1321 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now when she saw,.... That is, his mother, as the Syriac version expresses it; not his natural mother; as the mother of Sisera looked out and waited for him; but the congregation of Israel, as Jarchi interprets it, the body of the Jewish people: that she had waited; for the return of Jehoahaz out of Egypt, which was expected for some time: or,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he went up and down among the lions,.... The kings, as the Targum; kings of neighbouring nations, as Pharaoh king of Egypt, and Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and sometimes he was subject to the one, and sometimes to the offer: and his going up and down among them may denote his continuance as a king; for whereas his brother reigned but three...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he knew their desolate palaces,.... He took notice of the palaces or seats of the richest men of the nation, and pillaged them of their treasure and wealth, and so they became desolate: it may be rendered, he "knew their widows" (x): or, "his own widows"; whom he made so; he slew the men to get their substance into his hands, and then defiled...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then the nations set against him,.... Or, "gave against him" (y); that is, their voice, as Kimchi; they called to one another, to gather together against him; they gave their counsel against him; they, joined together, agreed, and combined against him, and disposed their armies, and set them in array against him: on every side from the provinces;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they put him in ward in chains,.... Or "in an enclosure"; or "in a collar with hooks" (b); put a collar of iron, as is said, about his neck, which had hooks in it, and to those hooks chains were put, in which he was led a prisoner; and it is certain that he was bound in fetters, in order to be carried to Babylon though it is thought he never...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Thy mother [is] like a vine in thy blood,.... Another simile is here made use of, relating to the same persons; the same that were compared to a lioness are here compared to a vine, as the people of the Jews frequently are, Psalms 80:8; the same person is here addressed, the then reigning prince, Zedekiah, whose mother, the Jewish people, from...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And she had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bear rule,.... That is, many sprung from her, and rose up in that nation who were fit to hold sceptres to be kings, rulers and governors, and were such. So the Targum. "and there were in her strong rulers, kings that were, highly to subdue kingdoms;'' such as David, Solomon, and at hers after...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But she was plucked up in fury,.... This vine being turned into a degenerate plant of a strange vine; or the people of the Jews becoming wicked, disobedient to God, and disregarding his laws and ordinances, the wrath of God came upon them, and let in the Assyrians among them, who carried off ten tribes at once; and the tribes of Judah and Benjamin...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And now she [is] planted in the wilderness,.... In the land of Babylon, which though a very fruitful country, yet, because of the hardships and miseries which the Jews were exposed unto in it, was a wilderness to them: in a dry and thirsty ground; which is a periphrasis or description of a wilderness, Psalms 63:1; and designs the same place as...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches,.... By "her branches" are meant the rest of the Jews left in the land; and by the "rod" of them King Zedekiah, now on the throne, when this prophecy was given out; the "fire" said to go out of him signifies his rebellion against the king of Babylon, his breaking covenant and oath with him, which...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Ezekiel 20 The prophecy in this chapter is occasioned by some of the elders of Israel coming to inquire of the Lord; when the prophet is bid to tell them that he would not be inquired of by them. The reason of which were their abominations he is ordered to make known unto them, Ezekiel 20:1; and then proceeds the narration of them;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass in the seventh year,.... Of Zedekiah's reign, and of the captivity of Jeconiah; from whence the dates of Ezekiel's visions and prophecies are taken, Ezekiel 1:2; two years, one month, and five days, after Ezekiel began to prophesy, and eleven months and five days after the preceding prophecy: in the fifth [month], the tenth...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then came the word of the Lord unto me,.... While the elders were sitting before him, by an impulse upon his mind, dictating things unto him: saying: as follows:
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them,.... Give them this for an answer from me: thus saith the Lord God, are ye come to inquire of me? no; not seriously, heartily, and in good earnest, determining to abide by the advice and counsel that might be given; or how can you have the face to inquire of me, when guilty of such...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Wilt thou judge them, son of man?.... Excuse them, patronise them, defend their cause, and plead for them? surely thou wilt not; or rather, wilt thou not reprove and correct them, judge and condemn them, for their sins and wickedness? this thou oughtest to do: wilt thou judge [them]? this is repeated, to show the vehemency of the speaker, and the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And say unto them, thus saith the Lord God,.... Here begins the account of their fathers; of God's unmerited goodness to them, and of their sins and transgressions against him, and how it fared with them: in the day when I chose Israel; to be his peculiar people, above all people on the face of the earth; when he declared his choice of them, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
In the day [that] I lifted up my hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt,.... Not only promised and swore to it, but exerted his power in the miracles he wrought, by bringing plagues upon the Egyptians, to oblige them to let them go forth from thence: into a land that I had espied for them; which he had in his eye and in his heart...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then I said unto them,.... Having promised and swore to do such great and good things for them; which must lay them under an obligation to regard what he should command them: promises and blessings of goodness are great incentives to duty, and lay under great obligation to it: cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes; which should be...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But they rebelled against me,.... All sin is rebellion against God, an act of hostility, especially idolatry; it is refusing homage and casting off allegiance to him: and would not hearken unto me; to his word by his prophets; so the Targum, "they rebelled against my word, and would not receive my prophets:'' they did not every man cast away the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But I wrought for my name's sake,.... In a way of grace and mercy; did well by thorn, did what he promised to do; not for any merits of theirs, but for his own honour, and the glory of his name: that it should not be polluted before the Heathen, among whom they [were]; be spoken evil of, which is a polluting it; saying, either that he was not true...