Ezekiel

Portrait of Ezekiel

Ezekiel served as a prophet and priest among the Jewish exiles in Babylon following the first deportation from Judah in 597 BC. He conveyed God's messages through vivid visions, such as the chariot throne of God and the valley of dry bones, as well as through unusual symbolic actions that illustrated impending judgment and eventual restoration. His prophecies addressed both the immediate crisis of Jerusalem's destruction and the long-term hope of Israel's renewal under a new covenant. This book holds significance in Scripture for its emphasis on personal accountability, the transcendence of God's glory, and the promise of spiritual revival for God's people.

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Biography

Born
c. 622 BC, Jerusalem
Occupation
Prophet, Priest
Tribe
Levi (priestly family)
Father
Buzi
Spouse
Unnamed wife (died during ministry)
Era
Exile (c. 593-571 BC)
Nationality
Judean

Family

Parents
Buzi
โ†“
Ezekiel โšญ Unnamed wife (died during ministry)
Old Testament Exile Prophet Priest Ezekiel

Did You Know?

1

Ezekiel was commanded to lie on his left side for 390 days and his right side for 40 days while bound with ropes, symbolically bearing the iniquity of Israel and Judah respectively during the Babylonian exile period.

2

After God struck Ezekiel mute except when delivering divine messages, the prophet remained silent for extended periods and only regained speech upon learning of Jerusalem's fall in 586 BC, as recorded in chapters 3 and 33.

3

Ezekiel performed a public symbolic act by shaving his head and beard with a sword, then dividing the hair into three portions to be burned, struck, and scattered, illustrating the fates awaiting Jerusalem's inhabitants.

4

While physically among the exiles at the Chebar canal in Babylon, Ezekiel described visionary transport to Jerusalem's temple where he witnessed elders worshiping idols and women mourning Tammuz, blending his priestly concerns with apocalyptic imagery.

5

Ezekiel's wife died suddenly as a divine sign, yet he was forbidden to mourn or perform customary funeral rites, serving as a living parable for the exiles' stunned response to the temple's destruction.

Key Passages

Ezekiel's Vision of God's Glory

Ezekiel 1:1-14

Ezekiel's overwhelming vision of God's throne-chariot reveals divine majesty that transcends human comprehension - establishing his authority as a prophet who has seen the Lord.

N1ow it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

2 In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachinโ€™s captivity, 3 The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him. 4 And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire. 5 Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. 6 And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings. 7 And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calfโ€™s foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass. 8 And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings. 9 Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward. 10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle. 11 Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies. 12 And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went. 13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. 14 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

Read full chapter: Ezekiel 1 โ†’

Ezekiel's Call

Ezekiel 2:1-10

God commissions Ezekiel to speak to a rebellious people whether they listen or not - defining prophetic faithfulness as obedience to the message regardless of the audience's response.

A1nd he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee.

2 And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me. 3 And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day. 4 For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD. 5 And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them. 6 And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. 7 And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious. 8 But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee. 9 And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein; 10 And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.

Read full chapter: Ezekiel 2 โ†’

Valley of Dry Bones

Ezekiel 37:1-14

God shows Ezekiel a valley of dead bones and asks 'Can these bones live?' - then resurrects them as a vast army, promising national and spiritual restoration to hopeless exiles.

T1he hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,

2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. 3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. 4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. 8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. 9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. 11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. 12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, 14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.

Read full chapter: Ezekiel 37 โ†’

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