Ezekiel 1:3

_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._ No JFB commentary on this verse....

He does not repeat the _copula _which was placed at the beginning of the first verse, and we may perhaps wonder why the book should begin with a _copula: _for when he says, _“and _it came to pass,” it seems to denote something going before it, and it seems out of place when nothing precedes it. But probably an oblique antithesis or comparison is intended between those prophecies which had flourished for a long period at Jerusalem, which was their peculiar and genuine scat, and that which was arising in Chaldea; as if he would say, _“even _among Chaldaeans,” for the particle ו, _vau, _is often used in the sense of גם, _gam, “even.” _The sense therefore is, after God had exercised his servants even to weariness, since many prophets had discharged their duties at Jerusalem, now at length he speaks in Chaldea. He says, therefore, _“the _word of the Lord came unto him.” I know not why

1-14 It is a mercy to have the word of God brought to us, and a duty to attend to it diligently, when we are in affliction. The voice of God came in the fulness of light and power, by the Holy Spirit. These visions seem to have been sent to possess the prophet's mind with great and high thoughts of God. To strike terror upon sinners. To speak comfort to those that feared God, and humbled themselves. In ver. Ezekiel 1:4, is the first part of the vision, which represents God as attended and served by a vast company of angels, who are all his messengers, his ministers, doing his commandments. This vision would impress the mind with solemn awe and fear of the Divine displeasure, yet raise expectations of blessings. The fire is surrounded with a glory. Though we cannot by searching find out God to perfection, yet we see the brightness round about it. The likeness of the living creatures came...

Verse Ezekiel 1:3. _THE HAND OF THE LORD_] I was filled with his power, and with the influence of the prophetic spirit....

CAME EXPRESSLY - The phrase marks that it was in truth a heaven-sent vision. THE HAND OF THE LORD - A phrase in all prophecy implying a “constraining” power, because the spirit “constrains” the prophet independently of his own will....

EXPOSITION For the life of the prophet prior to the vision which this chapter relates, and which constituted his call to that office, see Introduction. EZEKIEL 1:1 NOW; literally, _and. _The use of the conjunction indicates here, as in Jonah 1:1, that the narrative that follows links itself on to something that has gone before. In Exodus 1:1 and 1 Samuel 1:1 it may point to a connection with the book that precedes it. Here the sequence is subjective. We may think of Ezekiel as retracing the years of his life till he comes to the thirtieth. Then, as it were, he pulls himself up. That must be t

THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME EXPRESSLY,.... Or, "in being was" d; which phrase denotes the reality, certainty, substantiality and evidence of the word of the Lord to him: UNTO EZEKIEL THE PRIEST, THE SON OF BUZI; which Buzi, some say, was Jeremiah. Kimchi observes, that, in the Jerusalem Targum, the Prophet Ezekiel is called the son of Jeremiah the prophet: and Jeremiah was called Buzi because they despised him; this is rejected by Abarbinel; nor is there any reason to believe it, any more than what Nazianzen e says, that Ezekiel was a servant of Jeremiah: IN THE LAND OF THE CHALDEANS, BY THE RIVER CHEBAR; Ezekiel 1:1. The Chaldee paraphrase makes the word of the Lord to come to him at two distinct times and places; "the word of prophecy from before the Lord was with Ezekiel the son of Buzi the priest in the land of Israel: it return

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. PREDICTIONS BEFORE THE FALL OF JERUSALEM A. judgment Predictions Concerning Jerusalem (1-24) Chapter S 1:1-3:14 The Vision of Glory and the Call of the Prophet _ 1. The introduction (Ezekiel 1:1) _ 2. The vision of glory (Ezekiel 1:4) 3. Ezekiel's call and commission (Ezekiel 2:1) 4. The roll eaten and the repeated commission (Ezekiel 2:9; Ezekiel 3:1) Ezekiel 1:1. The introductory words give

EZEKIEL 1-3. EZEKIEL ENTERS UPON HIS MINISTRY. Ezekiel 1:1. Ezekiel's Vision. Ezekiel 1:1. Like the prophets generally, Ezekiel enters upon his ministry only after he has had a vision of God and a call from Him. The book, therefore, appropriately opens with a description of these experiences. They took place in the thirtieth year a difficult phrase: perhaps the thirtieth year of the prophet's life in any case in 592 B.C., the fifth year after Jehoiachin and the leading citizens of Judah had been carried captive into Babylon (2 Kings 24:10 Ezekiel 1:16). Among them was Ezekiel, who whether or not a priest himself, c

THE LORD. Hebrew. _Jehovah._ App-4. EXPRESSLY. in very deed, or in reality. EZEKIEL. See the Title. THE PRIEST: and called, as Jeremiah was, to the office of prophet as well, THE HAND. Fig, _Anthropopatheia._ App-6. WAS. became. Compare Elijah (1 Kings 18:46); Elisha (2 Kings 3:15); Daniel (Daniel 10:10; Daniel 10:18); and John (Revelation 1:17)....