Ezekiel 11:9

Translation
King James Version
And I will bring you out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you.
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KJV (with Strong's)
And I will bring you out H3318 of the midst H8432 thereof, and deliver H5414 you into the hands H3027 of strangers H2114, and will execute H6213 judgments H8201 among you.
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Complete Jewish Bible
"I will bring you out of it, hand you over to foreigners and execute judgments among you.
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Berean Standard Bible
I will bring you out of the city and deliver you into the hands of foreigners, and I will execute judgments against you.
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American Standard Version
And I will bring you forth out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you.
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World English Bible Messianic
I will bring you out of its midst, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
And I will bring you out of the middes thereof, and deliuer you into the hands of strangers, and will execute iudgements among you.
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Young's Literal Translation
And I have brought you out of its midst, And given you into the hand of strangers, And I have done among you judgments.
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See also
Ezekiel 5:8Psalms 106:41Deuteronomy 28:36Ezekiel 16:41Deuteronomy 28:49Deuteronomy 28:502 Kings 24:4
In the KJVVerse 20,665 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Ezekiel 11:9 delivers a severe divine pronouncement of judgment upon the unfaithful inhabitants of Jerusalem, declaring that God Himself will forcibly remove them from their perceived sanctuary and deliver them into the control of foreign adversaries. This verse shatters any illusion of security or immunity from divine wrath, emphatically revealing God's active and sovereign role in orchestrating the impending exile and executing His righteous decrees against a persistently rebellious people who had defiled His covenant and His holy city.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Ezekiel 11:9 is situated within a profound prophetic vision (chapters 8-11) where the prophet Ezekiel, though exiled in Babylon, is supernaturally transported by the Spirit to Jerusalem (Ezekiel 8:3). The immediate preceding verses in Ezekiel 11 expose the deep-seated corruption and idolatry of Jerusalem's leaders, particularly Pelatiah and Jaazaniah, who are condemned for their wicked counsel and arrogant defiance. These leaders famously boast that Jerusalem is an impenetrable "pot" protecting its inhabitants, the "flesh," from the "fire" of judgment (Ezekiel 11:3). Verse 9 directly refutes this false sense of security, declaring that God will not protect them within the city's walls but will instead "bring them out" to face the very judgment they thought themselves immune to, thereby turning their metaphor on its head: the "flesh" will be dragged out of the "pot" to be consumed. This verse marks a pivotal moment, transitioning from the indictment of leadership to the specific divine action against the populace.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: This prophecy unfolds during a critical and tumultuous period in Judah's history, specifically after the first Babylonian deportation of Judahites in 597 BC (which included Ezekiel) but prior to the final, devastating destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. The "strangers" unequivocally refer to the formidable Babylonian army under King Nebuchadnezzar, whom God sovereignly used as His instrument of judgment against Judah for its prolonged and egregious idolatry, pervasive social injustice, and flagrant covenant unfaithfulness. Jerusalem, as the capital and the sacred site of the Temple, held immense symbolic and theological importance; its walls and the presence of the Temple were often mistakenly seen by the people as an inviolable guarantee of divine protection. However, the people had profaned the Temple and utterly broken their covenant with Yahweh, leading to the gradual and sorrowful departure of God's glory from the Temple and the city, a poignant event depicted earlier in Ezekiel 10:18-19 and later in Ezekiel 11:22-23. The cultural understanding of divine judgment in the ancient Near East, and particularly in Israelite prophecy, frequently involved foreign invasion, conquest, and subsequent exile as the ultimate consequence for national sin.
  • Key Themes: Ezekiel 11:9 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes pervasive within the book of Ezekiel and the broader prophetic corpus. Firstly, it underscores the theme of Divine Sovereignty and Judgment, demonstrating that God is not a passive observer but an active, decisive agent in human history, meticulously orchestrating even the actions of pagan nations to fulfill His righteous and just purposes. Secondly, it highlights the severe Consequences of Covenant Unfaithfulness, illustrating that the impending judgment is a direct and unavoidable outcome of Judah's persistent rebellion against God's Law and the solemn stipulations of His covenant, as explicitly warned in foundational texts like Leviticus 26:33 and Deuteronomy 28:49-50. Thirdly, the verse reinforces the critical theme of False Security, dismantling the people's misguided and arrogant belief that their physical location within Jerusalem or their participation in religious rituals offered them an impenetrable shield from God's righteous wrath. It serves as a stark and enduring reminder that true security lies solely in faithful obedience, humble repentance, and a right relationship with God, not in geographical location or outward religious observance.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • bring you out (Hebrew, yâtsâʼ', H3318): A primitive root meaning "to go (causatively, bring) out." In this context, it signifies a forceful, divinely initiated expulsion rather than a voluntary departure. The active verb form emphasizes God's direct and deliberate agency in dislodging the people from their homeland and their false sense of security within Jerusalem. This word underscores the active, irresistible nature of God's judgment, demonstrating that no human defense or perceived sanctuary could withstand His decree.
  • strangers (Hebrew, zûwr', H2114): A primitive root meaning "to turn aside (especially for lodging); hence to be a foreigner, strange, profane." Here, it specifically refers to foreign, non-Israelite entities, unequivocally identifying the Babylonian invaders. The use of "strangers" highlights the alien, hostile, and non-covenantal nature of the instruments of God's judgment, emphasizing the profound humiliation, terror, and spiritual defilement of being delivered into the hands of those outside the covenant community, a direct consequence of Israel's own spiritual "strangeness" through idolatry.
  • judgments (Hebrew, shepheṭ', H8201): Meaning "a sentence, i.e., infliction; judgment." This word denotes the carrying out of legal and divine decrees. It signifies that God's actions are not arbitrary acts of vengeance or capricious outbursts, but are just, deserved consequences for the people's transgressions, rooted in His holy character, covenant fidelity, and unwavering righteousness. It implies a formal legal process where the verdict has been rendered against their sin, and now the predetermined sentence is being executed with divine authority and precision.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And I will bring you out of the midst thereof": This opening clause powerfully asserts God's direct, personal, and active role in the impending exile. The phrase "midst thereof" refers specifically to Jerusalem, the city whose inhabitants arrogantly believed would serve as an impenetrable sanctuary from divine wrath. God explicitly declares that He, not merely the invading Babylonians, will be the one to extract them from their supposed place of safety, thereby shattering their false confidence in the city's impregnability and their own self-deception. This is a divine eviction notice.
  • "and deliver you into the hands of strangers": This segment identifies the specific instruments through which God's judgment would be executed: foreign invaders, undeniably the Babylonians. The phrase "hands of strangers" signifies not merely physical control or capture, but encompasses the full extent of the power, authority, and destructive capability that these foreign, pagan entities would wield over the exiles. It underscores the profound humiliation, vulnerability, and utter subjugation of being subjected to a non-covenantal power, a direct and bitter consequence of Judah's abandonment of their covenant God.
  • "and will execute judgments among you": This final clause clarifies the precise nature and ultimate purpose of their forced removal and subjugation. It is not simply an act of war or a random calamity, but a divinely ordained execution of justice. The "judgments" are the just and deserved punishments for their rampant idolatry, persistent rebellion, and pervasive moral corruption. God's intention is not merely to inflict suffering but to demonstrate His absolute righteousness, unwavering holiness, and ultimate sovereignty through the just administration of consequences for sin, thereby vindicating His character before all nations.

Literary Devices

Ezekiel 11:9 employs several potent literary devices to convey its stark and unyielding message of divine judgment. The most prominent is Divine Agency, powerfully conveyed through the repeated use of the first-person singular pronoun and active verbs: "I will bring," "I will deliver," "I will execute." This emphatic repetition underscores God's absolute sovereignty and direct, personal involvement in orchestrating the catastrophic events, contrasting sharply with the people's misguided belief that their fate was in their own hands or solely dependent on Jerusalem's physical defenses. There is also a strong element of Dramatic Irony, as the people's arrogant boast of Jerusalem being a protective "pot" (Ezekiel 11:3) is directly and devastatingly contradicted by God's promise to "bring them out of the midst thereof" for judgment, effectively turning their own metaphor against them. The phrase "hands of strangers" utilizes Metonymy, where "hands" serves as a powerful substitute representing the full power, authority, and control of the foreign invaders. Finally, the verse exhibits a clear form of Parallelism in its tripartite structure, with each clause building upon the previous one to emphasize the comprehensive, inescapable, and divinely orchestrated nature of the impending judgment.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ezekiel 11:9 profoundly articulates the unwavering principle of divine justice, demonstrating with terrifying clarity that God is not mocked and will indeed hold His people, even His chosen people, fully accountable for their covenant unfaithfulness. It reveals a God who actively and sovereignly intervenes in human history, using even pagan nations as instruments of His righteous wrath to purge sin and uphold His holy character. This judgment, while undeniably severe and devastating in its immediate historical context, is ultimately redemptive in its larger theological trajectory, aiming to purify a repentant remnant and lead them to a renewed relationship with Him, as foreshadowed by the promise of a new heart and spirit later in the chapter (Ezekiel 11:19-20). The verse serves as a stark and enduring reminder that spiritual privilege (being God's chosen people) does not equate to impunity, and that persistent rebellion against divine truth and righteousness invariably incurs severe and unavoidable consequences.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Ezekiel 11:9 stands as a timeless and profoundly sobering reminder of God's absolute holiness, His unwavering commitment to justice, and His active sovereignty over all of creation and human history. For believers today, it serves as a powerful caution against spiritual complacency, self-deception, and the false assumption that our spiritual heritage, religious affiliation, or even our physical location grants us immunity from the consequences of persistent sin. While we live under the glorious new covenant of grace through Jesus Christ, the immutable nature of God as a righteous and holy judge remains unchanged. This verse calls us to a posture of profound humility, constant self-examination, and sincere, ongoing repentance, recognizing that persistent rebellion against God's revealed will, even in subtle forms, carries real and significant spiritual consequences. It also reinforces the comforting and empowering truth of God's ultimate sovereignty over all circumstances, assuring us that even in the midst of chaos, suffering, or perceived judgment, He is meticulously working out His perfect purposes, often using unexpected means to bring about His justice, purification, and ultimate glory. We are called to trust His sovereign hand, even when it brings discipline or difficult circumstances, knowing that His ultimate aim is always our good and His honor.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what areas of my life might I be relying on a false sense of security (e.g., my church attendance, my past good deeds, or my social standing), rather than truly trusting in God's active sovereignty and holiness?
  • How does this verse challenge my understanding of God's character, particularly His justice and judgment, in relation to His boundless love and mercy?
  • What specific "judgments" (consequences) have I experienced or observed in my own life or in the broader world that reflect God's righteous dealings with sin and rebellion?
  • How can the recognition of God's absolute sovereignty, even in the face of difficult or painful circumstances, strengthen my faith and lead me to deeper repentance, greater obedience, and more profound reliance on Him?

FAQ

Who are the "strangers" mentioned in Ezekiel 11:9, and why were they used by God?

Answer: The "strangers" unequivocally refer to the formidable Babylonian army, led by King Nebuchadnezzar. God used them as instruments of His divine judgment against the kingdom of Judah and the city of Jerusalem. This was not because God approved of Babylon's wickedness or injustice, but because Judah had persistently broken their covenant with Him through rampant idolatry, pervasive social injustice, and profound spiritual rebellion, despite repeated and urgent warnings from prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel. God, in His absolute and inscrutable sovereignty, can use any nation or force, even those unaware of His ultimate purposes, to execute His righteous decrees and bring about His divine will, as seen in other prophecies against nations, such as Isaiah 10:5-7.

What kind of "judgments" is God executing among the people in this verse?

Answer: The "judgments" (Hebrew: shepheṭ) refer to the severe consequences and divine punishments that God would inflict upon the people of Jerusalem for their manifold sins. These judgments primarily included the devastating siege, the eventual capture and utter destruction of Jerusalem, the desecration and demolition of the sacred Temple, and the forced exile of its surviving inhabitants to Babylon. These were not arbitrary acts of vengeance but were the just and deserved legal sentences for their prolonged and flagrant disobedience to God's covenant Law, as meticulously outlined in foundational passages like Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. The execution of these judgments powerfully demonstrated God's holiness, His unwavering commitment to upholding His righteous standards, and the inviolable nature of His covenant.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

While Ezekiel 11:9 speaks of a specific historical judgment upon ancient Israel, it finds profound and multifaceted Christ-centered fulfillment. Firstly, it foreshadows the ultimate judgment that humanity's sin demands, a judgment that was fully and perfectly borne by Jesus Christ on the cross. Humanity, like rebellious Israel, was spiritually "out of the midst" of God's favor and truth, having been "delivered into the hands of strangers"—the tyrannical powers of sin, death, and the devil. Yet, Christ, the true Lamb of God (John 1:29), willingly submitted to the "judgments" of God on our behalf, becoming sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21) so that we might be brought into a new covenant of grace and reconciliation. Secondly, just as God "brought out" Israel for judgment, so too did He "bring out" His Son to suffer outside the city gate, bearing our reproach and condemnation (Hebrews 13:12). This ultimate act of divine judgment against sin, executed upon Christ, paradoxically became the very means of our glorious deliverance from the hands of spiritual "strangers"—the dominion of darkness and the power of Satan (Colossians 1:13). Thus, Ezekiel 11:9, while a prophecy of historical doom for unfaithful Israel, ultimately points to the greater, redemptive judgment fulfilled in Christ, where divine justice and infinite mercy perfectly converge to offer salvation and new life to all who believe in Him (Romans 3:25-26).

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Commentary on Ezekiel 11 verses 1–13

We have here,

I. The great security of the prince's of Jerusalem, notwithstanding the judgements of God that were upon them, The prophet was brought, in vision, to the gate of the temple where these princes sat in council upon the present arduous affairs of the city: The Spirit lifted me up, and brought me to the east gate of the Lord's house, and behold twenty-five men were there. See how obsequious the prophet was to the Spirit's orders and how observant of all the discoveries that were made to him. It should seem, these twenty-five men were not the same with those twenty-five whom we saw at the door of the temple, worshipping towards the east (Eze 8:16); those seen to have been priests or Levites, for they were between the porch and the altar, but these were princes sitting in the gate of the Lord's house, to try causes (Jer 26:10), and they are here charged, not with corruptions in worship, but with mal-administration in the government; two of them are named, because they were the most active leading men, and perhaps because the prophet knew them, though he had been some years absent - Pelatiah and Jaazaniah, not that mentioned Eze 8:11, for he was the son of Shaphan, this is the son of Azur. Some tell us that Jerusalem was divided into twenty-four wards, and that these were the governors or aldermen of those wards, with their mayor or president. Now observe, 1. The general character which God gives of these men to the prophet (Eze 11:2): "These are the men that devise mischief; under pretence of concerting measures for the public safety they harden people in their sins, and take off their fear of God's judgements which they are threatened with by the prophets; they gave wicked counsel in this city, counselling them to restrain and silence the prophets, to rebel against the king of Babylon, and to resolve upon holding the city out to the last extremity." Note, It is bad with a people when the things that belong to their peace are hidden from the eyes of those who are entrusted with their counsels. And, when mischief is done, God knows at whose door to lay it, and, in the day of discovery and recompence, will be sure to lay it at the right door, and will say, These are the men that devised it, though they are great men, and pass for wise men, and must not now be contradicted or controlled. 2. The particular charge exhibited against them in proof of this character. They are indicted for words spoken at their council-board, which he that stands in the congregation of the mighty would take cognizance of (Eze 11:3); they said to this effect, "It is not near; the destruction of our city, that has been so often threatened by the prophets, is not near, not so near as they talk of." They are conscious to themselves of such an enmity to reformation that they cannot but conclude it will come at last; but they have such an opinion of God's patience (though they have long abused it) that they are willing to hope it will not come this great while. Note, Where Satan cannot persuade men to look upon the judgement to come as a thing doubtful and uncertain, yet he gains his point by persuading them to look upon it as a thing at a distance, so that it loses its force: if it be sure, yet it is not near; whereas, in truth, the Judge stands before the door. Now, if the destruction is not near, they conclude, Let us build houses; let us count upon a continuance, for this city is the caldron and we are the flesh. This seems to be a proverbial expression, signifying no more than this, "We are as safe in this city as flesh in a boiling pot; the walls of the city shall be to us as walls of brass, and shall receive no more damage from the besiegers about it than the cauldron does from the fire under it. Those that think to force us out of our city into captivity shall find it to be as much at their peril as it would be to take the flesh out of a boiling pot with their hands." This appears to be the meaning of it, by the answer God gives to it (Eze 11:9): "I will bring you out of the midst of the city, where you think yourselves safe, and then it will appear (Eze 11:11) that this is not your caldron, neither are you the flesh." Perhaps it has a particular reference to the flesh of the peace-offerings, which it was so great an offence for the priests themselves to take out of the caldron while it was in seething (as we find Sa1 2:13, Sa1 2:14), and then it intimates that they were the more secure because Jerusalem was the holy city, and they thought themselves a holy people in it, not to be meddled with. Some think this was a banter upon Jeremiah, who in one of his first visions saw Jerusalem represented by a seething pot, Jer 1:13. "Now," say they, in a way of jest and ridicule, "if it be a seething pot, we are as the flesh in it, and who dares meddle with us?" Thus they continued mocking the messengers of the Lord, even while they suffered for so doing; but be you not mockers, lest your bands be made strong. Those hearts are indeed which are made more secure by those words of God which were designed for warning to them.

II. The method taken to awaken them out of their security. One would think that the providences of God which related to them were enough to startle them; but, to help them to understand and improve those, the word of God is sent to them to give them warning (Eze 11:4): Therefore prophesy against them, and try to undeceive them; prophesy, O son of man! upon these dead and dry bones. Note, The greatest kindness ministers can do to secure sinners is to preach against them, and to show them their misery and danger, though they are ever so unwilling to see them. We then act most for them when we appear most against them. But the prophet, being at a loss what to say to men that were hardened in sin, and that bade defiance to the judgments of God, the Spirit of the Lord fell upon him, to make him full of power and courage, and said unto him, Speak. Note, When sinners are flattering themselves into their own ruin it is time to speak, and to tell them that they shall have no peace if they go on. Ministers are sometimes so bashful and timorous, and so much at a loss, that they must be put on to speak, and to speak boldly. But he that commands the prophet to speak gives him instructions what to say; and he must address himself to them as the house of Israel (Eze 11:5), for not the princes only, but all the people, were concerned to know the truth of their cause, to know the worst of it. They are the house of Israel, and therefore the God of Israel is concerned, in kindness to them, to give them warning; and they are concerned in duty to him to take the warning. And what is it that the must say to them in God's name? 1. Let them know that the God of heaven takes notice of the vain confidences with which they support themselves (Eze 11:5): "I know the things which come into your minds every one of them, what secret reasons you have for these resolutions, and what you aim at in putting so good a face upon a matter you know to be bad." Note, God perfectly knows not only the things that come out of our mouths, but the things that come into our minds, not only all we say, but all we think; even those thoughts that are most suddenly darted into our minds, and that as suddenly slip out of them again, so that we ourselves are scarcely aware of them, yet God knows them. He knows us better than we know ourselves; he understands our thoughts afar off. The consideration of this should oblige us to keep our hearts with all diligence, that no vain thoughts come into them or lodge within them. 2. Let them know that those who advised the people to stand it out should be accounted before God the murderers of all who had fallen, or should yet fall, in Jerusalem, by the sword of the Chaldeans; and those slain were the only ones that should remain in the city, as the flesh in the caldron. "You have multiplied your slain in the city, not only those whom you have by the sword of justice unjustly put to death under colour of law, but those whom you have by your wilfulness and pride unwisely exposed to the sword of war, though you were told by the prophets that you should certainly go by the worst. Thus you, with your stubborn humour, have filled the streets of Jerusalem with the slain," Eze 11:6. Note, Those who are either unrighteous or imprudent in beginning or carrying on a war bring upon themselves a great deal of the guilt of blood; and those who are slain in the battles or sieges which they, by such a reasonable peace as the war aimed at, might have prevented, will be called their slain. Now these slain are the only flesh that shall be left in this caldron, Eze 11:7. There shall none remain to keep possession of the city but those that are buried in it. There shall be no inhabitants of Jerusalem but the inhabitants of the graves there, no freemen of the city but the free among the dead. 3. Let them know that, how impregnable soever they thought their city to be, they should be forced out of it, either driven to flight or dragged into captivity: I will bring you forth out of the midst of it, whether you will or no, Eze 11:7, Eze 11:9. They had provoked God to forsake the city, and thought they should do well enough by their own policy and strength when he was gone; but God will make them know that there is no peace to those that have left their God. If they have by their sins driven God from his house, he will soon by his judgments drive them from theirs; and it will be found that those are least safe that are most secure: "This city shall not be your caldron, neither shall you be the flesh; you shall not soak away in it as you promise yourselves, and die in your nest; you think yourself safe in the midst thereof, but you shall not be long there." 4. Let them know that when God has got them out of the midst of Jerusalem he will pursue them with his judgments wherever he finds them, the judgments which they thought to shelter themselves from by keeping close in Jerusalem. They feared the sword if they should go out to the Chaldeans, and therefore would abide in their caldron, but, says God, I will bring a sword upon you (Eze 11:8) and you shall fall by the sword, Eze 11:10. Note, The fear of the wicked shall come upon him. And there is no fence against the judgments of God when they come with commission, no, not in walls of brass. They were afraid of trusting to the mercy of strangers. "But," says God, "I will deliver you into the hands of strangers, whose resentments you shall feel, since you were not willing to lie at their mercy." See Jer 38:17, Jer 38:18. They thought to escape the judgments of God, but God says that he will execute judgments upon them; and whereas they resolved, if they must be judged, that it should be in Jerusalem, God tells them (Eze 11:10 and again Eze 11:11) that he will judge them in the borders of Israel, which was fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar slew all the nobles of Judah at Riblah in the land of Hamath, on the utmost border of the land of Canaan. Note, Those who have taken ever so deep root in the place where they live cannot be sure that in that place they shall die. 5. Let them know that all this is the due punishment of their sin, and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God against them: You shall know that I am the Lord, Eze 11:10 and again Eze 11:12. Those shall be made to know by the sword of the Lord who would not be taught by his word what a hatred he has to sin, and what a fearful thing it is for impenitent sinners to fall into his hands. I will execute judgments, and then you shall know that I am the Lord, for the Lord is known by the judgments which he executes upon those that have not walked in his statutes. Hereby it is known that he made the law, because he punishes the breach of it. I will execute judgments among you (says God) because you have not executed my judgments, Eze 11:12. Note, The executing of the judgments of God's mouth by us, in a uniform steady course of obedience to his law, is the only way to prevent the executing of the judgments of his hand upon us in our ruin and confusion. One way or other. God's judgments will be executed; the law will take place either in its precept or in its penalty. If we do not give honour to God by executing his judgments as he has commanded, he will get him honour upon us by executing his judgments as he has threatened; and thus we shall know that he is the Lord, the sovereign Lord of all, that will not be mocked. And observe, When they cast off God's statutes, and walked not in them, they did after the manners of the heathen that were round about them, and introduced into their worship all their impure, ridiculous, and barbarous usages. When men leave the settled rule of divine institutions, they wander endlessly. Justly therefore was this made the reason why they should keep God's ordinances, that they might not commit the abominable customs of the heathen, Lev 18:30.

III. This awakening word is here immediately followed by an awakening providence, Eze 11:13. Here we may observe, 1. With what power Ezekiel prophesied, or, rather, what a divine power went along with it: It came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died; he was mentioned (Eze 11:1) as a principal man among the twenty-five princes that made all the mischief in Jerusalem. It should seem, this was done in vision now, as the slaying of the ancient men (Eze 9:6) upon occasion of which Ezekiel prayed (Eze 11:8) as he did here; but it was an assurance that when this prophecy should be published it should be done in fact. The death of Pelatiah was an earnest of the complete accomplishment of this prophecy. Note, God is pleased often-times to single out some sinners, and to make them monuments of his justice, for warning to others of what is coming; and some that thought themselves very safe and snatched away suddenly, and drop down dead in an instant, as Ananias and Sapphira at Peter's feet when he prophesied. 2. With what pity Ezekiel prayed. Thought the sudden death of Pelatiah was a confirmation of Ezekiel's prophecy, and really an honour to him, yet he was in deep concern about it, and laid it to heart as if he had been his relation or friend: He fell on his face and cried with a loud voice, as one in earnest, "Ah! Lord God, wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel? Many are swept away by the judgments we have been under; and shall the remnant which have escaped the sword die thus by the immediate hand of heaven? Then thou wilt indeed make a full end." Perhaps it was Ezekiel's infirmity to bewail the death of this wicked prince thus, as it was Samuel's to mourn so long for Saul; but thus he showed how far he was from desiring the woeful day he foretold. David lamented the sickness of those that hated and persecuted him. And we ought to be much affected with the sudden death of others, yea, though they are wicked.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–13. Public domain.
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Commentary on Ezekiel
(Verse 2 onwards) And behold, at the entrance of the gate were twenty-five men, and in their midst I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, the princes of the people. And he said to me, Son of man, these men devise iniquity and give wicked counsel in this city, saying, 'The houses have been recently built. This is the pot, but we are the meat.' Therefore, prophesy against them, prophesy, son of man. And the spirit of the Lord rushed upon me, and he said to me, speak: Thus says the Lord: So you have spoken, O house of Israel, and I know the thoughts of your heart. You have killed many in this city, and you have filled its streets with the slain. Therefore thus says the Lord God: Your slain whom you have laid in the midst of it, they are the meat, and this city is the pot, but you shall be brought out of the midst of it. You have feared the sword, and I will bring the sword upon you, declares the Lord God. And I will bring you out of the midst of it, and give you into the hands of foreigners, and execute judgments upon you. I will judge you with the sword of the Chaldeans; you shall know that I am the Lord. This will not be a pot for you, and you shall not be in the midst of it as flesh. I will judge you at the borders of Israel, and you shall know that I am the Lord. The following is not found in the Septuagint, but is added from the Hebrew: Because you have not walked in my commandments and have not kept my judgments, but have acted according to the judgments of the nations that surround you. The prophet is assumed according to what is written: The Lord raises the meek (Ps. 146:6); whether he is lifted up from the earth and brought into the eastern gate of the Lord's house, so that he may know the oaths of the twenty-five men who were at the entrance of the gate, and the sons of Jezaniah the son of Azur, and Paltheiah the son of Benaiah, the princes of the people. Therefore, those who were at the entrance of the eastern gate of the Lord's house, despairing of salvation and prepared for destruction by the consciousness of their crimes, and not desiring to correct their sins through repentance, say: Although recently houses have been rebuilt that had fallen, yet we know that this city is like a pot, and we are like the flesh in it, to be consumed and burned, according to what is written in Isaiah: If a tempest passes by, it will not harm us (Isa. 28:15). While they were saying these things, the spirit of the Lord rushed upon the prophet; and for a second time he commanded him to prophesy and say: Because you have spoken these things and the secrets of your hearts are not hidden from me, I will interpret for you how the city will be transformed into a cauldron, and you yourselves will be considered as meat: not according to the sense in which you spoke, but according to another sense which you do not fear. Indeed, the city is like a cauldron, but it will not be filled with your flesh; rather with the flesh of those whom you have killed. But you, who consider yourselves to be dying in this city, I will bring out from the midst of the city and deliver into the hands of the enemy. I will execute judgments against you. And when you have fallen by the sword, you shall not be in the city, nor outside the boundaries of Israel, but rather in the borders of your own province, then you will know that I am the Lord. And it is furthermore said: In the borders of Israel I will judge you, and you will know that I am the Lord. But you will endure all these things because you have not walked in my commandments, and you have not observed my judgments, but have committed the abominations of the surrounding nations. And when it is clear according to the literal sense of what is said, omitting for a moment the names of Jezoniah, Azur, Phaltiah, and Benaiah, which we reserve for another time, it must be said that even to this day in the Church, which is the house of the Lord, and before the gate, and at the entrance, or at the way of the gate, which signifies the Savior, through whom we enter to the Father, there are twenty-five men who represent everything concerning the senses. And as far as my memory serves me, I have never been able to find this number in a positive sense; although in Leviticus twenty-five years are chosen for the priestly ministry; for in Hebrew it does not have this number, which is said in the Seventy, but thirty, which is contained in the beginning of this prophet and the age of the Lord, when He came to the banks of the Jordan and was baptized by John (Luke 3). But in the Gospel there are found five wise virgins and five foolish ones (Matthew 25), let us know that this number is placed in the middle and can be applied to either the good or the bad, depending on the users. Therefore, these men, who refer everything to the senses and have two principles, as we mentioned above, are contained in the dual number, which divides unity, and in the number of the second day, does not seem to be from the Lord, according to the Hebrew truth. And in Noah's Ark, two by two unclean animals are brought in (Genesis 6). But the Lord, restricting division into one, made both one, and broke down the middle wall, condemning enmities in His flesh (Ephesians 2). Therefore, He speaks more augustly and sublimely: I and the Father are one (John 10:30), so that He may bring us from the Judaic duality into the unity of the Christian faith. Finally, with the priesthood of the Jews being lost, the Lord suffered not under one ruler, but under two, Annas and Caiaphas, to show the dividedness of their religion (False). There are many at the entrance of this gate in front of the house of the Lord of the East, who are compared to their own nations in vices, and in the conscience of sins despair of salvation, and say: The city in which we live is a cauldron, and we are all flesh, and we will be consumed by the burning Babylon, whose fiery arrows are: unwilling to repent and despairing of salvation; therefore they hear that they themselves are not the flesh of the past and lost city, but those whom they have scandalized and killed. And so the sword is drawn against them, so that after they have been judged not among the nations, but among Christians in the land of Israel, they may then know that He Himself is the Lord, according to what is read in the Psalms: When He killed them, they sought Him (Psalm 77:34), so that by the torments they may come to know Him whom they did not recognize through His blessings.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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