“EZEKIEL THE PRIEST, THE SON OF BUZI” (EZEKIEL 1:3), MADE “A WATCHMAN UNTO THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL” · EXILE & RETURN

Ezekiel. Among the captives by the river Chebar, from the fifth year of Jehoiachin's captivity.

SCRIPTURE CALLS

Prophet

ERA

Exile & return 586–430 BC

IN THE DAYS OF

Jehoiachin · Zedekiah · Nebuchadnezzar · Pharaoh king of Egypt

BOOK

Ezekiel

HOW THE WORD CAME

Visions of God by the river Chebar

THE CALL

Called, as four accounts tell it

“the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God”

Ezekiel 1:1 (KJV) →

HOW THE WORD KEPT COMING

  • “The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest … and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.” The hand of the LORD comes upon him again before the visions of the temple, the dry bones and the new temple. Ezekiel 1:3 Ezekiel 3:22 Ezekiel 8:1 Ezekiel 37:1 Ezekiel 40:1
  • The spirit lifted him up and carried him: to the captives at Tel-abib, “in the visions of God to Jerusalem”, and back “into Chaldea, to them of the captivity”. Ezekiel 3:12–15 Ezekiel 8:3 Ezekiel 11:24–25
  • From the textGod calls him “son of man” throughout the book: the words “son of man” stand in 94 verses of the King James text of Ezekiel. Ezekiel 2:1 Ezekiel 37:3
  • He was told to shut himself in his house and that his tongue would cleave to the roof of his mouth, except when God opened it to speak; his mouth was opened the evening before the fugitive from Jerusalem came. Ezekiel 3:24–27 Ezekiel 24:27 Ezekiel 33:21–22
  • He was told to “put forth a riddle, and speak a parable”, and to take up lamentations for the princes of Israel, for Tyrus and for Pharaoh; he complained, “they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?” Ezekiel 17:2 Ezekiel 19:1 Ezekiel 20:49 Ezekiel 27:2 Ezekiel 32:2
  • The elders sat before him in his house to enquire; the people came to hear “as a very lovely song”, but “they hear thy words, but they do them not.” Ezekiel 8:1 Ezekiel 14:1 Ezekiel 20:1–3 Ezekiel 33:30–32
  • From the textThirteen passages are dated by the years of Jehoiachin's captivity, most of them to the month and day. Ezekiel 1:1–2 Ezekiel 8:1 Ezekiel 20:1 Ezekiel 24:1 Ezekiel 26:1 Ezekiel 29:1 +7 more
  • Scholars' viewDriver (1891) dates the call to 592 BC and the latest date in the book (29:17) to 570 BC; Keil (1876) reckons the same two dates as 595 and 572 BC. Ezekiel 1:2 Ezekiel 29:17 [2][19]

BEFORE THE KINGS

Before four rulers

KING OF JUDAH

Jehoiachin

KING OF JUDAH

Zedekiah

KING OF BABYLON

Nebuchadnezzar

KING OF EGYPT

Pharaoh king of Egypt

“Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers”

Ezekiel 29:3 (KJV) →

THE MESSAGE

The word in its main themes

The glory leaves the temple, and returns

“the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east”

Ezekiel 43:4 (KJV) →

Jerusalem's sin and fall

“I the LORD have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back”

Ezekiel 24:14 (KJV) →

Each soul answers for itself

“Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”

Ezekiel 18:4 (KJV) →

They shall know that I am the LORD

A new heart and a new spirit

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you”

Ezekiel 36:26 (KJV) →

One shepherd, one nation

“I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away”

Ezekiel 34:16 (KJV) →

THE WORD TO …

To whom the word was spoken

TO THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL

“Are ye come to enquire of me? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you.”

Ezekiel 20:3 (KJV) →

TO THE PRINCE OF ISRAEL

“And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end”

Ezekiel 21:25 (KJV) →

TO THE AMMONITES

“Son of man, set thy face against the Ammonites, and prophesy against them”

Ezekiel 25:2 (KJV) →

TO EDOM

“Because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance”

Ezekiel 25:12 (KJV) →

TO TYRUS

“Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations to come up against thee”

Ezekiel 26:3 (KJV) →

TO THE PRINCE OF TYRUS

“Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God”

Ezekiel 28:2 (KJV) →

TO ZIDON

“Behold, I am against thee, O Zidon; and I will be glorified in the midst of thee”

Ezekiel 28:22 (KJV) →

TO PHARAOH KING OF EGYPT

“Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers”

Ezekiel 29:3 (KJV) →

TO THE SHEPHERDS OF ISRAEL

“Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?”

Ezekiel 34:2 (KJV) →

TO THE MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL

“Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD”

Ezekiel 36:1 (KJV) →

TO GOG

“Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal”

Ezekiel 38:3 (KJV) →

SIGNS

Signs and wonders

SIGN-ACT

The siege drawn on a tile

SIGN-ACT

Lying on his side

SIGN-ACT

Bread by weight

SIGN-ACT

Hair shaved and divided

SIGN-ACT

Smiting the hands, stamping the foot

SIGN-ACT

Baggage for exile

SIGN-ACT

Eating with quaking

SIGN-ACT

Sighing

SIGN-ACT

The two ways

SIGN

The boiling pot

SIGN-ACT

No mourning for his wife

SIGN-ACT

Silence until the news came

SIGN-ACT

Two sticks joined

VISION

Abominations in the temple

VISION

The valley of dry bones

VISION

The new temple and the river

WHAT CAME OF THE WORD

As Scripture reports it

THE WORD

SCRIPTURE REPORTS

THE WORD

SCRIPTURE REPORTS

THE WORD

SCRIPTURE REPORTS

THE WORD

SCRIPTURE REPORTS

THE BOOK

The book of Ezekiel

  • 1 The call by the Chebar Ezekiel 1:1–3:27
  • 2 Signs of the siege Ezekiel 4:1–7:27
  • 3 Visions in the temple Ezekiel 8:1–11:25
  • 4 Signs, parables and laments Ezekiel 12:1–24:27
  • 5 Words against the nations Ezekiel 25:1–32:32
  • 6 The watchman and the news Ezekiel 33:1–33
  • 7 Shepherd, new heart, dry bones, Gog Ezekiel 34:1–39:29
  • 8 The new temple and land Ezekiel 40:1–48:35

WHERE THE NEW TESTAMENT QUOTES IT · 12

Each band joins a chapter of Ezekiel to the New Testament books quoting it (3 books).

COMPANIONS AND OPPONENTS

Who stood with him, and against him

Buzi

His wife

The elders of Judah and of Israel

Jaazaniah son of Shaphan

Pelatiah son of Benaiah

Jaazaniah son of Azur

The man with the measuring reed

The one who escaped from Jerusalem

HOW THE STORY ENDS

Scripture says, tradition says

SCRIPTURE SAYS

  • From the textThe latest date in the book is “the seven and twentieth year, in the first month, in the first day of the month”; the vision of the new temple is dated the twenty-fifth year. Scripture does not tell how Ezekiel's life ended. Ezekiel 29:17 Ezekiel 40:1

TRADITION SAYS

  • Benjamin of Tudela describes “the Synagogue of Ezekiel” by the Euphrates with “the sepulchre of Ezekiel” behind it, said to have been built by King Jeconiah and his people after Evil-merodach released him, with a lamp kept burning day and night over it.[29] Who says so: Benjamin of Tudela, Itinerary (tr. Adler 1907), 1165–1173
  • The Jewish Encyclopedia says the traditional burial place “is shown at Kefil near Birs Nimrud”, and that the mausoleum dates “probably from the time of the califs”.[31] Who says so: Jewish Encyclopedia, "Ezekiel's Tomb", 1903

OPEN QUESTIONS

Where readers have differed

From the finding of the law in Josiah's eighteenth year

The Targum and Jerome, as reported by C. F. Keil (1876); Ideler

Keil reports this reading of “the Chaldee paraphrast and Jerome”, and objects that “no trace … can elsewhere be pointed out of the existence of a chronology dating from these events”. Ezekiel 1:1–2 [19]

From the reign of Nabopolassar of Babylon

“Many of the older expositors”, as reported by C. F. Keil (1876)

Keil notes that Nabopolassar became king of Babylon in the year this would point to, but that “nothing … is know of any such era”.[19]

Ezekiel's own age

Hengstenberg, as reported by C. F. Keil (1876); E. G. Hirsch and K. H. Cornill in the Jewish Encyclopedia (1903)

Keil rejects it because the added month and day point “to an era generally recognised”. The Jewish Encyclopedia holds that if the date be understood “to apply to the age of the prophet … this view still has the appearance of probability”.[19][30]

Not now known

C. F. Keil (1876); S. R. Driver (1891)

Keil says the era “is matter of dispute, and can no longer be ascertained with certainty”; Driver says the epoch “is uncertain”.[19][2]

IN SCRIPTURE

Every passage

CHAPTERS · 48

Ezekiel 1 Ezekiel 2 Ezekiel 3 Ezekiel 4 Ezekiel 5 Ezekiel 6 Ezekiel 7 Ezekiel 8 Ezekiel 9 Ezekiel 10 Ezekiel 11 Ezekiel 12 Ezekiel 13 Ezekiel 14 Ezekiel 15 Ezekiel 16 Ezekiel 17 Ezekiel 18 Ezekiel 19 Ezekiel 20 Ezekiel 21 Ezekiel 22 Ezekiel 23 Ezekiel 24 Ezekiel 25 Ezekiel 26 Ezekiel 27 Ezekiel 28 Ezekiel 29 Ezekiel 30 Ezekiel 31 Ezekiel 32 Ezekiel 33 Ezekiel 34 Ezekiel 35 Ezekiel 36 Ezekiel 37 Ezekiel 38 Ezekiel 39 Ezekiel 40 Ezekiel 41 Ezekiel 42 Ezekiel 43 Ezekiel 44 Ezekiel 45 Ezekiel 46 Ezekiel 47 Ezekiel 48

PASSAGES · 1

Ezekiel 1:1–48:35

WHAT SCRIPTURE DOES NOT SAY

  • Ezekiel does not say how old he was, or from what “the thirtieth year” (Ezek 1:1) is counted.
  • Ezekiel 4 does not say from when the 390 and 40 years of iniquity are reckoned.
  • Ezekiel never names Zedekiah, the Pharaoh of chapters 29–32, or the prince of Tyrus.
  • The text does not itself connect “yet shall he not see it” (Ezek 12:13) with the blinding of Zedekiah in 2 Kings 25:7; the reader is left to compare them.
  • The New Testament does not name Ezekiel.
  • Scripture does not say how, when or where Ezekiel died.

SOURCES

Where this page comes from

  • S. R. Driver, An Introduction to the Literature of the Old Testament (2nd ed., New York 1892; first published 1891) (1891), ch. XI (Daniel), pp. 458–483.
  • S. R. Driver, An Introduction to the Literature of the Old Testament (2nd ed., New York 1892; first published 1891) (1891), ch. V (Ezekiel), pp. 260–279.
  • S. R. Driver, An Introduction to the Literature of the Old Testament (2nd ed., New York 1892; first published 1891) (1891), ch. VI §10 (Haggai), pp. 320–321.
  • S. R. Driver, An Introduction to the Literature of the Old Testament (2nd ed., New York 1892; first published 1891) (1891), ch. VI §11 (Zechariah), pp. 322–333.
  • S. R. Driver, An Introduction to the Literature of the Old Testament (2nd ed., New York 1892; first published 1891) (1891), ch. VI §12 (Malachi), pp. 333–336.
  • E. B. Pusey, Daniel the Prophet: Nine Lectures Delivered in the Divinity School of the University of Oxford (1864), Lecture I, p. 1, and the table of contents, pp. xxxi–xxxvii.
  • E. B. Pusey, Daniel the Prophet: Nine Lectures Delivered in the Divinity School of the University of Oxford (1864), Lecture III, pp. 103–105.
  • E. B. Pusey, Daniel the Prophet: Nine Lectures Delivered in the Divinity School of the University of Oxford (1864), Lecture IV, pp. 169–170.
  • J. A. Montgomery, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Daniel (International Critical Commentary) (1927), Introduction §2, pp. 2–3.
  • J. A. Montgomery, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Daniel (International Critical Commentary) (1927), Introduction §19, pp. 60–61.
  • J. A. Montgomery, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Daniel (International Critical Commentary) (1927), Introduction, 'The dating of the two sections', pp. 96–97.
  • J. A. Montgomery, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Daniel (International Critical Commentary) (1927), on Dan 9:24–27, pp. 393–394.
  • G. A. Smith, The Book of the Twelve Prophets, vol. 2 (The Expositor's Bible) (1898), Preface, p. viii.
  • G. A. Smith, The Book of the Twelve Prophets, vol. 2 (The Expositor's Bible) (1898), ch. XXIII, pp. 331–333.
  • C. F. Keil, tr. M. G. Easton, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Daniel (Keil and Delitzsch) (1872), Introduction (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. M. G. Easton, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Daniel (Keil and Delitzsch) (1872), note on Dan 2:39–40 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. M. G. Easton, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Daniel (Keil and Delitzsch) (1872), notes on Dan 9:24–27 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. M. G. Easton, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Daniel (Keil and Delitzsch) (1872), note on Dan 11:36–45 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. James Martin, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Ezekiel (Keil and Delitzsch) (1876), note on Ezek 1:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. James Martin, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Ezekiel (Keil and Delitzsch) (1876), the survey of chs. 40–48 (read on Bible Hub, printed with Ezekiel 1).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. James Martin, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Ezekiel (Keil and Delitzsch) (1876), note on Ezek 14:14 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. James Martin, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Ezekiel (Keil and Delitzsch) (1876), note on Ezek 29:17–21 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. James Martin, The Twelve Minor Prophets, vol. 2 (Keil and Delitzsch) (1868), note on Hag 2:7 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. James Martin, The Twelve Minor Prophets, vol. 2 (Keil and Delitzsch) (1868), introduction to Zechariah, on 1:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. James Martin, The Twelve Minor Prophets, vol. 2 (Keil and Delitzsch) (1868), introduction to Malachi, on 1:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. Sophia Taylor, The Books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther (Keil and Delitzsch) (1873), note on Neh 6:10–14 (read on Bible Hub).
  • R. Dick Wilson, "Daniel, Book of", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia (1915), sections VII (Genuineness) and VIII (Interpretation).
  • George L. Robinson, "Zechariah, Book of", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia (1915), sections 1, 4 and 6.
  • Benjamin of Tudela, tr. M. N. Adler, The Itinerary of Benjamin of Tudela (1907), pp. 43–44 (Ezekiel's sepulchre) and 52–53 (Daniel's sepulchre at Shushan).
  • E. G. Hirsch, K. H. Cornill, S. Schechter and L. Ginzberg, "Ezekiel", Jewish Encyclopedia, vol. 5 (1903), pp. 313–316.
  • S. Schechter and L. Ginzberg, "Ezekiel's Tomb", Jewish Encyclopedia, vol. 5 (1903).
  • E. G. Hirsch, "Haggai", Jewish Encyclopedia, vol. 6 (1904).
  • I. Singer and A. Guttmacher, "Malachi, Book of", Jewish Encyclopedia, vol. 8 (1904), In Rabbinical Literature; Critical View.
  • K. Kohler and L. Blau, "Bat Ḳol", Jewish Encyclopedia, vol. 2 (1902).
  • Tertullian, tr. Peter Holmes (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 3), On the Resurrection of the Flesh (1885), chapters 29–30.
  • Augustine, tr. S. D. F. Salmond (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6), The Harmony of the Gospels (1888), book 3, chapter 7, §§28–31.
  • R. A. Parker and W. H. Dubberstein, Babylonian Chronology 626 B.C.–A.D. 45 (Studies in Ancient Oriental Civilization 24; dates cited as facts only) (1942), p. 28 (table of years: Darius I, years 1–4).
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament (1748–1763), note on Ezek 4:4 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), Pulpit Commentary: Ezekiel (1880–1897), note on Ezek 4:4 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on Hag 2:7 (read on Bible Hub).
  • R. Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and D. Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments (1871), note on Hag 2:7 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), Pulpit Commentary: Haggai (1880–1897), note on Hag 2:7 (read on Bible Hub).
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament (1746–1748), note on Matt 27:9 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A New Testament Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on Matt 27:9 (read on Bible Hub).
  • R. Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and D. Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments (1871), note on Matt 27:9, quoting John Lightfoot (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A New Testament Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on Matt 23:35 (read on Bible Hub).
  • A. B. Bruce, The Synoptic Gospels (The Expositor's Greek Testament, vol. 1) (1897), note on Matt 23:35 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. E. Ryle, The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1893), note on Neh 6:14 (read on Bible Hub).
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament (1748–1763), note on Neh 6:14 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), Pulpit Commentary: Nehemiah (1880–1897), note on Neh 6:14 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on Neh 6:14 (read on Bible Hub).

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