Bible Characters
Who Was Ezekiel in the Bible? Priest and Prophet in Babylon
Ezekiel was a priest, the son of Buzi, who was taken captive to Babylon and called to be a prophet to the Jewish exiles there (Ezekiel 1:1-3). He received his call in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile, about 593 BC, beside the Kebar River (Ezekiel 1:2). His ministry covered the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC and the years after it, and his prophecies are recorded in the Book of Ezekiel.
Ezekiel is known for his visions of God's glory, the dramatic sign-acts he performed, the valley of dry bones, and his detailed vision of a future temple.
Quick Facts About Ezekiel
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Name meaning | "God strengthens" |
| Testament | Old Testament |
| Key books | Ezekiel |
| Time period | Ministry about 593 to 571 BC (Ezekiel 1:2; 29:17) |
| Known for | The vision of the living creatures and wheels, acting out prophecies, the watchman role, the valley of dry bones, the new temple vision |
Ezekiel's Background
Ezekiel was from a priestly family (Ezekiel 1:3). He went into exile with King Jehoiachin in 597 BC, when Nebuchadnezzar took the king, officials, and skilled workers from Jerusalem to Babylon (2 Kings 24:10-16). Ezekiel lived among the exiles at Tel Aviv near the Kebar River (Ezekiel 3:15), and he had his own house there (Ezekiel 8:1).
Ezekiel 1:1 dates the vision to a thirtieth year without naming what the count refers to. Many interpreters take this to mean Ezekiel's age when his ministry began, which was the age priests began their service (Numbers 4:3). The text does not say so directly.
Ezekiel was a contemporary of Jeremiah, who was still prophesying in Jerusalem, and of Daniel, who was serving in the Babylonian court. Ezekiel mentions Daniel by name as an example of righteousness (Ezekiel 14:14, 20; 28:3).
Ezekiel's Call and Vision
The Living Creatures and the Wheels
Ezekiel saw a windstorm coming from the north with flashing lightning (Ezekiel 1:4). In it were four living creatures, each with four faces (human, lion, ox, and eagle) and four wings (Ezekiel 1:5-10). Beside each creature was a wheel intersecting another wheel, with rims full of eyes (Ezekiel 1:15-18).
Above the creatures was a throne of lapis lazuli, and on it a figure like a man, surrounded by brilliant light like a rainbow. Ezekiel called it the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord, and he fell facedown (Ezekiel 1:26-28). Later he identifies these creatures as cherubim (Ezekiel 10:20).
Eating the Scroll
God sent Ezekiel to a rebellious people and told him not to be afraid, whether they listened or not (Ezekiel 2:3-7). God gave him a scroll written on both sides with words of lament and mourning and told him to eat it. It tasted as sweet as honey (Ezekiel 2:9-3:3).
The Watchman
God appointed Ezekiel as a watchman for Israel. If he failed to warn the wicked, he would be held accountable for their blood. If he warned them and they did not turn, he would have saved himself (Ezekiel 3:17-21; 33:7-9).
Who Was Ezekiel in the Bible as a Sign to Israel?
God told Ezekiel he would be a sign to the people (Ezekiel 12:6, 11; 24:24). Many of his messages were acted out:
- Silence: God made Ezekiel unable to speak except when giving God's words (Ezekiel 3:26-27).
- The clay tablet: He drew Jerusalem on a clay tablet and built siege works around it (Ezekiel 4:1-3).
- Lying on his side: He lay on his left side for 390 days for Israel's sin and on his right side for 40 days for Judah's (Ezekiel 4:4-6).
- Rationed bread: He ate measured food and water to picture the famine in the siege (Ezekiel 4:9-17).
- Shaved hair: He shaved his head and beard, then burned, struck, and scattered the hair to show the fate of Jerusalem's people (Ezekiel 5:1-4, 12).
- Exile's baggage: He packed his belongings and dug through a wall in the evening as a sign of the coming exile (Ezekiel 12:3-11).
- Two sticks: He joined two sticks labeled for Judah and Joseph to show the reunion of the divided kingdoms (Ezekiel 37:15-22).
The Glory Departs From the Temple
In a vision, Ezekiel was taken to Jerusalem and shown idolatry in the temple, including elders burning incense to idols, women mourning for the god Tammuz, and men bowing to the sun (Ezekiel 8:1-16).
He then watched the glory of the Lord move from the temple threshold, to the east gate, and finally to the mountain east of the city (Ezekiel 10:18-19; 11:22-23). This showed that God was withdrawing his presence before the judgment on Jerusalem.
The Death of Ezekiel's Wife
God told Ezekiel that he was about to take away the delight of his eyes, and that Ezekiel must not mourn publicly. His wife died that evening (Ezekiel 24:15-18). When the people asked what this meant, Ezekiel explained that God would soon take away the temple, the delight of their eyes, and they too would be unable to mourn in the usual ways (Ezekiel 24:19-24).
The Fall of Jerusalem and a New Message
Ezekiel's prophecies against the nations, including Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, and Egypt, are gathered in Ezekiel 25 through 32. In the twelfth year of the exile, a fugitive arrived to report that Jerusalem had fallen, and Ezekiel's mouth was opened (Ezekiel 33:21-22).
From then on, his messages focus more on restoration. God promised to be the shepherd of his people and to place over them one shepherd, God's servant David (Ezekiel 34:11-16, 23-24). He also promised inner renewal:
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." (Ezekiel 36:26, NIV)
The Valley of Dry Bones
The Spirit of the Lord set Ezekiel in a valley full of very dry bones. God asked him whether the bones could live, and Ezekiel replied that only the Lord knew (Ezekiel 37:1-3). God told him to prophesy to the bones. They came together, tendons and flesh appeared, and when Ezekiel prophesied to the breath, breath entered them and they stood up as a vast army (Ezekiel 37:4-10).
God explained that the bones were the whole house of Israel, who said their hope was gone. He promised to open their graves, put his Spirit in them, and settle them in their own land (Ezekiel 37:11-14).
Gog and the New Temple
Ezekiel 38 and 39 describe an attack by Gog of the land of Magog and God's defeat of those forces. Revelation 20:8 also mentions Gog and Magog.
In the twenty-fifth year of the exile, Ezekiel received a long vision of a new temple with exact measurements (Ezekiel 40:1-5). He saw the glory of the Lord return and fill the temple (Ezekiel 43:1-5), and a river flowing from the temple that made salt water fresh (Ezekiel 47:1-12). The book ends by giving the city a new name meaning that the Lord is there (Ezekiel 48:35). Interpreters hold different views on how this temple vision will be fulfilled.
Key Lessons From Ezekiel's Life
- God is present in exile. Ezekiel saw God's glory in Babylon, far from the Jerusalem temple (Ezekiel 1:1, 28).
- Responsibility to warn. The watchman passage ties faithfulness to speaking God's warning (Ezekiel 3:17-21).
- Personal accountability. God declared that each person is accountable for his own sin and that he takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:20, 23, 32).
- Renewal comes from God. The new heart and the dry bones show restoration as God's work (Ezekiel 36:26-27; 37:14).
Where Ezekiel Appears in the Bible
- Ezekiel: chapters 1-48 (named in 1:3 and 24:24)
Ezekiel is not named anywhere else in Scripture, but his imagery is echoed in Revelation, including the living creatures, the eaten scroll, and the river of life (Revelation 4:6-7; 10:9-10; 22:1-2).
For another prophet who saw God's throne, read about Isaiah. For the exiles' return to Jerusalem, see Ezra.
Ready to test your knowledge of the prophets? Play Who Am I? Bible Edition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did Ezekiel prophesy?
Ezekiel prophesied in Babylon among the Jewish exiles, near the Kebar River at a place called Tel Aviv (Ezekiel 1:1-3; 3:15). He was taken there in the deportation of 597 BC.
Was Ezekiel a priest?
Yes. Ezekiel 1:3 identifies him as a priest, the son of Buzi. His priestly background shows in his attention to the temple and its holiness.
What is the valley of dry bones?
The valley of dry bones is a vision in Ezekiel 37 in which God brought a valley of bones back to life. God explained that the bones represented Israel and promised to restore the nation and put his Spirit in them (Ezekiel 37:11-14).
Did Ezekiel have a wife?
Yes. God told Ezekiel his wife would die and that he must not mourn publicly, as a sign to the exiles (Ezekiel 24:15-24). She died that evening (Ezekiel 24:18).
How many chapters are in the Book of Ezekiel?
The Book of Ezekiel has 48 chapters. It is one of the Major Prophets, placed after Lamentations in the Protestant Old Testament.