--- title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible" author: "Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown" languages: [en] shelf: "Commentaries" section: 473 of 927 url: https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/473/ cite: "Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, section 473. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/473/" --- # Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible *Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown* The Victorian standard commentary, critical and practical, from Genesis to Revelation. ## 473. Ezekiel · 34 of 41 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/473/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/473/#p-N [¶0] one shepherd--literally, "a Shepherd, one": singularly and pre-eminently one: the only one of His kind, to whom none is comparable ([So 5:10]). The Lord Jesus refers to this prophecy ([Joh 10:14]), "I am THE Good Shepherd." Also "one" as uniting in one the heretofore divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah, and also "gathering together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and on earth" ([Ep 1:10]); thus healing worse breaches than that between Israel and Judah ([Col 1:20]). "God by Him reconciling all things unto Himself, whether things in earth or in heaven." [¶1] David--the antitypical David, Messiah, of the seed of David, which no other king after the captivity was: who was fully, what David was only in a degree, "the man after God's own heart." Also, David means beloved: Messiah was truly God's beloved Son ([Is 42:1]; [Mt 3:17]). Shepherd means King, rather than religious instructor; in this pre-eminently He was the true David, who was the Shepherd King ([Lu 1:32], 33). Messiah is called "David" in [Is 55:3], ; [Jr 30:9]; [Ho 3:5]. [¶2] 24. my servant--implying fitness for ruling in the name of God, not pursuing a self-chosen course, as other kings, but acting as the faithful administrator of the will of God; Messiah realized fully this character ([Psa 40:7], ; [Is 42:1]; , ; ; [Php 2:7]), which David typically and partially represented ([Ac 13:36]); so He is the fittest person to wield the world scepter, abused by all the world kings ([Da 2:34], 35, 44, 45). [¶3] 25. covenant of peace ... evil beasts ... to cease ... dwell safely--The original promise of the law ([Le 26:6]) shall be realized for the first time fully under Messiah (Is 11:6-9; 35:; [Ho 2:18]). [¶4] 26. them and the places round about my hill--The Jews, and Zion, God's hill ([Psa 2:6]), are to be sources of blessing, not merely to themselves, but to the surrounding heathen ([Is 19:24]; , ; ; [Mi 5:7]; [Zec 8:13]). The literal fulfilment is, however, the primary one, though the spiritual also is designed. In correspondence with the settled reign of righteousness internally, all is to be prosperity externally, fertilizing showers (according to the promise of the ancient covenant, [Le 26:4]; [Psa 68:9]; Mal 3:10), and productive trees and lands ([Eze 34:27]). Thus shall they realize the image of [Eze 34:14]; namely, a flock richly pastured by God Himself. [¶5] 27. served themselves of them--availed themselves of their services, as if the Jews were their slaves ([Jr 22:13]; ; compare [Ge 15:13]; [Ex 1:14]). [¶6] 28. dwell safely--([Jr 23:6]). [¶7] 29. plant of renown--Messiah, the "Rod" and "Branch" ([Is 11:1]), the "righteous Branch" ([Jr 23:5]), who shall obtain for them "renown." Fairbairn less probably translates, "A plantation for a name," that is, a flourishing condition, represented as a garden (alluding to Eden, [Ge 2:8-11], with its various trees, good for food and pleasant to the sight), the planting of the Lord ([Is 60:21]; ), and an object of "renown" among the heathen. [¶8] 31. ye my flock ... are men--not merely an explanation of the image, as Jerome represents. But as God had promised many things which mere "men" could not expect to realize, He shows that it is not from man's might their realization is to be looked for, but from God, who would perform them for His covenant-people, "His flock" [Rosenmuller]. When we realize most our weakness and God's power and faithfulness to His covenant, we are in the fittest state for receiving His blessings. ### Chapter 35 ### Eze 35:1-15. Judgment on Edom [¶11] Another feature of Israel's prosperity; those who exulted over Israel's humiliation, shall themselves be a "prey." Already stated in [Eze 25:12-14]; properly repeated here in full detail, as a commentary on [Eze 34:28]. The Israelites "shall be no more a prey"; but Edom, the type of their most bitter foes, shall be destroyed irrecoverably. [¶12] 2. Mount Seir--that is, Idumea ([Ge 36:9]). Singled out as badly pre-eminent in its bitterness against God's people, to represent all their enemies everywhere and in all ages. So in [Is 34:5]; [63:1-4], Edom, the region of the greatest enmity towards God's people, is the ideal scene of the final judgments of all God's foes. "Seir" means "shaggy," alluding to its rugged hills and forests. [¶13] 3. most desolate--literally, "desolation and desolateness" ([Jr 49:17], &c.). It is only in their national character of foes to God's people, that the Edomites are to be utterly destroyed. A remnant of Edom, as of the other heathen, is to be "called by the name of God" ([Am 9:12]). [¶14] 5. perpetual hatred--([Psa 137:7]; [Am 1:11]; Ob 10-16). Edom perpetuated the hereditary hatred derived from Esau against Jacob. [¶15] shed the blood of, &c.--The literal translation is better. "Thou hast poured out the children of Israel"; namely, like water. So [Psa 22:14]; , Margin; [Jr 18:21]. Compare [2Sa 14:14]. [¶16] by the force of the sword--literally, "by" or "upon the hands of the sword"; the sword being personified as a devourer whose "hands" were the instruments of destruction. [¶17] in the time that their iniquity had an end--that is, had its consummation ([Eze 21:25], ). Edom consummated his guilt when he exulted over Jerusalem's downfall, and helped the foe to destroy it ([Psa 137:7]; Ob 11). [¶18] 6. I will prepare thee unto blood--I will expose thee to slaughter. [¶19] sith--old English for "seeing that" or "since." [¶20] thou hast not hated blood--The Hebrew order is, "thou hast hated not--blood"; that is, thou couldst not bear to live without bloodshed [Grotius]. There is a play on similar sounds in the Hebrew; Edom resembling dam, the Hebrew for "blood"; as "Edom" means "red," the transition to "blood" is easy. Edom, akin to blood in name, so also in nature and acts; "blood therefore shall pursue thee." The measure which Edom meted to others should be meted to himself ([Psa 109:17]; [Mt 7:2]; ). [¶21] 7. cut off ... him that passeth--that is, every passer to and fro; "the highways shall be unoccupied" ([Eze 29:11]; [Jud 5:6]). [¶22] 9. shall not return--to their former state ([Eze 16:55]); shall not be restored. The Hebrew text (Chetib) reads, "shall not be inhabited" (compare [Eze 26:20]; Mal [1:3, 4]). [¶23] 10. So far from being allowed to enter on Israel's vacated inheritance, as Edom hoped ([Eze 36:5]; [Psa 83:4], ; Ob 13), it shall be that he shall be deprived of his own; and whereas Israel's humiliation was temporary, Edom's shall be perpetual. [¶24] Lord was there--([Eze 48:35]; [Psa 48:1], ; , ). Jehovah claimed Judea as His own, even when the Chaldeans had overthrown the state; they could not remove Him, as they did the idols of heathen lands. The broken sentences express the excited feelings of the prophet at Edom's wicked presumption. The transition from the "two nations and two countries" to "it" marks that the two are regarded as one whole. The last clause, "and Jehovah was there," bursts in, like a flash of lightning, reproving the wicked presumption of Edom's thought. [¶25] 11. according to thine anger--([Jas 2:13]). As thou in anger and envy hast injured them, so I will injure thee. [¶26] I will make myself known among them--namely, the Israelites. I will manifest My favor to them, after I have punished thee. [¶27] 12-13. blasphemies ... against ... Israel ... against me--God regards what is done against His people as done against Himself ([Mt 25:45]; [Ac 9:2], [4, 5]). Edom implied, if he did not express it, in his taunts against Israel, that God had not sufficient power to protect His people. A type of the spirit of all the foes of God and His people ([1Sa 2:3]; [Re 13:6]). [¶28] 14. ([Is 65:13], ). "The whole earth" refers to Judea and the nations that submit themselves to Judea's God; when these rejoice, the foes of God and His people, represented by Edom as a nation, shall be desolate. Things shall be completely reversed; Israel, that now for a time mourns, shall then rejoice and for ever. Edom, that now rejoices over fallen Israel, shall then, when elsewhere all is joy, mourn, and for ever ([Is 65:17-19]; [Mt 5:4]; [Lu 6:25]). Havernick loses this striking antithesis by translating, "According to the joy of the whole land (of Edom), so I will make thee desolate"; which would make [Eze 35:15] a mere repetition of this. [¶29] 15. (Ob 12, 15). ### Chapter 36 ### Eze 36:1-38. Israel Avenged of Her Foes, and Restored, First to Inward Holiness, Then to Outward Prosperity [¶32] The distinction between Israel and the heathen (as Edom) is: Israel has a covenant relation to God ensuring restoration after chastisement, so that the heathen's hope of getting possession of the elect people's inheritance must fail, and they themselves be made desolate ([Eze 36:1-15]). The reason for the chastisement of Israel was Israel's sin and profanation of God's name ([Eze 36:16-21]). God has good in store for Israel, for His own name's sake, to revive His people; first, by a spiritual renewal of their hearts, and, next, by an external restoration to prosperity ([Eze 36:22-33]). The result is that the heathen shall be impressed with the power and goodness of God manifested so palpably towards the restored people ([Eze 36:34-38]). [¶33] 1-2. mountains of Israel--in contrast to "Mount Seir" of the previous prophecy. They are here personified; Israel's elevation is moral, not merely physical, as Edom's. Her hills are "the everlasting hills" of Jacob's prophecy ([Ge 49:26]). "The enemy" (Edom, the singled-out representative of all God's foes), with a shout of exultation, "Aha!" had claimed, as the nearest kinsman of Israel (the brother of their father Esau), his vacated inheritance; as much as to say, the so-called "everlasting" inheritance of Israel and of the "hills," which typified the unmoved perpetuity of it ([Psa 125:1], 2), has come to an end, in spite of the promise of God, and has become "ours" (compare [De 32:13]; ). [¶34] 3. Literally, "Because, even because." [¶35] swallowed you up--literally, "panted after" you, as a beast after its prey; implying the greedy cupidity of Edom as to Israel's inheritance ([Psa 56:1], 2). [¶36] lips of talkers--literally, "lips of the tongue," that is, of the slanderer, the man of tongue. Edom slandered Israel because of the connection of the latter with Jehovah, as though He were unable to save them. [De 28:37], and [Jr 24:9] had foretold Israel's reproach among the heathen ([Da 9:16]). [¶37] 4. Inanimate creatures are addressed, to imply that the creature also, as it were, groans for deliverance from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God ([Ro 8:19-21]) [Polanus]. The completeness of the renewed blessedness of all parts of the land is implied. [¶38] derision--([Psa 79:4]). [¶39] 5. to cast it out for a prey--that is, to take the land for a prey, its inhabitants being cast out. Or the land is compared to a prey cast forth to wild beasts. Fairbairn needlessly alters the Hebrew pointing and translates, "that they may plunder its pasturage." [¶40] 6. the shame of the heathen--namely, the shame with which the heathen cover you ([Psa 123:3], ). [¶41] 7. lifted ... mine hand--in token of an oath ([Eze 20:5]; [Ge 14:22]). [¶42] they shall bear their shame--a perpetual shame; whereas the "shame" which Israel bore from these heathen was only for a time. [¶43] 8. they are at hand to come--that is, the Israelites are soon about to return to their land. This proves that the primary reference of the prophecy is to the return from Babylon, which was "at hand," or comparatively near. But this only in part fulfilled the prediction, the full and final blessing in future, and the restoration from Babylon was an earnest of it. [¶44] 10. wastes builded--[Is 58:12]; ; [Am 9:11], 12, 14, where, as here ([Eze 34:23], ), the names of David, Messiah's type, and Edom, Israel's foe, are introduced in connection with the coming restoration.