XI God's message of wrath to those who remained secure at Jerusalem, ver. 1-13. A message of comfort to the dejected captives at Babylon, ver. 14-21. The glory of God removes farther, ver. 22, 23. The vision disappears, of which Ezekiel gives an account, ver. 24, 25.

Verse 1. Jaazaniah - Not him that is mentioned chap. viii, 11. Pelatiah - Named here for that dreadful sudden death, whereby he became a warning to others.

Verse 2. He - The Lord sitting on the cherub.

Verse 3. It - The threatened danger and ruin by the Chaldeans. The caldron - This is an impious scoff, yet mixt with some fear of the prophet, Jer. i, 13.

Verse 6. Ye - Many murders have you committed yourselves, and you are accountable to God for all those whom the Chaldeans have slain, seeing you persuaded them, thus obstinately to stand out.

Verse 7. Bring you forth - Not in mercy, but in wrath, by the conquering hand of Babylon.

Verse 9. Deliver you - Defeating all your projects for escape.

Verse 10. Will judge - My just judgments shall pursue you, whithersoever you fly.

Verse 11. Your caldron - The place of your sufferings; greater are reserved for you in a strange land. Judge you - I will do more against you at Riblah, where the captive king had his children, and others with them, first murdered before his eyes, and then his own eyes put out; Riblah is called the border of Israel: for Syria was adjoining to Israel on the north, and Riblah was on the frontiers of Syria.

Verse 13. Pelatiah - Mentioned ver. 1, a principal man among the twenty-five princes, who made all the mischief in Jerusalem. It should seem this was done in vision now, (as the slaying of the ancient men, chap. ix, 6,) but it was an assurance, that when this prophecy was published, it would be done in fact. And the death of Pelatiah was an earnest of the compleat accomplishment of the prophecy. A full end - By slaying all, as this man is cut off.

Verse 15. Thy brethren - Thy nearest kindred, which it seems were left in Jerusalem. Their degeneracy is more noted in the repetition of the word brethren. Gone far - Ye are gone far from the Lord; as much as the Heathens accused the Christians of atheism.

Verse 16. Say - In vindication of them. Although - The obstinate Jews at Jerusalem will call them apostates; but I the Lord sent them thither, and will own them there. Scattered - Dispersed them in many countries which are under the king of Babylon: yet they are dear to me. A little sanctuary - A little one in opposition to that great temple at Jerusalem. To him they shall flee, and in him they shall be safe, as he was that took hold on the horns of the altar. And they shall have such communion with God in the land of their captivity, as it was thought could be had no where but in the temple.

Verse 18. They - They who assemble upon Cyrus's proclamation first, and then upon Darius's proclamation, shall overcome all difficulties, dispatch the journey, and come safely to their own land. Take away - They shall abolish superstition and idolatry from the temple.

Verse 19. One heart - Cyrus shall give them leave, and I will give them a heart to return; and on their way shall there be great utility; and, when come to Jerusalem, they shall own me, and my laws, and with one consent, build Jerusalem and the temple, and restore true religion. The stony - That hard, inflexible, undutiful, incorrigible disposition.

Verse 21. Heart - Soul and affections. Walketh - Either secretly adhere to, or provide for the service of idols, called here detestable things.

Verse 23. Went up - The glory of the Lord removes now out of the city, over which it had stood some time, waiting for their repentance. The mountain - Mount Olivet. He removed thither, to be as it were within call, and ready to return, if now at length in this their day, they would have understood the things that made for their peace.