The presumption of the princes, 1-3. Their sin and judgment, 4-12. Ezekiel complaining, God shows him his purpose in saving a remnant, 13-20; and punishing the wicked, 21. The glory of God leaves the city, 22, 23. Ezekiel is returned to the captivity, 24, 25.
1 Moreover, the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east-gate of the LORD'S house, which looks eastward. And behold, at the door of the gate twenty-five men, among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azur and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people. 2 Then he said to me, "Son of man, these are the men who devise mischief and give wicked counsel in this city, 3 Who say, 'It is not near. Let us build houses. This city is the cauldron, and we are the flesh.' 4 Therefore, prophesy against them. Prophesy, O son of man."
5 And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and said to me, "Speak, 'Thus says the LORD: "Thus you have said, O house of Israel, for I know the things that come into your mind—every one of them. 6 You have multiplied your slain in this city and have filled its streets with the slain." 7 Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: "Your slain whom you have laid in the midst of it, they are the flesh, and this city is the cauldron, but I will bring you forth out of the midst of it. 8 You have feared the sword, and I will bring a sword upon you," says the Lord GOD. 9 "And I will bring you out of the midst of it, deliver you into the hands of strangers, and execute judgments among you. 10 You shall fall by the sword. I will judge you in the border of Israel. And you shall know that I am the LORD. 11 This city shall not be your cauldron, neither shall you be the flesh in the midst of it. But I will judge you in the border of Israel. 12 And you shall know that I am the LORD, for you have not walked in my statutes, neither executed my judgments, but have done after the manners of the heathen who are around you."'"
13 And it came to pass when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then I fell down upon my face and cried with a loud voice, and said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Will you make a full end of the remnant of Israel?"
14 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 15 "Son of man, your brothers, even your brothers, the men of your kindred, and all the house of Israel wholly are those to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, 'Retire far from the LORD. This land is given to us in possession.' 16 Therefore, say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet I will be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come."' 17 Therefore, say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "I will even gather you from the people and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel."' 18 And they shall come there and take away all its detestable things and all its abominations. 19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. And I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 So that they may walk in my statutes and keep my ordinances, and do them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. 21 But as for those whose heart walks after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads," says the Lord GOD.
22 Then the cherubim raised their wings with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. 23 And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city. 24 Afterward, the Spirit took me up and brought me in vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to those who are in captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me. 25 Then I spoke to those who are in captivity all the things that the LORD had shown me.
Matthew Henry Commentary - Ezekiel, Chapter 11[➚]
John Gill's Chapter Summary:
This chapter contains an account of the sins of the princes of Judah, a prophecy of their destruction, some comfortable promises respecting those of the captivity, and the chapter is closed with the finishing of the vision of the Lord's removing from Jerusalem and the whole being ended, the prophet related it to the men of the captivity. The prophet is shown twenty-five men, among whom were two he knew and are mentioned by name and were princes of the people (Ezekiel 11:1); and he is told that these men devised mischief and gave bad advice to the people (Ezekiel 11:2-3); therefore he is bid to prophesy against them (Ezekiel 11:4); which he accordingly did, the Spirit of the Lord falling upon him (Ezekiel 11:5); declaring that their secret evils were known, as well as their public ones, and that, seeing they had multiplied their slain, and had feared the sword, the sword should come upon them; some should fall by it, and others should be carried captive; the consequence of which would be that God would be known and his justice acknowledged, it being what their sins deserved (Ezekiel 11:6-12); upon this prophecy being delivered out, one of the princes before named died immediately, which filled the prophet with great concern and put him upon expostulating with God (Ezekiel 11:13); therefore, for his comfort, he is told that though the inhabitants of Jerusalem had insulted their brethren who were carried captive and looked upon the land of Israel as their own possession, that God would be a little sanctuary to them, that he would gather them out of all lands and give them the land of Israel, that they should come there and remove all idolatry from it, and should have regenerating and renewing grace given them, to walk in the statutes and ordinances of the Lord, by which they should appear to be his people and he to be their God (Ezekiel 11:14-20); but as for those who continued in their abominable idolatries, these should receive a just recompence of reward (Ezekiel 11:21); after which follows an account of the entire removal of the glory of the Lord from the city of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 11:22-23); and the prophet being in vision, brought again to Chaldea, reports the whole he had seen to them of the captivity (Ezekiel 11:24-25).