Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:
The Prophet now descends to the third kind of punishment. Hence God says, if he send a sword upon a land, he cannot be entreated so as not to consume it utterly, neither will he admit any man’s intercession, although the most holy dwell there, namely, Job, Noah, and Daniel.
National sins bring national judgments without fail. When vice becomes widespread and heinous, God stretches forth His hand in punishment with grievous plagues suited to the sin. He commands a variety of judgments to show His universal dominion over all human concerns.
AI summary
Commenting on Ezekiel 14:12-23
Though these three men were in it,.... Before mentioned: as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters: believe me no more, or be it so and so, if they do; it is in the form of an oath, and in the same manner it is expressed in Eze 14:16; but they only shall be delivered themselves; their own souls...