Read Ezekiel 27.25b-36
The lament resumes with a description of Tyre as a ship sinking by the east wind,
a symbol of God's power (Ex 14.21).
Comments or Questions...
Friday, March 30, 2018
Reading for April 7th
Read Ezekiel 27.12-25a
A prose section contains a catalog of Tyre's extensive commercial relations.
Tarshish: Tartessos in southern Spain.
Javan: Ionians or Greeks.
tubal and Meshech: Asia Minor.
Beth-togarmah: Armenia.
Rhodians (Greek) means Dedanites in Hebrew.
Edom: some read "Aram," but v. 14 makes this unlikely.
Turquoise, purple: Phenicia was known for trade in purple dye derived from shellfish.
Phoenicia (Gk., "Phoinikos") and Canaan mean "purple."
Minnith: in Ammonite territory (Judg 11.33).
Helbon: thirteen miles north of Damascus.
Nedan and Javan from Uzal: Uzal is Sana in Yemen.
Dedan: in central Arabia.
Kedar: in Arabia.
Sheba: in Arabia or Ethiopia.
Haran, Canneth, Eden: cities in Syria.
Asshur: Assyria.
Chilmad: Media.
Comments or Questions...
A prose section contains a catalog of Tyre's extensive commercial relations.
Tarshish: Tartessos in southern Spain.
Javan: Ionians or Greeks.
tubal and Meshech: Asia Minor.
Beth-togarmah: Armenia.
Rhodians (Greek) means Dedanites in Hebrew.
Edom: some read "Aram," but v. 14 makes this unlikely.
Turquoise, purple: Phenicia was known for trade in purple dye derived from shellfish.
Phoenicia (Gk., "Phoinikos") and Canaan mean "purple."
Minnith: in Ammonite territory (Judg 11.33).
Helbon: thirteen miles north of Damascus.
Nedan and Javan from Uzal: Uzal is Sana in Yemen.
Dedan: in central Arabia.
Kedar: in Arabia.
Sheba: in Arabia or Ethiopia.
Haran, Canneth, Eden: cities in Syria.
Asshur: Assyria.
Chilmad: Media.
Comments or Questions...
Reading for April 6th
Read Ezekiel 27.1-36 Lamentation over Tyre.
The "qinah" meter appears in vv. 3-9, 25-36 (see comment of 19.1).
In verses 3-9 Ezekiel portrays Tyre as a well-built ship, which symbolizes the way in which Tyre achieved wealth through maritime trade.
Senir: Mt Hermon in northern Israel (Deut 3.9).
Bashan: the region east of the Sea of Galilee.
Elishah: Cyprus. Arvad: Phoenicia. Zemer means"Type of Hebrew. Gebal: Byblos.
In verses 10-11 Tyre's defenders include mercenary troops.
Paras: Persia. Lud: Lydia. Put: Libya.
Helech means "your army" in Hebrew.
Gamad is uncertain.
Comments or Questions...
The "qinah" meter appears in vv. 3-9, 25-36 (see comment of 19.1).
In verses 3-9 Ezekiel portrays Tyre as a well-built ship, which symbolizes the way in which Tyre achieved wealth through maritime trade.
Senir: Mt Hermon in northern Israel (Deut 3.9).
Bashan: the region east of the Sea of Galilee.
Elishah: Cyprus. Arvad: Phoenicia. Zemer means"Type of Hebrew. Gebal: Byblos.
In verses 10-11 Tyre's defenders include mercenary troops.
Paras: Persia. Lud: Lydia. Put: Libya.
Helech means "your army" in Hebrew.
Gamad is uncertain.
Comments or Questions...
Thursday, March 29, 2018
Reading for April 5th
Read Ezekiel 26.15-21
In verses 15-18 Princes of the sea is an allusion to Tyre's trading partners and allies.
They shall raise a lamentation: the poem is composed in the "qinah" meter,
characteristic of laments (see comment on 19.1).
In verses 19-21 Ezekiel employs mythological language to portray Tyre's fall.
I bring up the deep over your reverses the imagery of creation in which dry land
emerges from the waters (Gen 1).
Descend into the Pit: Descent into the underworld at death (see 32.17-22; Isa 24.22; Ps 63.9; 139.15) was a characteristic motif of Babylonian mythology in which the fertility god Tammuz had to be rescued from the underworld each year by the goddess Ishtar.
Comments or Questions...
In verses 15-18 Princes of the sea is an allusion to Tyre's trading partners and allies.
They shall raise a lamentation: the poem is composed in the "qinah" meter,
characteristic of laments (see comment on 19.1).
In verses 19-21 Ezekiel employs mythological language to portray Tyre's fall.
I bring up the deep over your reverses the imagery of creation in which dry land
emerges from the waters (Gen 1).
Descend into the Pit: Descent into the underworld at death (see 32.17-22; Isa 24.22; Ps 63.9; 139.15) was a characteristic motif of Babylonian mythology in which the fertility god Tammuz had to be rescued from the underworld each year by the goddess Ishtar.
Comments or Questions...
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
Reading for April 4th
Read Ezekiel 26.7-14
Nebuchadrezzar: the Akkadian (the semitic language of ancient Mesopotamia)
name is frequently mispronounced in Hebrew as Nebuchadrezar (Dan 1.1).
Ezekiel's description presupposes the tactics and weapons of land warfare,
which were useless against an island state.
Comments or Questions...
Nebuchadrezzar: the Akkadian (the semitic language of ancient Mesopotamia)
name is frequently mispronounced in Hebrew as Nebuchadrezar (Dan 1.1).
Ezekiel's description presupposes the tactics and weapons of land warfare,
which were useless against an island state.
Comments or Questions...
Monday, March 26, 2018
Reading for April 3rd
Oracles concerning Tyre and its rulers
Chs. 26-28 Tyre, the preeminent maritime power of the ancient world, joined Judah
in revolt against Babylon (Jer 27.3).
The Phoenician city of Tyre was an island until its conquest in 332 BCE by
Alexander the Great, who built an earthen corridor through the water to assault the city by land.
Shortly after his conquest of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Tyre for 13 years but was never able to conquer it.
Read Ezekiel 26.1-21 Four oracles concerning the destruction of Tyre.
In verse 1 the eleventh year ... the first day of the month: 587 BCE, shortly after the fall of Jerusalem.
In verses 2-6 Ezekiel's indictment and sentencing of Tyre presupposes that the city was a commercial rival to Judah.
Gateway of the peoples, literally "gateways," indicates Judah's role in controlling inland trade routes.
Bare rock ("sela" or "rock" in Hebrew) plays upon Hebrew name "Sor" (Tyre), which means "rock."
Daughter-towns designates nearby town s that were subsidiary to Tyre.
Comments or Questions...
Chs. 26-28 Tyre, the preeminent maritime power of the ancient world, joined Judah
in revolt against Babylon (Jer 27.3).
The Phoenician city of Tyre was an island until its conquest in 332 BCE by
Alexander the Great, who built an earthen corridor through the water to assault the city by land.
Shortly after his conquest of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Tyre for 13 years but was never able to conquer it.
Read Ezekiel 26.1-21 Four oracles concerning the destruction of Tyre.
In verse 1 the eleventh year ... the first day of the month: 587 BCE, shortly after the fall of Jerusalem.
In verses 2-6 Ezekiel's indictment and sentencing of Tyre presupposes that the city was a commercial rival to Judah.
Gateway of the peoples, literally "gateways," indicates Judah's role in controlling inland trade routes.
Bare rock ("sela" or "rock" in Hebrew) plays upon Hebrew name "Sor" (Tyre), which means "rock."
Daughter-towns designates nearby town s that were subsidiary to Tyre.
Comments or Questions...
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Reading for April 2nd
Read Ezekiel 25.15-17 The oracle concerning Philistia.
Philistia was occupied by Assyria during the eighth and seventh centuries BCE and was turned
into an industrial center for the production of olive oil.
It is not clear what action they took against Judah in the sixth century.
Philistia was located along the Mediterranean coast, west and south of the hill country of Judah.
Cherethites, the Cretans, were ancestors of the Philistines.
Comments or Questions...
Philistia was occupied by Assyria during the eighth and seventh centuries BCE and was turned
into an industrial center for the production of olive oil.
It is not clear what action they took against Judah in the sixth century.
Philistia was located along the Mediterranean coast, west and south of the hill country of Judah.
Cherethites, the Cretans, were ancestors of the Philistines.
Comments or Questions...
Friday, March 23, 2018
Reading for April 1st
Read Ezekiel 25.12-14 The oracle concerning Edom.
Edom symbolizes God's wrath, perhaps because of its role in the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple (Ps 137.7; Lam 4.21-22; Ob 1-14).
It was located southeast of the Dead Sea and sometimes encroached upon southern Judean territories.
Edom's ancestor, Esau, was Jacob's twin brother (Gen 25-35).
Comments or Questions...
Edom symbolizes God's wrath, perhaps because of its role in the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple (Ps 137.7; Lam 4.21-22; Ob 1-14).
It was located southeast of the Dead Sea and sometimes encroached upon southern Judean territories.
Edom's ancestor, Esau, was Jacob's twin brother (Gen 25-35).
Comments or Questions...
Reading for March 31st
Read Ezekiel 25.8-11 The oracle concerning Moab.
Like Ammon, the Moabites assisted the Babylonians against Judah (2 Kings 24.1-2) and later joined the anti-Babylonian coalition (Jer 27.3).
Moab was located east of the southern portion of the Dead Sea.
Comments or Questions...
Like Ammon, the Moabites assisted the Babylonians against Judah (2 Kings 24.1-2) and later joined the anti-Babylonian coalition (Jer 27.3).
Moab was located east of the southern portion of the Dead Sea.
Comments or Questions...
Thursday, March 22, 2018
Reading for March 30th
Ezekiel's Oracles Concerning The Nations
Chs. 25-32 Like other prophetic books (Isa 13-23; Jer 46-51), Ezekiel contains a section of oracles concerning foreign nations, which are intended to demonstrate God's power throughout the world.
the nations include here, Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, and Egypt, would all be considered as targets of the Babylonian empire, although Egypt was never taken.
Ezekiel identifies the projected expansion of Babylonia as an act of God.
Read Ezekiel 25.1-7 the oracle concerning Ammon.
The Babylonians employed Ammonites against Judah (2 Kings 24.1-2).
Later, the Ammonites joined Judah in an anti-Babylonian coalition (Jer 27.3).
Ammon was located east of the Jordan River.
Rabbah, the site of present day Amman, Jordan, was the capital.
The Ammonites are condemned in part for mocking the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple.
The people of the east are nomadic Arab tribes from the northern Arabian desert who moved into Ammon and Moab following their destruction by Babylonia.
Comments or Questions...
Chs. 25-32 Like other prophetic books (Isa 13-23; Jer 46-51), Ezekiel contains a section of oracles concerning foreign nations, which are intended to demonstrate God's power throughout the world.
the nations include here, Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, and Egypt, would all be considered as targets of the Babylonian empire, although Egypt was never taken.
Ezekiel identifies the projected expansion of Babylonia as an act of God.
Read Ezekiel 25.1-7 the oracle concerning Ammon.
The Babylonians employed Ammonites against Judah (2 Kings 24.1-2).
Later, the Ammonites joined Judah in an anti-Babylonian coalition (Jer 27.3).
Ammon was located east of the Jordan River.
Rabbah, the site of present day Amman, Jordan, was the capital.
The Ammonites are condemned in part for mocking the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple.
The people of the east are nomadic Arab tribes from the northern Arabian desert who moved into Ammon and Moab following their destruction by Babylonia.
Comments or Questions...
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
Reading for March 29th
Read Ezekiel 24.15-27 The death of Ezekiel's wife.
The death of Ezekiel's wife symbolizes the destruction of Jerusalem (see Isa 7; Jer 16; Hos 1-3).
In verses 15-18 Ezekiel's action draws upon priestly sanctity to symbolize the inability of God and the people of Judah to mourn the loss of Jerusalem when in exile.
Priests may not come into contact with the dead (Lev 21.1-12), and the high priest may not mourn for the dead (Lev 21.10-12; compare 10.1-7).
In verses 19-24 I will profane my sanctuary: only the priests could enter the most holy place.
The people are to be fully dressed, with turbans and sandals, as they go into exile.
In verses 25-27 during the Temple service, the priests officiated in silence.
When the Temple is destroyed, Ezekiel will be able to speak again.
Comments or Questions...
The death of Ezekiel's wife symbolizes the destruction of Jerusalem (see Isa 7; Jer 16; Hos 1-3).
In verses 15-18 Ezekiel's action draws upon priestly sanctity to symbolize the inability of God and the people of Judah to mourn the loss of Jerusalem when in exile.
Priests may not come into contact with the dead (Lev 21.1-12), and the high priest may not mourn for the dead (Lev 21.10-12; compare 10.1-7).
In verses 19-24 I will profane my sanctuary: only the priests could enter the most holy place.
The people are to be fully dressed, with turbans and sandals, as they go into exile.
In verses 25-27 during the Temple service, the priests officiated in silence.
When the Temple is destroyed, Ezekiel will be able to speak again.
Comments or Questions...
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Reading for March 28th
Read Ezekiel 24.1-14 The allegory of the pot.
As a Temple priest, Ezekiel's duties include tending to pots used to cook sacrificial meat
(1 Sam 2.12-17).
Like Jeremiah (a priest descended from Eli), he employs activities from his own life as symbolic means to express God's word (see Jer 1.13).
In verses 1-2 the ninth year ... the tenth month ... the tenth day: January 15, 588 BCE, apparently the day on which Nebuchadnezzar begins the siege of Jerusalem.
In verses 3-5 the thigh and the shoulder, the choice offerings (Num 18.12), including the breast and thigh (Ex 29.26-28; Lev 7.28-36; 10.12-15; Num 18.18; Gen 32.32), are given to the priests.
In verses 6-8 the imagery of the corroded bottom of the pot symbolizes the bloody crimes of Jerusalem.
Blood is sacred and must be covered when shed (Lev 17.13-16; Gen 9.1-7).
In verses 9-14 as a cauldron is cleansed by fire, Ezekiel calls for the "cleansing" of Jerusalem by fire.
Comments or Questions...
As a Temple priest, Ezekiel's duties include tending to pots used to cook sacrificial meat
(1 Sam 2.12-17).
Like Jeremiah (a priest descended from Eli), he employs activities from his own life as symbolic means to express God's word (see Jer 1.13).
In verses 1-2 the ninth year ... the tenth month ... the tenth day: January 15, 588 BCE, apparently the day on which Nebuchadnezzar begins the siege of Jerusalem.
In verses 3-5 the thigh and the shoulder, the choice offerings (Num 18.12), including the breast and thigh (Ex 29.26-28; Lev 7.28-36; 10.12-15; Num 18.18; Gen 32.32), are given to the priests.
In verses 6-8 the imagery of the corroded bottom of the pot symbolizes the bloody crimes of Jerusalem.
Blood is sacred and must be covered when shed (Lev 17.13-16; Gen 9.1-7).
In verses 9-14 as a cauldron is cleansed by fire, Ezekiel calls for the "cleansing" of Jerusalem by fire.
Comments or Questions...
Monday, March 19, 2018
Reading for March 27th
Read Ezekiel 22.36-49
They have defiled my sanctuary and profaned my sabbaths: See ch. 8.
They even sent for men to come from far away is a reference to Judean
attempts to find allies (compare Jer 27.3).
The sisters' punishment reflects that of an adulterous woman (Lev 20.10)
or a person who profanes God (Lev 20.2-5).
So that all women may take warning and not commit lewdness: Ezekiel is
frequently accused of misogyny.
Comments or Questions...
They have defiled my sanctuary and profaned my sabbaths: See ch. 8.
They even sent for men to come from far away is a reference to Judean
attempts to find allies (compare Jer 27.3).
The sisters' punishment reflects that of an adulterous woman (Lev 20.10)
or a person who profanes God (Lev 20.2-5).
So that all women may take warning and not commit lewdness: Ezekiel is
frequently accused of misogyny.
Comments or Questions...
Sunday, March 18, 2018
Reading for March 26th
Read Ezekiel 22.22-35
Ezekiel declares that Oholibah's lovers, the Babylonians and their allies, will conquer Jerusalem. Pekod (see Jer 50.21), Shoa, and Koa are Aramean tribes allied with Babylon.
Drinking from the sister's cup is a common motif in Judean prophecy
(Isa 51.17, 22; Jer 25.15-29; 51.7; Hab 2.16).
Comments or Questions...
Ezekiel declares that Oholibah's lovers, the Babylonians and their allies, will conquer Jerusalem. Pekod (see Jer 50.21), Shoa, and Koa are Aramean tribes allied with Babylon.
Drinking from the sister's cup is a common motif in Judean prophecy
(Isa 51.17, 22; Jer 25.15-29; 51.7; Hab 2.16).
Comments or Questions...
Friday, March 16, 2018
Reading for March 25th
Read Ezekiel 23.11-21
Ezekiel charges that Oholibah, Jerusalem, was even worse than her sister in pursuing both the Assyrians and the Chaldeans or Babylonians (see Jer 3.6-10, 11).
King Ahaz of Judah requested Assyrian assistance against Israel in the Syro-Ephraimitic War
(2 Kings 16), and Hezekiah later made an alliance with Babylon against Assyria
(2 Kings 20.11-19; Isa 39).
The reference to relations with Egypt may recall Solomon's early alliance with Egypt (1 Kings 3.1) and Jehoiakim's support from Pharaoh Neco prior to his turn to Babylon (2 Kings 23.31-24.7).
Comments or Questions...
Ezekiel charges that Oholibah, Jerusalem, was even worse than her sister in pursuing both the Assyrians and the Chaldeans or Babylonians (see Jer 3.6-10, 11).
King Ahaz of Judah requested Assyrian assistance against Israel in the Syro-Ephraimitic War
(2 Kings 16), and Hezekiah later made an alliance with Babylon against Assyria
(2 Kings 20.11-19; Isa 39).
The reference to relations with Egypt may recall Solomon's early alliance with Egypt (1 Kings 3.1) and Jehoiakim's support from Pharaoh Neco prior to his turn to Babylon (2 Kings 23.31-24.7).
Comments or Questions...
Reading for March 24th
Reading Ezekiel 23.1-49 Oholah and Oholibah.
Presupposing the portrayal of Israel as God's wife (compare Hos 1-3; Jer 2-3), Ezekiel employs the metaphor of harlotry to describe Samaria and Jerusalem (see ch. 16).
Oholah, "her tent," refers to Samaria.
The name Oholah alludes to the presence of God who dwells in a tent (according to the Exodus and Wilderness traditions; compare 2 Sam 7.6).
Oholibah, "my tent is in her," refers to Jerusalem and to the presence of the Temple.
In verses 5-10 Oholah's or Samaria's relations with the officers of Assyria presuppose its earlier alliance with Assyria under the Jehu dynasty, specifically, Menahem (2 Kings 15.17-22),
and Hoshea (2 Kings 17.1-6).
Ezekiel portrays this alliance as harlotry and argues that it led to Israel's destruction.
Comments or Questions...
Presupposing the portrayal of Israel as God's wife (compare Hos 1-3; Jer 2-3), Ezekiel employs the metaphor of harlotry to describe Samaria and Jerusalem (see ch. 16).
Oholah, "her tent," refers to Samaria.
The name Oholah alludes to the presence of God who dwells in a tent (according to the Exodus and Wilderness traditions; compare 2 Sam 7.6).
Oholibah, "my tent is in her," refers to Jerusalem and to the presence of the Temple.
In verses 5-10 Oholah's or Samaria's relations with the officers of Assyria presuppose its earlier alliance with Assyria under the Jehu dynasty, specifically, Menahem (2 Kings 15.17-22),
and Hoshea (2 Kings 17.1-6).
Ezekiel portrays this alliance as harlotry and argues that it led to Israel's destruction.
Comments or Questions...
Thursday, March 15, 2018
Reading for March 23rd
Read Ezekiel 22.17-31
Just as precious metals are smelted to remove dross, Israel will be purified in fire to remove its sins and impurities (Isa 1.21-26).
In verses 23-31 the prophet names all classes of people in Jerusalem, including its princes, its priests, its officials, its prophets, and the people of the land.
Comments or Questions...
Just as precious metals are smelted to remove dross, Israel will be purified in fire to remove its sins and impurities (Isa 1.21-26).
In verses 23-31 the prophet names all classes of people in Jerusalem, including its princes, its priests, its officials, its prophets, and the people of the land.
Comments or Questions...
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Reading for March 22nd
Read Ezekiel 22.1-31 Oracles against Jerusalem.
Compare Isa 1.2-31.
In verses 2-16 Ezekiel's preoccupation with blood derives from his role as a priest, which requires the proper treatment of blood since it is sacred (Lev 17).
The crimes listed here derive especially from the Holiness Code in Lev 17.26: shedding blood
(Lev 19.26; Gen 9.1-7); contempt against parents (Lev 20.9; Ex 21.17); extortion of the aliens, orphans, and widows (Lev 19.33-34; Ex 22.21-22; Deut 14.29); holy things ... sabbaths (Lev 19.30); slander (Lev 19.16); uncover father's nakedness (Lev 18.8; 20.11); relations with menstruating women (Lev 18.19); incest (Lev 18; 20); bribery (Lev 19.15); interest on loans (Lev 25.36-37); extortion of a neighbor (Lev 19.15-18, 35-36).
Comments or Questions...
Compare Isa 1.2-31.
In verses 2-16 Ezekiel's preoccupation with blood derives from his role as a priest, which requires the proper treatment of blood since it is sacred (Lev 17).
The crimes listed here derive especially from the Holiness Code in Lev 17.26: shedding blood
(Lev 19.26; Gen 9.1-7); contempt against parents (Lev 20.9; Ex 21.17); extortion of the aliens, orphans, and widows (Lev 19.33-34; Ex 22.21-22; Deut 14.29); holy things ... sabbaths (Lev 19.30); slander (Lev 19.16); uncover father's nakedness (Lev 18.8; 20.11); relations with menstruating women (Lev 18.19); incest (Lev 18; 20); bribery (Lev 19.15); interest on loans (Lev 25.36-37); extortion of a neighbor (Lev 19.15-18, 35-36).
Comments or Questions...
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
Reading for March 21st
Read Ezekiel 21.18-32 The sword of Babylon.
In verses 18-23 when the Babylonian king reaches a fork in the road,
he employs divination to decide which route to take.
His alternatives are Jerusalem and Rabbah, the capital of Ammon.
Ammon is one of Judah'a allies in revolt against Babylon (Jer 27.3).
Jerusalem is a former ally of Babylon (2 Kings 20.12-19; Isa 39),
but Judah's revolt justifies the protracted siege.
He shakes the arrows, he consults the teraphim, he inspects the liver:
common techniques of divination.
Teraphim are household or clan gods (Gen 31.19; Judg 17.5; 18.17; 20).
In verses 24-27 the vile, wicked prince is Zedekiah.
In verses 28-32 the sword will be wielded against Ammon, but it will be
destroyed in Babylon where it was created.
Comments or Questions...
In verses 18-23 when the Babylonian king reaches a fork in the road,
he employs divination to decide which route to take.
His alternatives are Jerusalem and Rabbah, the capital of Ammon.
Ammon is one of Judah'a allies in revolt against Babylon (Jer 27.3).
Jerusalem is a former ally of Babylon (2 Kings 20.12-19; Isa 39),
but Judah's revolt justifies the protracted siege.
He shakes the arrows, he consults the teraphim, he inspects the liver:
common techniques of divination.
Teraphim are household or clan gods (Gen 31.19; Judg 17.5; 18.17; 20).
In verses 24-27 the vile, wicked prince is Zedekiah.
In verses 28-32 the sword will be wielded against Ammon, but it will be
destroyed in Babylon where it was created.
Comments or Questions...
Monday, March 12, 2018
Reading for March 20th
Read Ezekiel 21:8-17
In verses 8 - 17 Ezekiel's song of the sword.
You have despised the rod: A rod might normally be used for discipline (prov 10.13; 22.15;) but now a deadly instrument is required.
Comments or Questions
In verses 8 - 17 Ezekiel's song of the sword.
You have despised the rod: A rod might normally be used for discipline (prov 10.13; 22.15;) but now a deadly instrument is required.
Comments or Questions
Friday, March 9, 2018
Reading for March 18th
Read Ezekiel 20.45-49 A prophecy against the Negeb.
The Negeb is the desert region of southern Judah from which spies were sent into Canaan (Num 13.17, 22) prior to the rebellion in the wilderness.
South designates the location of the Edomites (25.13), who are condemned for assisting Babylon in Judah's destruction (25 .12-14).
Comments or Questions...
The Negeb is the desert region of southern Judah from which spies were sent into Canaan (Num 13.17, 22) prior to the rebellion in the wilderness.
South designates the location of the Edomites (25.13), who are condemned for assisting Babylon in Judah's destruction (25 .12-14).
Comments or Questions...
Reading for March 17th
Read Ezekiel 20.33-44
God returns Israel to the wilderness to purge and restore the nation.
In verse 33 I will be king over you: one of God's fundamental claims.
In verse 35 wilderness of the peoples associates Israel's exile among the
nations with the wilderness tradition.
In verse 37 pass under the staff: be counted to determine the offering due to God (see Lev 27.32).
In verses 40-44 my holy mountain: the Jerusalem Temple.
Comments or Questions...
God returns Israel to the wilderness to purge and restore the nation.
In verse 33 I will be king over you: one of God's fundamental claims.
In verse 35 wilderness of the peoples associates Israel's exile among the
nations with the wilderness tradition.
In verse 37 pass under the staff: be counted to determine the offering due to God (see Lev 27.32).
In verses 40-44 my holy mountain: the Jerusalem Temple.
Comments or Questions...
Thursday, March 8, 2018
Reading for March 16th
Read Ezekiel 20.27-32 Apostasy in the land of Israel.
In verse 32 let us be like the nations: see Deut 17.14; 1 Sam 8.4-5 concerning the institution of kingship.
Comments or Questions...
In verse 32 let us be like the nations: see Deut 17.14; 1 Sam 8.4-5 concerning the institution of kingship.
Comments or Questions...
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Reading for March 15th
Read Ezekiel 20.18-26
Following Israel's rebellion at the report of the spies, God condemned the people to death in the wilderness (Num 14.26-38).
The rebellion of the second generation refers to acts of apostasy following the incident of the spied (Meribah, Num 20; Baal of Peor, Num 25).
Comments or Questions...
Following Israel's rebellion at the report of the spies, God condemned the people to death in the wilderness (Num 14.26-38).
The rebellion of the second generation refers to acts of apostasy following the incident of the spied (Meribah, Num 20; Baal of Peor, Num 25).
Comments or Questions...
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
Reading for March 14th
Read Ezekiel 20.1-44 Ezekiel's assessment of Israel's past and future.
Ezekiel's overview of Israel's history in the wilderness provides a basis for projecting a future in which Israel will be returned to the wilderness and purged.
In verses 1-2 the seventh year ... fifth month ... tenth day: August 14, 591 BCE.
In verses 3-4 God refuses to answer the elders and instead calls upon Ezekiel to judge the.
In verses 5-32 God rehearses the history of Israel's rebellion during the Exodus and Wilderness periods (see Ps 106).
In verses 5-6 I chose Israel: God uses royal language (see 2 Sam 6.21; 1 Kings 6.16) to prepare the reader for God's role as king (v. 33).
I am the LORD your God ... I would bring them out of the land of Egypt: see Ex 20.2.
In verses 7-8 apostasy in Egypt: Ex 14.10-12; Josh 24.14; Ps 106.7.
In verse 9 I acted for the sake of my name: a key issue in Ezekiel (20.14, 22; 36.22); compare Ex 15.3; 32.12).
In verses 11-12 the Sabbath is the foundational sign of the covenant (Ex 20.8-11; 31.12-17).
In verses 13-17 the rebellion of the first generation is the golden calf incident (Ex 32-34) and the reaction to the report of the spies (Num 13-14) in which Moses persuaded God not to destroy the entire people (Ex 33.12-33; Num 14.13-25).
Comments or Questions...
Ezekiel's overview of Israel's history in the wilderness provides a basis for projecting a future in which Israel will be returned to the wilderness and purged.
In verses 1-2 the seventh year ... fifth month ... tenth day: August 14, 591 BCE.
In verses 3-4 God refuses to answer the elders and instead calls upon Ezekiel to judge the.
In verses 5-32 God rehearses the history of Israel's rebellion during the Exodus and Wilderness periods (see Ps 106).
In verses 5-6 I chose Israel: God uses royal language (see 2 Sam 6.21; 1 Kings 6.16) to prepare the reader for God's role as king (v. 33).
I am the LORD your God ... I would bring them out of the land of Egypt: see Ex 20.2.
In verses 7-8 apostasy in Egypt: Ex 14.10-12; Josh 24.14; Ps 106.7.
In verse 9 I acted for the sake of my name: a key issue in Ezekiel (20.14, 22; 36.22); compare Ex 15.3; 32.12).
In verses 11-12 the Sabbath is the foundational sign of the covenant (Ex 20.8-11; 31.12-17).
In verses 13-17 the rebellion of the first generation is the golden calf incident (Ex 32-34) and the reaction to the report of the spies (Num 13-14) in which Moses persuaded God not to destroy the entire people (Ex 33.12-33; Num 14.13-25).
Comments or Questions...
Monday, March 5, 2018
Reading for March 13th
Read Ezekiel 19.1-14 Two allegories concerning the demise of the monarchy.
Ezekiel laments the demise of the Davidic monarchy with two allegories styled as
dirges or songs of mourning.
In verse 1 raise up a lamentation for the princes of Israel: Hebrew poetry typically had
three stressed syllables in each line.
The lament, however, used a three-stress line followed by a two-stress line.
The poems use the 3/2 stress pattern (called "qinah") of the funeral lament.
Ezekiel refers to the kings as "princes," thereby expressing the king's diminished status
in relation to the priests (34.24; 45.7-8).
In verses 2-9 the lion symbolizes the tribe of Judah and the royal house of David (Gen 49.8-12).
A lioness was your mother refers to Judah or all Israel.
Note the identification of Israel as the bride of God in Hosea (Hos 1-3), Jeremiah (Jer 2-3), and Ezekiel (ch. 16).
The first cub who is brought ... with hooks to the land of Egypt is Jehoahaz, who was exiled to Egypt by Pharaoh Necho after Josiah's death (2 Kings 23.31-34; 2 Chr 36.1-4).
The second cub who learned to catch prey and devoured people would be Jehoiakim, whom Pharaoh Necho placed on the throne after exiling Jehoahaz.
Jeremiah condemns Jehoiakim for his injustice (Jer 21.11-22.19).
And brought him to the king of Babylon; they brought him into custody: Jehoiachin, who was exiled to Babylon following Jehoiakim's failed revolt (2 Kings 24.8-17; 2 Chr 36.9-10).
In verses 10-14 this poem employs the imagery of the vine (see chs. 15; 17; compare Isa 5.1-7).
It is impossible to identify the poem's imagery with specific individuals or countries
(see Isa 10.5-11.16; 1.29-31; 6.13).
The east wind dried it up: the "Sharab" or "Hamsin," a dry desert wind like the Santa Ana winds of southern California, is frequently employed as a symbol of God's power
(Ex 14.21; 15.8-10; Isa 11.15).
Now it is transplanted into the wilderness: Jehoiachin's exile.
Comments or Questions...
Ezekiel laments the demise of the Davidic monarchy with two allegories styled as
dirges or songs of mourning.
In verse 1 raise up a lamentation for the princes of Israel: Hebrew poetry typically had
three stressed syllables in each line.
The lament, however, used a three-stress line followed by a two-stress line.
The poems use the 3/2 stress pattern (called "qinah") of the funeral lament.
Ezekiel refers to the kings as "princes," thereby expressing the king's diminished status
in relation to the priests (34.24; 45.7-8).
In verses 2-9 the lion symbolizes the tribe of Judah and the royal house of David (Gen 49.8-12).
A lioness was your mother refers to Judah or all Israel.
Note the identification of Israel as the bride of God in Hosea (Hos 1-3), Jeremiah (Jer 2-3), and Ezekiel (ch. 16).
The first cub who is brought ... with hooks to the land of Egypt is Jehoahaz, who was exiled to Egypt by Pharaoh Necho after Josiah's death (2 Kings 23.31-34; 2 Chr 36.1-4).
The second cub who learned to catch prey and devoured people would be Jehoiakim, whom Pharaoh Necho placed on the throne after exiling Jehoahaz.
Jeremiah condemns Jehoiakim for his injustice (Jer 21.11-22.19).
And brought him to the king of Babylon; they brought him into custody: Jehoiachin, who was exiled to Babylon following Jehoiakim's failed revolt (2 Kings 24.8-17; 2 Chr 36.9-10).
In verses 10-14 this poem employs the imagery of the vine (see chs. 15; 17; compare Isa 5.1-7).
It is impossible to identify the poem's imagery with specific individuals or countries
(see Isa 10.5-11.16; 1.29-31; 6.13).
The east wind dried it up: the "Sharab" or "Hamsin," a dry desert wind like the Santa Ana winds of southern California, is frequently employed as a symbol of God's power
(Ex 14.21; 15.8-10; Isa 11.15).
Now it is transplanted into the wilderness: Jehoiachin's exile.
Comments or Questions...
Sunday, March 4, 2018
Reading for March 12th
Read Ezekiel 18.10-32
In verses 10-13 the son of a righteous person who sins is responsible and will die.
In verses 14-18 the son of a sinner who does right will be spared.
In verses 19-20 Ezekiel's opponents contend that the son is guilty for the sins of the father,
but Ezekiel states that only the person who commits, sins will be punished for them.
In verses 21-24 a new principle enters the debate.
Ezekiel contends that a wicked person who repents will be saved, but a righteous person
who sins will be condemned.
In verses 25-29 Ezekiel restates the preceding principle about repentance.
In verses 30-32 a new heart and a new spirit (see 11.19; Jer 31.31-34; 32.36-41).
Comments or Questions...
In verses 10-13 the son of a righteous person who sins is responsible and will die.
In verses 14-18 the son of a sinner who does right will be spared.
In verses 19-20 Ezekiel's opponents contend that the son is guilty for the sins of the father,
but Ezekiel states that only the person who commits, sins will be punished for them.
In verses 21-24 a new principle enters the debate.
Ezekiel contends that a wicked person who repents will be saved, but a righteous person
who sins will be condemned.
In verses 25-29 Ezekiel restates the preceding principle about repentance.
In verses 30-32 a new heart and a new spirit (see 11.19; Jer 31.31-34; 32.36-41).
Comments or Questions...
Friday, March 2, 2018
Reading for March 11th
Read Ezekiel 18.5-9
Ezekiel describes four cases.
The first is a righteous man, whose actions are described in accordance with provisions from the Holiness Code (Lev 17-26): eat upon the mountains, eat meat without disposing of blood properly at the Temple (Lev 17; 19.26); lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, improper worship of God (see Ex 20.4-6; Lev 19.4); defile his neighbor's wife, adultery (Lev 20.10; see also 19.20-22); approach a woman during her menstrual period (Lev 15.19-24); does not oppress anyone, economic oppression is unholy (Lev 19.13); restores to the debtor his pledge and covers the naked with a garment, a person's only cloak could be taken in pledge for a loan, but it had to be returned if the debtor needed it (Ex 22.25-27); does not take advance or accrued interest (Ex 22.25; Lev 25.35-38); executes true justice between contending parties, in a court of law (Lev 19.15-19).
The righteous person will live.
Comments or Questions...
Ezekiel describes four cases.
The first is a righteous man, whose actions are described in accordance with provisions from the Holiness Code (Lev 17-26): eat upon the mountains, eat meat without disposing of blood properly at the Temple (Lev 17; 19.26); lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, improper worship of God (see Ex 20.4-6; Lev 19.4); defile his neighbor's wife, adultery (Lev 20.10; see also 19.20-22); approach a woman during her menstrual period (Lev 15.19-24); does not oppress anyone, economic oppression is unholy (Lev 19.13); restores to the debtor his pledge and covers the naked with a garment, a person's only cloak could be taken in pledge for a loan, but it had to be returned if the debtor needed it (Ex 22.25-27); does not take advance or accrued interest (Ex 22.25; Lev 25.35-38); executes true justice between contending parties, in a court of law (Lev 19.15-19).
The righteous person will live.
Comments or Questions...
Reading for March 10th
Read Ezekiel 18.1-32 Concerning the responsibility of the individual.
The prophet disputes the view that Israel' punishment is due to the sins of past generations
(see Ex 20.5).
In verses 1-4 the opposing view is quoted as a proverb, "The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge" (see Jer 31.29-30).
Comments or Questions...
The prophet disputes the view that Israel' punishment is due to the sins of past generations
(see Ex 20.5).
In verses 1-4 the opposing view is quoted as a proverb, "The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge" (see Jer 31.29-30).
Comments or Questions...
Thursday, March 1, 2018
Reading for March 9th
Read Ezekiel 17.22-24
God employs the allegory of the cedar to promise the restoration of the Davidic monarchy
(Isa 11.1-10; Jer 23.5-6; 33.15).
Comments or Questions...
God employs the allegory of the cedar to promise the restoration of the Davidic monarchy
(Isa 11.1-10; Jer 23.5-6; 33.15).
Comments or Questions...
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