111 And the wind, lifting me up, took me to the east doorway of the Lord's house, looking to the east: and at the door I saw twenty-five men; and among them I saw Jaazaniah, the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah, the son of Benaiah, rulers of the people. 2 Then he said to me, Son of man, these are the men who are designing evil, who are teaching evil ways in this town: 3 Who say, This is not the time for building houses: this town is the cooking-pot and we are the flesh. 4 For this cause be a prophet against them, be a prophet, O son of man. 5 And the spirit of the Lord came on me, and he said to me, Say, These are the words of the Lord: This is what you have said, O children of Israel; what comes into your mind is clear to me. 6 You have made great the number of your dead in this town, you have made its streets full of dead men. 7 For this reason the Lord has said: Your dead whom you have put down in its streets, they are the flesh, and this town is the cooking-pot: but I will make you come out from inside it. 8 You have been fearing the sword, and I will send the sword on you, says the Lord. 9 I will make you come out from inside the town and will give you up into the hands of men from other lands, and will be judge among you. 10 You will come to your death by the sword; and I will be your judge in the land of Israel; and you will be certain that I am the Lord. 11 This town will not be your cooking-pot, and you will not be the flesh inside it; I will be your judge at the limit of the land of Israel; 12 And you will be certain that I am the Lord: for you have not been guided by my rules or given effect to my orders, but you have been living by the orders of the nations round about you. 13 Now while I was saying these things, death came to Pelatiah, the son of Benaiah. Then falling down on my face and crying out with a loud voice, I said, Ah, Lord! will you put an end to all the rest of Israel?
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ezekiel 11:1-13
Commentary on Ezekiel 11:1-13
(Read Ezekiel 11:1-13)
Where Satan cannot persuade men to look upon the judgment to come as uncertain, he gains his point by persuading them to look upon it as at a distance. These wretched rulers dare to say, 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, we shall receive no more damage from the besiegers than the caldron does from the fire. When sinners flatter themselves to their own ruin, it is time to tell them they shall have no peace if they go on. None shall remain in possession of the city but those who are buried in it. Those are least safe who are most secure. God is often pleased to single out some sinners for warning to others. Whether Pelatiah died at that time in Jerusalem, or when the fulfilment of the prophecy drew near, is uncertain. Like Ezekiel, we ought to be much affected with the sudden death of others, and we should still plead with the Lord to have mercy on those who remain.