Ezechiel
Prophetia EzechielisIntroductions
Enciclopedia Cattolica
There is agreement in recognizing in it a perfect systematic order. Two parts are clearly distinguished: in the first (chaps. 1-24) the exiles are prepared for the shock of 587, with the announcement of the disaster and its justification against the false arguments of the exiles. In the second (chaps. 33-48) the reconstruction is foretold, the new Israel rising from the ruins, and souls are prepared to enter into it. Between the one and the other, at the center of the book, are gathered the oracles against the nations (chaps. 25-32): the idea presiding over them is the universal dominion of Yahweh, who regulates all human events: he uses the pagans to punish his people, but then punishes them too, for their pride, their cruelty, especially for the baneful influence they exercised on the chosen people. And while the chastisement for Israel is only temporary and medicinal, for these it is definitive.
Haydock
Ezechiel, whose name signifies the strength of God, was of the priestly race, and of the number of the captives that were carried away to Babylon with king Joachin. He was contemporary with Jeremias, and prophesied to the same effect in Babylon as Jeremias did in Jerusalem; and is said to have ended his days in like manner, by martyrdom. (Challoner) --- He strove to comfort the captives, who began to repine that they had listened too readily to Jeremias, exhorting them to submit to the king of Babylon. Some think that part of his prophecies is lost, as Josephus mentions two books: but the nine last chapters, regarding the new city and temple, might form the second division. The Jews hesitated whether to allow his works to be canonical, as they seemed to differ from Moses, and from the dimensions given of Solomon's temple. But the same God might surely suggest some improvements, and the morality of the prophet is most excellent. (Calmet) --- His style may be compared to that of Homer (Grotius) and Alcaeus. Many have thought that (Calmet) Pythagoras was his disciple; (Eusebius, praep. xiii.) yet the latter seems to have lived after the prophet, who was led into captivity with Jechonias, the year of the world 3410, and prophesied twenty years. He dates from this period, (Calmet) and from the renewal of the covenant under Josias, (chap. 1:1.; Haydock) when the captivity was first announced. (Worthington) --- The Jews allowed none to read the first and the nine (Haydock) last chapters, nor the beginning of Genesis, nor the Canticle of Canticles, before they were thirty years old; and they never attempted to explain the vision nor the building of the temple, supposing it to be above the power of man. (St. Jerome)
Douay 1582/1609
EZECHIEL a Priest, and a Prophet, and at last a 〈…〉, as Martyrol 10. Apri. 1. Maij. Ezechiel and Ieremie like in manie respectes, prophecied for most part the same thinges. likewise Ieremie was, nere of the same age, prophecied for the most part the same thinges; but Ieremie beganne to prophecie a childe; in Ierusalem, and finally in Aegypt: Ezechiel when he was about thirtie yeares old, in Babylon, where he was in captiuitie with King lechonias and others. The 4. Reg. 44. beginning and end of his Prophecie are so obscure, that amongst Ep. ad the Hebrewes (saith S. Ierom) none may reade these partes, nor Paulin. the beginning of Genesis, before the age of thirtie yeares. The three first chapters conteyne a wonderful vision, wherin the Prophet saw God Ch. 1. The contents diuided into fine partes. as sitting in a glorious throne, resting as it were vpon foure liuing creatures, drawing strangely foure wheeles. Secondly, in one and twentie chapters folowing he prophecieth the destruction of Ierusalem and the Temple, with the captiuitie of the people for their enormous sinnes. Thirdly in eleuen more chapters, he prophecieth the like of diuers other nations. Fourtly, in foure other chapters, he foresheweth the reduction of the Iewes from captiuitie, but more especially the Redemption of mankinde by Christ, and the glorious state of his Church. Finally, in the other nine chapters, he describeth, but meruelous obscurely, his last vision of the restauration of the Temple, Sacrifices, Priestes, and other religious thinges perteyning therto; but principally concerning the Church of Christ, both militant and triumphant.
Cornely
CAPUT IV. DE PROPHETIA EZECHIELIS. S 13. — De Ezechielis vtta et munerc 19 paragraphs
215. — De Ezechielis prophetae vita praeter pauca, quae ex eius 1:- bro colligimus, nihil certi nobis est traditum. Si « trigesimum annum », quo primam se visionem habuisse testatur, de eius aetate intelligere licet, natus est a. 622., eo fere tempore, quo pius rex Iosias libro Legis in templo reperto restaurationem cultus novo cum ardore promovit et paucis annis postquam leremias iuvenis ad propheticum munus est vocatus!. Filius fuit Buzi, cuius nomen alibi non commemoratur?, ex sacerdotali genere ortus; et quum sacerdos diserte nominetur, iure concludimus, eum sacerdotali ministerio in templo functum esse?. Quando Nabuchodonosor a. 597. lerosolymis secunda vice expugnatis lechoniam regem cum omnibus eius principibus populique robore in Babyloniam abduxit nihilque praeter pauperes in civitate et terra sancta reliquit, Ezechiel fuit unus ex captivis*. Cum haud parvo contribulium numero in Tel Abib iuxta fluvium Chobar domicilium suum fixit ibique cum "uxore sua , quam exsilii sui anno 9. morte amisit, in paupere, ut videtur, domo habitavit^. Anno 5. exsilii sui sublimi divinae maiestatis visione, quam primis libri capitibus describit, ad propheticum munus est vocatus eoque inter exsules per viginti duos saltem annos ita est functus?, ut magna apud exsules polleret auctoritate. Licet enim non deessent, qui vaticinia eius irriderent, seniores tamen populi apud eum congregabantur, ut eum consulerent?. Miraculorum quoque patratorem eum fuisse iuniores scriptores (fide tamen non digni) tradunt : « non secus ac Elias et Eliseus Iordanis aquas et Moyses maris undas, Ezechiel sicco vestigio Chobaris fluminis amplissimi traiiciendi auctor fuisse traditur Israelitis, quam plurimis ex Chaldaeorum insecutoribus in illo demersis. Idem fertur uberrima piscium multitudine a Deo precibus impetrata populum israeliticum fame paene exactum recreasse; idem vindice iustitia permotus venenatorum serpentum morsibus Deum suum & Danitarum Gaditarumque sceleribus dicitur vindicasse ». Quibus fabellis aliquantulum certior est traditio, quam iam innuit S. Athanasius, alii antiqui scriptores et Martyrologium Rom. receperunt, prophetam
« a iudice quodam populi Israel, propterea quod eum de cultu idolorum arguisset, apud Babyloniam interfectum et in sepulcro Sem et Arphaxad, Abraham progenitorum, sepultum esse »?. Quo autem anno supremum suum diem obierit, prorsus ignoratur; illud unum iure asseritur, eum non statim postquam a. 570. ultimum suum vaticinium contra Aegyptum pronuntiavit, mortuum esse sed tempus sufficiens ei fuisse, ut vaticinia sua colligeret volumenque suum ipse terminaret 9.
2. Ezech. 1,3. Secundum opinionem, qua tenent, patres prophetarum in S. S. nominatos etiam fuisse prophetas, fabulantur rabbini Buzi (73, irrisus, despectus) cognomen fuisse Ieremiae prophetae a populo suo despecti, Ezechielem igitur Ieremiae fuisse filium. Cfr Sanct. Comm. in Ezech. Prol. 1; Carpzov. Introd. III. p. 194. — Pseudo Gregor. Naz. (Significatio in Ezech. M. 36,669) tradit Ezechielem Ieremiao mínistrum ante Baruch fuisse.
5. Ezech. 3.15 (S. Hier. nomen civitatis vertit « acervum novarum frugum »); 8,1; 24,18; 12,1-7. — A nonnullis fluvius Chobar, ad cuius ripam Ezechiel visione divinae maiestatis dignatus est (1,1. 3; 3,15. 23; 10,15. 22), intelligitur Chaboras, qui per Mesopotamiam prope Circesium in Euphratem influit; parum autem recte, ut videtur, siquidem Chobar dicitur flumen « in terra Chaldaeorum »; canalis potius intelligendus est aut fluvius haud longe a Babylone.
6. Ezech. 1,2. Hae notae chronologicae in eius libro leguntur :
(a; Cum Theodoreto (Comm. in Ezech. M. 81,1148) modernisque nonn'illis interprelibus lectio- ConsxELY IxTnoD. II. 2. — 28
216. — Infelicissima tempora, in quae incidit Ezechielis vita, supra (261 p. 362 sqq.) adumbravimus. Quo infeliciora autem erant et Israelitis periculosiora, eo magis clariusque Deus misericordiam suam infinitam manifestavit fidelitatemque, qua populi peccatis criminibusque non obstantibus promissiones patribus olim factas servavit illibatas. Eidem enim aetati tot periculis plenae suppares fuerunt Ieremias, Ezechiel, Daniel : leremias a. 13. Iosiae vocatus propheticum munus saltem usque ad 2. annum post urbis excidium et probabiliter usque ad lechoniae exaltationem post Nabuchodonosoris mortem exercuit (627.-58*. vel 560.); Daniel a. 2. Nabuchodonosor i. e. a. 5. loakim spiritu prophetico repletus ultimam, quam nobis descripsit visionem, a. 3. (1.) Cyri habuit (603.-536.); Ezechiel a. 5. Sedeciae propheta vocatus munere suo saltem sedecim annis post urbis templique destrunem syriacam, quam etiam nonnulli codd. hebraici (septem apud Kennikott et unus apud De Rossi; cfr De Rossi Variae lectiones IlI. p. 154) et pauci minusculi graeci tuentur, « anno undecimo » omnino praeferendam ducimus ; nulla enim ratione explicatur, quomodo nuntius de capta urbe (capta est m. 5. a. 11. Sedeciae) non nisi septemdecim mensibus postea in Chaldaeam sit allatus. Varias explicationes iam proposuit Sanctius, at. nullam sibi probari fassus est ; modernorum autem novi conatus non sunt feliciores.
ctionem functus est (592.-570.). Neque soli fuerunt istius aetatis prophetae; ex iis, qui nobis vaticinia scripta transmiserunt, Sophonias ultimis Iosiae annis floruit, Habacuc ultimis losiae aut primis loakim annis, Baruch, fidelis leremiae minister, a. 5. post urbem deletam libellum suum conscripsit. Omni autem, qua potuit , ratione Deus populum occaecatum et obstinatum ad se revocare conatus est; neque enim in Palaestina degentibus tantum, sed exsulibus quoque et dispersis Israelitis providit. Eodem tempore, quo leremias et Baruch lerosolymis, Daniel et Ezechiel in Chaldaea vaticinati sunt; urbe tandem deleta illos, qui ob Chaldaeorum metum in Aegyptum fugerunt, secuti sunt leremias et Baruch, illi vero, quos Nabuchodonosor in Chaldaeam abduxit. ibi invenerunt Ezechielem et Danielem.
Iam inter prophetas illos Ezechiel singularem omnino locum occupat, de quo pauca dicemus. Cum Daniele comparari nequit, licet uterque in terra aliena propheticum spiritum acceperint; Daniel enim in aula regia degens munere prophetico nunquam est functus, sed velut in alta specula constitutus praesentium immemor sola futura praevidit et praenuntiavit!; Ezechiel autem solus est inter prophetas, qui eo tempore, quo antiquus theocratiae status corruebat, vocatus est, ut in terra aliena exsules ad novum , qui condendus erat, statum praepararet. leremiae vaticiniis edocemur, Iudaeos superstitiosa quadam sanctuarii fiducia abreptos prophetis urbis sanctae templique destructionem praedicentibus credere noluisse; postquam urbs bis iam erat & Chaldaeis expugnata et longe maior incolarum pars cum pretiosissimis vasis sacris thesaurisque regiis in Chaldaeam erat transportata, reliqui in vana sua fiducia a falsis prophetis confirmati periculum mox cessaturum exsulesque cum rege [echonia et vasis sacris reversuros esse sperarunt. Eadem autem vana fiducia exsules ipsi tenebantur, atque inter eos quoque surrexerunt pseudoprophetae, qui propinquo reditu promisso eos conturbabant atque à poenitentia agenda retinebant. An. 4. Ioakim Ieremias non tantum pseudoprophetis ierosolymitanis resistere , sed etiam falsos exsulum prophetas, qui in Chaldaea et in Iudaea ipsa vanam illam fiduciam propagarunt, literis ad exsules datis refrenare et reprimere cogebatur (ler. 28. 99.). Anno insequenti (5. loakim) Deus genuinum inter exsules prophetam suscitavit Ezechielem , quem constituit « custodem domui Israel », ut verba divinitus accepta ei annuntiaret eamque ad Dominum suum reduceret (Ezech. 1,2; 3,16 sqq.). Difficile erat munus ei impositum ; ad durum enim et obstinatum populum mittebatur, qui infelici sua sorte magis erat exacerbatus , ut nullus propheta Ezechiele frequentius contumaciam populi increpet?. Singulari igitur indigebat fortitudine, quam ei, uti nomine eius iam erat praesagitum Onpim, Deus confortat) , Dominus impertivit?. Qua instructus vanam illam fiduciam, quae exsules a sincera conversione retinebat, destruere aggressus est, eademque ratione, qua Ieremias lerosolymitanos, ipse captivos symbolicis suis actionibus vaticiniisque edocuit, ultimum reipublicae excidium averti non: posse, quoniam peccatorum mensura esset plena. In hac muneris parte leremiae omnino similis est Ezechiel, quum uterque iustissimum esse iudicium , quod Deus erga populum suum exercuit, peccatis criminibusque quum populi tum sacerdotum et principum descriptis luculentissime doceant.
At hac parte leremiae munus absolvitur, quem zustitiae dtvinae prophetam supra (263) appellavimus; destructa enim urbe, si paucas illas orationes, quibus profugorum aegyptiacorum idololatriam increpat er. 4&4), excipimus, Ieremiae vocem non amplius audimus; Ezechieli enim reservatum erat, ut tamquam /idelitatis divinae propheta, Deum populum suum non plane reiecisse, exsules doceret. Namque regno antiquo destructo et domo Dei ipsa deleta magnum erat periculum, ne exsules desperabundi omni melioris sortis spe abiecta aut se a Domino prorsus derelictos aut Dominum ipsum ab ethnicorum idolis devictum esse putarent. Procul dubio omnes antiquiores prophetae atque etiam leremias una cum poena etiam futuram felicem sortem annuntiaverant; at omnia illa vaticinia ita cum domo davidica, cum urbe sancta, cum templo videbantur esse connexa, ut iis sublatis et deletis impleri ipsa non amplius possent. Facile igitur fieri potuit, ut exsules, qui medios inter idololatras translati iam ante urbis excidium splendore ethnici cultus seducti ad idololatriam inclinaverant ( EzecA. 10,3. sqq. ; 20,20 sqq.), nunc Legem plane abiicerent et idola sequerentur. Cui maximo periculo ut occurreret, missus est Ezechiel. Eo ipso, quod ex exsulum numero in terra idololatra prophetam sibi suscitavit custodemque domui Israel, evidentissme iam demonstravit Dominus sese populum suum non dereliquisse. Septem annis ante urbem deletam eum suscitavit, ut imminens excidium aununtians et antea describens et actionibus suis symbolicis quasi ob oculos ponens (5.5.19.) vaticiniorum suorum minacium impletione genuinus Dei legatus probaretur, cui etiam laetiora annuntianti fides denegari non posset. Itaque quo tempore omnes res videbantur conclamatae, surgit Ezechiel, ut Dominum fidelem suis promissis stare ostendens animos exsulum nova spe repleat atque ita ad Deum reducat. Davidica domus throno quidem privata et deleta esse videbatur, sed magnae cedri Dominus servaverat tenerüm ramusculum, qui in monte excelso plantatus totam terram sit impleturus, Davidemque velut novum pastorem dabit gregi sanctificato (17,92. sqq.; 38, 23; 37,94). Templum erat deletum, cultus abolitus, sacerdotes dispersi, terra sancta et urbs in manibus ethnicorum profanatae. Sed novi templi futuri imaginem delineat propheta, quod prius longe sit superaturum (40. sqq.), in quo gloria Domini sit habitatura in aeternum (43, 1 sqq.), in quo novi sacerdotes levitaeque cultum purum sint exercituri (44.45.), ex quo flumen sit proditurum , cuius aquae cuncta sint vivificaturae (47,1 sqq.). Urbis quoque novae novaeque divisionis terrae delineat imaginem (47,13 sqq.), ut nemini iam remaneat dubium, quin novus rerum status priori infinities sit praeferendus. Dubitantes autem, quomodo haec fieri et populus destructus reviviscere possit, ducit propheta in campum ossibus mortuorum plenum , qui ad omnipotentis Dei vocem ad novam vitam resurgunt (37,1 sqq.).
Sed haec accuratius persequi, opus non est; id unum addamus, Deum , quum per Ezechielem priores suas promissiones renovaret clariusque proponeret, id praesertim intendisse, ut fidelitate sua manifestata populum ad Legem revocaret. Septuagies enim circiter per prophetam haec verba repetit : « et scietis (vel : et scient gentes) , quia ego lAuvE ». Quae sit huius divini nominis vis et significatio, alibi diximus*. Deus, quando olim Moysen elegit, ut promissiones antea patribus ' factas foedere cum eorum filiis inito et terra, quam promiserat, tradita impleret, hoc nomine ipsi quam maxime proprio cognosci et agnosci voluerat. Qui enim patribus sese manifestaverattamquam E/ Schaddai, Deum omnipotentem , qui quae promittit dare potest , filiis esse voluit JaAve i. e. ?/le qui est , qui ab aeterno et in aeternum per se solum est ideoque omnis mutationis incapax promissis suis fidelis stat. Hinc JaAve est nomen Dei, quatenus secundum promissiones patribus factas populum foedere sibi coniunxit foederisque conditiones ex sua parte semper implet. At nonne foedus ipsum destruebatur, quum populus terra illa, quam velut maiorum benedictionum typum et pignus acceperat, privatus inter gentes dispergeretur? ld quidem minime, respondet propheta noster; dispersio potius ipsa, quoniam populo foedus violanti in Lege iam erat annuntiata , ei pro signo et argumento inservit , quod foedus a JaAve semper observari demonstret : Dominus enim, si fidelis est in poenis, quas comminatus est, populo peccanti immittendis, fidelis quoque erit in praemiis populo poenitenti et ad ipsum revertenti promissis praestandis. Hanc ob causam continuum illud : « et scietis quia ego Iahve » , Deus qui mutationis incapax foedus olim initum observo et observabo. Certa quadam ratione Ezechiel igitur Moysis ministerium complet; Moyses populum ad terram promissam adducens in nomine illo Israelitis velut tesseram dederat , qua certi fierent, Deum omnes suas promissiones esse impleturum; Ezechiel populo ex terra illa eiecto et disperso idem nomen divinum inculcat velut tesseram, qua certi fiant omnes promissiones divinas etiam nunc manere integras; exsilium ipsum non esse nisi poenam a fideli Deo inflictam, ut promissiones suas populo poenitenti praestare posset; &d Deum igitur eos reverti debere, qui impii mortem non vult, sed ut revertatur a via sua et vivat (18,93. 39; 33,11. 19).
Interroganti , quos fructus diuturnum Ezechielis inter exsules ministerium tulerit, respondebimus, contumacem quidem domum Israel fuisse (prophetam enim Domini audire noluit, quia Dominum ipsum audire noluit 3,7. cfr 33,31), neque tamen omni fructu caruisse continuos prophetae labores. Plerasque enim conciones suas habuit, antequam a. 5. post urbem deletam Baruch in Chaldaeam advenit*; magnum autem exsulum numerum illo iam tempore ad Dominum suum esse reversum , quum zelus docet, quo ad cultum in templi ruinis re- :*taurandum eleemosynas contulerunt, tum praesertim pulcherrima illa precatio, qua peccata sua poenitentes agnoscunt, iustam esse poenam profi'entur, divinam misericordiam implorant (Bar. 1,1-3,8). Clarius argumentum nobis exhibet exsulum in patriam reditus; praeter Danielem, qui in aula regia versabatur, solus Ezechiel (atque forte per aliquos annos etiam Ieremias senex grandaevus) inter Iudaeos in Babylonia ministerio proplietico functus est; tanta autem fuit reducum ab orani idololatria aversio , ut tres prophetae post exsilium florentes de ea vix unquam loquantur. Nonne Ezechielis laboribus hanc populi conversionem iure adscribimus?
2. « Domus ezasperans (contumax "5 ni) est appellatio, qua (excepto Is. 30,9) solus Ezechiel inter prophetas populum designat idque frequentissime (2,5. 7. 8; 3,9; 12,2. 3. etc.).
(e'pn) faciebus eorum et frontem tuam duriorem frontibus eorum.... Cuius loci sensus haud inconcinnus indicatur huiusmodi : Nihil tibi timendum ab eorum fronte, obdurata videlicet scelere et malitia. Tu enim es Ezechiel i. o. virtute roboratus et confortatus a Deo ». Sunt qui hanc ob causam nomen prophetae in eius vocationo inditum censeant; at nulla est ratio, cur id admittamus, quum satis multa nomina sint prophetica (Isaias, Ieremias etoc.).
S 14. — De Ezechielis libro.
271. — Thalmudici, ut ordinis quo tres maiores prophetas disponunt rationem explicent, Ieremiam omnem esse vastationem dicunt, Ezechielem a vastatione incipere et desinere in consolationem, Isaiam denique integrum esse consolationem, ideoque leremiam primum , Isaiam ultimum, intermedium autem poni Ezechielem, ut vastatio cum vastatione, consolatio cum consolatione coniungatur!. Quo asserto duorum priorum minus accurate, aptissime vero Ezechielis ARGUMENTUM indicarunt quippe quod pro eius munere supra (276) descripto duplex sit. Revera in priore libri parte, quae vaticinia usque ad m. 10. a. 9. Sedeciae i. e. usque ad initium obsidionis urbis pronuntiata continet, totus in eo est, ut frustra sperare ostendat exsules, sese libertatem mox esse recuperaturos urbemque et templum conservatum iri; flagitiis enim et idololatria sua Iudaeos Deum quasi coegisse, ut gravissimam hanc poenam populo suo infligeret. In ultima vero parte, i. e. in vaticiniis inde & m. 10. a. 12. (vel rectius 11.) Sedeciae post urbem deletam pronunliatis, animos ad novam spem et fiduciam erigit reditu ex exsilio promisso et novi regni (messianici) splendore descripto. Quae duo ad plenam unztatem illa idea rediguntur, qua totum librum regi diximus, Deum initi cum populo foederis semper memorem fidelissimum esse quum in minis tum in promissionibus suis. Neque vaticiniis contra gentes pronuntiatis, quibus propheta minaces suos sermones contra Israel a consolatoriis separat, unitas ullo modo perturbatur; siquidem ipsa quoque fidelitatem docent Dei, qui licet ad. tempus ministerio gentium utatur ad populum suum peccantem affligendum et humiliandum, eas tamen in fine proiiciet et destruet, ut in earum ruinis novum regnum secundum suas promissiones suscitet et stabiliat. Argumentum in analysi statim accuratius describemus.
Ad libri onpiNEM quod attinet, prophetam in colligendis et disponendis vaticiniis ad so/am chronologiam non attendisse, satis docent dies, quibus vaticinia assignat (275. n. 6); at iidem etiam aliquam chronologiae rationem habitam esse docent?. Etenim omnia vaticinia , quibus Iudaeis instantem regni interitum annuntiavit, chronologice esse disposita videmus (cpp. 1.-24.). lllo autem die, quo Ierusalem obsideri coepta est (die 10. m. 10. a. 9.), silere i. e. de Iudaeorum sorte non amplius loqui iubetur, usque dum captae urbis nuntium acceperit (24,25 sqq.); quo nuntio accepto apertum est os eius, atque chronologico ordine iterum disposita sunt vaticinia de futura sorte feliciore Iudaeorum (epp. 33.-48.); in solis igitur vaticiniis contra gentes (cpp. 25.-32.) vel si mavis contra Aegyptum (cpp. 29.-39.) relicto ordine chronologico realem quendam praetulit propheta. Ad quae si attendimus, libri integri pivisioxEM esse tripartitam apparet; nam zn£roductionem, qua prophetae vocatio et institutio describuntur (1,1-3,22), in prima parte sequuntur vaticinia, quibus ante obsidionem pronuntiatis ineluctabile esse ultimum regni excidium praedicitur (3,23-25,27); altera autem pars gentibus, quae de regni israelitici interitu exsultant, graviorem sortem annuntiat (25,1-32,32); tertia demum consolationibus suis animos Israelitarum urbis et templi destructione fractos ad novam spem erigit (33,1-48,35)?. Alii tamen duas tantum partes statuendas esse censent, ut prior valicinia contra [Iudaeos (3,22-24,97) et contra gentes (25,1-32,32) contineat, altera Israelis restaurationem hostiumque eius destructionem praedicat (33,1- 39,99) et gloriosum regnum messianicum describat (50,1-48,35) *.
Si quis autem Ezechielis et Isaiae libros inter se conferre voluerit, etiam alio modo duas partes definire poterit. Ultima capita enim Ezechielis (40.-48.), quae symbolicam regni messianici descriptionem exhibent, tota sua indole a reliquo libro differre, facile omnes concedent; merito igitur illa secundae Isaiae parti (40.-66.) comparamus, quae ipsa quoque in salute messianica describenda fere versantur; hinc duae Ezechielis, uti Isaiae, partes, quarum prior (Is. 7.-36. et EzecA. 3,23- 24,97) de praeparatione ad salutem messianicam agit, altera (Is. &40.-66. et Ezech. 40.-48.) eandem describit. Eadem autem ratione, qua Isaias in priore sua parte primum ostendit, infidelitate sua regem Achaz Assyriorum invasionem sibi attraxisse (Is. 7,1-12,6), Ezechiel primum docet urbis excidium averti non posse propter ludaeorum scelera (Ezech. 3,23-94,97). Sequuntur deinde vaticinia contra gentes apud Isaiam (23,1-27,13) et apud Ezechielem (25,1 - 32,32). A quibus transit Isaias ad vaticinia tempore Ezechiae pronuntiata, eaque terminat descripto iudicio divino contra Edom tamquam typo iudicii contra impios, quo felicitas iustorum perfecta adducitur (/s. 28,1 -35,10); atque simili modo Ezechiel a vaticiniis contra gentes transit ad vaticinia sua post deletam urbem prolata eaque terminat descripta clade impii hostis Gog , qua adducitur perfecta piorum felicitas (EzecA. 33,1-39,99) *. Tanta igitur est in utriusque libri dispositione similitudo, ut casui fortuito attribui non possit, atque Ezechiel completum Isaiae librum ea forma, qua hodie illum possidemus, prae oculis habuisse sit dicendus; unde iure merito Ezechielis dispositione authentiam secundae partis Isaiae confirmari asserimus. Nihilominus in tradenda analysi primam divisionem, quae tripartitum esse librum statuit, utpote simpliciorem retinendam esse duximus.
2. Vaticinia, quibus dies non assignatur, circa idem tempus, quo praecedens vaticinium , esse pronuntiata, communior est et verior sententia.
978. — lI. ANALYSIS PROPHETIAE EZECHIELIS 64 paragraphs
INTROoDUcrIO (1,1-3,31) exhibet prophelae vocationem et institutionem. Quemadmodum Isaias, Ezechiel quoque sublimi divinae gloriae visione inauguratur,
9. Qua visione prius perterritus, sed mox confortatus (2,1. 2)
8.) audit, se ad populum rebellem esse mittendum, quare ut forlis sit monetur (2,3-7); b.) quem nuntium populo afferre debeat, edocetur iussus comedere volumen plenum vaticiniis tristibus (2,8-3,1);
€.) quod postquam comedit (3,2. 3), a Deo confortatur, ut munus suum obire possit (3,4- 9), et tamquam divinus legatus ad populum suum mittitur (3,10. 11).
3. À spiritu divino in locum missionis suae transportatus (3,12-13) post septem dies in silentio peractos a Deo constituitur custos populo suo edoceturque, quae legationis suae sit sanctio sive relate ad ipsum, sive relate ad populum (3,16-21).
PniMA PARS (3,22-24,27) ineluctabile esse proximum urbis el regni excidium praedicens docet Deum fidelem esse in minis olim contra populum peccantem prolatis.
(a) De animantium figuris visionisque apparatu efr Vigourouz La Bible el les découvertes mod. IV. p. 324-309; de visionis ac symbolorum signi(icalione Anabenbauer Comm. in Ezech. 1890. p. 33-41; Em: Meignan Les Prophétes d'Israel. 1892. p. 676-685.
1. Prophetae in campum egredi iusso iterum apparet gloria Dei eique praecipit, ut instantem calamitatem prius in se repraesentet atque suo tempore populo verbis annuntiet (3,22-27).
9. Duplex autem est reale vaticinium, quod in se repraesentare debet (4,1-5,A71).
a.) In latere cocto depingere iubetur urbem obsessam (4,1-3) eamque intuens recumbensque super latus sinistrum trecentis nonaginta diebus portare iniquitatem Israel et super latus dexterum recumbens quadraginta diebus portare iniquitatem Iuda (4,4- 8), vili quoque et foede concocto cibo, qui solus ei toto tempore conceditur, calamitates obsidionis figurare (4,9 - 17).
b.) Deinde comam radere iubetur eiusque partem comburere, partem gladio percutere, partem tertiam nonnullis pilis conservatis in campo dispergere (3,1-4). Quam symbolicam actionem explicat Dominus tamquam iudicium contra incolas lerusalem exercendum secundum eius causam (5,5-9) et modum (5,10-17).
3. Sequitur duplex verbale vaticinium de eadem re (6,1 - 1,27).
a.) In priore omnibus locis, in quibus filii Israel idololatriam exercuerant (i. e. omni terrae Israel) idololatrisque ipsis interitus praedicitur (6,1-7), ita tamen ut nonnullis spes conversionis relinquatur (6,8-10); quae poena iusta est, licet gravissima (6,11 -14).
b.) Carmine quodam lugubri iudicium mox instare annuntiatur (7,1-27). Scilicet exitii adventuri decretum (7,3. 4) tribus stropbis ita evolvitur, ut in prima illud iamiam instare doceatur (7,5 -11), in altera eius gravitas describatur (7,12-18), in tertia spes omnis praecidatur (1,19- 21).
1. Prophetae ecstatica visione in urbem et templum translato (8,1-4) ostenditur idololatria incolarum in templo : a.) in porta septemtrionali templi videt idolum zeli (Baal) adoratum (8,5. 6), b.) in interiore quadam templi parte omnibus idolis domus Israel (vitulis etc.) a septuaginta senioribus thus offerri videt (8,7 -12), c.) dum in templi atrio mulieres publice Thammuz (Adonidem) venerantur (8,13. 14),
2. Ut tanta flagitia puniantur, clamante Domino (9,1)
3.) accedunt sex viri armati et unus scriba, atque hic quidem omnes innocentes litera Tau signare (9,2-4), illi cunctos occidere iubentur, qui signati non sunt, incipientes a templo per totam civitatem (9,5-9).
b.) Quibus peractis scriba iubetur ex throno Dei prunas ignitas sumere, quas super civitatem spargat (10,1- 7), gloria autem Dei (cuius ap-
PROPHETIAE EZECHIELIS ANALYSIS. A43 paritio describitur uti 1,5 sqq.) e templo egressa super Cherubim in porta orientali consistit (10,8 - 22).
8.) prophetam impiis principibus propter eorum peccata mortem annuntiare iubet (11,1 -12), b.) eundemque, quum subita morte unius ex principibus perterritus esset, consolatur reditu et plena conversione reliquiarum praedictis (11,13-21).
4. Tum templo et urbe relictis gloria Domini requievit in monte Olivarum (11,92. 23), propheta autem ad se reversus exsulibus annuntiavit omnia, quae viderat (11,24. 25).
III. TERTIO VATICINIORUM CYCIO (12,1-19,14) a praedictione captivitatis regis et populi exorsus propheta causas calgmitatis accuratius describit.
1. Duplici actione symbolica infelicem sortem regis Sedeciae et populi praedicit (12,1 -98).
8.) Futuram Sedeciae fugam, captivitatem, caecitatem populique transportationem in se portendere iubetur (12,1-7) populoque interroganti significationem portenti explicare (12,8-16); b.) altero signo futuram calamitatem populi terraeque desolationem
' portendit (12,17-20) populumque edocet, nec cassas fore nec in longum differendas prophetarum minas (12,21 -28).
2. Cuius calamitatis causa prima est corruptio eorum, qui populo invigilare debuerunt (13,1 - 14,23).
A. Atque primum,quidem pseudoprophetas castigat (13,1 -23).
a.) Vae dicit pseudoprophetis, quia se divinas visiones vidisse mentientes (13, 1-9) vanis suis promissionibus populum in errorem inducunt (13,10-16); " b.) vae quoque dicit mulieribus, quae lucri studio ductae mendacibus vaticiniis ad vanam fiduciam populum seducunt (13,17 - 23).
B. A prophetis ad seniores populi venit (14,1-23).
a.) Senioribus, qui per prophetam Deum interrogant, Deus respondere renuit, quia in cordibus suis idololatriam retineant (14,1-4); idololatris enim, nisi se convertant, Deus non respondet nisi interitu eorum, qui interrogant, et interitu prophetarum, qui respondere volunt (14,5 -10) , ut hac ratione populus edoceatur (14,11).
b.) Terram autem idololatram fame, feris, bello, peste ita puniet, ut ne iustissimorum quidem virorum (Noe, Daniel, Iob) precibus calamitas avertatur (14,11 -23).
3. Altera causa est integri populi corruptio, quam parabolis illustrat (15,1 - 11,24).
À. Sicut lignum de vite praecisum prorsus est inutile et igne comburitur, ita lerusalem (utpote palmes abscissa) comburenda est (15,1-8).
B. Longiore parabola totam historiam religiosam Israel describit (16,1 -
63). 3.) Virginem (lerusalem) origine sua abiectissimam et miserrimam (46,1-
3) certae morti Deus eripuit maximisque donis ornatam sibi desponsavit (16,6-14; b.) at ingrata sponsa pulchritudine sua confisa libidinibus pravis (idololatriae) se dedit (16,15-93) undequaque conquisitis idolis, quibuscum fornicaretur, donisque suis ea sibi acquirens (16,24-34).
c.) Sed per eosdem punietur, per quos ad peccatum pervenit (16,35- 42), atque iustissima erit poena, quia donis gratuitis divinis ita abusa est, ut vel ipsam Samariam et Sodoma superaverit (16,43- 52).
d.) Meinor autem foederis sui Deus reducet lerusalem ad gloriam promissam tali electa via, ut gloriari de propriis meritis non amplius possit sed confundi tantum (16,53 -63).
C. Tertia parabola apostasiam politicam Israel adumbrat (17,1 -24).
a.) Narrat parabolam de duabus aquilis et de vite, quae ab una erat plantata,, sed ad alteram inclinavit ideoque destructa est (47,1-10), b.) eamque explicat de Nabuchodonosor (aquila priore), qui pro rege Iechonia abducto constituerat Sedeciam (vitem); sed foedere, quod iuramento confirmaverat, violato Sedecias a rege Aegvpti (altera aquila) auxilium quaesivit, ideoque cum toto populo captivus abducitur, quia contra Dei voluntatem egit (17,11 -21).
c.) Nihileminus domus davidica non peribit, sed Deus ipse tenerum ramum conservabit, qui in magnam arborem excrescet (17,92-24).
4. Ne vero putent Israelitae, se ob maiorum dumtaxat peccata nunc pati neque proinde se ipsos conversione indigere, ut ea, quae in fine duarum praecedentium parabolarum promissa sunt, consequantur, Deus eos edocet , unumquemque sua ipsius peccata expjare (18,1 - 32).
a.) Proponit principium universale, omnem animam suis ipsius peccatis interire (18,1 - A); b.) nam vir, qui Legem observat, sibi quidem vitam acquirit (18,5 -9), sed filium Legem violantem non salvabit ,18,10- 13); c.) similiter autem peccatoris filius, si patris peccata non imitatur sed Legem observat, vitam sibi acquirit, licet pater eius in peccatis sit mortuus (18,14 - 20).
d.) Peccator quoque, qui poenitentiam agit, vitam habebit, uti iustus, si iustitia abiecta peccato se tradit, mortem sibi attrahit (18,21-29).
e.) Quapropter omnes ad Deum se convertant oportet, ut salutem consequantur (18,30- 32).
. Terminat hunc vaticiniorum cyclum carmine parabolico, quo interitum domus regiae et populi plangit (49,1-14); ilaque cycli finis initio eius (12,4 - 28) respondet.
3.) Quoniam reges davidici regibus ethnicis (leonibus) similes esse voluerunt, unus ex eis (Ioachaz) abductus est captivus in Aegyptum (19,1 - 4), alter (Iechonias? Sedecias?) abductus est (abducetur) in Babyloniam (19,3-9).
b.) Populus autem, olim vitis fecunda, iam evellitur et in desertum proiicitur (19,40-44).
figitur, causas poenae et poenam ipsam ita proponit propheta , ut iudicium divinum non (antum populo emendando sed etiam gloriae divinae manifestandac inservire ostendat. 4. Interrogantibus senioribus Deus respondere iterum abnuens (20,1 - 4) eis conspectu historico (qui parabolae cp. 16. respondet) proposito necessitatem poenae ostendit (20,5 - A4). 8.) Populus sine ullis suis meritis a Deo electus in Aegypto iam rebellem se exhibuit et idololatriae deditum; at propter honorem nominis sui Deus eum ibi delere noluit (20,5-9). In desertum educti et patres (20,10-17) et filii (20,18-26) eadem ratione rebelles fuerunt iterumque Deus propter nomen suum iis pepercit. b.) Demum in terram promissam introducti eodem modo, quo prius, idolis serviunt (20,27-29), et nihilominus Deum consulere audent ; at Deus eis non respondebit sed in desertum gentium dispersos severo iudicio purgabit (20,30- 38). c.) Atque hac ratione gentem sibi creabit mundam, quae in terram suam reducta ipsi sit servitura (20,39- 44). 2. Annuntiatio iudicii venturi (20,45- 21,32) (quae respondet visioni cpp. 9. -41.).
A. Parabola incendii saltus meridiani annuntiat regni Iuda destructionem (20,45- 48).
B. Quae parabola, quum populo difficilior esset (20,49) explicatur annuntiato gladio horrendo super lerusalem venturo (21,1 - 277).
8.) Dominus minatur, se gladium suum immissurum in Ierusalem (24, 1-7) gladiique horrorem describit (21,8-17).
b.) Gladius autem hic erit gladius regis Nabuchodonosor, quem Dominus ducet versus lerusalem (21,18-24) pontificatu et throno privan dam, donec venturus sit (Messias), cui iure competant (21,235 - 27).
c.) Idem quoque gladius Ammonitas Israelitis irridentes penitus destruet (21,98- 32).
. Quemadmodum poenam futuram parabola et proprio sermone annuntiaverat, ita nunc causas poenae proprio sermone et parabola describit (92,1 -93,49).
A. Nudo sermone peccata Ierusalem proponit (22,1 - 31).
3.) Caedes et idololatria peccata praecipua sunt, quibus lerusalem interitum suum accelerat (22,1-6), at his coniuncta sunt multa alia scelera, quae poenam merentur (22,7 - 16).
b.) In toto Israel non inveniuntur nisi scoriae igne conflatorii expurgandae (22,11-22).
c.) Severum igitur iudicium requiritur, quia omnes ordines (prophetae, sacerdotes, principes, homines privati) vitiis sunt dediti (22,23-31).
B. Idem argumentum prosequitur propheta parabola (simili illi quam cp. 16. proposuerat), qua utriusque regni Israel et Iuda idololatriam castigat (23,1 - 49).
a.) Duas sorores (Samariam et Ierusalem), licet in Aegypto iam fornicatae essent, Deus sibi desponsavit (23,1-4); at natu maior Oolla
(Samaria) fornicata iterum est cum Assur et Aegypto ideoque in Assyriae potestatem tradita (23.5-410).
b.) Quibus non edocta altera Ooliba (Ierusalem) maiora flagitia cum Assur, Chaldaeo et iterum cum Aegypto commisit (23,11-21); propterea tradet eam Dominus in manus Chaldaeorum (23,22-31), ut eadem ratione, qua soror eius, puniatur (23,32-35).
c.) Gravioribus demum verbis utriusque simul fornicationem perstringit (23,36-44) atque iudicio adulterarum et homicidarum eas iudicandas esse annuntiat (23,43 - 49".
V. VATICINIA PROMULGATA IPSO DIE, QUO [ERUSALEM OBSIDERI COEPTA EST , dit 10. m. 40. a. 9. (24,-21) 31 paragraphs
1. Hunc diem sibi adnotare iubetur propheta (24,1. 2) populoque sub parabola ollae, in qua frusta carnis penitus concoquuntur, instantem urbis et incolarum sortem describere (24,3 - 14).
2. Deinde Deus annuntiat prophetae, uxorem eius esse morituram, eumque de illius morte luctum agere vetat (24,15-17). Eadem die mortua est uxor atque propheta iussa Dei exsecutus interroganti populo respondet, templum urbemque destructum iri neque de iis luctum esse - agendum (24,18-24).
3. Demum tacere (contribulibus suis) iubetur, donec nuntium de urbis interitu accipiat (24,95 -27).
PARS ALTERA (25,1-32,32) septem gentibus interitum annuntiat. Pleraque promulgata sunt eo tempore, quo Ierusalem obsidebatur et propheta populo suo tacebat.
T. SEx roPuus vicixis annuntiatur interitus, quia de interitu regni Iuda gavisi sunt (25,1 - 98,96).
1. Paucis tantum versibus poenam excidii propter iniuriam Israelitis illatam annuntiat Ammonitis (25,1 - 1), Moabitis (25,8- 1), Idumaeis (25,19-14), Philisthaeis (25,15 - 171).
2. Longius et magnificentius est vaticinium contra Tyrum eiusque regem (26,1-28,19).
A. Anno 14. Tyri ipsius interitus praedicitur et carmine plangitur (26, a.) Indicato Tyri peccato (26,1. 2.) eius ruina in genere annuntiatur (26, 3-6). Deinde hostis nominatur eiusque labores describuntur, quibus Tyrum tam complete diruet (26,7-14), ut omnes insulae de eius ruina stupore afficiantur (26,13-18), nec quisquam amplius eius vestigia reperiat (26,19-21).
b.) Pulcherrima elegia describit pristinam Tyri opulentiam et potentiam sub imagine navis magnifice exornatae (27,1 -11) , quae undequaque merces et opes conquirit (27,12- 23), sed subito naufragio cum cunctis suis divitiis a mari deglutitur (27,26. 27), atque ab omnibus plangitur (27,28 -30).
B. Simili modo regis Tyri interitus praedicitur (28,1 - 19).
a.) Regis castigatur superbia (28,1-5), propter quam morte infami peribit (28,6 -10).
PROPHETIAE EZECHIELIS ANALYSIS. A41 b.) In carmine lugubri prius singularis eius magnificentia describitur (28,11-14), qua ad superbiam adductus (28,15. 16) proiici meruit et interire (28,17 - 19).
3. Sequitur breve vaticinium contra Sidon , quae quia contra Israel peccavit plane interibit (28,20 - 24), dum Israel ipse ex captivitate revertetur, ut omnes cognoscant, quodnam sit Dei in puniendis gentibus consilium (28,23. 96).
ll. AEGYPTO sex vaticiniis interitus annuntiatur (29,1 - 32,32).
3.) Pharao, quia se ipse putat creatorem sui regni et potentiae suae, a Deo proiicietur, ut omnes habitatores Aegypti verum Deum cognoscant (29,1 - 6).
b.) Quoniam sese exhibuit baculum arundineum populo Israel, integra terra eius per quadraginta annos in desertum redigetur (29,6-12); quibus finitis Aegyptus resurgens non erit nisi regnum humile, in quo Israel fiduciam suam non amplius sit positura (9,13-16).
2. Adiungitur alterum vaticinium, licet multo tardius sit promulgatum (die 4. m. 4. a. 27.), quo praecedens accuratius definitur (29,11-30,19).
A. Deus annuntiat se Nabuchodonosori Aegyptum dedisse tamquam mercedem, quia in devastanda Tyro strenue exsecutus sit decretum divinum (29,17-21).
8.) vicinum esse diem iudicii toti Aegypto annuntiat (30,1-3) ; b.) isto die omnis potestas Aegypti confringetur per Nabuchodonosor, qui magnam faciet hominum stragem et terram devastabit (30,6-12); f.) destruentur idola Aegypti et munitiones eius; iuvenes eius gladio cadent et filiae eius captivae abducentur (30,13-19).
3. Tertium vaticinium (promulgatum die 7. m. 4. a. 41., postquam Aegyptii, qui Ierosolyma obsessa liberare voluerant, a Chaldaeis erant devicti) praedicit Deum debilitaturum esse brachium Pharaonis et confortaturum brachium regis Chaldaeorum (30,20 - 26).
4. Quartum die 1. m. 3. a. 11. promulgatum comparatione Pharaonis cum rege Assyriae eius interitum annunciat (31,4 - 17).
8.) Praemissa interrogatione, cui magnitudo Pharaonis comparari possit (31,1. 2), b.) describitur Assyria velut magnifica cedrus Libani ita elevata super omnia arbusta, ut aliae omnes arbores ei inviderent (31,3-9), sed superbia elatam succiderunt et proiecerunt alieni (31,10-14), et ruina eius stupore implevit omnes gentes (31,13-17).
$. Quintum die 4. m. 12. a. 19. promulgatum est elegia quaedam de interitu Pharaonis (32,1 - 16).
3.) Pharaonem, draconem maris, gentes ex aquis extrahunt et bestiis devorandum tradunt (32,1-5); b.) interitus eius in coelo et in terra stuporem excitat (32,6 - 10).
c.) Quae explicans docet Deus, regem Babylonis occupaturum et devastaturum esse Aegyptum (32,11- 16).
Pans TERTIA (33,1-48.33) exhibet vaticinia consolatoria, quos Deus se fide-
I. Pro huius partis introductione Deus falsam fiduciam, quam filii Israel ponunt in promissionibus, destruit prophetae munus iterum inculcans et praeiulicium populi impugnans (33,1 - 33).
1. Instructio prophetae tradita, qua innuitur, quid opus sit , ut quis promisa.) Custos terrae, qui de adveniente periculo incolas monuit, expers est culpae, etsi incolae moniti sibi non caveant (33,1-6); eadem ratione propheta custos datus populo expers erit culpae, si populum.monuerit (33,7-9).
b.) Monere autem debet populum , qui peccata sua agnoscit, Deum non mortem peccatoris, sed eius conversionem velle; sciant autem oportet, hanc esse viam Domini, ut iustus, qui peccat, non salvetur, peccator, si resipuerit et poenitentiam egerit, vitam obtineat (33,10-20).
2. Indicato deinde tempore, quo ad haec loquenda os suum sit apertum, die 3. m. 10. a. 12. (11.) accepto nuntio expugnatae urbis (33,21. 92) a.) destruit propheta fiduciam eorum , qui quia filii sint Abrahae ius ad terram promissam sese habere arbitrantur (33,23. 24); peccatoribus enim terra illa non est destinata, ideo omnes illi, qui remanserant, eiiciendi sunt (33,95-29).
b.) Propheta ipse edocetur, qui futuri sint fructus SedsdióHfionde eius (33,30-34).
I]. VaTICINIA DE RESTITUTIONE ISRAEL EIUSQUE FUTURA GLORIA (34,1-39,29) 32 paragraphs
1. Pastorum populi infidelium locum occupabit bonus pastor (34,1-31).
3.) Praecipua ratio interitus populi in eo est sita, quod a pastoribus regebatur, qui sua quaerentes gregem aberrare siverunt (34,1 - 6), quare pastores illos reiicit Deus (34,1-10).
b.) Atque ipse deinde gregem suum in omnes terras dispersum iterum congregabit (34,41-17) eumque ab ovibus rebellibus mundabit (34, 18-29), c.)ac demum gregi purificato suscitabit genuinum pastorem David (34,24. 23) et cum grege inibit foedus pacis benedictionibus effusis in terram, in qua populus Israel securus ab hostibus habitabit (34,26 - 31). :
2. Deus, dum [dumaeam | gentesque alias dosastabtond —€— Israeli pristinum splendorem restituet propter honorem nominis sui (35,1-36-38).
A. Edomitarum gentiumque destructio, Israelis restitutio (33,1-36,15).
8.) Idumaeae devastationem annuntiare iubetur propheta (33,1- 4). Quoniam enim Edomitae semper inimico animo Israelem persecuti sunt, ideo interficientur (35,5-9), et quia terram Israel occupare voluerunt, eorum terra devastabitur (35,10-15).
b.) Quae Edomitis minatus est, ea ad omnes gentes vicinas extendit, quippe quae, quia Israelis haereditatem ambierunt, humiliandae sint (36,1- 7).
c.) E contra Israelis montes ad novum splendorem resurgent eumque perennem (36,8-45).
8.) Israel polluerat nomen Domini in terra sua, ideo dispersus est; sed dispersus quoque polluit nomen Domini inter gentes, ita ut Deus nomini suo sancto providere sit coactus (36,16 - 21).
b.) Propter nomen suum igitur Israelitas iterum colliget, in terram suam reducet, aqua munda lavabit, corde novo donabit, ut in praeceptis divinis ambulantes sint iam Dei populus (36,22-28).
c.) Reduces autem ditabit omnibus bonis, ut pristinorum peccatorum non nisi poenitentes recordentur (36,29-32); unde nova gloria divino nomini accedet apud omnes gen'es in circuitu (36,33 - 36).
d.) Confirmationis gratia repetit Deus, se multiplicaturum esse populum Israel (36,37. 38).
3. Duabus parabolis resuscitationem et unionem Israel vaticinatur (31,1-28).
a.) Visione imaginaria ducitur propheta in campum repletum ossibus mortuorum, qui vaticinante propheta nova vita donantur (31,1-10); b.) quae visio de populo explicatur voce divina ad novam vitam resuscitando (37,11-14).
a.) Propheta duobus lignis nomina duorum regnorum inscribere lignaque manu sua coniungere iubetur populoque interroganti respondere, eadem ratione duo regna iterum in unum esse coalitura (37,15-20).
b.) Quam unionem ulterius describens Deus promittit, se utriusque regni incolas esse reducturum et sub uno rege uniturum et a peccatis mundaturum (37,21-23), ita ut sub servo suo David futuri sint populus sanctus, quocum novum foedus pacis aeternum sit initurus (37,24 - 28).
4. Victoria de hostibus innumeris duce Gog novum regnum in novissimo tempore aggressuris promittitur (38,1-39,99).
^. Hostium in aggrediendis Israelitis consilio opponitur Dei consilium a.) Deo incitante Gog cum multis populis barbaris in novissimis diebus veniet contra terram Israel, in qua reduces quieti habitant (38, 1-9), utimprovidos aggrediatur et depraedetur (38,10- 13).
b.) Deus autem eum adducet, ut ipse in eius clade glorificetur (38, 14-16); nam contra hostem illum, quem antiqui prophetae iam annuntiarunt, Deus in ira sua suscitabit gladium omnesque plagas, atque omnes gentes cognoscent, quia Deus est Dominus (38,17-93).
B. Describitur hostium strages et victoriae fructus indicatur (39,1-29).
a.) In montibus Israel Gog cum omnibus copiis suis peribit, nam Deus nunc defendet populum suum (39,1-7).
b.' Stragis horror variis imaginibus exaggeratur. Tantus erit occisorum numerus, ut Israelitae armis eorum septem annis ignem alant (39.8-11), septemque mensibus ad eorum cadavera sepelienda indigeant (39,12-16), propheta autem bestias omnes ad prandium invitare iubeatur cadaveribus occisorum illis paratum (39,17 -20).
c.) Hoc iudicio cognoscent gentes et Israel, Dominum populum suum antea propter peccata eius in hostium manus tradidisse (39,21-24), nunc autem reduces non amplius esse derelicturum, quia in illos spiritum suum effudit (39,235- 29).
Ill. PRoPUETICA DESCRIPTIO NOVI REGNI [sRAEL (40,1-48,35). Templum destruclum iacebat, cultus sacer cessaverat, populus Israele terra sua eiectus erat; ex his igitur desumit propheta symbola ad novum regnum messianicum describendum : novum videt templum, novum cultum, novam terrae d'stribulionem.
1. Novi templi descriptio (40,1-42,20), cuius summa dumtaxat capita indicamus, quia singula, nisi addatur explicatio, non intelliguntur.
a.) Die 10. m. 1. (?) a. 25. prophetae in montem excelsum terrae Israel translato ostenditur novum templum ibi erectum (40,1 - 4).
b.) Ex ordine deinde describuntur atrium exterius (40,5-27), atrium interius (40,28-46), templi vestibulum (40,47-49), sanctum et sanctum sanctorum cum aedificiis adiacentibus (41,1- 26) , aedificia in atriis erecta /42,1- 14), spatium, quo aedificia sancta a profano loco separantur (42,13- 20).
a.) In templum terminatum videt propheta maiestatem divinam eadem ratione, qua egredientem spectaverat, iterum ingredientem (43, 1-3), auditque Deum pollicentem, se ibi semper remansurum populum autem divina mandata in posterum esse observaturum (43,6 - 12).
b.) Descripto deinde altari holocaustorum (43,13-17) edocetur propheta quomodo sit consecrandum (43,18-27); c.) demum monetur, porlam orientalern, per quam ingressus est Dominus, semper fore clausam principemque solum in ea celebraturum epulas sacrificales (44,1-3).
a.) Propheta populum docere iubetur, Deum nolle pristinum cultum immundum, sed haec praecepta esse observanda (44,4 - 8) :
b.) Uti alienigenis in templum intrare non licet, ita levitis quoque, quia in excelsis olim ministrarunt, sacerdotio fungi non licebit, sed inferiora tantum ministeria in templo obire (44,9-14).
c.) Soli sacerdotes levitae ex familia Sadoc, quia semper fideles manserunt, sacerdotio fungentur (44,15. 16). Eorum deinde officia et iura accuratius explicantur (44,17 -31).
Cornelius a Lapide
A Song of Victory to God the Best and Greatest, Subduing the Impious with His Chariot of Cherubim and Triumphing Over Them, from the Oracles of Ezekiel
I. The heavens were opened, and I saw the visions of God. And I saw, and behold a whirlwind came from the north: and a great cloud, and a fire wrapping it, and brightness round about it: and from the midst thereof as the appearance of amber, that is from the midst of the fire. And in the midst thereof the likeness of four living creatures: and this was their appearance, the likeness of a man in them. Four faces to one, and four wings to one.
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II. And I saw, and behold a hand sent to me, in which was a book rolled up: and he unrolled it before me, which was written within and without: and there were written in it lamentations, and a song, and woe.
III. And I ate it: and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey. Behold I have made thy face stronger than their faces, and thy forehead harder than their foreheads. As an adamant, and as a flint have I made thy face; fear them not, neither be thou dismayed at their looks: because it is a provoking house.
IV. Set an iron pan for a wall of iron between thee and the city. And sleep upon thy left side three hundred and ninety days for the iniquities of the house of Israel. And again thou shalt sleep upon thy right side forty days for the iniquities of the house of Juda. And thou shalt drink water by measure, the sixth part of a hin. And thou shalt eat bread baked under the ashes, and thou shalt cover it with dung of man. And I said: A, a, a, O Lord God, behold my soul hath not been defiled: and I have not eaten that which died of itself, or was torn by beasts, from my infancy until now, and no unclean flesh hath entered into my mouth. And he said to me: Behold I give thee cow's dung instead of human dung: and thou shalt make thy bread upon it.
V. Thou shalt shave thy head and thy beard, and divide the hairs by weight, and burn a third part in the fire, cut in pieces a third part with the sword, and scatter a third part in the wind. As I live, saith the Lord, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary, a third part of thee shall die of the pestilence, a third part shall fall by the sword, and a third part I will scatter in every wind. And thou shalt be a reproach and a blasphemy, an example and a wonder among the nations.
VI. Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold I will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places. And I will cast down your slain before your idols: and I will scatter your bones round about your altars. Thus saith the Lord God: Clap thy hand, and stamp thy foot, and say: Alas, for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel: for they shall fall by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence.
VII. Thus saith the Lord: An end is come, the end is come upon the four corners of the land. They have set the beauty of their ornaments in pride, and have made the images of their abominations and of their idols in it. Therefore I will make it unclean. And I will give it into the hands of strangers to be spoiled, and to the wicked of the earth for a prey, and they shall defile it.
VIII. A hand was sent to me, and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and heaven, and brought me to Jerusalem. And I saw from the north the gate of the altar the idol of jealousy in the very entrance. And he said: Thou shalt see greater abominations.
IX. And the Lord said to the scribe clothed in linen: Go through the midst of the city, in the midst of Jerusalem: and mark Thau upon the foreheads of the men that sigh, and mourn over all the abominations that are committed in the midst thereof. And to the others he said in my hearing: Go ye after him through the city, and strike: let not your eye spare, nor be ye moved with pity.
X. And I saw the Cherubim, and above them a firmament, and a throne as the appearance of a sapphire stone. And he said to the man clothed in linen: Go in the midst of the wheels that are under the Cherubim, and fill thy hand with coals of fire from between the Cherubim, and scatter them over the city. And he went in my sight.
XI. The children of Israel say: Have not the houses been lately built? this city is a caldron, and we are the flesh. Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Your slain, whom you have laid in the midst thereof, they are the flesh, and this city is a caldron: and I will bring you forth out of the midst thereof.
XII. Therefore thou, O son of man, make thee vessels of captivity, and remove by day in their sight: and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight, if so be they will consider: for it is a provoking house.
XIII. Thus saith the Lord God: Woe to the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and see nothing! Thy prophets, O Israel, have been like foxes in the deserts. You have not gone up to the breach, nor set up a wall for the house of Israel, to stand in battle in the day of the Lord. They have seen vanity, and lying divination, saying: The Lord saith: and the Lord hath not sent them: and they have persisted to confirm what they have said. Have you not seen a lying vision, and spoken a divining lie, whilst you say: The Lord saith: and I have not spoken? Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Because you have spoken vanity, and have seen lies, therefore behold I am against you, saith the Lord God. And my hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the council of my people, and in the writing of the house of Israel they shall not be written, and into the land of Israel they shall not enter: and you shall know that I am the Lord God.
XIV. If these three men, Noe, Daniel, and Job, were in the midst of it, they should deliver only their own souls by their justice, saith the Lord God. But neither sons nor daughters shall be delivered: but they only shall be delivered, and the land shall be desolate.
XV. Son of man, what shall be made of the wood of the vine, among all the wood of the branches which are among the trees of the forest? Shall wood be taken of it to do any work? or shall a peg be made of it to hang any vessel upon? Behold it is cast into the fire for fuel: the fire hath consumed both ends of it, and the midst thereof is reduced to ashes: shall it be useful for any work?
XVI. Thou wast cast out upon the face of the earth in the abjection of thy soul, in the day thou wast born. And I clothed thee with embroidered garments, and shod thee with violet: and I girded thee with fine linen, and clothed thee with silk. And I adorned thee with ornaments, and put bracelets on thy hands, and a chain about thy neck. And I put a ring on thy nose, and earrings in thy ears, and a beautiful crown upon thy head. Thus wast thou adorned with gold and silver, and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and embroidered work: thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil, and wast made exceeding beautiful, and didst prosper into a kingdom. And thy renown went forth among the nations for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God. But trusting in thy beauty, thou playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and thou madest thyself common to every one that passed by, and gavest thyself to him. And thou didst take thy garments, and madest thee high places decked with divers colours, and playedst the harlot upon them: such things as should not be, nor shall be. Thou didst also take the vessels of thy beauty, of gold and silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit fornication with them. And thou tookest thy embroidered garments, and coveredst them: and didst set my oil and my incense before them. And my bread, which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou didst set before them for a sweet savour: and thus it was, saith the Lord God. Therefore, harlot, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God: Because thy money hath been poured out, and thy shame discovered through thy fornications with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou gavest to them: Therefore behold, I will gather together all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated: and I will gather them together against thee on every side, and will discover thy shame in their sight, and they shall see all thy foulness. And I will judge thee as adulteresses, and they that shed blood are judged: and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy. And I will deliver thee into their hands, and they shall destroy thy brothel, and pull down thy high places: and shall strip thee of thy garments, and shall take away the vessels of thy beauty: and leave thee naked and full of shame. And they shall bring up a multitude upon thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and shall slay thee with their swords. And they shall burn thy houses with fire, and shall execute judgments upon thee in the sight of many women: and I will make thee to cease from fornication, and thou shalt give no hire any more.
XVII. Thus saith the Lord God: A great eagle with great wings, long in limbs, full of feathers and of divers colours, came to Libanus, and took the marrow of the cedar. He cropped off the top of his young twigs: and carried it away into the land of Chanaan, and laid it in a city of merchants.
XVIII. What is the meaning, that you use this proverb as a byword in the land of Israel, saying: The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the teeth of the children are set on edge? As I live, saith the Lord God, this proverb shall be no more a byword to you in Israel. Behold all souls are mine: as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, the same shall die. And if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right, and hath not eaten upon the mountains, and hath not lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, and hath not defiled his neighbour's wife, and hath not wronged any man: but hath restored the pledge for the debt, hath taken nothing by robbery, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment: hath not lent upon usury, and hath not taken any increase, hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, and hath executed true judgment between man and man: hath walked in my commandments, and kept my judgments, to deal truly: he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord God. And if he beget a son, that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things, and doth not all these commandments, but eateth upon the mountains, and defileth his neighbour's wife, wrongeth the poor and needy, taketh by robbery, restoreth not the pledge, and lifteth up his eyes to idols, committeth abomination, lendeth upon usury, and taketh increase: shall he live? he shall not live. Seeing he hath done all these wicked things, he shall surely die, his blood shall be upon him. But if he beget a son, who seeing all the sins of his father, which he hath done, is afraid, and doth not the like to them: who hath not eaten upon the mountains, and hath not lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, and hath not defiled his neighbour's wife, and hath not wronged any man: hath not taken to pledge, neither taken by robbery, hath given his bread to the hungry, and covered the naked with a garment, hath withdrawn his hand from the poor, hath not taken usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, and hath walked in my commandments: he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, but living he shall live. As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, and spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people: behold he is dead in his iniquity. Yet you say: Why hath not the son borne the iniquity of his father? But the son hath done judgment and justice, hath kept all my commandments, and done them: he shall surely live. The soul that sinneth, the same shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, and the father shall not bear the iniquity of the son: the justice of the just shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. And if the wicked man do penance for all his sins which he hath committed, and keep all my commandments, and do judgment and justice: living he shall live, and shall not die. I will not remember all his iniquities that he hath done: in his justice which he hath done, he shall live. Is it my will that a wicked man should die, saith the Lord God, and not that he should be converted from his ways, and live? But if the just man turn himself away from his justice, and commit iniquity, according to all the abominations which the wicked man useth to do, shall he live? all his justices which he hath done, shall not be remembered: in the prevarication, by which he hath prevaricated, and in his sin, which he hath committed, in them he shall die.
XIX. A lioness, she lay down among lions, in the midst of young lions she nourished her whelps. And she brought up one of her whelps, a lion he became: and he learned to catch the prey, and to devour men. The nations heard of him, and caught him in their snares, and brought him with chains into the land of Egypt. And when she saw that her hope was lost, her expectation was gone, she took another of her whelps, and made him a lion. And he went up and down among the lions, and became a lion, and learned to catch the prey, and devoured men. And he knew their desolate cities, and the land was desolate, and the fulness thereof, at the voice of his roaring. Then the nations set upon him from the provinces round about, and spread their net over him: he was taken in their snares. And they put him in a cage, and brought him to the king of Babylon, and cast him into prison, that his voice should be heard no more upon the mountains of Israel. Thy mother is like a vine in thy blood, planted by the water: her fruit and her branches were made fair with much water. And she had strong rods to make sceptres for them that bear rule, and her stature was exalted among the branches, and she saw her height in the multitude of her branches. But she was plucked up in wrath, and cast on the ground, and the east wind dried up her fruit: her strong rods were broken and withered, the fire consumed her. And now she is planted in the desert, in a dry and thirsty land. And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, and hath devoured her fruit: and there is no strong rod in her to be a sceptre to rule. This is a lamentation, and it shall be for a lamentation.
XX. As I live, saith the Lord God, I will reign over you with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you together out of the lands in which you are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God. And I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. And I will separate from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them out of the land of their sojourning, but into the land of Israel they shall not enter: and you shall know that I am the Lord. And thou, son of man, say unto the house of Israel: Thus saith the Lord God: Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a transgression against me. For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted up my hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and every thick tree, and they offered there their sacrifices, and presented there the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savours, and poured out their drink offerings. And I said unto them: What is the high place whereunto ye go? And the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day. Wherefore say unto the house of Israel: Thus saith the Lord God: Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations? For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be enquired of by you. And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, whereas ye say: We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone. As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you: and I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you together out of the lands wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God. And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: and I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the Lord. As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God: Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me: but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols. For in the holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord God, there shall all the house of Israel, all of it in the land, serve me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things. I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the lands wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up the hand of my oath to give it to your fathers. And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have wrought with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord God. Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying: Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings: their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman. Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it: and I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them. And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them: These are the people of the Lord, and are gone forth out of his land. But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. Therefore say unto the house of Israel: Thus saith the Lord God: I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you. And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen. Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations. Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel. Thus saith the Lord God; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded. And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. And they shall say: This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited. Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the Lord have spoken it, and I will do it. Thus saith the Lord God; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock. As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the Lord.
XXI. And thou, son of man, prophesy and say: Thus saith the Lord God concerning the Ammonites, and concerning their reproach; even say thou: The sword, the sword is drawn: for the slaughter it is furbished, to consume because of the glittering: (Whilst they see vanity unto thee, whilst they divine a lie unto thee,) to bring thee upon the necks of them that are slain, of the wicked, whose day is come, when their iniquity shall have an end. Shall I cause it to return into his sheath? I will judge thee in the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy nativity. And I will pour out my indignation upon thee, I will blow against thee in the fire of my wrath, and deliver thee into the hand of brutish men, and skilful to destroy. Thou shalt be for fuel to the fire; thy blood shall be in the midst of the land; thou shalt be no more remembered: for I the Lord have spoken it.
Thus saith the Lord God: Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him. And thou, son of man, prophesy and say: Thus saith the Lord God to the children of Ammon, and to their reproach; even say thou: The sword, the sword is drawn: for the slaughter it is furbished, to consume because of the glittering: Whilst they see vanity unto thee, whilst they divine a lie unto thee, to bring thee upon the necks of them that are slain, of the wicked, whose day is come, when their iniquity shall have an end. Shall I cause it to return into his sheath? I will judge thee in the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy nativity. And I will pour out my indignation upon thee, I will blow against thee in the fire of my wrath, and deliver thee into the hand of brutish men, and skilful to destroy. Thou shalt be for fuel to the fire; thy blood shall be in the midst of the land; thou shalt be no more remembered: for I the Lord have spoken it.
XXII. And thou, son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city? yea, thou shalt shew her all her abominations. Then say thou: Thus saith the Lord God: The city sheddeth blood in the midst of it, that her time may come, and maketh idols against herself to pollute herself. Thou art become guilty in thy blood that thou hast shed; and thou art polluted in thy idols which thou hast made; and thou hast caused thy days to draw near, and art come even unto thy years: therefore have I made thee a reproach unto the heathen, and a mocking to all countries. Those that be near, and those that be far from thee, shall mock thee, which art infamous and much vexed. Behold, the princes of Israel every one were in thee to their power to shed blood. In thee have they set light by father and mother: in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in thee have they vexed the fatherless and the widow. Thou hast despised mine holy things, and hast profaned my sabbaths. In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood: and in thee they eat upon the mountains: in the midst of thee they commit lewdness. In thee have they discovered their fathers' nakedness: in thee have they humbled her that was set apart for pollution. And one hath committed abomination with his neighbour's wife; and another hath lewdly defiled his daughter in law; and another in thee hath humbled his sister, his father's daughter. In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord God. Behold, therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee. Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with thee? I the Lord have spoken it, and will do it. And I will scatter thee among the heathen, and disperse thee in the countries, and will consume thy filthiness out of thee. And thou shalt take thine inheritance in thyself in the sight of the heathen: and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying: Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are even the dross of silver. Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Because ye are all become dross, behold, therefore I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. As they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt it; so will I gather you in mine anger and in my fury, and I will leave you there, and melt you. Yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you in the fire of my wrath, and ye shall be melted in the midst thereof. As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I the Lord have poured out my fury upon you. And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying: Son of man, say unto her: Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation. There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof. Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain. And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying: Thus saith the Lord God; when the Lord hath not spoken. The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully. And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord God.
XXIII. The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying: Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother: and they committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their youth: there were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of their virginity. And the names of them were Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister: and they were mine, and they bare sons and daughters. Thus were their names; Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah. And Aholah played the harlot when she was mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbours, which were clothed with blue, captains and rulers, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding upon horses. Thus she committed her whoredoms with them, with all them that were the chosen men of Assyria, and with all on whom she doted: with all their idols she defiled herself. Neither left she her whoredoms brought from Egypt: for in her youth they lay with her, and they bruised the breasts of her virginity, and poured out their whoredom upon her. Wherefore I have delivered her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians, upon whom she doted. These discovered her nakedness: they took her sons and her daughters, and slew her with the sword: and she became famous among women; for they had executed judgment upon her. And when her sister Aholibah saw this, she was more corrupt in her inordinate love than she, and in her whoredoms more than her sister in her whoredoms. She doted upon the Assyrians her neighbours, captains and rulers clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding upon horses, all of them desirable young men. Then I saw that she was defiled, that they took both one way, and that she increased her whoredoms: for when she saw men pourtrayed upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans pourtrayed with vermilion, girded with girdles upon their loins, exceeding in dyed attire upon their heads, all of them princes to look to, after the manner of the Babylonians of Chaldea, the land of their nativity: and as soon as she saw them with her eyes, she doted upon them, and sent messengers unto them into Chaldea. And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoredom, and she was polluted with them, and her mind was alienated from them. So she discovered her whoredoms, and discovered her nakedness: then my mind was alienated from her, like as my mind was alienated from her sister. Yet she multiplied her whoredoms, in calling to remembrance the days of her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt. For she doted upon their paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses. Thus thou calledst to remembrance the lewdness of thy youth, in bruising thy teats by the Egyptians for the paps of thy youth. Therefore, O Aholibah, thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will raise up thy lovers against thee, from whom thy mind is alienated, and I will bring them against thee on every side; the Babylonians, and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, and Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them: all of them desirable young men, captains and rulers, great lords and renowned, all of them riding upon horses. And they shall come against thee with chariots, wagons, and wheels, and with an assembly of people, which shall set against thee buckler and shield and helmet round about: and I will set before them to judge, and they shall judge thee according to their judgments. And I will set my jealousy against thee, and they shall deal with thee in fury; they shall take away thy nose and thine ears; and thy remnant shall fall by the sword: they shall take thy sons and thy daughters; and thy residue shall be devoured by the fire. They shall also strip thee out of thy clothes, and take away thy fair jewels. Thus will I make thy lewdness to cease from thee, and thy whoredom brought from the land of Egypt: so that thou shalt not lift up thine eyes unto them, nor remember Egypt any more. For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will deliver thee into the hand of them whom thou hatest, into the hand of them from whom thy mind is alienated: and they shall deal with thee hatefully, and shall take away all thy labour, and shall leave thee naked and bare: and the nakedness of thy whoredoms shall be discovered, both thy lewdness and thy whoredoms. I will do these things unto thee, because thou hast gone a whoring after the heathen, and because thou art polluted with their idols. Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore will I give her cup into thine hand. Thus saith the Lord God; Thou shalt drink of thy sister's cup deep and large: thou shalt be laughed to scorn and had in derision; it containeth much. Thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of astonishment and desolation, with the cup of thy sister Samaria. Thou shalt even drink it and suck it out, and thou shalt break the sherds thereof, and pluck off thine own breasts: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God. Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because thou hast forgotten me, and cast me behind thy back, therefore bear thou also thy lewdness and thy whoredoms. The Lord said moreover unto me; Son of man, wilt thou judge Aholah and Aholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations; that they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands, and with their idols have they committed adultery, and have also caused their sons, whom they bare unto me, to pass for them through the fire, to devour them. Moreover this they have done unto me: they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths. For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and, lo, thus have they done in the midst of mine house. And furthermore, that ye have sent for men to come from far, unto whom a messenger was sent; and, lo, they came: for whom thou didst wash thyself, paintedst thy eyes, and deckedst thyself with ornaments, and satest upon a stately bed, and a table prepared before it, whereupon thou hast set mine incense and mine oil. And a voice of a multitude being at ease was with her: and with the men of the common sort were brought Sabeans from the wilderness, which put bracelets upon their hands, and beautiful crowns upon their heads. Then said I unto her that was old in adulteries, Will they now commit whoredoms with her, and she with them? Yet they went in unto her, as they go in unto a woman that playeth the harlot: so went they in unto Aholah and unto Aholibah, the lewd women. And the righteous men, they shall judge them after the manner of adulteresses, and after the manner of women that shed blood; because they are adulteresses, and blood is in their hands. For thus saith the Lord God; I will bring up a company upon them, and will give them to be removed and spoiled. And the company shall stone them with stones, and dispatch them with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire. Thus will I cause lewdness to cease out of the land, that all women may be taught not to do after your lewdness. And they shall recompense your lewdness upon you, and ye shall bear the sins of your idols: and ye shall know that I am the Lord God.
XXIV. Thus saith the Lord God: Set on a pot, and pour water into it. Gather the pieces thereof into it, every good piece, the thigh and the shoulder, full of choice bones. Take the fattest cattle, and lay a heap of bones under it: make it boil well, and let the bones thereof be boiled in the midst of it. Gather the bones, which I will kindle with fire: the flesh shall be consumed, and all the composition shall be boiled, and the bones shall be wasted. Son of man, behold I take away from thee the desire of thy eyes with a stroke: and thou shalt not mourn, nor weep, nor shall thy tears run down. Sigh in silence, make no mourning for the dead: bind thy crown upon thee, and put thy shoes on thy feet, and cover not thy face, nor eat the bread of men. So I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening: and I did in the morning as he had commanded me. And Ezechiel shall be unto you a sign: according as I have done, so shall you do when this shall come: and you shall know that I am the Lord God.
XXV. And thou shalt say to the children of Ammon: Hear the word of the Lord God: Because thou hast clapped thy hands, and stamped thy foot, and hast rejoiced with all thy malice over the land of Israel: Therefore behold I will stretch forth my hand upon thee, and will deliver thee for a spoil to the Gentiles, and I will cut thee off from the peoples, and I will destroy thee out of the lands, and I will crush thee: and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God: Because Edom hath acted revengefully, and hath taken vengeance on the children of Juda, and hath offended grievously, and hath sought revenge upon them: Therefore thus saith the Lord God: I will stretch forth my hand upon Edom, and will take away man and beast out of it, and will make it desolate from the south: and they that are in Dedan shall fall by the sword.
XXVI. Son of man, because Tyre hath said of Jerusalem: Aha, the gates of the people are broken, she is turned unto me: I shall be filled, now that she is laid waste. Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Behold I come against thee, O Tyre, and I will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea raiseth up its waves. And they shall destroy the walls of Tyre, and break down her towers: and I will scrape her dust from her, and make her like a smooth rock. She shall be in the midst of the sea a place for the spreading of nets: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God: and she shall be a spoil to the nations. And her daughters that are in the field shall be slain by the sword: and they shall know that I am the Lord. For thus saith the Lord God: Behold I will bring upon Tyre from the north Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, a king of kings, with horses, and chariots, and horsemen, and an army, and much people. Thy daughters that are in the field shall be slain with the sword: and he shall make a fort about thee, and shall cast up a mound against thee, and shall lift up the buckler against thee. And he shall set his battering rams against thy walls, and shall break down thy towers with his weapons. And from the multitude of his horses he shall cover thee with dust: thy walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wheels, and of the chariots, when he shall enter in thy gates, as men enter into a city that is broken down. With the hoofs of his horses he shall tread down all thy streets: thy people he shall slay with the sword, and thy strong pillars shall fall down to the ground. And they shall make a spoil of thy riches, and a prey of thy merchandise: and they shall break down thy walls, and destroy thy fine houses: and thy stones and thy timber and thy dust they shall cast into the midst of the water. And I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease, and the sound of thy harps shall be heard no more. And I will make thee like the top of a rock: thou shalt be a place to spread nets upon, thou shalt be built no more: for I the Lord have spoken it, saith the Lord God. Thus saith the Lord God to Tyre: Shall not the isles shake at the sound of thy fall, when the wounded shall groan, when there shall be slaughter in the midst of thee? And all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, and shall lay away their robes, and shall strip off their embroidered garments: they shall be clothed with fear, they shall sit upon the ground, and shall tremble every moment, and be astonished at thee. And they shall take up a lamentation over thee, and shall say to thee: How art thou fallen, O thou that dwellest in the sea, O renowned city, that wast strong in the sea, thou and thy inhabitants, who didst strike the terror of thee upon all that dwelt in thee!
XXVII. O Tyre, thou hast said: I am of perfect beauty, and situated in the heart of the sea. All the ships of the sea, and their mariners, were in the multitude of thy merchandise. All these were with thee in the day of thy ruin.
XXVIII. Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre: Thus saith the Lord God: Because thy heart is lifted up, and thou hast said: I am God, and I sit in the seat of God in the heart of the sea: whereas thou art a man, and not God, and thou hast set thy heart as if it were the heart of God. Behold thou art wiser than Daniel: all secret things are not hidden from thee. By thy wisdom and by thy understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gathered gold and silver into thy treasures. By the greatness of thy wisdom, and by thy traffic thou hast increased thy strength: and thy heart is lifted up with thy strength. Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Because thy heart is lifted up as the heart of God: Behold I will bring upon thee strangers, the strongest of the nations: and they shall draw their swords upon the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy beauty. They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the death of them that are slain in the heart of the sea. Wilt thou yet say before them that slay thee: I am God? whereas thou art a man, and not God, in the hand of them that slay thee. Thou shalt die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God. The word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyre, and say to him: Thus saith the Lord God: Thou wast the seal of resemblance, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou wast in the pleasures of the paradise of God: every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, the topaz, and the jasper, the chrysolite, and the onyx, and the beryl, the sapphire, and the carbuncle, and the emerald: gold the work of thy beauty: and thy pipes were prepared in the day that thou wast created. Thou a cherub stretched out, and protecting, and I set thee in the holy mountain of God, in the midst of the stones of fire thou didst walk. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day of thy creation, until iniquity was found in thee.
And thy heart was lifted up with thy beauty: thou hast lost thy wisdom in thy beauty, I have cast thee to the ground, and have made thee to be seen before the face of kings.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.