Ezekiel 23:24

23:1-49 A history of the apostacy of God's people from him, and the aggravation thereof. - In this parable, Samaria and Israel bear the name Aholah, her own tabernacle; because the places of worship those kingdoms had, were of their own devising. Jerusalem and Judah bear the name of Aholibah, my tabernacle is in her, because their temple was the place which God himself had chosen, to put his name there. The language and figures are according to those times. Will not such humbling representations of nature keep open perpetual repentance and sorrow in the soul, hiding pride from our eyes, and taking us from self-righteousness? Will it not also prompt the soul to look to God continually for grace, that by his Holy Spirit we may mortify the deeds of the body, and live in holy conversation and godliness?

And they shall come against thee with chariots, wagons, and wheels,.... With "chariots", in which were their princes and great men, their chief commanders, generals, and captains, and in which they fought, as was usual in those times; and with "wagons", to carry their provisions and warlike stores; and with "wheels", that is, either with chariots and wagons that ran upon wheels, or with wheels for them in case they should break down; the first of these words here, according to some Jewish interpreters, as Donesh in Jarchi, signifies warlike instruments in general; and the second word is used for chariots: and so the whole is paraphrased by the Targum, "and they shall come against thee with instruments of war, with chariots and wheels;'' all which denotes how well prepared they should be, and with what swiftness they would come: and with an assembly of people, which shall set against thee buckler, and shield, and helmet, round about; a multitude of people, a vast army gathered out of all the provinces of Babylon, having bucklers and shields about their bodies, and helmets on their heads to protect and defend them; and these should surround the city of Jerusalem.

So the Targum, "an army of people, armed with shields and helmets, shall set themselves against thee round about:'' and I will set judgment before them, and they shall judge thee according to their judgments; that is, I will deliver you into their hands, and they shall judge and condemn you; not according to my laws and yours, but according to their own laws, according to the customs and usages among them, according to the law of nations; they shall deal with you as rebels and covenant breakers, such Zedekiah was; he broke covenant with the king of Babylon, and rebelled against him: and this was fulfilled when he fell into his hands, and when he slew his children before his face, and then put out his eyes.

(24) With chariots, wagons, and wheels. —The word translated “chariots” occurs only here, and is thought to mean some weapon of war. It would be better to translate, with weapons, chariots, and wheels. The clause “I will set judgment before them,” is equivalent to I will entrust to them the judgment upon thee.

Verse 24. - With chariots, wagons, and wheels , etc. The first word is only found here, and probably means" armor." So the Revised Version, with weapons, chariots, and wagons . Th ey shall judge thee according to their judgments ; sc . shall execute the judgment which God has assigned to them after their own manner, so their usual cruel treatment of barbarous nations. Ezekiel 23:24

24 . with chariots ] The term is entirely unknown; LXX. from the north . Boettcher suggested the word “multitude” ( Ezekiel 26:10 ), a sense which Frd. Del. (Baer, Ez . p. xi.) thinks can be reached through the Assyr., the present word remaining unchanged. For people peoples. set judgment ] i.e. commit it unto them, Deuteronomy 11:26 ; 1 Kings 8:46 . according to their judgments ] lit. with their judgments, which are cruel and savage, Ezekiel 23:25 .

They, mentioned before, Ezekiel 23:23 , shall come against thee, or upon thee, surprise thee with a speedy march, for they were swift in their course. With chariots; the Hebrew is of larger sense, and more properly speaks all kind of arms for the war, a thorough furniture; so the Chaldee paraphrase, with instruments of war, or arms. Wagons, Heb. chariots , and is oftener so rendered; for expedition, for ease of their commanders on their march, and for strength against the enemy in the battle. Wheels; whether distinct from all other, or whether prepared lest in their march the carriage wheels should break, and they be at a stand, therefore beforehand store of these were provided. An assembly; a mighty confluence of people, and a mixture, where the worst and cruellest are the most numerous. Which shall set against thee buckler, and shield, and helmet; yet for their own defence well armed, and with armature fitted to defeat the arrows and offensive weapons of their enemy, and to maintain a siege, such as they should weary Jerusalem with. I will set judgment before them; give them a power by their victory, and in right of conquest over their rebels, as well as mine; and I will give them a spirit of judgment to discern the greatness of this people’s sins. They shall judge thee; plead with thee, convince, condemn, and execute sentence upon thee.

According to their judgments; to their will, power, wrath, and custom against rebels, for these are their rules of judgment; all which appeared when the chief of all the people were condemned to slavery, the wise counsellors and valiant commanders sentenced to die, Zedekiah’s children slain, his own eyes put out, and city and temple to be burnt.

24. with chariots—or, "with armaments"; so the Septuagint; "axes" [Maurer]; or, joining it with "wagons," translate, "with scythe-armed wagons," or "chariots" [Grotius]. wheels—The unusual height of these increased their formidable appearance (Eze 1:16-20). their judgments—which awarded barbarously severe punishments (Jer 52:9; 29:22).

Punishment of the Harlot Jerusalem Ezekiel 23:22. Therefore, Oholibah, thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I raise up thy lovers against thee, from whom thy soul has torn itself away, and cause them to come upon thee from every side; Ezekiel 23:23. The sons of Babel, and all the Chaldeans, rulers, lords, and nobles, all the sons of Assyria with them: chosen men of graceful deportment, governors and officers together, knights and counsellors, all riding upon horses. Ezekiel 23:24. And they will come upon thee with weapons, chariots, and wheels, and with a host of peoples; target and shield and helmet will they direct against thee round about: and I commit to them the judgment, that they may judge thee according to their rights. Ezekiel 23:25. And I direct my jealousy against thee, so that they shall deal with thee in wrath: nose and ears will they cut off from thee; and thy last one shall fall by the sword: they will take thy sons and thy daughters; and thy last one will be consumed by fire. Ezekiel 23:26. They will strip off thy clothes from thee, and take thy splendid jewellery. Ezekiel 23:27. I will abolish thy lewdness from thee, and thy whoredom from the land of Egypt: that thou mayest no more lift thine eyes to them, and no longer remember Egypt. Ezekiel 23:28. For thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I give thee into the hand of those whom thou hatest, into the hand of those from whom thy soul has torn itself away: Ezekiel 23:29.