- Flourished: c.600 BCE - c.550 BCE
- Ezekiel’s early oracles (from c. 592) in Jerusalem were pronouncements of violence and destruction; his later statements addressed the hopes of the Israelites exiled in Babylon.
- Ezekiel’s ministry was conducted in Jerusalem and Babylon in the first three decades of the 6th century BCE
- Before the first surrender of Jerusalem, Ezekiel was a functioning priest probably attached to the Jerusalem Temple staff. He was among those deported in 597 to Babylonia, where he was located at Tel-abib on the Kebar canal (near Nippur). It is evident that he was, among his fellow exiles, a person of uncommon stature. Ezekiel’s religious call came in July 592 when he had a vision of the “throne-chariot” of God. He subsequently prophesied until 585 and then is not heard of again until 572. His latest datable utterance can be dated about 570 BC, 22 years after his first.
- These two periods of prophesying, separated by 13 years, represent various emphases in Ezekiel’s message. His earlier oracles to the Jews in Palestine were pronouncements of God’s judgment on a sinful nation for its apostasy.
- After the fall of Jerusalem and his period of silence, Ezekiel now addressed himself more pointedly to the exiles and sought to direct their hopes for the restoration of their nation. His theme changed from the harsh judgment of God to the promise of the future.
- Ezekiel’s prophecies conclude with a vision of a restored Temple in Jerusalem.
(1) In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, when I was in the community of exiles by the Chebar Canal, the heavens opened and I saw visions of God. (2) On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin— (3) the word of the LORD came to the priest Ezekiel son of Buzi, by the Chebar Canal, in the land of the Chaldeans. And the hand of the LORD came upon him there.
(4) I looked, and lo, a stormy wind came sweeping out of the north—a huge cloud and flashing fire, surrounded by a radiance; and in the center of it, in the center of the fire, a gleam as of amber. (5) In the center of it were also the figures of four creatures. And this was their appearance: They had the figures of human beings. (6) However, each had four faces, and each of them had four wings; (7) the legs of each were [fused into] a single rigid leg, and the feet of each were like a single calf’s hoof; and their sparkle was like the luster of burnished bronze. (8) They had human hands below their wings. The four of them had their faces and their wings on their four sides. (9) Each one’s wings touched those of the other. They did not turn when they moved; each could move in the direction of any of its faces. (10) Each of them had a human face [at the front]; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right; each of the four had the face of an ox on the left; and each of the four had the face of an eagle [at the back]. (11) Such were their faces. As for their wings, they were separated: above, each had two touching those of the others, while the other two covered its body.
Ezekiel's Wheel in St. John the Baptist Church in Kratovo, North Macedonia. Fresco from the 19th century.
(8) “And you, mortal, heed what I say to you: Do not be rebellious like that rebellious breed. Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you.” (9) As I looked, there was a hand stretched out to me, holding a written scroll. (10) He unrolled it before me, and it was inscribed on both the front and the back; on it were written lamentations, dirges, and woes. (1) He said to me, “Mortal, eat what is offered you; eat this scroll, and go speak to the House of Israel.” (2) So I opened my mouth, and He gave me this scroll to eat, (3) as He said to me, “Mortal, feed your stomach and fill your belly with this scroll that I give you.” I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey to me.
(י) וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֵלָ֑י בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם אֶת־כָּל־דְּבָרַי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יךָ קַ֥ח בִּֽלְבָבְךָ֖ וּבְאָזְנֶ֥יךָ שְׁמָֽע׃ (יא) וְלֵ֨ךְ בֹּ֤א אֶל־הַגּוֹלָה֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י עַמֶּ֔ךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֤ אֲלֵיהֶם֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהֹוִ֑ה אִֽם־יִשְׁמְע֖וּ וְאִם־יֶחְדָּֽלוּ׃ (יב) וַתִּשָּׂאֵ֣נִי ר֔וּחַ וָאֶשְׁמַ֣ע אַחֲרַ֔י ק֖וֹל רַ֣עַשׁ גָּד֑וֹל בָּר֥וּךְ כְּבוֹד־יְהוָ֖ה מִמְּקוֹמֽוֹ׃ (יג) וְק֣וֹל ׀ כַּנְפֵ֣י הַחַיּ֗וֹת מַשִּׁיקוֹת֙ אִשָּׁ֣ה אֶל־אֲחוֹתָ֔הּ וְק֥וֹל הָאוֹפַנִּ֖ים לְעֻמָּתָ֑ם וְק֖וֹל רַ֥עַשׁ גָּדֽוֹל׃ (יד) וְר֥וּחַ נְשָׂאַ֖תְנִי וַתִּקָּחֵ֑נִי וָאֵלֵ֥ךְ מַר֙ בַּחֲמַ֣ת רוּחִ֔י וְיַד־יְהוָ֥ה עָלַ֖י חָזָֽקָה׃ (טו) וָאָב֨וֹא אֶל־הַגּוֹלָ֜ה תֵּ֣ל אָ֠בִיב הַיֹּשְׁבִ֤ים אֶֽל־נְהַר־כְּבָר֙ ואשר [וָֽאֵשֵׁ֔ב] הֵ֖מָּה יוֹשְׁבִ֣ים שָׁ֑ם וָאֵשֵׁ֥ב שָׁ֛ם שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים מַשְׁמִ֥ים בְּתוֹכָֽם׃
(10) Then He said to me: “Mortal, listen with your ears and receive into your mind all the words that I speak to you. (11) Go to your people, the exile community, and speak to them. Say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD—whether they listen or not.” (12) Then a spirit carried me away, and behind me I heard a great roaring sound: “Blessed is the Presence of the LORD, in His place,” (13) with the sound of the wings of the creatures beating against one another, and the sound of the wheels beside them—a great roaring sound. (14) A spirit seized me and carried me away. I went in bitterness, in the fury of my spirit, while the hand of the LORD was strong upon me. (15) And I came to the exile community that dwelt in Tel Abib by the Chebar Canal, and I remained where they dwelt. And for seven days I sat there stunned among them.
In the beginning of the book of Ezekiel, the prophet is shown what very well might be one of the most traumatic images an Israelite prophet would ever behold; the fulfillment of Israel's greatest fears - their abandonment by God.
Between chapters 9 and 11, Ezekiel's description seems to indicate that he is seeing the physical manifestation of this happening in slow-motion; Step by agonizing step. This is anticipated in chapter 8 verse 6:
(ו) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם הֲרֹאֶ֥ה אַתָּ֖ה מהם [מָ֣ה] [הֵ֣ם] עֹשִׂ֑ים תּוֹעֵב֨וֹת גְּדֹל֜וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר בֵּֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל ׀ עֹשִׂ֣ים פֹּ֗ה לְרָֽחֳקָה֙ מֵעַ֣ל מִקְדָּשִׁ֔י וְעוֹד֙ תָּשׁ֣וּב תִּרְאֶ֔ה תּוֹעֵב֖וֹת גְּדֹלֽוֹת׃ (ס)
(6) And He said to me:
“Mortal, do you see what they are doing, the terrible abominations that the House of Israel is practicing here, to drive Me far from My Sanctuary? You shall yet see even greater abominations!"
(ג) וּכְב֣וֹד ׀ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל נַעֲלָה֙ מֵעַ֤ל הַכְּרוּב֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָיָ֣ה עָלָ֔יו אֶ֖ל מִפְתַּ֣ן הַבָּ֑יִת וַיִּקְרָ֗א אֶל־הָאִישׁ֙ הַלָּבֻ֣שׁ הַבַּדִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֛ר קֶ֥סֶת הַסֹּפֵ֖ר בְּמָתְנָֽיו׃ (ס)
(3) Now the Presence of the God of Israel had moved from the cherub on which it had rested, to the platform of the House.
(יח) וַיֵּצֵא֙ כְּב֣וֹד יְהוָ֔ה מֵעַ֖ל מִפְתַּ֣ן הַבָּ֑יִת וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֖ד עַל־הַכְּרוּבִֽים׃ (יט) וַיִּשְׂא֣וּ הַכְּרוּבִ֣ים אֶת־כַּ֠נְפֵיהֶם וַיֵּר֨וֹמּוּ מִן־הָאָ֤רֶץ לְעֵינַי֙ בְּצֵאתָ֔ם וְהָאֽוֹפַנִּ֖ים לְעֻמָּתָ֑ם וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֗ד פֶּ֣תַח שַׁ֤עַר בֵּית־יְהוָה֙ הַקַּדְמוֹנִ֔י וּכְב֧וֹד אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם מִלְמָֽעְלָה׃
(18) Then the Presence of YHWH left the platform of the House and stood atop the cherubs. (19) And I saw the cherubs lift their wings and rise from the earth, with the wheels beside them as they departed; and they stopped at the entrance of the eastern gate of the House of YHWH, with the Presence of the God of Israel above them.
(כב) וַיִּשְׂא֤וּ הַכְּרוּבִים֙ אֶת־כַּנְפֵיהֶ֔ם וְהָאֽוֹפַנִּ֖ים לְעֻמָּתָ֑ם וּכְב֧וֹד אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם מִלְמָֽעְלָה׃ (כג) וַיַּ֙עַל֙ כְּב֣וֹד יְהוָ֔ה מֵעַ֖ל תּ֣וֹךְ הָעִ֑יר וַֽיַּעֲמֹד֙ עַל־הָהָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֖ר מִקֶּ֥דֶם לָעִֽיר׃
(22) Then the cherubs, with the wheels beside them, lifted their wings, while the Presence of the God of Israel rested above them. (23) The Presence of YHWH ascended from the midst of the city and stood on the hill east of the city.
(יב) לָכֵן֩ הִנָּבֵ֨א וְאָמַרְתָּ֜ אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם כֹּֽה־אָמַר֮ אדושם יקוק הִנֵּה֩ אֲנִ֨י פֹתֵ֜חַ אֶת־קִבְרֽוֹתֵיכֶ֗ם וְהַעֲלֵיתִ֥י אֶתְכֶ֛ם מִקִּבְרוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם עַמִּ֑י וְהֵבֵאתִ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם אֶל־אַדְמַ֥ת יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ס) (יג) וִֽידַעְתֶּ֖ם כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יקוק בְּפִתְחִ֣י אֶת־קִבְרֽוֹתֵיכֶ֗ם וּבְהַעֲלוֹתִ֥י אֶתְכֶ֛ם מִקִּבְרוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם עַמִּֽי׃ (יד) וְנָתַתִּ֨י רוּחִ֤י בָכֶם֙ וִחְיִיתֶ֔ם וְהִנַּחְתִּ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם עַל־אַדְמַתְכֶ֑ם וִידַעְתֶּ֞ם כִּי־אֲנִ֧י יקוק דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי וְעָשִׂ֖יתִי נְאֻם־יקוק׃ (פ)
(12)I am going to open your graves and lift you out of the graves, O My people, and bring you to the land of Israel. (13) You shall know, O My people, that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves and lifted you out of your graves. (14) I will put My breath into you and you shall live again, and I will set you upon your own soil. Then you shall know that I the LORD have spoken.
In the Babylonian Talmud, there is a debate as to whether this moment actually happened, or whether it is meant to be read as a parable. And even amongst those who are in agreement that this actually took place, there is yet another argument as to whose bones these are. One of these opinions provides a direct connection to our exodus from Egypt:
אמר רב אלו בני אפרים שמנו לקץ וטעו שנאמר (דברי הימים א ז, כ) ובני אפרים שותלח וברד בנו ותחת בנו ואלעדה בנו ותחת בנו וזבד בנו ושותלח בנו ועזר (ואלעזר) [ואלעד] והרגום אנשי גת הנולדים בארץ
Rav says, "These are the bones of the descendants of Ephraim who calculated the moment of redemption from Egypt. But they erred! And they therefore left before their appointed time, and the people of Gath [Philistine territory] who were born in the land killed them.