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EZEKIEL

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Title: EZEKIEL


1
EZEKIEL
2
EZEKIEL WHO?
  • What does the name Ezekiel mean in Hebrew?
  • Ezekiel a combination of the verb hazak (to
    strengthen) and el (God)
  • God strengthens or maybe May God strengthen.

3
Biographical text from the first Chapter of
Ezekiel
  • In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on
    the fifth day of the month, as I was among the
    exiles by the river Chebar, the heavens were
    opened, and I saw visions of God. On the fifth
    day of the month (it was the fifth year of the
    exile of King Jehoi'achin), the word of the LORD
    came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in
    the land of the Chalde'ans by the river Chebar
    and the hand of the LORD was upon him there.
    (13)

4
First an Editorial Comment - Notice the change
in the subject which indicates a later revision
of some sort
  • First Person Ezekiel
  • In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on
    the fifth day of the month, the heavens were
    opened, and I saw visions of God. (11)
  • Third Person A redactor editor
  • On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth
    year of the exile of King Jehoi'achin), the word
    of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son
    of Buzi, in the land of the Chalde'ans by the
    river Chebar and the hand of the LORD was upon
    him there. (12-3)

5
Beginning with the first verse lets see if we can
learn any historical data about Ezekiel and his
vocation
  • In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on
    the fifth day of the month, the heavens were
    opened, and I saw visions of God.
  • Ezekiel says his call begins in the 30th year.
  • What does that mean?
  • Could it designate the 30th year of the
    Babylonian exile?

6
The 30th year?
  • But this contradicts the next verse which states
    that the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel in the
    5th year of the exile of King Jehoiachin
  • (According to that verse, the 5th year of King
    Jehoiachins exile would mean that Ezekiel
    received his call in 593 B.C.)

7
The 30th Year?
  • Scholars propose various solutions
  • 1. The year of Ezekiels first prophesy and the
    editorial comment is made in order to clarify the
    actual date.
  • 2. The date Ezekiel published the book.
  • 3. The Prophets age when he was called. (Origen)
  • 4. The time that had passed since Hilkiah the
    high priest found the book of the Law in the
    house of the Lord which was the beginning of a
    reform movement

8
Or
  • The 30th year could refer to the date of
    ordination the date typical of the Levitical
    priesthood.
  • The passage above in the Hebrew says that either
    Ezekiel was a priest or his father, Buzi, was a
    priest.

9
Or
  • He would have been a priest when he turned 30
    but because he was in exile he received a call to
    be a prophet instead. (Miller)

10
But lets assume he was a priest
  • After all, reading the book it is apparent that
    Ezekiel was accustomed to life in the temple
    because his language and thought are very similar
    to the priestly codes in use at the time (Miller)
  • On the right is a Levite priest in ceremonial
    vestments -

11
  • He would have been away from the Temple which is
    the only place he could have exercised his
    priestly functions. (Cody)
  • Following the reforms under King Josiah, which
    called for a more strict adherence to the Book of
    Deuteronomy, the Temple would be understood as
    the only place to practice public worship.

12
  • Being in exile, in lands that were unclean, water
    was a source of purity and prescribed washings
    could very easily have occurred at canals
    (Greenberg)
  • This would explain the settlement of exiles near
    Nippur (Anchor)
  • The Israelites having no were to worship probably
    conducted their ritual near water sources
  • Psalm 137 - By the waters of Babylon, there we
    sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.
    (1371)

13
  • It would explain Ezekiels presence at the river
    Chebar
  • the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest,
    the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chalde'ans by
    the river Chebar

14
Land of the Chaldeans? Babylonia
15
The River/Canal Chebar
  • River Chebar A canal that left the Euphrates
    from the North of Babylon and flowed South East
    through the ancient city Sumerian of Nippur and
    finally returned to the Euphrates. Findings in
    Nippur reveal documents containing Jewish family
    names from the 5th cent B.C.

16
Among the exiles
  • Does not mean that Ezekiel was actually in
    contact with exiles, but simply that he was in
    the vicinity of exile territory.
  • He most likely received his call while in
    solitude

17
The hand of the Lord is a common expression in
the book of Ezekiel.What does that tell us about
his call?
  • The form of speech is used several times in the
    book of Ezekiel

18
  • This prophetic form of speech may originate in
    the Exodus narratives which speak of the hand and
    arm of Yahweh and his outstreched arms.
    (Zimmerli)
  • Yahwehs hand takes hold of the prophets senses
    and speech. It seizes him, and empowers him.
  • It was more than simply a divine message.
    Rather, it was a submission to the Divine Word
    that could leave one subdued in a vision or
    trance. And I sat there overwhelmed among them
    seven days. (314)

19
Seen elsewhere
  • And the hand of the LORD was on Eli'jah and he
    girded up his loins and ran before Ahab to the
    entrance of Jezreel. (1 Kgs 1846)

20
We can conclude then
  • Ezekiel was seized and empowered by God when he
    received his call to be a prophet on the river
    Chebar.

21
Bibliography
  • Boadt, Lawrence, Ezekiel, The New Jerome Biblical
    Commentary, (Upper Saddle River, New Jersey
    Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1990) pp. 305 310
  • Carley, Keith W., Ezekiel Among the Prophets A
    Study of Ezekiels Place in Prophetic Tradition,
    Studies in Biblical Theology, 2nd Series,
    (Naperville, Illinois Alec R. Allenson Inc.,
    1974)
  • Cody, Aelred, Ezekiel, Old Testment Message A
    Biblical-Theological Commentary, (Wilmington
    Delaware Michael Glazier, Inc., 1984) pp. 21-30
  • Eichrodt, Walther, Ezekiel A commentary, Old
    Testament Library, (Phildelphia Westminster
    Press,1970) pp. 49-59
  • Greenberg, Moshe, Ezekiel 1 20, The Anchor
    Bible, (New York Doubleday, 1983) pp. 37- 42
  • Miller, John W., Meet the Prophets A beginners
    Guide to the Books of the Biblical Prophets
    their meaning then and now, (New York/Mahwah
    Paulist Press, 1987), pp. 178 -187
  • Ed. Wevers, John W., Ezekiel, The Century Bible,
    (New Jersey Nelson, 1969) pp.22-26, 40-44.
  • Zimmerli, Walther, Ezekiel, Hermenia, vol. 1
    (Philadelphia Fortress, 1979, 1983), pp. 101-106

22
Works Cited
  • Boadt, Lawrence, Ezekiel, The New Jerome Biblical
    Commentary, (Upper Saddle River, New Jersey
    Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1990) pp. 305 310
  • Cody, Aelred, Ezekiel, Old Testment Message A
    Biblical-Theological Commentary, (Wilmington
    Delaware Michael Glazier, Inc., 1984) pp. 21-30
  • Eichrodt, Walther, Ezekiel A commentary, Old
    Testament Library, (Phildelphia Westminster
    Press,1970) pp. 49-59
  • Greenberg, Moshe, Ezekiel 1 20, The Anchor
    Bible, (New York Doubleday, 1983) pp. 37- 42
  • Miller, John W., Meet the Prophets A beginners
    Guide to the Books of the Biblical Prophets
    their meaning then and now, (New York/Mahwah
    Paulist Press, 1987), pp. 178 -187
  • Ed. Wevers, John W., Ezekiel, The Century Bible,
    (New Jersey Nelson, 1969) pp.22-26, 40-44.
  • Zimmerli, Walther, Ezekiel, Hermenia, vol. 1
    (Philadelphia Fortress, 1979, 1983), pp. 101-106
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