EZEKIEL
The Introduction
For the average reader of The Bible, The Book of Ezekiel is mostly a perplexing maze of incoherent visions – a kaleidoscope of whirling wheels and dry bones that defy interpretations.
The Authorship
The author of this book is “Ezekiel the Priest, the son of Buzi” (Ezekiel 1:3). The name Ezekiel means “God will strengthen” or “God will harden”.
The Date
The date for Ezekiel’s ministry can be determined by noting the chronological notations in his book.
1:2..."On the fifth of the month in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile..." (NASB)
8:1..."It came about in the sixth year, on the fifth {day} of the sixth month, as I was sitting in my house with the elders of Judah sitting before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell on me there." (NASB)
20:1..."Now in the seventh year, in the fifth {month,} on the tenth of the month, certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and sat before me." (NASB)
24:1..."And the word of the LORD came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth of the month, saying..." (NASB)
29:1..."In the tenth year, in the tenth {month,} on the twelfth of the month, the word of the LORD came to me saying..." (NASB)
30:20..."In the eleventh year, in the first {month,} on the seventh of the month, the word of the LORD came to me saying..." (NASB)
31:1..."In the eleventh year, in the third {month,} on the first of the month, the word of the LORD came to me saying..." (NASB)
32:1..."In the twelfth year, in the twelfth {month,} on the first of the month, the word of the LORD came to me saying..." (NASB)
33:21..."Now in the twelfth year of our exile, on the fifth of the tenth month, the refugees from Jerusalem came to me, saying, "The city has been taken." (NASB)
40:1..."In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was taken, on that same day the hand of the LORD was upon me and He brought me there." (NASB)
Ezekiel began his ministry “in the 30th year” (Ezekiel 1:1) and ended “in the 27th year, in the 1st month on the 1st day” (Ezekiel 29:17). Since Ezekiel began prophesying in 593 B.C. (the 5th year of Jehoiachin’s exile, Ezekiel 1:2), this prophecy was in 571 B.C. So Ezekiel’s prophetic activity spanned at least 23 years (593 – 570 B.C.), from age 30 to 53.
1:2..."On the fifth of the month in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile..." (NASB)
8:1..."It came about in the sixth year, on the fifth {day} of the sixth month, as I was sitting in my house with the elders of Judah sitting before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell on me there." (NASB)
20:1..."Now in the seventh year, in the fifth {month,} on the tenth of the month, certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and sat before me." (NASB)
24:1..."And the word of the LORD came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth of the month, saying..." (NASB)
29:1..."In the tenth year, in the tenth {month,} on the twelfth of the month, the word of the LORD came to me saying..." (NASB)
30:20..."In the eleventh year, in the first {month,} on the seventh of the month, the word of the LORD came to me saying..." (NASB)
31:1..."In the eleventh year, in the third {month,} on the first of the month, the word of the LORD came to me saying..." (NASB)
32:1..."In the twelfth year, in the twelfth {month,} on the first of the month, the word of the LORD came to me saying..." (NASB)
33:21..."Now in the twelfth year of our exile, on the fifth of the tenth month, the refugees from Jerusalem came to me, saying, "The city has been taken." (NASB)
40:1..."In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was taken, on that same day the hand of the LORD was upon me and He brought me there." (NASB)
Ezekiel began his ministry “in the 30th year” (Ezekiel 1:1) and ended “in the 27th year, in the 1st month on the 1st day” (Ezekiel 29:17). Since Ezekiel began prophesying in 593 B.C. (the 5th year of Jehoiachin’s exile, Ezekiel 1:2), this prophecy was in 571 B.C. So Ezekiel’s prophetic activity spanned at least 23 years (593 – 570 B.C.), from age 30 to 53.
The Historical Background
The Book of Ezekiel was written during the time of Judah’s bondage to Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar’s rule.
Life in Judah: Jerusalem was captured by the Babylonians in March 597 B.C....
2nd Kings verses Jeremiah 40...The removal of the landed citizens, officials and priests was probably partial, though it seems clear that a considerable social revolution was affected by the raising to position of greater influence of those who could be described as the ‘poor of the land’ (dallat ha’arets), the presumably property less members of the community who now came to be landholders or tenants under the Babylonian authority, perhaps occupying royal lands, perhaps also taking over lands which had been expropriated from other property-owners.” [Ackroyd, Exile and Restoration, 23 – 24]
Second capture in 587 or 586.
Peoples Attitude: 11:3, 15; 9:9b; 33:24..."It is reasonable also to assume ...that there were many refugees from the Babylonian attacks who hid themselves in caves as their forefathers had done before them (Judge 6:1) and as their descendants were to do in later years.” [Ackroyd, Exile and Restoration, 24]
Temple Conditions...Possible continuation of sacred-site idea by means of prayer instead of sacrifice...Ezekiel 8 – 10; Jeremiah 7:17 – 19; 44:15 – 18...Whisper that Yahweh is not just...
Ezekiel 18:2..."What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, 'The fathers eat the sour grapes, But the children's teeth are set on edge'?" (NASB)
Ezekiel 18:25..."Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not right.' Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?" (NASB)
Jeremiah 31:29... "In those days they will not say again, 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, And the children's teeth are set on edge." (NASB)
Life in Babylon: General Life Conditions...
“A tantalizingly allusive piece of information about food allocations made to Jehoiachin and his family as well as to various craftsmen from Jerusalem, leaves us in doubt as to whether the exiles were treated as captives in the strictest sense, kept on small rations, or whether they were given reasonably generous allocations. [2nd Kings 24:14, 16] The subsequent reference to the release of Jehoiachin indicates imprisonment, but we have no means of knowing whether the imprisonment was constrictive or reasonably humane, except that it is clear that Jehoiachin’s royal status was acknowledged.” (Ackroyd, Exile and Restoration, 31)
Indirect information from Ezekiel and Jeremiah: “Here the indications are of reasonable freedom, of settlement in communities - perhaps engaged in work for the Babylonians, but possibly simply engaged in normal agricultural life - of the possibility of marriage, of the ordering of their own affairs, of relative prosperity.” (Ackroyd, Exile and Restoration, 32)
Note the location of Ezekiel (3:15..."Then I came to the exiles who lived beside the river Chebar at Tel-abib, and I sat there seven days where they were living, causing consternation among them." (NASB)). The ideas found in Psalm 137 and the distress of Ezekiel 4:14, the complaining of the injustice in Ezekiel 18 and the impossibility of escaping divine judgment in Ezekiel 37 set the mood of the Exile.
Worship in Exile:
Although many have argued for the beginning of the synagogues in the exile, there is no “clear foundation.” Note however Kraus, Worship in Israel, 229 – 31. The Sabbath and circumcision rites came into prominence. (Ackroyd, Exile and Restoration, 35)
Theological Challenges:
“Almost all of the old symbol systems had been rendered useless. Almost all the old institutions no longer functioned. What kind of future was possible for a people which traced its unique election to a God who had just lost a war to other deities? What kind of future was possible for a people who had so alienated their God that categorical rejection was his necessary response.” [Klein, Israel in Exile, 5]
The Destruction of the Temple:
“Considered the footstool of God (Lamentations 2:1), dwelling place (1st Kings 8:13; Ezekiel 43:7), his resting place (Psalm 132:1), or the place where his face was to be seen (Isaiah 1:12 BHS), it had also opened the door to Canaanite influences and to the motion that God was the guarantor of the status quo."..."...the temple was a tangible symbol of the people’s election and a reminder of God’s unfailing actions in history on their behalf.” (Klein, Israel in Exile, 3)
The of the Davidic Dynasty:
“Kings had come and gone, but kingship itself and the state had endured through thick and thin. Now Zedekiah had been captured, his two sons had been murdered before his eyes, and then he had been blinded, His nephew, Jehoiachin, king himself for only three months in 597, sat in a Babylonian prison.” [Klein, Israel in Exile, 4]
The Broken Covenant:
Covenant broken by Israel in spite of Josiah’s attempt to revive Israel. As Jeremiah saw it, the covenant was broken. (Jeremiah 31:32) ¡The problem of the decimation of the priesthood thought exile and execution and by the cessation of sacrifices.
Life in Judah: Jerusalem was captured by the Babylonians in March 597 B.C....
2nd Kings verses Jeremiah 40...The removal of the landed citizens, officials and priests was probably partial, though it seems clear that a considerable social revolution was affected by the raising to position of greater influence of those who could be described as the ‘poor of the land’ (dallat ha’arets), the presumably property less members of the community who now came to be landholders or tenants under the Babylonian authority, perhaps occupying royal lands, perhaps also taking over lands which had been expropriated from other property-owners.” [Ackroyd, Exile and Restoration, 23 – 24]
Second capture in 587 or 586.
Peoples Attitude: 11:3, 15; 9:9b; 33:24..."It is reasonable also to assume ...that there were many refugees from the Babylonian attacks who hid themselves in caves as their forefathers had done before them (Judge 6:1) and as their descendants were to do in later years.” [Ackroyd, Exile and Restoration, 24]
Temple Conditions...Possible continuation of sacred-site idea by means of prayer instead of sacrifice...Ezekiel 8 – 10; Jeremiah 7:17 – 19; 44:15 – 18...Whisper that Yahweh is not just...
Ezekiel 18:2..."What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, 'The fathers eat the sour grapes, But the children's teeth are set on edge'?" (NASB)
Ezekiel 18:25..."Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not right.' Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?" (NASB)
Jeremiah 31:29... "In those days they will not say again, 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, And the children's teeth are set on edge." (NASB)
Life in Babylon: General Life Conditions...
“A tantalizingly allusive piece of information about food allocations made to Jehoiachin and his family as well as to various craftsmen from Jerusalem, leaves us in doubt as to whether the exiles were treated as captives in the strictest sense, kept on small rations, or whether they were given reasonably generous allocations. [2nd Kings 24:14, 16] The subsequent reference to the release of Jehoiachin indicates imprisonment, but we have no means of knowing whether the imprisonment was constrictive or reasonably humane, except that it is clear that Jehoiachin’s royal status was acknowledged.” (Ackroyd, Exile and Restoration, 31)
Indirect information from Ezekiel and Jeremiah: “Here the indications are of reasonable freedom, of settlement in communities - perhaps engaged in work for the Babylonians, but possibly simply engaged in normal agricultural life - of the possibility of marriage, of the ordering of their own affairs, of relative prosperity.” (Ackroyd, Exile and Restoration, 32)
Note the location of Ezekiel (3:15..."Then I came to the exiles who lived beside the river Chebar at Tel-abib, and I sat there seven days where they were living, causing consternation among them." (NASB)). The ideas found in Psalm 137 and the distress of Ezekiel 4:14, the complaining of the injustice in Ezekiel 18 and the impossibility of escaping divine judgment in Ezekiel 37 set the mood of the Exile.
Worship in Exile:
Although many have argued for the beginning of the synagogues in the exile, there is no “clear foundation.” Note however Kraus, Worship in Israel, 229 – 31. The Sabbath and circumcision rites came into prominence. (Ackroyd, Exile and Restoration, 35)
Theological Challenges:
“Almost all of the old symbol systems had been rendered useless. Almost all the old institutions no longer functioned. What kind of future was possible for a people which traced its unique election to a God who had just lost a war to other deities? What kind of future was possible for a people who had so alienated their God that categorical rejection was his necessary response.” [Klein, Israel in Exile, 5]
The Destruction of the Temple:
“Considered the footstool of God (Lamentations 2:1), dwelling place (1st Kings 8:13; Ezekiel 43:7), his resting place (Psalm 132:1), or the place where his face was to be seen (Isaiah 1:12 BHS), it had also opened the door to Canaanite influences and to the motion that God was the guarantor of the status quo."..."...the temple was a tangible symbol of the people’s election and a reminder of God’s unfailing actions in history on their behalf.” (Klein, Israel in Exile, 3)
The of the Davidic Dynasty:
“Kings had come and gone, but kingship itself and the state had endured through thick and thin. Now Zedekiah had been captured, his two sons had been murdered before his eyes, and then he had been blinded, His nephew, Jehoiachin, king himself for only three months in 597, sat in a Babylonian prison.” [Klein, Israel in Exile, 4]
The Broken Covenant:
Covenant broken by Israel in spite of Josiah’s attempt to revive Israel. As Jeremiah saw it, the covenant was broken. (Jeremiah 31:32) ¡The problem of the decimation of the priesthood thought exile and execution and by the cessation of sacrifices.
The Structure and Style
Chronological arrangement – Ezekiel is the only major prophet with such a precise chronological arrangement.
Structural balance – The first 24 chapters focus on the judgment of Judah; chapters 33 – 48 focus on the restoration of Judah. The 2 extremes are balanced by chapters 25 – 32 which deal with God’s judgment on other nations.
Focus on the glory and character of God – By these means, Ezekiel presented his messages in dramatic and forceful ways; thus, getting the people’s attention so they would respond.
Structural balance – The first 24 chapters focus on the judgment of Judah; chapters 33 – 48 focus on the restoration of Judah. The 2 extremes are balanced by chapters 25 – 32 which deal with God’s judgment on other nations.
Focus on the glory and character of God – By these means, Ezekiel presented his messages in dramatic and forceful ways; thus, getting the people’s attention so they would respond.
The MT
"Next to the books of Samuel and the Psalms the text of the book of Ezekiel is amongst the worst preserved in the books of the Old Testament." [Weiser]
"It is at once noticeable in MT how different things are in the separate complexes. Besides sections such as chs. 3, 6, 18, 20:1 – 31, 28:1 – 10, which are largely free from textual difficulties, as also the figurative discourse of ch. 15 and parts of other figurative sayings, other text appear badly disturbed, as in chs. 7, 21, 28:11 – 19 and elsewhere. These are certainly not always only sections which have a content that is difficult to understand, such as the elaborate description of the vision in ch. 1 or the building description of chs. 40 – 42. Rather the question arises whether already at the initial phase, before the redactional composition of the prophet’s words into a book, the individual sections were extant in differing qualities of preservation." [Zimmerli]
"It is at once noticeable in MT how different things are in the separate complexes. Besides sections such as chs. 3, 6, 18, 20:1 – 31, 28:1 – 10, which are largely free from textual difficulties, as also the figurative discourse of ch. 15 and parts of other figurative sayings, other text appear badly disturbed, as in chs. 7, 21, 28:11 – 19 and elsewhere. These are certainly not always only sections which have a content that is difficult to understand, such as the elaborate description of the vision in ch. 1 or the building description of chs. 40 – 42. Rather the question arises whether already at the initial phase, before the redactional composition of the prophet’s words into a book, the individual sections were extant in differing qualities of preservation." [Zimmerli]
The LXX
". . . the Greek translation of Ezekiel is not homogeneous. It was seen that the text could be split up into three distinct large sections: 1 – 25 (S1), 26 – 39 (S2), and 40 – 48 (S3), There were in addition at least two sub-sections - ch. 16 and 36:23c – 38...which showed marked translation differences from their surrounding text." [McGregor]
H. St. J. Thackeray has endeavored to show for Ezekiel, as in the Greek book of Jeremiah, that the hands of two translators have been at work in LXX. . . . Accordingly to him the book was divided up into three complexes which comprised Ezekiel 1 – 27/28 – 39/40 – 48. Thus, according to Thackeray, chs. 40 – 48 also must derive from the translator of chs. 1 – 27." [Zimmerli]
H. St. J. Thackeray has endeavored to show for Ezekiel, as in the Greek book of Jeremiah, that the hands of two translators have been at work in LXX. . . . Accordingly to him the book was divided up into three complexes which comprised Ezekiel 1 – 27/28 – 39/40 – 48. Thus, according to Thackeray, chs. 40 – 48 also must derive from the translator of chs. 1 – 27." [Zimmerli]
The Qumran
"Firstly, there are actual manuscripts of what we now know as canonical Ezekiel; though some of these are so small that they may simply preserve a quotation of Ezekiel in an excerpted or in a non-biblical text, until an exemplar of such a text is forthcoming, it is fair to assume that these manuscripts are copies of the biblical book in whole or in part."
"Secondly, there is the collection of manuscripts, so far only partially published, of what is known as Second Ezekiel (or Pseudo-Ezekiel), rewritten forms of parts of Ezekiel which in the rewriting contains intriguing items of editorial or even authorial concern."
"Thirdly, there are texts which explicitly cite and interpret Ezekiel in particular ways."
"Fourthly, there are non-biblical manuscripts in which certain section of Ezekiel seem to play a significant part.” [George J. Brooke, "Ezekiel in Some Qumran and New Testament Texts"]
"Secondly, there is the collection of manuscripts, so far only partially published, of what is known as Second Ezekiel (or Pseudo-Ezekiel), rewritten forms of parts of Ezekiel which in the rewriting contains intriguing items of editorial or even authorial concern."
"Thirdly, there are texts which explicitly cite and interpret Ezekiel in particular ways."
"Fourthly, there are non-biblical manuscripts in which certain section of Ezekiel seem to play a significant part.” [George J. Brooke, "Ezekiel in Some Qumran and New Testament Texts"]
11QEzek
From cave 11 there is one manuscript, 11Q4 (11QEzek). What could be salvaged from a solid lump was edited by W. H. Brownlee and published in 1963...what is legible of 11QEzek contains a few words from Ezek 4:3 – 6 (fragments A + C), 5:11 – 17 (fragments B + C), 7:9 – 12 (fragment D), 10:11 (fragment E) and 13:17...Though Brownlee concludes that there is considerable agreement with MT, 11QEzek actually is only generally proto-Masoretic, showing other distinctive readings. In orthography and palaeography it is akin to 1QIsab and might be dated at the turn of the ear." [Brooke]
1Q9 / 3Q1
“...consists of two fragments, one, with letters from three lines, which remains unidentified, and one, also preserving legible elements of three lines, which corresponds with Ezekiel 4:16 – 5:1. This text's orthography corresponds exactly with the MT"
“...so-called Herodian script, in which are traces of three lines including the biblical hapax slql, making the identification with Ezekiel 16:31 – 33 almost certain; once again the letters that remain correspond exactly with the orthography of the MT."
“...so-called Herodian script, in which are traces of three lines including the biblical hapax slql, making the identification with Ezekiel 16:31 – 33 almost certain; once again the letters that remain correspond exactly with the orthography of the MT."
Cave 4
"From cave 4 there are three manuscripts, 4Q73 – 75....4QEzeka, seemingly a "Hasmonean" or "early Herodian" manuscript, have been assigned four fragments: frg. 1 covers Ezekiel 10:5-15, frg. 2 Ezek 10:17-11:11, fragment 3 Ezekiel 23:14 – 18 and 23:44 – 47, and fragment 4 Ezekiel 41:3 – 6...Whilst exhibiting much affinity with the MT, it is also possible to propose some reconstructions in frg. 2 which may reflect the Vorlage of the LXX...4QEzekb consists of five fragments. It is clearly in a different hand from that of 4QEzeka and its script is dated...in the period 30 B.C. – 70 A.D. The 5 fragments cover sections of Ezek 1:1 – 10, 1:11 – 12, 1:13, 1:16 – 17 and 1:20 – 24..."
1. "Firstly, it is clear from other biblical manuscripts found at Qumran that not every manuscript was a deliberate copying of a whole biblical book."
2. "Secondly, all the manuscripts of Ezekiel described here are assigned roughly to the turn of the era."
3. "Thirdly, this matter of relative significance for their owners can be highlighted not only by noting the date of the manuscripts but also by a rough count of extant texts. Although we cannot be sure how many biblical manuscripts have survived in the Qumran caves and to what extent those that have survived represent what was deposited or possessed by those who occupied the site, nevertheless there is a relative paucity of Ezekiel texts." [Brooke]
2. "Secondly, all the manuscripts of Ezekiel described here are assigned roughly to the turn of the era."
3. "Thirdly, this matter of relative significance for their owners can be highlighted not only by noting the date of the manuscripts but also by a rough count of extant texts. Although we cannot be sure how many biblical manuscripts have survived in the Qumran caves and to what extent those that have survived represent what was deposited or possessed by those who occupied the site, nevertheless there is a relative paucity of Ezekiel texts." [Brooke]
The Outline (Bible Knowledge Commentary on The Old Testament - Walvoord, Zuck, Cook)
Pt 1: Judgment on Judah (Ez. 1 – 24)
A) Ezekiel’s preparation (1 – 3)
B) Ezekiel’s prophecies against Judah and Jerusalem (4 – 24)
Pt 2: Judgment on Gentile Nations (Ez. 25 – 32)
A) Judgment on Ammon (25:1 – 7)
B) Judgment on Moab (25:8 – 11)
C) Judgment on Edom (25:12 – 14)
D) Judgment on Philistia (25:15 – 17)
E) Judgment on Tyre (26 – 28:19)
F) Judgment on Sidon (28:20 – 26)
G) Judgment on Egypt (29 – 32)
Pt 3: Blessings on Israel (Ez. 33 – 48)
A) New Life for Israel (33 – 39)
B) New Order for Israel (40 – 48)
A) Ezekiel’s preparation (1 – 3)
B) Ezekiel’s prophecies against Judah and Jerusalem (4 – 24)
Pt 2: Judgment on Gentile Nations (Ez. 25 – 32)
A) Judgment on Ammon (25:1 – 7)
B) Judgment on Moab (25:8 – 11)
C) Judgment on Edom (25:12 – 14)
D) Judgment on Philistia (25:15 – 17)
E) Judgment on Tyre (26 – 28:19)
F) Judgment on Sidon (28:20 – 26)
G) Judgment on Egypt (29 – 32)
Pt 3: Blessings on Israel (Ez. 33 – 48)
A) New Life for Israel (33 – 39)
B) New Order for Israel (40 – 48)