that the verses generally consist of _two_
clauses each. The fifth chapter contains twenty-two short verses of
_one_ clause each, like those of the third, but not arranged
alphabetically.

The more artificial structure of the third chapter marks it at
once as peculiar. In this the prophet, as the representative of
the pious part of the nation, bewails the calamities that have
come upon himself and his country, expresses his firm confidence
in God and his purpose to wait for deliverance in patient
submission to his will, exhorts his countrymen to repentance,
and offers up his fervent prayer to God that he would remember
his suffering people and punish their persecutors. The fifth
chapter is a complaint of Zion in prayer to God in view of the
terrible calamities that have come upon her. The other three
chapters (the first, second, and fourth) are occupied mainly
with a description of these calamities.

III. EZEKIEL.

15. Ezekiel was especially the prophet of the captivity. Daniel, his
contemporary, received in Babylon glorious revelations respecting the
future history of God's kingdom; but he was a statesman, exercising the
prophetical office, like David, only in an incidental way. Ezekiel, on
the contrary, was expressly called and consecrated, like his
predecessors Isaiah and Jeremiah, to the prophetical office. Like
Isaiah, he has given us but few particulars concerning his personal
history. He was the son of Buzi, and of priestly descent (1:3); belonged
to that company of captives of the better class of the people who had
been carried away with Jehoiachin by the king of Babylon when he made
Zedekiah king in his stead (2 Kings 24:8-16); and lived with other
captives at Tell-abib on the Chebar (perhaps the ancient Chaboras, a
branch of the Euphrates), where he had a house and was married (1:1-3;
3:15; 8:1; 24:15-18). That he was held in high honor by his
fellow-captives, as a true prophet of God, is manifest from the manner
in which they assembled at his house to inquire of the Lord through him
(8:1; 14:1; 20:1). Of his personal standing and reputation, as well as
of the character of his hearers, we have an interesting notice in chap.
33:30-32, where instead of "talking against thee" (verse 30) we may
better render, as in the margin of our English version, "talking of
thee:" "Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people are still
talking of thee by the walls and