圣经注释书

审判从神的家开始，因此先知——也就是那些审判官——也从他们开始；但审判不可止于那里，因此他们也不可止息。以西结已经作完了关乎耶路撒冷毁灭的见证。关于那事，他受命不可再说，只可站在守望台上等候结局；然而他不可沉默；在以色列地的四围有许多邻国，他必须像以赛亚和耶利米从前所做的那样，向他们发预言，并宣告神对他们的指控，主要是因他们在神百姓遭难的日子，向他们所行的凌辱和加害。在本章我们有他向以下各国所发的预言：一、向亚扪人（结25:1-7）。二、向摩押人（结25:8-11）。三、向以东人（结25:11-14）。四、向非利士人（结25:15-17）。加在他们各人身上的罪名，就是他们对神的以色列所行的野蛮骄横之举；为此，神威吓要将同样的震怒之杯递在他们手中。神如此为他们怀怒，对以色列是一种鼓励，使他们相信，尽管神这样严厉地对待他们，他却没有弃绝他们，仍然承认他们，并要为他们伸冤。

This chapter contains threatenings of the heavy judgments of God against the Ammonites, Ezekiel 25:1-7; Moabites, Ezekiel 25:8-11; Edomites, Ezekiel 25:12-14; and Philistines, Ezekiel 25:15-17; on account of their hatred to his people, and their insulting them in the time of their distress. These prophecies were fulfilled by the instrumentality of Nebuchadnezzar, about five years after the destruction of Jerusalem. The same events were predicted by several of the other prophets, as may be seen from the citation of parallel texts in the margin.

INTRODUCTION TO Ezekiel 25

In this chapter the prophet foretells the judgments of God upon the Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, and Philistines, for their ill usage of the Jews; on the Ammonites, Ezekiel 25:1, on the Moabites, Ezekiel 25:8, on the Edomites, Ezekiel 25:12, on the Philistines, Ezekiel 25:15.

XXV.

Prophecies concerning heathen nations, from the time of Balaam down, mark every period of Scripture history. Sometimes, as in the case of Jonah, Obadiah, and Nahum, the utterance of the seer is against a single nation; sometimes, as in the case of Joel, and possibly also in that of Amos, the prophecies against the heathen are merely incidental and subsidiary to those concerning Israel; and sometimes, as in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, they are collected in a special portion of the book. Balaam, Jonah, and to some extent Daniel, addressed their warnings directly to the nations concerned; but in most of the other instances it seems unlikely that the prophecies were ever communicated to the people to whom they directly related. In all cases they appear to have been given by God for the sake of His Church as well as for that of its enemies; even that of Jonah was given to Nineveh probably but a little time before the conquest of Israel, and must have impressed upon its haughty monarchs some respect for the God whose people they were soon to make captive; while those of Daniel were given to kings who already held the chosen people in captivity, and who were thereby compelled to make some acknowledgment of the reverence due to the God of Israel.

The reasons for the more general prophecies against the heathen must be sought in the special circumstances of each case in which they were uttered. In the present instance these reasons are not far to seek, for both the nations mentioned and the one omitted suggest a common purpose in the prophecy. Those mentioned are seven in number—Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Sidon, and Egypt. All these were so far allies of Judah that they were in common hostility to Babylon; and it appears from Jeremiah 27:1-3 that an attempt had been made in the reign of Jehoiakim to unite five of them in a league against Babylon, while Egypt was continually looked to by the disobedient Jews for aid against their common enemy. It was, therefore, necessary for Israel to know that there was no help to be found against Babylon in any earthly power; all the enemies of Chaldæa were to fall alike. Moreover, it was important to show by these prophecies that the judgment about to come upon the surrounding heathen was from God, since it is thus made clear that all events are of His ordering, and hence that the punishment of His people also must be from His own hand. This was especially the place for the prophet to speak of these judgments when he had just finished his denunciations of wrath upon Israel, and when these denunciations were about to be fulfilled. Besides these general reasons, there were other special ones in the case of each nation. Egypt had been a broken reed piercing the hand of Judah as often as she leaned upon it; while of Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, and Tyre it is mentioned that they had exulted in the profanation of the Temple and the captivity of the people, and this especially from their hostility to the religion of Israel. It would help Israel to know that, while they were themselves punished for their unfaithfulness to their religion, those who altogether hated and rejected it were to suffer still more severely. It is remarkable that there is no prophecy in Ezekiel against Babylon, as there is in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others; for Babylon appears throughout this book as the executor of God’s judgments upon His people, and the effect of this would have been marred by the mention of her own ultimate punishment. For the present, all her enemies are to be overthrown, and she remains in strength; although she also would be punished for her sins when she should have accomplished the Divine purposes, yet it would have been worse than useless for the thoughts of Israel to be occupied with this now.

The number of seven nations against whom prophecies are uttered has been thought by many to be significant. It is made up by separating Zidon from Tyre, for which there were probably special reasons at the time. Zidon had long since lost its importance, and the prophecy against it is very short, (Ezekiel 28:21-24); yet its ancient enmity to God was not to be forgotten, as it might appear to be if left without distinct mention.

The prophecy against Edom is greatly expanded in Ezekiel 35, and there are other prophecies against foreign nations in Ezekiel 38, 39; but these have so much the nature of promises to Israel that they are more appropriately placed where they are than they would have been in this connection. Even here the prophecy against Zidon (Ezekiel 28:25-26) and that of the latest date against Egypt (Ezekiel 29:21) end with promises to Israel.

The utterances against the various nations are very unequal in fulness. Those concerning Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia are all included together in a single prophecy, occupying only one chapter (Ezekiel 25); Tyre is the subject of four separate prophecies, filling nearly three chapters (Eze 26:1 to Eze 28:19); Zidon is disposed of in the few following verses; while Egypt has seven distinct prophecies, filling chapters 29-32. The relative importance of these various nations is represented in this proportion.

The prophecies of Ezekiel concerning these nations had been anticipated by the older prophets, especially Isaiah and Amos, and similar predictions also abound in the contemporary Jeremiah, but with this marked difference: Ezekiel foretells their utter overthrow, while other prophets look forward to a period of restoration and blessing after their punishment. Thus Isaiah (Isaiah 23:15-18) says that after a period of seventy years Tyre shall again rejoice, and shall ultimately be converted to the Lord; Jeremiah says of the Moabites, “I will bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter day, saith the Lord” (Jeremiah 48:47), and the same thing of the Ammonites (Jeremiah 49:6); and of Egypt, that after its temporary subjection to Nebuchadnezzar, “afterward it shall be inhabited as in the days of old” (Jeremiah 46:26); Isaiah also describes the time when “Israel shall be the third with Egypt and Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land” (Isaiah 19:24-25). Yet it has generally been recognised that there is no inconsistency in these prophecies. Isaiah foretells a temporary resuscitation of Tyre, at the same time with Judah, in connection with the Medo-Persian conquest of Babylon; but Ezekiel’s prophecies look beyond this, to the final destruction of the Tyrian power. On the other hand, these various prophecies speak of an ultimate gathering of a remnant of the descendants of these nations into the Church of God; while Ezekiel speaks of them only as political powers, and foretells that utter desolation of them which has been so strikingly fulfilled in the course of history.

SECOND DIVISION. CH. 25–48. PROPHECIES OF THE RESTITUTION OF THE KINGDOM

First Section. Ch. 25–32. Prophecies against the Nations

The prophecies of Ezekiel against the nations form a single collection in the Book precisely as the similar oracles of Jeremiah (ch. 46–51) and of Isaiah (ch. 13–27). In the Book of Ezekiel they occupy the proper ideal place, being an introduction to the positive prophecies of Israel’s restoration (ch. 23–39). Israel occupies a place of universal significance in the history of the world, for it is the people of Jehovah, who is God alone. He who is God alone has become God of Israel, and it is through Israel that he is known to the nations, and through Israel and her history that he will fully reveal himself to the peoples of the world. This perfect manifestation of himself will be seen in Israel’s restoration, when his glory shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together (Isaiah 40:5). But this restoration of Israel cannot be without great judgments on the nations who have hitherto harassed her or seduced her. These judgments will awaken the nations to the knowledge who the God of Israel is—they shall know that he is Jehovah; and they will ensure that in the future his people shall not be troubled or led astray. All the prophets have the presentiment of a general judgment upon the world immediately preceding the incoming of the perfect kingdom of the Lord. The idea is shared by Ezekiel, though, as usual, he develops it into much further details than his predecessors had occasion to do.

The place of these prophecies in the Book of Ezekiel is important, because it suggests the place which the judgments on the nations had in his scheme of thought, and his construction of the history of redemption. So far as the prophecies themselves are concerned they belong either to the last years of Israel’s existence as a nation, or to the period immediately following the downfall of the state. The prophecies are seven in number, being against (1) Ammon, (2) Moab, (3) Edom, (4) the Philistines (ch. 25), (5) Tyre (ch. 26–28), (6) Sidon (Ezekiel 28:20-26), (7) Egypt (29–32). Those against the first six countries seem immediately posterior to the destruction of Jerusalem; those against Egypt belong to the time from the 10th to the 12th year of Jehoiachin’s captivity, that is, the year before the capture of the city, the year in which it was taken, and the year after, with the exception of the passage ch. Ezekiel 29:17-21 belonging to the 27th year of Jehoiachin’s captivity, which is probably a later insertion.

Chastisement overtakes the nations for two sins. First, because of their demeanour towards Israel, the people of Jehovah. Either they bad taken part in Jerusalem’s destruction (Edom, Ezekiel 25:12, the Philistines, Ezekiel 25:15), or had rejoiced over it, whether out of malice (Ammon, Ezekiel 25:3), jealousy (Moab, Ezekiel 25:8), or for selfish reasons (Tyre, Ezekiel 26:2); or else they had been a snare to Israel, inspiring false trust and seducing her from the true God (Egypt, Ezekiel 29:6). And secondly, because of their ungodly pride and self-deification (Tyre, ch. 28, Egypt, Ezekiel 29:3). This conduct of the nations and these feelings bring them into relation with Jehovah, either mediately through Israel the people of the true God, whom they injured or despised or seduced; or immediately and in a wider way in their not recognising him as God,—him who was God alone. Hence in all cases his judgments upon them have this purpose and result—they shall know that I am Jehovah.

The prophet has a very lofty consciousness of God, which he expresses by the word “Jehovah.” To be Jehovah is to be God alone, and all which he who is God alone is. It is from this conception of the God of Israel that the prophet speaks. But he estimates the conduct and feelings of the nations as if they also had or should have the same consciousness of Jehovah, as if they knew him as the prophet himself does. Other prophets speak in the same way, e.g. Isaiah 10:6-7. His way of thinking arises from the fact that the one true God was God of Israel. He whom the nations knew as Jehovah, the God of Israel, was the one living God. And when they did despite to his people, it was not a nationality among other nationalities that they injured, nor a mere tribal god whom they scorned, they were moving in a far higher plane than this, they were doing despite to the people of him who was God alone, and were injurious to the one living God. Again, Jehovah being God over all, pride of heart in the nations or their rulers, and self-deification, as when the prince of Tyre said, I am God (Ezekiel 28:2), or when the Pharaoh said, My river is mine, I have made it (Ezekiel 29:3), was blasphemy against him. This self-exaltation detracted from him who is alone exalted (Isaiah 2:11). This is the prophet’s conception. In a certain way his manner of thinking may do an injustice to the nations, who might not know that Jehovah, God of Israel, was God alone. The question is not quite simple. For this pride and self-deification of rulers and nations was a sin against God, it was on the part of man a lifting-up of himself against what the human mind feels to be above it. And it is not just quite clear that Israel’s neighbours were altogether guiltless in not knowing Jehovah to be God alone. He was in the world, though the world knew him not. The Light had appeared. How far men everywhere are responsible for not coming to the Light when it has anywhere appeared is a question not to be settled just off hand (John 18:37-38). The prophet appears to intimate that the neighbouring nations were not unaware of Israel’s pretensions to be different from themselves (Ezekiel 25:8). The superiority claimed by Israel was a religious one (Deuteronomy 32:31), and when the prophet represents the nations as aware of it, he is not to be thought as speaking merely from his own point of view (Numbers 23:21-23; Lamentations 4:12).

Ch. 25 contains prophecies directed against four peoples: Ezekiel 25:1-7, Ammon; Ezekiel 25:8-11, Moab; Ezekiel 25:12-14, Edom; and Ezekiel 25:15-17, the Philistines.

Eze 25:1-17。

在论到犹太人的八章沉默间隔中（第二十五至三十二章），以西结恰当地向外邦世界列国宣告审判。

以色列尚且不得宽免，那完全败坏、没有丝毫真理掺杂的外邦更不能幸免——而以色列在最败坏之时仍拥有这样的真理

(1Pe 4:17, 18)。

他们的灭亡将是彻底的；以色列的则不过是暂时的

(Jer 46:28)。

被宣告审判的列国共有七个，是完全的数目；暗示神的审判不仅要临到这些国家，还要临到全部抵挡神的外邦仇敌。巴比伦被除外，因为此刻她被视为神报应公义的杖；当时那些对她普世霸权心怀怨恨的人，恰恰忽略了这一点。

向异教各族发言，乃是圣经预言中一个明显的部分。在以赛亚书（Isa. 13-19）、耶利米书（Jer. 46-51），以及这里的以西结书（Ezekiel 25-32），都特别分出一段，汇集这类预言。每一个这样的预言，其总旨都是要显明神的仆人与世界的权势之间那从未止息的冲突——基督的教会在这场争战中，至今仍要与她的仇敌角力（Ephesians 6:12），但她终必得胜。

向异教各族发言，乃是圣经预言中一个明显的部分。在以赛亚书（Isa. 13-19）、耶利米书（Jer. 46-51），以及这里的以西结书（Ezekiel 25-32），都特别分出一段，汇集这类预言。每一个这样的预言，其总旨都是要显明神的仆人与世界的权势之间那从未止息的冲突——基督的教会在这场争战中，至今仍要与她的仇敌角力（Ephesians 6:12），但她终必得胜。

这一系列预言，除一篇例外，都是在耶路撒冷陷落之时传讲的：有的在城被攻取之前不久，有的在其后不久。它们被汇集在一起，是要显明其原有的目的：警告列国不可因邻舍倾覆而幸灾乐祸。所针对的，是与以色列儿女交往最多的七个民族：东界有摩押和亚扪；南有以东；西南有非利士；往北有推罗（那商贾之城）和更古老的西顿；最后是埃及——它轮流作选民的鞭子和虚假的依靠。「七」这数目象征完全。针对「七」国之首埃及的「七」篇预言，表明异教权势——神国之仇敌——倾覆的完全。别的先知尚向这些异教各族指出将来蒙怜悯的盼望（如 Isaiah 16:14;Jeremiah 49:6,Jeremiah 49:11），以西结却论到他们彻底的倾覆。他所默想的是「民族性」的灭亡。耶路撒冷的情形尚有民族的复兴，异教各族却无这样的恢复：「民族性」的灭亡无可挽回；别的先知向其指出怜悯之盼望的那余民，要作为个人被收聚入神的教会，而不是作为民族再次被坚立。以西结不像别的先知那样预言攻击巴比伦；他的使命，正是要表明巴比伦在当时乃是神圣忿怒的公义器皿，作神的工，惩罚祂的仇敌。在预言攻击外邦各族时，以西结常采用先于他的众先知的言语。

在 Ezekiel 25，那因地理位置和往来而彼此最紧密相连的四个民族，各以几句简短的话被论及，并以同一叠句作结——「你们就知道我是耶和华」（如 Ezekiel 25:5）。这预言是在尼布甲尼撒攻取耶路撒冷之后立即传讲的，故就时间而论，晚于其后所记的部分预言。

亚扪人是亚伯拉罕后裔的死敌。

The word of the Lord - The chronological order of this chapter is after Ezekiel 33:21, etc. See Abp. Newcome.