CHAPTER XVIII

PUNISHMENT AND MERCY IN THE BOOK OF

The threat of punishment is undoubtedly the dominant theme of the . And this is especially true of the first 24 chapters. In most cases the causal link between guilt and punishment is highlighted, although in some instances wrongdoing must be inferred. Because of 's past and present sins punishment is seen by the as imminent and inevitable; yet he is aware that the history of Israel is marked by God's patience and forbear- ance, and makes it clear that the restoration of Israel must be regarded ex- clusively as an unmerited act of divine grace. 1 The book of Ezekiel contains an exceptionally large number of oracles, which are from the structural and thematic points of view homogeneous. Hence the themes of guilt, punishment, repentance, and forgiveness are of- ten presented not in short sayings, but in complex literary structures that call for a holistic interpretation.2 It is not necessary, however, to deal with all units which are concerned with the predominant theme of punishment, for most threats and announcements of punishment are similar from a thematic point of view, or do not reflect greater theological issues. 3 Detailed study will therefore be limited to the more remarkable and original oracles. 4

1 It may be noted that the concept of mercy (rl.zm) is found only once (39:25) in the book of Ezekiel. The notion of forgiveness in a positive sense occurs in 16:63 and 20:17 (cf. also 20:9, 14,22,44; 36:22). Elsewhere it is denied. In 7:4, 9 is found God's statement, made in al- most identical terms in the two places: "And my eye will not spare you, nor will 1 have pity (wela '-taMs 'enl 'alaYlk wela' 'el.zmol); but 1 will punish you for your ways, while your abomi- nations are in your midst. Then you will know that 1 am the Lord" (cf. 9:5, 10). In 24: 14 we find: "I the Lord have spoken; it shall come to pass, 1 will do it; 1 will not go back, 1 will not spare, 1 will not repent (10 '- 'epra' wela '- 'al.zus we/a' 'ennal.zem); according to your ways and your doings 1 will judge you, says the Lord God." Ezekiel has his own way of propounding the paradox of God's future mercy. 2 This method is used most convincingly by M. Greenberg in his commentary Ezekiel, 1- 20 (AB 22; Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1983); idem, Ezekiel, 21-37 (AB 22; Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1997). For justification, see esp. pp. 18-27: "The Method of TIlls Commen- tary: Holistic Interpretation"; idem, "The Vision of in -11: A Holistic in- terpretation," The Divine Helmsman: Studies on God's Control of Humall Events, Presented to Lou H. Silberman (ed. 1. L. Crenshaw and S. Sandmel; New York: Ktav, 1980), 146-164. In general, commentaries take too little account of the structure of particular passages and the mutual relations of sections within the whole. 3 See 4:1-5:17; 6:1-14; 7:1-27; 8:1-11:25; 12:1-20; 13:1-23; 14:1-11, 12-23; 15:1-8; 19:1-14; 21:1-22, 23-37; 22:1-16,17-22,23-31; 24:1-14,15-27; 25:1-17; 26:1-21; 27:1-36; 28:1-19,20--24; 29:1-16,17-21; 30:1-19, 20--26; 35:1-15; 39:21-24; 44:10--14. 4 For the whole of the book of Ezekiel, see especially following commentaries and cog- nate studies: G. A. Cook, A Critical alld Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Ezekiel (ICC; Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1936, 1970); G. Fohrer and K. Galling, Ezechiel (HAT 13; Tiibin- gen: 1. C. B. Mohr [Po Siebeck], 1955); H. G. May and E. L. Allen, The Book of Ezekiel (IntB 6; 464 CHAPTER XVIII

l. The Office ofa Watchman (3:16-21; 33:1-9)

These two passages are very similar, and in places even identical in both theme and style. Most commentators consider 33: 1-9 to be the original from which the other was derived, although the specific use of themes common to both passages argues against any direct dependence.5

l.l :16-21 The passage begins with an account of God's charge to the prophet: "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me" (v. 17). The rest of the passage clearly falls into two antithetically structured parts: vv. 18-19 and 20-2l. Each part is a casuistic statement of the prophet's capital responsibility to warn first the wicked and secondly the righteous against doing wrong. The first antithesis runs as follows: If I say to the wicked, "You shall surely die," and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you will have saved your life. The second antithesis deals with the case of a lapse by a previously right- eous man: Again, if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you have not warned him, he shall die for his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. Neverthe- less if you warn the righteous man not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning; and you will have saved your life.

New York / Nashville: Abingdon, 1956), 39-338; J. W. Wevers, Ezekiel (NCBC; London: T. Nelson, 1969); W. Zimmerli, Ezechiel, 2 vols. (BK.AT XIIIII-2; Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neu- kirchener Verlag, 1969); English translation, Ezekiel, 2 vols. (Hermeneia; Philadelphia, Pa.: Fortress Press, 1979-1983); W. Eichrodt, Dos Buch Hezekiel (ATD 22; Gottingen: Vanden- hoeck & Ruprecht, 1965-1966); English translation, Ezekiel: A Commentary (OTL; London: SCM Press, 1970); K. W. Carley, The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel (CBC; Cambridge: Cam- bridge University Press, 1974); M. Greenberg, Ezekiel, 1-20 and Ezekiel, 21-37; R. M. Hals, Ezekiel (FOTL 19; Grand Rapids, Mich.: W. B. Eerdmans, 1989); I. M. Duguid, Ezekiel and the Leaders of Israel (VT.S 56; Leiden / New York / Cologne: E. J. Brill, 1994); R. W. Cle- ments, Ezekiel (Louisville, Ky.: Westminster John Knox Press, 1996); R. WUndrich, "Du sollst erfahrell, dajJ ICH der Herr BIN .. . ": Dos Buch Hesekiel und die Geschichte des Nahen Ostens (Frankfort on the Main : Haag & Herchen, 1996); D. R. Ulrich, Proleptic Intrusions of the Final Judgement in Ezechiel 's Oracles Against the Natiolls (microfiche-edition; Philadelphia, Pa.: Westminster Theological Seminary, Dissertation, 1996). 5 See M. Greenberg, Ezekiel, 1-20,87-97.