Ezekiel – 14:12-23
Cases of Casuistry – 14:1-11 probably belong to chapter 13, speci cally concerning prophecy. 14:12-23 connect with Israel and chapter 15. Chapter divisions are arbitrary. But, all of chapter 14 is reminiscent of case law in the Torah (laws of casuistry.) Canon law would be the ecclesiastical counterpart. Remember that Israel was a theocracy, both church, and state simultaneously. See the casuistic laws of the “Book of the Covenant” (Ex 20:22–23:19). There is also much in common with the “Holiness Code” (Leviticus 17–26), an obvious in uence on the language of Ezekiel, who had been trained for the priesthood. Casuistic law is given in the third person with the hypothetical “if/ when a man, etc.” “If,” “when,” and “or” are used depending on the context. And then follows the consequences. 14:12 – Now, Ezekiel presents four hypothetical cases that each emphasize the doctrine of divine retribution. Each case involves a divine agent of judgment (famine, wild animals, sword, plague). Bloodshed likely belongs with the sword (see 14:21). Jer 15:1-3 is similar in that Yahweh rst declares that even if Moses and Samuel interceded, the people would not escape judgment (cf. Noah, Daniel, and Job in Ezek 14:14, 20). There are four fates in Jeremiah, too (death, sword, famine, and exile, cf. Jer 15:2) and four means of death (Jer 15:3). 14:13 – The case-law pattern is established immediately. All four cases are “when a land sins against me by faithlessly doubting in delity,” although only explicitly stated in the rst case. The hypothetical land could be any land. “Faithlessly doing in delity” always has an Israelite subject elsewhere in the OT. Yahweh’s reaction to the in delity is rst described in a general phrase that is then illustrated in the four more speci c scenarios. “I will stretch out my hand against” the land recalls the Exodus narrative. There, Yahweh or his agents (Moses and/or Aaron) stretched out His hand against Egypt in the ten plagues and to enable Israel to cross the Red Sea, in which the Egyptians drowned (Ex 7:5, 19; 8:5,6,17; 9:22; 10:12, 21, 22; 14:16, 21, 26, 27). 14:14 – Three paragons of righteousness, two before the exile, are given. Noah and the ark are a type of salvation (1 Pet 3:20-21). Noah is described as one who “found favor/grace in the eyes of Yahweh.” Outside of Genesis 5—10 and here, Noah is…