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Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents
1:1-3:27 Inaugural Vision. The opening sequence of Ezekiel is the most elaborate and complex of the prophetic call narratives in the OT, and also one of the most carefully structured. In a vision, Ezekiel witnesses the awesome approach of the glory of God (1:1-28). Ezekiel receives his prophetic commission through swallowing the scroll God offers (2:1-3:11), thus both fortifying him and training him in obedience. After the glory of God withdraws (3:12-15), Ezekiel's role is further refined by his appointment as a "watchman" (3:16-21). The sequence concludes with a further encounter with God's glory (3:22-27).
1:1-3 Setting. Unusually, Ezekiel opens with an autobiographical note (v. 1) and some accompanying explanation (vv. 2-3). These verses have echoes in 3:14-15; together they frame the book's opening vision.
1:1 What the thirtieth year signifies is obscure, as it does not follow the usual pattern for dates in Ezekiel. It may refer to the prophet's age. Reference to the Chebar canal locates the prophet near ancient Nippur (or, in modern terms, halfway between Baghdad and Basra) and thus not in the city of Babylon itself. Visions of God links this vision with 8:3 and 40:2; the other great vision in the book (37:1-14) does not use this language.
1:2 Probably the "thirtieth year" of v. 1 should be linked with the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin (i.e., ). Jehoiachin's exile is the regular chronological marker for dates given throughout the book. Jehoiachin was only
