Ezekiel 8:18

Eze 8:18 Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, [yet] will I not hear them.

Ver. 18. Mine eye shall not spare.] Eze 5:11; Eze 7:4.

And though they cry in mine ears, &c.] Because it is the cry of the flesh for ease, and not of the spirit for grace.

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.

though they cry . . . yet will I not hear-- (Pro 1:28; Isa 1:15).

Next: Ezekiel Chapter 9

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

This seems to me a confirmation of the last clause. For he had said, that they sent forth their boughs or east them forth, but yet to their destruction. He now repeats the same thing in other words. Therefore I will also act in, my turn — that is, as they now boldly increase their superstitions, and so continually provoke me, at length I will act, says he. There is a tacit contrast, since God forsooth had ceased for a long time, because there is a certain form of rest when he ceases from his judgments: God seems to rest when he does not take vengeance on man’s wickedness, when he indulges them and passes them by for a time. Since, therefore, he had so suspended his judgments against the Jews, he seemed to cultivate ease in heaven: with this view he says, that he would do it in his anger, and he adds, that his vengeance would be so dreadful that there would be no place for pity. This ought indeed to strike us when God pronounces himself implacable. For what is more formidable than to have God hostile, and to be verily without any hope of pardon? As often as God withdraws his mercy he shows us material for trembling, nor is it wonderful that he threatened the Jews so harshly, because he had proved by all methods that they were desperate in their wickedness. For truly nothing had been omitted towards curing them, unless they had been of an abandoned disposition and of most obstinate manners. Since, therefore, they were such, it is not surprising that God was extremely enraged against them, so that he left them no hope of pardon. But this ought to be referred generally to the whole body of the people: meanwhile it is by no means doubtful, as we shall afterwards see, that God excepts his elect from the ordinary multitude. If any one object, that God always hears prayers, I reply that he never rejects prayers which spring from faith: but here that tumultuous clamor is alluded to which necessity occasions to unbelievers. For although they fly to God as their natural sense impels them, yet they do not this with composed minds, nor even relying upon the promises of God: but because the torture of their minds does not suffer them to rest, so that by a natural impulse they are carried to God and cry to him without any faith or sincere affection. He speaks, therefore, concerning that kind of ejaculation which is described to us in the case of Esau, and hence he says with a loud voice, (Genesis 27:34; Psalm 3:4; Psalm 22:2; and Psalm 32:3, and elsewhere often.) Although the faithful also raise their voice: nay even cry out loudly, as David testifies of himself, yet it is peculiar to the incredulous to utter their clamor with full cheeks though the mind is void of faith, and is even obstinate in its wickedness. Hence they do not open the heart when they thus cry to God. Hence it is not wonderful if God rejects them and is deaf to their complaints. Now it follows —

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(18) Will I not hear them.—The time for prayer was past. They had rejected God. and when His wrath came upon them it was too late to turn to Him. (See Pro_1:24-28; Mat_7:22-23.) The possibility of sinning beyond the term of the day of grace is one of the most important lessons of this chapter.

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

18. These abominations will assuredly bring down the unsparing chastisements of heaven. The phrase “shall not spare nor pity” is common in the prophet, ch. Eze_5:11, Eze_7:4; Eze_7:9, Eze_9:5; Eze_9:10.

cry … with a loud voice] Comp. ch. Eze_11:13, and for the general idea of vain appeal to heaven, Isa_1:15; Jer_11:11; Pro_1:28.

This passage contains much that is difficult to estimate. The fact that the things described were seen in the “visions of God,” the symbolical form in which Jehovah appeared, and the analogy of ch. 9, 10, lead to the conclusion that there is at least an ideal and symbolical element in the representation of the idolatries practised in the temple. The view of Hitz., Kuen. (Onders. ii. 278) that the idolatrous practices are to be taken literally but referred to the time of Manasseh is not natural. The prophet would hardly be shewn things once but no longer in existence, though of course he might take a continuous view of Israel’s practice, as he often does. The tense in Eze_8:17 “which they have committed here” is scarcely evidence for a former generation. It is not easy to say how far the representation that the idolatrous usages were practised in the temple is to be taken literally. Such practices are not referred to by Jeremiah nor other prophets of the time. It is possible that the chambers and cells about the gateways, which appear in some cases to have belonged to private persons, may have been used for illegitimate purposes, but that sun-worship was actually practised between the temple and the altar has little probability. And the scene in the chamber of imagery is obviously ideal. The prophet certainly desires to shew that idolatry both public and in private was practised by all classes, the elders representing the nation, the women, and perhaps also the priests; and that at these idolatries were not only the old native ones of Israel, but new imports at this period from all the nations around. The representation, however, that such things were done in the temple may rather be ideal. The temple was the dwelling-place of Jehovah, and every impurity done not only there but in the land and in the houses of the people was felt in the place of his abode, which it defiled, causing him to withdraw from it (Eze_8:6, cf. Lev_15:31; Lev_20:3; Num_19:13; Num_19:20; and the elaborate precautions to guard against defilement adopted in ch. 40–48). On the other hand those privileged to dwell in the land or have access to the temple are spoken of as dwelling in the house, Psa_23:6; Psa_27:4; Psa_84:5 &c. See preliminary remarks to the chapter.

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.

Therefore will I also deal in fury,.... Being provoked by such abominable idolatries, and such horrid insolence, and most contemptuous treatment:

mine eye shall not spare: neither will I have pity: see Eze 5:11;

and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice; very pressingly and earnestly for help, being in great distress:

yet will I not hear them; as they turned their backs on him, he will turn a deaf ear to them, and not regard their cries. The Targum is,

"they shall pray before me, with a great voice, and I will not receive their prayer.''

Next: Ezekiel Chapter 9

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

What I will do is greater than to be expressed; they with a furious heat for their idols provoked me, and I will with a just indignation provoke them, nay, destroy them.

Mine eye shall not spare: see Eze 7:4,8,9.

Though they cry: the prophet doth not give it the name of praying, but it is a cry, a loud cry, after the manner of other idolaters, who think to be heard for the noise they make.

I will not hear them; yet doth not this at all prejudice the truth or the mercy of God to those that pray, nor may it discourage from the duty, but it should awaken us that we pray with heart, and not only cry loud with voice.

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

18. Mine eye shall not spare — See notes Eze_5:11; Eze_7:4; Eze_7:9; Eze_9:5; Eze_9:10. There comes a time when a cry to God for help is too late (Isa_1:15; Jer_11:11; Pro_1:28). The symbolic meaning of this vision of Israel’s sin is apparent. The prophet only visited Jerusalem “in the visions of God” (Eze_8:3). That these various abominable practices were literally taking place in the temple is difficult to believe. This vision may have been given to show to Ezekiel and his countrymen in exile the hopeless condition of the hearts of the whole nation, elders, women, priests. In their hearts they were idolaters, grasping every ancient and modern form of unbelief. Their presence defiled the temple and accounts for Jehovah’s leaving it (Eze_8:6; Lev_15:31; Lev_20:3; Num_19:13; Num_19:20).

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

The verse serves as a transition to ch. 9. The unpitying aspect of the Divine judgments is again prominent. Such sins deserved, and could only be expiated by, the judgments to which we now pass.

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

Will not hear - The time was, when God was ready to have heard, even before they cried: but now they cry aloud, and yet cry in vain. It is the upright heart which God regards, and not the loud voice.

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