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Ezekiel

Bible Dictionary

Ezekiel
(the strength of god), one of the four greater prophets, wasthe son of a priest named Buzi, and was taken captive in thecaptivity of Jehoiachin, eleven years before the destruction ofJerusalem. He was a member of a community of Jewish exiles whosettled on the banks of the Chebar, a "river or stream ofBabylonia. He began prophesying B.C. 595, and continued untilB.C. 573, a period of more than twenty-two years. We learn froman incidental allusion, (ezekiel 24:18) that he was married,and had a house, (ezekiel 8:1) in his place of exile, and losthis wife by a sudden and unforeseen stroke. He lived in thehighest consideration among his companions in exile, and theirelders consulted him on all occasions. He is said to have beenburied on the banks of the Euphrates. The tomb, said to havebeen built by Jehoiachin, is shown, a few days journey fromBagdad. Ezekiel was distinguished by his stern and inflexibleenergy of will and character and his devoted adherence to therites and ceremonies of his national religion. The depth of hismatter and the marvellous nature of his visions make himoccasionally obscure. Prophecy of Ezekiel

The book isdivided into two great parts, of which the destruction ofJerusalem is the turning-point. Chapters 1-24 containpredictions delivered before that event, and chs. 25-48 afterit, as we see from ch. (ezekiel 26:2) Again, chs. 1-32 aremainly occupied with correction, denunciation and reproof,while the remainder deal chiefly in consolation and promise. Aparenthetical section in the middle of the book, chs. 25-32,contains a group of prophecies against seven foreign nations,the septenary arrangement being apparently intentional. Thereare no direct quotations from Ezekiel in the New Testament, butin the Apocalypse there are many parallels and obviousallusions to the later chapters 40-48.