Asbury Bible Commentary – L. Death of Ezekiel’s Wife and Mourning of the Exile (24:15-27)
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L. Death of Ezekiel’s Wife and Mourning of the Exile (24:15-27)

L. Death of Ezekiel’s Wife and Mourning of the Exile (24:15-27)

This acted parable is an extreme example of the prophet’s personal involvement in God’s word of judgment and at the same time an ultimate illustration of the prophet’s commitment to God’s will. The main point is that Ezekiel was not to follow the traditional mourning custom of loud wailing and emotional display. This would provoke the people to ask what his actions meant for them. Then he could tell them that just as he had lost “the delight of [his] eyes” (v.16), so they would lose the delight of their eyes, the beautiful temple in Jerusalem (v.21). The result of that would be a grief so deep that they would not be able to weep, to show their sorrows. It would be too late, but then they really would know that God was the Lord, the Master of his world.

V.27 must be seen in connection with 33:22, where his voice is restored to him when the news of the fall of Jerusalem comes to him. Just what his dumbness or loss of speech really signifies is not clear. Perhaps it had to do with the horrible prospect of the judgment and wrath of God. On the other hand, perhaps the restoration of his voice may be related to the fact that in the last half of his book Ezekiel was able to speak great hope of restoration after the discipline of the Exile.