Commentary

A Prophet among the Exiles (1:1–3:27)

Many years ago, in a land far away, lived a man named Ezekiel. He and his people had suffered terribly. After a fierce battle, Ezekiel's home had been conquered. He was among the social elite who were taken captive to their conqueror's country. A few years later, sitting by a river in this foreign land, Ezekiel experienced something almost as terrifying: an encounter with God. The description of this encounter opens the book of Ezekiel. After orienting readers to Ezekiel's time and place (1:1-3), three distinct events are narrated. First, Ezekiel recounts his vision of standing in God's presence (1:4-28). Next, in a series of speeches, God calls Ezekiel to a new role: a prophet who is to bring God's message of "lamentation and ... woe" to the people (2:1–3:15). Finally, Ezekiel undergoes a process that prepares him for this role (3:16-27).

Just as the ordination service of a priest served as an initiation rite into that role (compare Lev 8–9), prophets also experienced an initiation process. Ezekiel's experience both resembles and differs from the experiences of prophets before him (compare Isa 6; Jer 1). The report is longer and more complex than that of any other biblical prophet. Perhaps Ezekiel had more need than other prophets did to prove that YHWH sent him, since his message is so unbelievably disturbing. Each main section of the opening chapters is one more argument to persuade Ezekiel's audience that he is YHWH's true messenger. The purpose of these events was to prepare Ezekiel for his role and to make his claim for legitimacy. Considering how aspects of trauma might illuminate Ezekiel's experience reveals the experience of divine encounter as highly disturbing.

Ezek'el Saw "de Wheel Way Up in de Middle o' de Air" (1:1-28)

Ezekiel claims prophetic authority precisely because he saw "de wheel way up in de middle o' de air." Standing in God's presence is a standard claim for true prophecy. The way Ezekiel saw God is also important. The deity of Ezekiel's vision is creator of the universe, mighty warrior, and almighty king, a God who can kill and make alive. Ezekiel faced the God his people faced—the God who both killed Judah and will make them alive again.

Literary Analysis

The book of Ezekiel begins as do other prophetic books, with a superscription (1:1-3), a brief indication of author, date, and subject (e.g., Hos 1:1; Amos 1:1). This superscription is more elaborate than the usual terse provision of basic data. The elaboration takes the form of repetition and expansion. Twice a time frame is given (vv. 1, 2). The location "by the river Chebar" is mentioned twice and each time is modified by another descriptor, "among the exiles" (v. 1) and "in the land of the Chaldeans" (v. 3). Three times reference is made to Ezekiel's relationship to God: "I saw visions of God" (v. 1); "the word of YHWH came ... and the hand of YHWH was on him there" (v. 3). Repetition is a standard literary device throughout the book of Ezekiel, providing emphasis or elaborating upon something. Here the repetition emphasizes when the prophet spoke, where Ezekiel prophesied, and who authorized this prophet.

The main body of the chapter (vv. 4-28) is an extended vision report, a characteristic prophetic genre. Significantly, the book of Ezekiel begins with a vision portraying the prophet having an audience with God in the heavenly realm. Throughout the OT one of the tests of the "true" prophet is whether the prophet could claim to have stood in YHWH's presence (1 Kgs 22:19-23; Isa 6:1-3; Jer 23:21-22). The prophet who made this claim was trustworthy. Of all the prophets, Ezekiel is the only one to begin with such a vision. Ezekiel does not wait for his message to be questioned to present his credentials, but starts by authenticating his prophecy. Because Ezekiel's message is in many ways unbelievable, the readers of this message need to know from the very beginning that they can believe it.

Exegetical Analysis

The superscription (vv. 1-3) provides two dates. The "thirtieth year" may (or may not) refer to the minimum age one could assume priestly duties (Num 4:30). The second date locates Ezekiel during the time of the exile. Jehoiachin was king when Nebuchadnezzar first attacked Jerusalem and deported some of its population (2 Kgs 24:1-16). To date, his oracles from that moment imply that they define time for Ezekiel, just as contemporary time might be divided "before 9/11" and "after 9/11." There was life "before" Jehoiachin's exile and then there was life "after." Ezekiel's concern is with life "after."

The three identifications of location also firmly anchor Ezekiel in the exile. "Among the exiles" establishes Ezekiel as among the first group of deportees from Jerusalem. According to Babylonian sources "the river Chebar" was a canal that looped off the Euphrates around the city of Nippur in the plains of southern Babylon. "Chaldea" is the biblical name for southern Mesopotamia, the area associated with Babylon (contemporary southern Iraq). Both the time and place accentuate that Ezekiel's life and prophetic work occurred in the context of the Judean exile, and deal with its concerns.

Like many Hebrew names, "Ezekiel" is a compound name. Two elements are combined to form a descriptive phrase or a complete sentence. The first element in the name (Ezeki-) is a verbal form and the second element (-el) is derived from a divine name. The verb generally means "to be or grow strong." In another form it means "to make strong, strengthen." The same verb is used in Exodus to describe the hardening, or strengthening, of Pharaoh's heart. The second element, "El," is the generic Hebrew word for "god" as well as the proper name of Canaan's chief deity. Thus, Ezekiel means "May God (El) make strong" or "God strengthens (or hardens)" or "God will be strong." Several interpretations are possible: God will strengthen Ezekiel in his prophetic mission; or since God is strong, God is someone on whom Ezekiel can rely for support; or God will be strong and firm in carrying out the divine intention of punishing the people.

Ezekiel (and/or his father) is identified as a priest. According to the grammar of the sentence, the identification, "priest," can refer either to Ezekiel or to his father, making Ezekiel's priestly status ambiguous. Nonetheless, the priestly orientation of the book is clear from the attention to such typical priestly concerns as dating, purity/impurity, the layout of the Temple, worship practices, God's holiness, as well as specific connections with the priestly Holiness Code in Lev 17–26. Whether or not Ezekiel was himself a priest, he used the priestly worldview to explain to the exiles how and why they suffered deportation and what their future might be.

For good reasons, there are few artistic representations of Ezekiel's vision; attempting to draw it results in frustration. There are several reasons why it is so difficult to grasp its content and meaning.

First, the vision itself claims to represent only vaguely what Ezekiel saw, using words "something like," "appearance," "like," "looked...