- This is an ephah:
- "The meaning of this vision," says Archbishop Newcome, "seems to be, that the Babylonish captivity had happened on account of the wickedness of the Jews, and that a like dispersion would befall them if they relapsed into like crimes." The woman who sat in the ephah was an emblem of the Jewish nation; the casting the weight of lead on the mouth of the ephah seems to mean the condemnation of the Jews, after they had filled up the measure of their iniquities by crucifying the Messiah; the "two women, with wings like a stork, and the wind in their wings," seem emblematical of the Roman armies and the rapidity of their conquests; and their lifting up the ephah and carrying it through the air, to build it a house in Shinar or Babylon, where it was fixed on its own basis, represents the taking of Jerusalem, the dispersion of the Jews, and the long continuance of that calamity, as a just punishment of their unbelief. "And¹¹ the Levitesª that¹ are gone away farª° from¹¹ me, when Israelª went astray,ª° which¹ went astray¹ away²° from¹¹ me afterª their idols;ª they shall even bearª° their iniquity.ª ... Yet they shall be¹ ministersª° in my sanctuary,ª [having] chargeª at¹ the gatesª of the house,ª and ministeringª°¹ to the house:ª they¹ shall slayª°¹ the burnt offeringª and the sacrificeª for the people,ª and they¹ shall standª° beforeª them to ministerª° unto them." {Ezk 44:10-11} + "Saying,ª° When¹ will the new moonª be gone,ª° that we may sellª° corn?ª and the sabbath,ª that we may set forthª° wheat,ª making the ephah² small,ª°¹ and the shekelª great,ª° and falsifyingª° the balancesª by deceit?ª" {Ams 8:5}
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