(20) That which your soul pitieth.--In the margin the pity of your soul. The word rather means in this connection love, in the sense of the object of love: "that which your soul loves." The expression in the original is a difficult one, and is used by Ezekiel on account of the alliteration with the previous clause: "the machmad of your eyes, and the machmal of your souls." (Comp. the parallel in Ezekiel 24:25 : "That whereupon they set their minds.")

24:15-27 Though mourning for the dead is a duty, yet it must be kept under by religion and right reason: we must not sorrow as men that have no hope. Believers must not copy the language and expressions of those who know not God. The people asked the meaning of the sign. God takes from them all that was dearest to them. And as Ezekiel wept not for his affliction, so neither should they weep for theirs. Blessed be God, we need not pine away under our afflictions; for should all comforts fail, and all sorrows be united, yet the broken heart and the mourner's prayer are always acceptable before God.Then I answered them,.... And gave them an account of the design of the whole, and what was signified hereby:

the word of the Lord came unto me, saying; ordering him to do all he did; for he did nothing of himself, but all according to the divine will; and who also directed him to say the following things to the people, by way of explanation.