221 God's Message came to me: 2 "Son of man, are you going to judge this bloody city or not? Come now, are you going to judge her? Do it! Face her with all her outrageous obscenities. 3 Tell her, 'This is what God, the Master, says: You're a city murderous at the core, just asking for punishment. You're a city obsessed with no-god idols, making yourself filthy. 4 In all your killing, you've piled up guilt. In all your idol-making, you've become filthy. You've forced a premature end to your existence. I'll put you on exhibit as the scarecrow of the nations, the world's worst joke. 5 From far and near they'll deride you as infamous in filth, notorious for chaos. 6 "'Your leaders, the princes of Israel among you, compete in crime. 7 You're a community that's insolent to parents, abusive to outsiders, oppressive against orphans and widows. 8 You treat my holy things with contempt and desecrate my Sabbaths. 9 You have people spreading lies and spilling blood, flocking to the hills to the sex shrines and fornicating unrestrained. 10 Incest is common. Men force themselves on women regardless of whether they're ready or willing. 11 Sex is now anarchy. Anyone is fair game: neighbor, daughter-in-law, sister. 12 Murder is for hire, usury is rampant, extortion is commonplace. "'And you've forgotten me. Decree of God, the Master. 13 "'Now look! I've clapped my hands, calling everyone's attention to your rapacious greed and your bloody brutalities. 14 Can you stick with it? Will you be able to keep at this once I start dealing with you? 15 I'll throw you to the four winds. I'll scatter you all over the world. I'll put a full stop to your filthy living. 16 You will be defiled, spattered with your own mud in the eyes of the nations. And you'll recognize that I am God.'"
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ezekiel 22:1-16
Commentary on Ezekiel 22:1-16
(Read Ezekiel 22:1-16)
The prophet is to judge the bloody city; the city of bloods. Jerusalem is so called, because of her crimes. The sins which Jerusalem stands charged with, are exceeding sinful. Murder, idolatry, disobedience to parents, oppression and extortion, profanation of the sabbath and holy things, seventh commandment sins, lewdness and adultery. Unmindfulness of God was at the bottom of all this wickedness. Sinners provoke God because they forget him. Jerusalem has filled the measure of her sins. Those who give up themselves to be ruled by their lusts, will justly be given up to be portioned by them. Those who resolve to be their own masters, let them expect no other happiness than their own hands can furnish; and a miserable portion it will prove.