the ministry of the prophet, his silence hitherto, and that which he was still to observe, as well as his future words. Through both of these he was to exhibit himself to his countrymen as a man whose silence, speech, and action were alike marvellous and full of meaning to them, and all designed to lead them to the knowledge of the Lord, the God of their salvation.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

24:25-27 In the midst of this deep gloom and woe, on the very day when a survivor would arrive to confirm the fall of Jerusalem, there would also be a sign of hope for the people. On that day, Ezekiel’s voice would suddenly return (see 3:26), and he would once again be able to pray to God for the people and intercede on their behalf. The final destruction of Jerusalem would complete the full outpouring of God’s wrath and fury. On that day, Ezekiel would finally be able to speak words of hope to the shattered remnant of the exiles, so that they might know the Lord.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Hebrew, lifting up of their souls.

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

"The day" referred to in these verses is the day of the overthrow of the temple, when the fugitive "escapes." But "that day," in Eze 24:27, is the day on which the fugitive brings the sad news to Ezekiel, at the Chebar. In the interval the prophet suspended his prophecies as to the Jews, as was foretold. Afterwards his mouth was "opened," and no more "dumb" (Eze 3:26-27; compare Eze 24:27; Eze 33:21-22).

If Israel was not spared, much less the heathen utterly corrupt, and having no mixture of truth, such as Israel in its worst state possessed (Pe1 4:17-18). Their ruin was to be utter: Israel's but temporary (Jer 46:28). The nations denounced are seven, the perfect number; implying that God's judgments would visit, not merely these, but the whole round of the heathen foes of God. Babylon is excepted, because she is now for the present viewed as the rod of God's retributive justice, a view too much then lost sight of by those who fretted against her universal supremacy.

Next: Ezekiel Chapter 25

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

25. their strength] i.e. stronghold; the thing in which they placed confidence.

joy of their glory] the glorious (or beautiful) thing in which they delighted. Both expressions allude to the temple, &c.

set their minds] their hearts,—that which is the object of their desire, Psa_24:4.

25–27. When tidings come of the city’s fall, verifying the prophet’s predictions and giving confirmation to all the principles which he had long declared, his mouth will be opened, he will have confidence to speak and more willing listeners before him.

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.

That he that escapeth in that day shall come unto thee,.... That is, that one that should escape the hands of the Chaldeans, when the city should be taken, should directly make the best of his way to the prophet:

to cause thee to hear it with thine ears; all the particulars of the destruction of the city and temple, as it had been represented to him in vision; when he would see the exact agreement between prophecy and facts; see Eze 33:21.

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

Shall it not be? the question is to be resolved affirmatively, it shall be.

In the day; in the day of the taking the city of Jerusalem.

When I take from them; though Nebuchadnezzar was the means or instrument, God did act by him, who did God’s work more than his own.

Their strength, & c.; the kingdom dissolved, the king taken, city sacked, the temple burnt, which is by the following characters described, as the only thing they valued; though those particulars may be applied to soils and daughters in the close of the verse: however, it amounts to this, In that day, wherein all their public and private joys and hopes shall be destroyed in the destruction of the kingdom and their children, one that escapeth shall bring the news to the prophet.

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

25. That whereupon they set their minds — Hebrews, the lifting up of their soul.

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

Their strength - Their walls and fortifications. The joy - All their public and private joys and hopes shall be destroyed in the destruction of the kingdom, and their children.

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

that I capture their temple

Here Yahweh speaks of destroying the temple as if it were someone that he was capturing. AT: "that I destroy their temple"

which is their joy, their pride

The abstract nouns "joy" and "pride" can be translated as noun phrases. AT: "which is what they are joyful about and what they are proud of" (See: Metaphor)

refugee

someone who has been forced to leave their country because of war or another disaster

your mouth will be opened up

This can be stated in active form. Ezekiel being given understanding and the ability to speak is represented by his mouth being opened. AT: "I will open your mouth" or "you will know what to say" or "I will cause you to know what to say" (See: Active or Passive and Synecdoche)

you will speak—you will no longer be silent

Both of these phrases mean that Ezekiel will speak. In the second phrase it is stated in negative form to emphasize that he will speak. (See: Litotes)

You will be a sign for them

Here the word "sign" refers to something that communicates a special warning to those who see it. Yahweh speaks of Ezekiel and his actions as being this warning. See how you translated this metaphor in Ezekiel 12:6. AT: "You will be a warning for them" (See: Metaphor)

know that I am Yahweh

When Yahweh says that people will know that he is Yahweh, he is implying that they will know that he is the one true God who has supreme authority and power. See how you translated this in Ezekiel 6:7. AT: "understand that I am Yahweh, the one true God" or "realize that I, Yahweh, have supreme power and authority" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

translationWords

joy

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

the pride of their soul [Heb. מַשָׂא נַפְשָׂם.] Their soul is uplifted through them.

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.