Hesekiel 1:5 Kommentar

The circumstances of the vision which Ezekiel saw, and in which he received his commission and instructions, are here very particularly set down, that the narrative may appear to be authentic and not romantic. It may be of use to keep an account when and where God has been pleased to manifest himself to our souls in a peculiar manner, that the return of the day, and our return to the place of the altar (Gen 13:4), may revive the pleasing grateful remembrance of God's favour to us. "Remember, O my soul! and never forget what communications of divine love thou didst receive at such a time, at such a place; tell others what God did for thee." I. The time when Ezekiel had this vision is here recorded. It was in the thirtieth year, v. 1. Some make it the thirtieth year of the prophet's age; being a priest, he was at that age to enter upon the full execution of the priestly office, but being debarred from that by the iniquity and calamity of the times, now that they had neither temple nor altar, God at that age called him to the dignity of a prophet. Others make it to be the thirtieth year from the beginning of the reign of Nabopolassar, the father of Nebuchadnezzar, from which the Chaldeans began a new computation of time, as they had done from Nabonassar 123 years before. Nabopolassar reigned nineteen years, and this was the eleventh of his son, which makes the thirty. And it was proper enough for Ezekiel, when he was in Babylon, to use the computation they there used, as we in foreign countries date by the new style; and he afterwards uses the melancholy computation of his own country, observing (Eze 1:2) that it was the fifth year of Jehoiachin's captivity. But the Chaldee paraphrase fixes upon another era, and says that this was the thirtieth year after Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law in the house of the sanctuary, at midnight, after the setting of the moon, in the days of Josiah the king. And it is true that this was just thirty years from that time; and that was an event so remarkable (as it put the Jewish state upon a new trial) that it was proper enough to date form it; and perhaps therefore the prophet speaks indefinitely of thirty years, as having an eye both to that event and to the Chaldean computation, which were coincident. It was in the fourth month, answering to our June, and in the fifth day of the month, that Ezekiel had this vision, Eze 1:2. It is probably that it was on the sabbath day, because we read (Eze 3:16) that at the end of seven days, which we may well suppose to be the next sabbath, the word of the Lord came to him again. Thus John was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, when he saw the visions of the Almighty, Rev 1:10. God would hereby put an honour upon his sabbaths, when the enemies mocked at them, Lam 1:7. And he would thus encourage his people to keep up their attendance on the ministry of his prophets every sabbath day, by the extraordinary manifestations of himself on some sabbath days. II. The melancholy circumstances he was in when God honoured him, and thereby favoured his people, with this vision. he was in the land of the Chaldeans, among the captives, by the river of Chebar, and it was in the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity. Observe, 1. The people of God were now, some of them, captives in the land of the Chaldeans. The body of the Jewish nation yet remained in their own land, but these were the first-fruits of the captivity, and they were some of the best; for in Jeremiah's vision these were the good figs, whom God had sent into the land of the Chaldeans for their good (Jer 24:5); and, that it might be for their good, God raised up a prophet among them, to teach them out of the law, then when he chastened them, Psa 94:12. Note, It is a great mercy to have the word of God brought to us, and a great duty to attend to it diligently, when we are in affliction. The word of instruction and the rod of correction may be of great service to us, in concert and concurrence with each other, the word to explain the rod and the rod to enforce the word: both together give wisdom. It is happy for a man, when he is sick and in pain, to have a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, if he have but his ear open to discipline, Job 36:10. One of the quarrels God had with the Jews, when he sent them into captivity, we for mocking his messengers and misusing his prophets; and yet, when they were suffering for this sin, he favoured them with this forfeited mercy. It were ill with us if God did not sometimes graciously thrust upon us those means of grace and salvation which we have foolishly thrust from us. In their captivity they were destitute of ordinary helps for their souls, and therefore God raised them up these extraordinary ones; for God's children, if they be hindered in their education one way, shall have it made up another way. But observe, It was in the fifth year of the captivity that Ezekiel was raised up amongst them, and not before. So long God left them without any prophet, till they began to lament after the Lord and to complain that they saw not their signs and there was none to tell them how long (Psa 74:9), and then they would know how to value a prophet, and God's discoveries of himself to them by him would be the more acceptable and comfortable. The Jews that remained in their own land had Jeremiah with them, those that had gone into captivity had Ezekiel with them; for wherever the children of God are scattered abroad he will find out tutors for them. 2. The prophet was himself among the captives, those of them that were posted by the river Chebar; for it was by the rivers of Babylon that they sat down, and on the willow-trees by the river's side that they hanged their harps, Psa 137:1, Psa 137:2. The planters in America keep along by the sides of the rivers, and perhaps those captives were employed by their masters in improving some parts of the country by the rivers' sides that were uncultivated, the natives being generally employed in war; or they employed them in manufactures, and therefore chose to fix them by the sides of rivers, that the good they made might the more easily be conveyed by water-carriage. Interpreters agree not what river this of Chebar was, but among the captives by that river Ezekiel was, and himself a captive. Observe here, (1.) The best men, and those that are dearest to God, often share, not only in the common calamities of this life, but in the public and national judgments that are inflicted for sin; those feel the smart who contributed nothing to the guilt, by which it appears that the difference between good and bad arises not from the events that befal them, but from the temper and disposition of their spirits under them. And since not only righteous men, but prophets, share with the worst in present punishments, we may infer thence, with the greatest assurance, that there are rewards reserved for them in the future state. (2.) Words of conviction, counsel, and comfort, come best to those who are in affliction from their fellow sufferers. The captives will be best instructed by one who is a captive among them and experimentally knows their sorrows. (3.) The spirit of prophecy was not confined to the land of Israel, but some of the brightest of divine revelations were revealed in the land of the Chaldeans, which was a happy presage of the carrying of the church, with that divine revelation upon which it is built, into the Gentile world; and, as now, so afterwards, when the gospel kingdom was to be set up, the dispersion of the Jews contributed to the spreading of the knowledge of God. (4.) Wherever we are we may keep up our communion with God. Undique ad coelos tantundem est viae - From the remotest corners of the earth we may find a way open heavenward. (5.) When God's ministers are bound the word of the Lord is not bound, Ti2 2:9. When St. Paul was a prisoner the gospel had a free course. When St. John was banished into the Isle of Patmos Christ visited him there. Nay, God's suffering servants have generally been treated as favourites, and their consolations have much more abounded when affliction has abounded, Co2 1:5. III. The discovery which God was pleased to make of himself to the prophet when he was in these circumstances, to be by him communicated to his people. He here tells us what he saw, what he heard, and what he felt. 1. He saw visions of God, Eze 1:1. No man can see God and live; but many have seen visions of God, such displays of the divine glory as have both instructed and affected them; and commonly, when God first revealed himself to any prophet, he did it by an extraordinary vision, as to Isaiah (Isa 6:1-13), to Jeremiah (ch. 1), to Abraham (Act 7:2), to settle a correspondence and a satisfactory way of intercourse, so that there needed not afterwards a vision upon ever revelation. Ezekiel was employed in turning the hearts of the people to the Lord their God, and therefore he must himself see the visions of God. Note, It concerns those to be well acquainted with God themselves, and much affected with what they know of him, whose business it is to bring others to the knowledge and love of him. That he might see the visions of God the heavens were opened; the darkness and distance which hindered his visions were conquered, and he was let into the light of the glories of the upper world, as near and clear as if heaven had been opened to him. 2. He heard the voice of God (Eze 1:3): The word of the Lord came expressly to him, and what he saw was designed to prepare him for what he was to hear. The expression is emphatic. Essendo fuit verbum Dei - The word of the Lord was as really it was to him. There was no mistake in it; it came to him in the fulness of its light and power, in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit; it came close to him, nay, it came into him, took possession of him and dwelt in him richly. It came expressly, or accurately, to him; he did himself clearly understand what he said and was abundantly satisfied f the truth of it. The essential Word (so we may take it), the Word who is, who is what he is, came to Ezekiel, to send him on his errand. 3. He felt the power of God opening his eyes to see the visions, opening his ear to hear the voice, and opening his heart to receive both: The hand of the Lord was there upon him. Note, The hand of the Lord goes along with the word f the Lord, and so it becomes effectual; those only understand and believe the report to whom the arm of the Lord is revealed. The hand of God was upon him, as upon Moses, to cover him, that he should not be overcome by the dazzling light and lustre of the visions he saw, Exo 33:22. It was upon him (as upon St. John, Rev 1:17), to revive and support him, that he might bear up, and not faint, under these discoveries, that he might neither be lifted up nor cast down with the abundance of the revelations. God's grace is sufficient for him, and, in token of that, his hand is upon him.

This chapter contains a vision, which is the introduction to the prophet's call and commission to perform his office; in the account of which may be observed the time when it was seen, Eze 1:1; and the place both where the prophet was when he saw it, and the object or things that were beheld by him; and the original, form, and manner of the vision, Eze 1:3; next follow the particulars of it; and first, four living creatures appear, described by their general likeness, as human, Eze 1:5; and, in particular, by their faces, feet, hands, and wings, Eze 1:6; by their motion and progress, and the spirit by which they were influenced, Eze 1:12; and by their forms of light, brightness, and heat, in which they appeared and moved, Eze 1:13; and next the wheels, described by their number; for, though they seemed to be as one, they were four; and by their situation on the earth, and by the side of the living creatures, Eze 1:15; by their appearance, which was alike in them all, and as the colour of beryl, and as a wheel within a wheel, Eze 1:16, by their motion, which was on their sides, and not retrograde, Eze 1:17; by their rings or circumferences, which were high, dreadful, and full of eyes, Eze 1:18; by their dependence on the living creatures, moving as they, having the same spirit they had, Eze 1:19; and then a firmament is seen, described by its situation, over the heads of the living creatures; and by its colour, as the terrible crystal, Eze 1:22; by what were under it, the wings of the living creatures of which a more particular account is given, Eze 1:23; by what was heard from it, a voice, Eze 1:25; and by what was above it, a throne; described by its colour, as a sapphire stone; and by a person on it, who had the appearance of a man, Eze 1:26; who, in general, looked like the colour of amber; within which was the appearance of fire from his loins upwards, and from his loins downwards; the fire had a brightness round about it; and that brightness was like a rainbow in a cloud, on a rainy day; and this appearance was no other than that of a divine and glorious Person; which, when seen by the prophet, caused him, through reverence, to fall upon his face; when he heard a voice speaking to him what is recorded in the following chapter, Eze 1:27.

Also out of the midst thereof,.... The fire; or out of the whole that was seen; the whirlwind, cloud, fire, and the brightness about it: came the likeness of four living creatures; not really four living creatures; they appeared like to such they were in the form of such; by which we are to understand, not the four monarchies; nor the four Gospels; nor the angels; but ministers of the Gospel; the true key for the opening of this vision is that which John saw, Rev 4:6; the four beasts there, or living creatures, as it should be rendered, are the same with these here, and these the same with them; and who manifestly appear to be not only worshippers of the true God, but to be men redeemed by the blood of Christ; and are distinguished from angels, and also from the four and twenty elders, the representatives of the Gospel churches; and so can design no other than the ministers of the word, with whom all the characters of them agree, as in that vision, so in this; see Rev 4:8. "Creatures" they are; not gods, but men; they are indeed in God's stead, and represent him, being ambassadors of his; but they are frail, mortal, sinful men, of like passions with others; and therefore great allowances must be made for their infirmities and weaknesses: yea, as ministers, they are the creatures of God; he, and not men, has made them able ministers of the New Testament: and they are "living" creatures; they have spiritual life in themselves, and are the means of quickening others; and have need to be, and should be, lively and fervent in their ministrations. Their number, "four", respects the four parts of the, world, to which their commission to preach the Gospel reaches; and whither they are sent, whensoever it is the will and pleasure of God they should got and he has work for them to do; and this was their appearance, they had the likeness of a man; their general likeness was the human form, except in some particulars after mentioned, because they represented men; men humane, tender, kind and pitiful; knowing, and understanding, and acting like men.

The cherubim are interpreted as the fullness of knowledge. Whoever is full of skill becomes a cherub that God drives.

(Verse 5.) And in the midst of it is the likeness of four living creatures, and this is their appearance: the likeness of a human in them. And what follows, And there is a brightness in it, should be noted with a mark. Unless the Scripture had added, saying: That is, from the midst of the fire, because of the ambiguity of the word, we might have erred and thought that the appearance or vision was of lightning in the midst of the wind or of a spirit. Therefore, it should be understood that in the midst of the fire and torments of God, there is a likeness of lightning, which is more precious than gold and silver. So after judgment and torments, which seem sad and hard to those who endure them, the more precious brightness of lightning appears, while the providence of God governs all things, and what is thought to be punishment is actually medicine.

After this description of the prophet, we still cannot comprehend as we read. But if we cannot comprehend the throne that he has described, how will we be able to comprehend him who sits on it, the invisible and ineffable God? It is impossible to examine closely the nature of God, but for his works, which we see, we can offer him praise and glory.

After I wrote the letter, I remembered what is written in Ezekiel, which he showed as an example of perfection. He saw an animal above the river Chebar that had four faces and four feet and four wings. The face of the cherub is when the Spirit of God rests in the soul and ensures that it gives praise with a pleasant and beautiful voice. When he wants to rise and enquire of a person, he takes on himself the face of the man. But what is the ox? That is surely when the faithful soul is involved in struggle; the Spirit assists in the form of an ox, which is a strong animal, able to confound Satan. And what of the eagle? The eagle flies to the heights, higher than all the birds that fly. When the soul ascends to the heights, the Spirit comes and acts in the form of an eagle, so that it can remain on high and be near to God.

The four animals that bore the chariot were a type of the leading characteristics of the soul. For as the eagle rules over all the other birds and the lion is king of the wild beasts and the bull over the tamed animals and humanity rules over all creatures, so the soul has certain dominant powers that are superior to others. I am speaking of the faculties of the will: conscience, the mind and the power of loving. For it is through such that the chariot of the soul is directed, and it is in these that God resides. In some other fashion also such a symbolism can be applied to the heavenly church of the saints. In this text of Ezekiel’s vision it is said that the animals were exceedingly tall, full of eyes. It was impossible for anyone to comprehend the number of eyes or grasp their height since the knowledge of such was not given. And in a similar manner the stars in the sky are given for people to gaze on and be filled with awe, but to know their number is given to no one. So in regard to the saints in the heavenly church it is permitted to all who only enter into it and enjoy it as they strive to live in it. But to know and comprehend the number of the saints is given only to God.

"And in the midst of it the likeness of four living creatures." What is said to be in the midst of it, whether of electrum or of fire, nothing prevents us from understanding, because these four living creatures, namely the holy evangelists, were both strengthened in the virtue of faith from the incarnation of the same Lord, and afflicted with many tribulations in the fire of persecution.

And because then all the saints who perfectly abandoned the world come as judges, it is fittingly soon added: "And in the midst of it was the likeness of four living creatures." For what is signified by the four living creatures except the four evangelists? And not without reason is the number of all the perfect expressed through the four evangelists, because all who are now perfect in the Church have learned the rectitude of their perfection through their Gospel. For in the midst of it was the likeness of four living creatures, because those who have now followed perfect works according to the Gospel precepts will then be seen united to his body, joined to his majesty, and made judges together with him. For this is why it is said to the holy apostles themselves: "You who have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his majesty, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Hence Isaiah says: "The Lord will come to judgment with the elders of his people." Hence Solomon speaks of the Church, saying: "Her husband is noble in the gates, when he sits with the senators of the land."

"And this was their appearance: there was the likeness of a man in them." Since a little later these holy living creatures are described as distinct in their individual forms, so that one is said to be like a man, another like a lion, another like a calf, and another like an eagle, what does it mean that in this place it is said of all of them together, "The likeness of a man was in them"? But who is described as a man in this place, if not he of whom it is written: "Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and found in appearance as a man"? Therefore these living creatures, that they may be able to rise to the virtue of holiness, strive toward the likeness of this man. For they would not be holy if they did not have the likeness of this man, because whatever is in them of tender compassion, whatever of gentleness of spirit, whatever of zeal for righteousness, whatever of the keeping of humility, whatever of the fervor of charity—all this they drew from the very fountain of mercy, from the very root of gentleness, from the very power of justice, that is, from the Mediator between God and men, God the Lord. The outstanding preacher shows that he has the likeness of this man, saying: "Be imitators of me, as I also am of Christ." He urges us to rise to his likeness when he says: "The first man was from the earth, earthly; the second man is from heaven, heavenly. As we have borne the image of the earthly, let us also bear the image of him who descended from heaven." For each holy person is led to the likeness of this man to the extent that he imitates the life of his Redeemer. For to be at variance with his commandments and works, what else is it but to depart far from his likeness?

Holy preachers weep over the life of sinners; but of our very Head it is written that he wept over Jerusalem. They rejoice over the good deeds of their subjects, and they love those who act rightly; but of our Redeemer it is written that when a certain young man said, "All these things I have kept from my youth," he loved him more. Holy preachers bear insults inflicted upon them and return no insult in turn; but when it was said to our Redeemer, "You have a demon," he did not return injury but responded gently, saying: "I do not have a demon." Holy preachers burn with zeal for righteousness; but the Redeemer of all, having made a whip of cords, drove out those selling and buying from the temple, overturned the seats of those selling doves, and poured out the money of the money-changers. In all that they do with strength, they guard humility with their whole intention; but through our Redeemer it is said: "Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart." Holy preachers also love their persecutors; but he himself, the author and redeemer of all, placed in his passion, interceded for his persecutors, saying: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." They lay down their bodies in suffering for their brothers; but the author of life gave himself up even to death for the life of the elect. Let it therefore be said of the holy living creatures that the likeness of a man is in them, because that they are holy, that they are wonderful—this is in them from the appearance of likeness, that is, from the power of imitation. For our Redeemer is the head of us all. And through Solomon it is said: "The eyes of the wise man are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness." For we have our eyes in the head when we contemplate the life of our Redeemer in silent meditation, when our whole intention raises itself to the imitation of him, lest if the eye of the mind neglects to look upon the ways of light, it immediately falls closed into the darkness of error. The Prophet was hastening to rise to the likeness of this man when he said: "I will exercise myself in your commandments and consider your ways." For he who silently considers the ways of the Lord in his mind, and hastens to exercise himself in his commandments, what else does he reform in himself but the image of the new man? Because this is done unceasingly in the hearts of the saints, it is rightly now said of the living creatures: "The likeness of a man was in them."

After this likeness which is now maintained in moral conduct, we eventually arrive at the likeness of glory. For John says of this: "Now we are children of God, and it has not yet appeared what we shall be. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him." He soon adds how this can come about, saying: "Because we shall see him as he is." For God's being is to remain eternal and unchangeable. For everything that changes ceases to be what it was and begins to be what it was not; but God's being is never to be in a dissimilar state. Hence it is said to Moses: "I am who I am. And you shall say to the children of Israel: He who is sent me to you." James also says: "With whom there is no change, nor shadow of alteration." And so it is said through John: "We shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is," because through the fact that we behold the essence of his nature, freed from our mutability, we are fixed in eternity. For we shall be transformed in him whom we shall see, because we shall lack death by seeing life; we shall transcend our mutability by seeing the immutable. We shall be held by no corruption by seeing the incorruptible. Moreover, there will be a likeness of the man even in our bodies at that time. For it is said through Paul: "Our citizenship is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our lowliness, conformed to the body of his glory." Therefore the bodies of the elect will then be conformed to the glory of the Lord's body, which even if they do not have equality with his glory by nature, they will nevertheless have a likeness of his configuration by grace. Since therefore a likeness of his life is now drawn out in the conduct of the elect, and in the resurrection there follows a likeness of eternity in the mind, because we shall see him as he is; and since our bodies also will receive a likeness of him in configuration, let it rightly be said of the holy living creatures: "A likeness of a man was in them."

This chapter contains that extraordinary vision of the Divine glory with which the prophet was favored when he received the commission and instructions respecting the discharge of his office, which are contained in the two following chapters. The time of this Divine manifestation to the prophet, Eze 1:1-3. The vision of the four living creatures, and of the four wheels, vv. 4-25. Description of the firmament that was spread over them, and of the throne upon which one sat in appearance as a man, Eze 1:26-28. This vision, proceeding in a whirlwind from the North, seems to indicate the dreadful judgments that were coming upon the whole land of Judah through the instrumentality of the cruel Chaldeans, who lay to the north of it. See Jer 1:14; Jer 4:6; Jer 6:1.

Also out on the midst thereof came - four living creatures - As the amber-coloured body was the center of the fire, and this fire was in the center of the cloud; so out of this amber-coloured igneous center came the living creatures just mentioned.

EZEKIEL'S VISION BY THE CHEBAR. FOUR CHERUBIM AND WHEELS. (Eze. 1:1-28) Now it came to pass--rather, "And it came," &c. As this formula in Jos 1:1 has reference to the written history of previous times, so here (and in Rut 1:1, and Est 1:1), it refers to the unwritten history which was before the mind of the writer. The prophet by it, as it were, continues the history of the preceding times. In the fourth year of Zedekiah's reign (Jer 51:59), Jeremiah sent by Seraiah a message to the captives (Jer. 29:1-32) to submit themselves to God and lay aside their flattering hopes of a speedy restoration. This communication was in the next year, the fifth, and the fourth month of the same king (for Jehoiachin's captivity and Zedekiah's accession coincide in time), followed up by a prophet raised up among the captives themselves, the energetic Ezekiel. thirtieth year--that is, counting from the beginning of the reign of Nabopolassar, father of Nebuchadnezzar, the era of the Babylonian empire, 625 B.C., which epoch coincides with the eighteenth year of Josiah, that in which the book of the law was found, and the consequent reformation began [SCALIGER]; or the thirtieth year of Ezekiel's life. As the Lord was about to be a "little sanctuary" (Eze 11:16) to the exiles on the Chebar, so Ezekiel was to be the ministering priest; therefore he marks his priestly relation to God and the people at the outset; the close, which describes the future temple, thus answering to the beginning. By designating himself expressly as "the priest" (Eze 1:3), and as having reached his thirtieth year (the regular year of priests commencing their office), he marks his office as the priest among the prophets. Thus the opening vision follows naturally as the formal institution of that spiritual temple in which he was to minister [FAIRBAIRN]. Chebar--the same as Chabor or Habor, whither the ten tribes had been transported by Tiglath-pileser and Shalmaneser (Kg2 17:6; Ch1 5:26). It flows into the Euphrates near Carchemish or Circesium, two hundred miles north of Babylon. visions of God--Four expressions are used as to the revelation granted to Ezekiel, the three first having respect to what was presented from without, to assure him of its reality, the fourth to his being internally made fit to receive the revelation; "the heavens were opened" (so Mat 3:16; Act 7:56; Act 10:11; Rev 19:11); "he saw visions of God"; "the word of Jehovah came verily (as the meaning is rather than 'expressly, English Version, Eze 1:3) unto him" (it was no unreal hallucination); and "the hand of Jehovah was upon him" (Isa 8:11; Dan 10:10, Dan 10:18; Rev 1:17; the Lord by His touch strengthening him for his high and arduous ministry, that he might be able to witness and report aright the revelations made to him).

Ezekiel was himself of a "gigantic nature, and thereby suited to counteract the Babylonish spirit of the times, which loved to manifest itself in gigantic, grotesque forms" [HENGSTENBERG]. living creatures--So the Greek ought to have been translated in the parallel passage, Rev 4:6, not as English Version, "beasts"; for one of the "four" is a man, and man cannot be termed "beast." Eze 10:20 shows that it is the cherubim that are meant. likeness of a man--Man, the noblest of the four, is the ideal model after which they are fashioned (Eze 1:10; Eze 10:14). The point of comparison between him and them is the erect posture of their bodies, though doubtless including also the general mien. Also the hands (Eze 10:21).

First Half - The Prophecies of Judgment - Ezekiel 1-32 The Consecration and Calling of Ezekiel to the Office of Prophet - Ezekiel 1-3:21 In a vision of God, Ezekiel beholds in a great cloud, through which shone the splendour of fire, and which a tempestuous wind drives from the north, the glory of the Lord above the cherubim upon a majestic throne in human form (Ezekiel 1), and hears a voice, which sends him as a prophet to Israel, and inspires him with the subject-matter of his announcements (Ezekiel 2:1-3:3). He is thereafter transported in spirit to Tel-abib on the Chebar, into the midst of the exiles, and the duties and responsibilities of his calling laid before him (3:4-21). By this divine appearance and the commission therewith connected is he consecrated, called, and ordained to the prophetic office. The whole occurrences in the vision are subdivided into the copious description of the theophany, Ezekiel 1, by which he is consecrated for his calling; and into the revelation of the word, Ezekiel 2:1-3:21, which prepares him for the discharge of the same. From these contents it clearly appears that these chapters do not constitute the first section of the book, but the introduction to the whole, to which the circumstantial notices of the time and place of this revelation of God at the commencement, Eze 1:1-3, also point.