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Selected Verse: Ezekiel 11:3 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Eze 11:3	Strong Concordance	Which say [0559], It is not near [07138]; let us build [01129] houses [01004]: this city is the caldron [05518], and we be the flesh [01320].
	King James	Which say, It is not near; let us build houses: this city is the caldron, and we be the flesh.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
It is not near--namely, the destruction of the city; therefore "let us build houses," as if there was no fear. But the Hebrew opposes English Version, which would require the infinitive absolute. Rather, "Not at hand is the building of houses." They sneer at Jeremiah's letter to the captives, among whom Ezekiel lived (Jer 29:5). "Build ye houses, and dwell in them," that is, do not fancy, as many persuade you, that your sojourn in Babylon is to be short; it will be for seventy years (Jer 25:11-12; Jer 29:10); therefore build houses and settle quietly there. The scorners in Jerusalem reply, Those far off in exile may build if they please, but it is too remote a concern for us to trouble ourselves about [FAIRBAIRN], (Compare Eze 12:22, Eze 12:27; Pe2 3:4). this city . . . caldron . . . we . . . flesh--sneering at Jer 1:13, when he compared the city to a caldron with its mouth towards the north. "Let Jerusalem be so if you will, and we the flesh, exposed to the raging foe from the north, still its fortifications will secure us from the flame of war outside; the city must stand for our sakes, just as the pot exists for the safety of the flesh in it." In opposition to this God says (Eze 11:11), "This city shall not be your caldron, to defend you in it from the foe outside: nay, ye shall be driven out of your imaginary sanctuary and slain in the border of the land. "But," says God, in Eze 11:7, "your slain are the flesh, and this city the caldron; but (not as you fancy, shall ye be kept safe inside) I will bring you forth out of the midst of it"; and again, in Eze 24:3, "Though not a caldron in your sense, Jerusalem shall be so in the sense of its being exposed to a consuming foe, and you yourselves in it and with it."

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

It is not near--namely, the destruction of the city; therefore "let us build houses," as if there was no fear. But the Hebrew opposes English Version, which would require the infinitive absolute. Rather, "Not at hand is the building of houses." They sneer at Jeremiah's letter to the captives, among whom Ezekiel lived (Jer 29:5). "Build ye houses, and dwell in them," that is, do not fancy, as many persuade you, that your sojourn in Babylon is to be short; it will be for seventy years (Jer 25:11-12; Jer 29:10); therefore build houses and settle quietly there. The scorners in Jerusalem reply, Those far off in exile may build if they please, but it is too remote a concern for us to trouble ourselves about [FAIRBAIRN], (Compare Eze 12:22, Eze 12:27; Pe2 3:4).

this city . . . caldron . . . we . . . flesh--sneering at Jer 1:13, when he compared the city to a caldron with its mouth towards the north. "Let Jerusalem be so if you will, and we the flesh, exposed to the raging foe from the north, still its fortifications will secure us from the flame of war outside; the city must stand for our sakes, just as the pot exists for the safety of the flesh in it." In opposition to this God says (Eze 11:11), "This city shall not be your caldron, to defend you in it from the foe outside: nay, ye shall be driven out of your imaginary sanctuary and slain in the border of the land. "But," says God, in Eze 11:7, "your slain are the flesh, and this city the caldron; but (not as you fancy, shall ye be kept safe inside) I will bring you forth out of the midst of it"; and again, in Eze 24:3, "Though not a caldron in your sense, Jerusalem shall be so in the sense of its being exposed to a consuming foe, and you yourselves in it and with it."

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
It is not near - In contradiction to Eze 7:2. Let us build houses - "To build houses" implies a sense of security. Jeremiah bade the exiles "build houses" in a foreign land because they would not soon quit it Jer 29:5; Jer 35:7. These false counselors promised to their countrymen a sure and permanent abode in the city which God had doomed to destruction. No need, they said, to go far for safety; you are perfectly safe at home. The Hebrew, however, is, difficult: literally it means, "It is not near to build houses," which may be explained as spoken in mockery of such counsel as that of Jeremiah: matters have not gone so far as to necessitate "house-building" in a foreign land. The same idea is expressed by the image of the "caldron:" whatever devastation may rage around the city, we are safe within its walls, as flesh within a caldron is unburned by the surrounding fire (compare Eze 24:6).

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
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 1:13.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
It is not near - That is, the threatened invasion. This city is the caldron, and we be the flesh - See the vision of the seething pot, Jer 1:13. These infidels seem to say: "We will run all risks, we will abide in the city. Though it be the caldron, and we the flesh, yet we will share its fate: if it perish, we will perish with it." Or they may allude to the above prediction of Jeremiah, in order to ridicule it: "We were to have been boiled long ago: but the fulfillment of that prediction is not near yet."

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³ And utter [04911] a parable [04912] unto the rebellious [04805] house [01004], and say [0559] unto them, Thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069]; Set on [08239] a pot [05518], set it on [08239], and also pour [03332] water [04325] into it:

⁷ Therefore thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069]; Your slain [02491] whom ye have laid [07760] in the midst [08432] of it, they are the flesh [01320], and this city is the caldron [05518]: but I will bring you forth [03318] out of the midst [08432] of it.

¹¹ This city shall not be your caldron [05518], neither shall ye be the flesh [01320] in the midst [08432] thereof; but I will judge [08199] you in the border [01366] of Israel [03478]:

¹³ And the word [01697] of the LORD [03068] came unto me the second time [08145], saying [0559], What seest [07200] thou? And I said [0559], I see [07200] a seething [05301] pot [05518]; and the face [06440] thereof is toward [06440] the north [06828].

⁴ And [2532] saying [3004], Where [4226] is [2076] the promise [1860] of his [846] coming [3952]? for [1063] since [575] [3739] the fathers [3962] fell asleep [2837], all things [3956] continue [3779] [1265] as they were from [575] the beginning [746] of the creation [2937].

²⁷ Son [01121] of man [0120], behold, they of the house [01004] of Israel [03478] say [0559], The vision [02377] that he seeth [02372] is for many [07227] days [03117] to come, and he prophesieth [05012] of the times [06256] that are far [07350] off.

²² Son [01121] of man [0120], what is that proverb [04912] that ye have in the land [0127] of Israel [03478], saying [0559], The days [03117] are prolonged [0748], and every vision [02377] faileth [06]?

¹⁰ For thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068], That after [06310] seventy [07657] years [08141] be accomplished [04390] at Babylon [0894] I will visit [06485] you, and perform [06965] my good [02896] word [01697] toward you, in causing you to return [07725] to this place [04725].

¹¹ And this whole land [0776] shall be a desolation [02723], and an astonishment [08047]; and these nations [01471] shall serve [05647] the king [04428] of Babylon [0894] seventy [07657] years [08141].
¹² And it shall come to pass, when seventy [07657] years [08141] are accomplished [04390], that I will punish [06485] the king [04428] of Babylon [0894], and that nation [01471], saith [05002] the LORD [03068], for their iniquity [05771], and the land [0776] of the Chaldeans [03778], and will make [07760] it perpetual [05769] desolations [08077].

⁵ Build [01129] ye houses [01004], and dwell [03427] in them; and plant [05193] gardens [01593], and eat [0398] the fruit [06529] of them;

⁶ Wherefore thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069]; Woe [0188] to the bloody [01818] city [05892], to the pot [05518] whose scum [02457] is therein, and whose scum [02457] is not gone out [03318] of it! bring it out [03318] piece [05409] by piece [05409]; let no lot [01486] fall [05307] upon it.

⁷ Neither shall ye build [01129] house [01004], nor sow [02232] seed [02233], nor plant [05193] vineyard [03754], nor have any: but all your days [03117] ye shall dwell [03427] in tents [0168]; that ye may live [02421] many [07227] days [03117] in [06440] the land [0127] where ye be strangers [01481].

⁵ Build [01129] ye houses [01004], and dwell [03427] in them; and plant [05193] gardens [01593], and eat [0398] the fruit [06529] of them;

² Also, thou son [01121] of man [0120], thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069] unto the land [0127] of Israel [03478]; An end [07093], the end [07093] is come [0935] upon the four [0702] corners [03671] of the land [0776].