12 When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and meal offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
Their cry i. e - prayer offered aloud.
Oblation - A meat-offering Leviticus 2:1.
The sword, famine, and pestilence - The two latter ever follow upon the track of the first Ezekiel 5:12, and by these God will consume them, yet so as to leave a remnant. The chastisement, which crushes those who harden themselves against it, purifies the penitent.
When they fast, I will not hear their cry,.... Or, "though they fast" (k); very probably on account of the want of rain, and the dearth or famine, a fast was proclaimed; see Jeremiah 36:9, when they prayed and cried aloud, and made a great noise; but their prayers being hypocritical, and not arising from a pure heart, or offered up in faith and love, were not heard and accepted by the Lord:
and when they offer burnt offerings and an oblation; or a meat or bread offering, which went along with the burnt offering; thinking by those outward things to atone for their sins, without true repentance for them, or faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ:
I will not accept them; neither their offerings, nor their persons:
but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; the Lord not only determines the continuance of the famine, notwithstanding the prayers of the prophet; but adds two other judgments, the sword and pestilence, by which he was resolved to consume them; and therefore it was to no purpose to pray to him on their behalf, he was inexorable.
(k) "quamvis jejunant", Gataker.
not hear--because their prayers are hypocritical: their hearts are still idolatrous. God never refuses to hear real prayer (Jeremiah 7:21-22; Proverbs 1:28; Isaiah 1:15; Isaiah 58:3).
sword . . . famine . . . pestilence--the three sorest judgments at once; any one of which would be enough for their ruin (2-Samuel 24:12-13).
*More commentary available at chapter level.