Ezekiel 43:3

Eze 43:3 And [it was] according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, [even] according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions [were] like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face.

Ver. 3. And it was according to the vision.] Being so much the sweeter and the welcomer to me. Hence he so oft repeateth it; and the Jewish doctors observe that eight times in this one verse, visionis ac videndi vocabulum repetitur, the word for vision and to see it is made use of.

When I came to destroy the city,] i.e., To foretell the destruction of it, {Eze 9:2; Eze 9:5} from which time forth it was a done thing. See Jer 1:10. {See Trapp on "Jer 1:10"}

And I fell upon my face.] In reverence to his majesty, in admiration of his mercy, and in the sense of mine own unworthiness. The nearer any one cometh to God, the lower he falleth in his own eyes, and the more doth "rottenness enter into his bones."

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 43:3-5. And it — This glory of the God of Israel; was according to the vision, &c., when I came to destroy the city — That is, to prophesy that the city would be destroyed. The prophets are often said to do those things which they foretel shall be done. And I fell upon my face — In humble and reverent adoration of the divine majesty, or overwhelmed, as it were, and not able to bear the lustre of such glory. But the Spirit took him up, when the glory of the Lord was come into the house, that he might see how the house was filled with it. He had formerly seen, to his great grief, how the glory of the Lord, in this same appearance, departed from the temple; because it was profaned; and now he sees, to his great satisfaction, how it returns to it. As we do not find that ever the Shechinah did in such a manner take possession of the second temple, it seems evident that this was to have its accomplishment in that glory of the divine grace which shines so bright in the gospel church, and fills it.

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

When I prophesied the destruction of the city of the Chaldeans.

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

when I came to destroy the city--that is, to pronounce God's word for its destruction. So completely did the prophets identify themselves with Him in whose name they spake.

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

(3) When I came to destroy the city.—That is, to announce its destruction. (Comp. Eze_32:18; Gen_49:7; Isa_6:10; Jer_1:10.)

Like the vision that I saw.—Comp. Eze_1:4, &c.; Eze_3:23; Eze_10:15; Eze_10:22. The manifestation of Divine glory to the prophet was the same throughout.

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

3. And it was according to] And the appearance which I saw was like the appearance which I saw when I came—the word “appearance” at the beginning of the verse being omitted.

I came to destroy] Reference is to ch. 8–11. and the destruction of the city there seen in vision by the prophet. He was carried to Jerusalem to witness the destruction, and he calls this his coming to destroy it. Vulg., when he (Jehovah) came.

the visions were like the vision] like the appearance. The words “and the visions” are rather unnatural; LXX. reads: and the vision of the chariot which I saw was like &c. The “chariot,” i.e. the whole theophany of cherubim and wheels is often spoken of in later times (e.g. Ecclesus. 49:8), but is nowhere named in the Bible (cf. 1Ch_28:18). The reading of LXX. is probably a gloss in explanation of the Heb., which is awkward. Possibly the word “visions” should be omitted: … the city, and like the appearance that I saw by the river Chebar. Cf. Eze_3:23, where LXX. interpolates “according to the vision.”

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.

And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw,.... Recorded in the first, ninth, and tenth chapters of this book; the form in which the glory of the God of Israel now appeared was like to what he then saw; in each of which visions was the likeness of a throne, and on it the appearance of the glory of God:

even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city; the city of Jerusalem; not that the prophet destroyed it, or came to destroy it himself, which was to be done, and was done, by the Chaldeans; but to foretell the destruction of it; which prediction of his made it as certain as if it was done. So the Targum,

"when I prophesied to destroy the city;''

and this was, when he was bid to cause, in a visionary and prophetic manner, six men, with their destroying weapons, to draw near unto it, and smite it; at which time he saw the glory of the God of Israel go up from the cherub, Eze 9:1.

And the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; the four living creatures and the wheels; the throne of sapphire stone, and the glorious appearance above it, Eze 1:3 only with this difference, then he saw the glory of the God of Israel departing, especially in the last vision, but now returning:

and I fell upon my face; in reverence of such glorious majesty: affected with such a display of grace and goodness, and sensible of his own unworthiness to behold it: the clearer and fuller views saints have of the grace and glory of Christ, the more humble they are; see Isa 6:1.

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

He came. Hebrew, "I came to destroy (Septuagint, to anoint) the city," marking such as should be spared, chap. ix. The glorious chariot entered by the eastern gate, and the prophet followed to the court of the priests, ver. 5, 13. (Calmet) --- The Jews says the second temple was deprived of the Shekinah, or glory of the Lord. Yet it seems here to enter; and Christ himself adorned this second house, more than the first, by his adorable presence, Aggeus ii. 8. (Haydock)

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).

And it, this glory of the God of Israel,

was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw: see Eze 1:4,28.

To destroy the city; to declare that their sins would ruin their city, Eze 9:3; 10:4, which see. Here the effect seems ascribed to him, though he only declares it will be.

By the river Chebar: see Eze 1:1,3.

Fell upon my face; overwhelmed, and as it were swallowed up: see Eze 1:28.

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

The prophet identifies the vision on which he now looks as the same he had formerly beheld on the hanks of the Chebar, when he came to destroy the city, i.e. when, in obedience to Divine command, he stood forth to announce the destruction of Jerusalem. Ewald and Smend follow the Vulgate. quando venit ut disperderet, in substituting "he," Jehovah, for "I," Ezekiel; but the change is unnecessary, as the prophet"s language is perfectly intelligible and quite correct, since "the prophet destroyed the city ideally by his prophecy" (Hitzig), and it is not unusual for Scripture to represent a prophet as himself doing what he is only sent to predict. (comp. Eze_4:2 Eze_32:18; Jer_1:10) The prophet"s reason for introducing this clause was manifestly the same he had for identifying the visions to show that, while it was the same Jehovah who had departed from the old temple that was now returning to the new, there was nothing incongruous in the idea that he who in the past had shown himself a God of justice and judgment by overturning and destroying the old, should in the future exhibit himself as a God of grace and mercy by condescending to establish his abode in the new. The impression produced upon the prophet"s soul by his vision was the same that had been produced by the formerhe fell upon his face in awe and wonder.

God the same in judgment and in mercy.

The remarkable point of this verse lies in the fact that Ezekiel could detect no change in the manifestation of the Divine glory when he compared the new appearance which heralded the great redemption of Israel with the earlier appearance which preceded the denunciation of wrath and doom. God is the same in both cases.

I THE FACT. This has two sides one relating to the time of judgment, and the other concerned with the period of redemption.

1. God"s mercy is not lost in judg ment. He was glorious when he came to judgment, and one essential element of the glory of God is his ineffable love. We may not see love in wrath, but it is present, for "whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth". (Heb_12:6) God does not change his nature because men sin, nor indeed does he cease to yearn over his poor fallen children with infinite pity because it has become well that he should smite them in his great anger.

2. God"s righteousness is not lost in redemption. He loses none of the glory of his holiness by saving sinners. Christ came to "magnify the Law and make it honorable". (Isa_42:21) Righteousness is honored

(1) in the Person of Christ, our great Representative, who offered his pure and spotless soul as a perfect sacrifice to God;

(2) in the deliverance of man from sin. Righteousness itself desires an end of sin more than the mere punishment, which is but a means towards that end. Thus the glory of God"s holiness is most manifest when he redeems man from sin and leads him into a new, holy life.

II ITS CONSEQUENCES.

1. There is no escape from the law of righteousness. The subjects of a changeable autocrat watch his fickle moods, and endeavor to seize on lucky moments when he appears to be in a good burnout, in order to extract some favor from him. No such maneuvers are needed, or can be of any use, when men are looking for God"s grace. On the one hand, he is always desirous to save and bless; on the other hand, he is never weakly negligent in regard to the great principles of justice. We can never evade his laws.

2. There is no reason to despair on account of the wrath of God against sin. That wrath was always felt by God, though it has not always been perceived by man. "God is angry with the wicked every day ". (Psa_7:11) Yet God has shown continuous love, and has put forth repeated efforts of mercy to save his fallen children. He has not changed towards us because he has veiled his mercy and displayed his wrath for a season. The same ever-righteous and ever-merciful Father who at one time smites in anger and at another saves in grace will act to us just as we do to him. With the froward thou wilt show thyself froward, etc.. (Psa_18:26) Therefore our part is to be plain and straight with God, simply trusting his great love, and honestly endeavoring to fulfill his holy will.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And it - This glory of the God of Israel. To destroy - To declare, that their sins would ruin their city, chap. ix, 3, 4. I fell - Overwhelmed, and as it were swallowed up.

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

It was

"The glory of God coming from the east was"

according to the appearance of the vision

The abstract noun "appearance" can be translated as a verb. AT: "just like what appeared in the vision" (See: Abstract Nouns)

when he had come to destroy the city

Possible meanings are 1) "when the God of Israel had come to destroy the city" or 2) "when I had come to see the God of Israel destroy the city."

Behold

Your language may have a different word to show that Ezekiel was surprised by what he saw.

translationWords

vision

Yahweh

house

Holy Spirit

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

And it was like the appearance of the vision, etc. [Heb. וּכְמַרְאֵה הַמַרְאֶה.] Nine visions [or “mirrors”] (מַרְאוֹת) are written here through which the prophets perceived. Moses, however, was an exception, for he saw through one vision. Therefore, his mirror reflected clearly and he saw reality more closely. And this is [what is behind] the words of the liturgical poet. The mirrors polished with nine visions.

when I came to destroy the city in the section (9:4) of “and you shall mark a sign,” where it says (verse 1): “Bring near those appointed over the city,” and delineates the form of the Celestial Chariot.

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.