6. Though God so threatened the people for their idolatry
(Eze 14:5),
yet He would rather they should avert the calamity by "repentance."
turn yourselves--CALVIN translates, "turn others" (namely,
the strangerproselytes in the land). As ye have been the advisers of
others (see
Eze 14:7,
"the stranger that sojourneth in Israel") to idolatry, so bestow at
least as much pains in turning them to the truth; the surest proof of
repentance. But the parallelism to
Eze 14:3, 4
favors English Version. Their sin was twofold: (1) "In their
heart" or inner man; (2) "Put before their face,"
that is, exhibited outwardly. So their repentance is generally
expressed by "repent," and is then divided into: (1) "Turn
yourselves (inwardly) from your idols"; (2) "Turn away your
faces (outwardly) from all your abominations." It is not likely
that an exhortation to convert others should come between the
two affecting themselves.
JFB.
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