Eze 3:23 | KD | STEP | Vers. 22—27 in Eze 3, no longer belong to the prophet's inauguration and introduction into office, nor do they form the conclusion of his call, but the introduction to his first prophetic act and prediction, as has been rightly recognized by Ewald and Kliefoth. This appears already from the introductory formula, “The hand of Jehovah came upon me” (ver. 22), and, more distinctly still, from the glory of Jehovah appearing anew to the prophet (when, in obedience to a divine impulse, he had gone down into the valley), in the form in which he had seen it by the river Chebar, and giving him a commission to announce by word and symbol the siege of Jerusalem, and the fate of its inhabitants. For, that the divine commission did not consist merely in the general directions, , but is first given in its principal parts in ch. iv. and v., is indisputably evident from the repetition of the words וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֗ם in , , and v. 1. With וְאַתָּ֣ה neither can the first nor, in general, a new prophecy begin. This has been recognised by Hitzig himself in ch. iv. 1, where he remarks that the first of the three oracles which follow down to viii. 1, and which he makes begin with , “attaches itself to as a continuation of the same.” But what holds true of must hold true also of , viz. that no new oracle can begin with this verse, but that it is connected with -24. The commencement, then, we have to seek in the formula, “and the hand of Jehovah came upon me” ( ), with which also (where only PaW stands instead of וַתְּהִ֥י) and — new oracles — are introduced. No doubt these passages are preceded by chronological notices, while in every note of time is wanting. But nothing further can be inferred from this, than that the divine word contained in 3:25-v. 17 was imparted to the prophet immediately after his consecration and call, so that it still falls under the date of ; which may also be discovered from this, that the שָׁ֖ם in ver. 22 points to the locality named in ver. 15. Immediately after his call, then, and still in the same place where the last word of calling (eze 3:16-21) was addressed to him, namely, at Tel-Abib, in the midst of the exiles, Ezekiel received the first divine revelation which, as prophet, he was to announce to the people. This revelation is introduced by the words in ch. iii. 22-24; and divided into three sections by the thrice-occurring, similar address, “And thou, son of man” ( , , ). In the first section, , God gives him general injunctions as to his conduct while carrying out the divine commission ; in the second, ch. 4. He commands him to represent symbolically the siege of Jerusalem with its miseries ; and in the third, ch. v., the destiny of the inhabitants after the capture of the city. Eze. 3:22-27. Introduction to the first prophetic announcement. — Ver. 22. And there came upon me there the hand of Jehovah, and He said to me, Up I go into the valley, there will 1 speak to thee. Ver. 23. And I arose, and went into the valley : and, lo, there stood the glory of Jehovah, like the glory which I had seen at the river Chebar: and I fell upon my face. Ver. 24. And spirit came into me, and placed me on my feet, and He spake with we, and said to me. Go, and shut thyself in thy house. — הַבִּקְעָ֔ה is, without doubt, the valley situated near Tel-Abib. Ezekiel is to go out from the midst of the exiles — where, according to ver. 15, he had found himself — into the valley, because God will reveal Himself to him only in solitude. When he had complied with this command, there appears to him there the glory of Jehovah, in the same form in which it had appeared to him at the Chaboras ( ) ; before it he falls, a second time, on his face ; but is also, as on the first occasion, again raised to his feet, cf. :2. Hereupon the Lord commands him to shut himself up in his house, — which doubtless he inhabited in Tel-Abib, — not probably “as a sign of his future destiny,” as a realistic explanation of the words, “Thou canst not walk in their midst (ver. 25) ; they will prevent thee by force from freely exercising thy vocation in the midst of the people.” For in that case the “shutting of himself up in the house” would be an arbitrary identification with the “ binding with fetters” (ver. 25) ; and besides, the significance of the address וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֗ם, and its repetition in and v. 1, would be misconceived. For as in and there are introduced with this address the principal parts of the duty which Ezekiel was to perform, so the proper divine instruction may also first begin with the same in Ezz 3:25; consequently the command “to shut himself up in his house ” can only have the significance of a preliminary divine injunction, without possessing any significancy in itself ; but only “serve as a means for carrying out what the prophet is commissioned to do in the following chapters ” (Kliefoth), i.e. can only mean that he is to perform in his own house what is commanded him in ch. 4. and 5., or that he is not to leave his house during their performance. More can hardly be sought in this injunction, nor can it at all be taken to mean that, having shut himself up from others in his house, he is to allow no one to approach him ; but only that he is not to leave his dwelling. For, according to , the symbolical representation of the siege of Jerusalem is to be a sign for the house of Israel ; and according to , Ezekiel is, during this symbolical action, to bake his bread before their eyes. From this it is seen that his contemporaries might come to him and observe his proceedings. Eze 3:22. And there came upon me there the hand of Jehovah, and He said to me, Up! go into the valley, there will I speak to thee. . And I arose, and went into the valley: and, lo, there stood the glory of Jehovah, like the glory which I had seen at the river Chebar: and I fell upon my face. . And spirit came into me, and placed me on my feet, and He spake with me, and said to me, Go, and shut thyself in thy house. - הבּקעה is, without doubt, the valley situated near Tel-abib. Ezekiel is to go out from the midst of the exiles - where, according to , he had found himself-into the valley, because God will reveal Himself to him only in solitude. When he had complied with this command, there appears to him there the glory of Jehovah, in the same form in which it had appeared to him at the Chaboras (Ezekiel 1:4-28); before it he falls, a second time, on his face; but is also, as on the first occasion, again raised to his feet, cf. 1:28-2:2. Hereupon the Lord commands him to shut himself up in his house - which doubtless he inhabited in Tel-Abib - not probably “as a sign of his future destiny,” as a realistic explanation of the words, “Thou canst not walk in their midst ( ); they will prevent thee by force from freely exercising thy vocation in the midst of the people.” For in that case the “shutting of himself up in the house” would be an arbitrary identification with the “binding with fetters” ( ); and besides, the significance of the address ואתּה בן אדם, and its repetition in and , would be misconceived. For as in and there are introduced with this address the principal parts of the duty which Ezekiel was to perform, so the proper divine instruction may also first begin with the same in ; consequently the command “to shut himself up in his house” can only have the significance of a preliminary divine injunction, without possessing any significance in itself; but only “serve as a means for carrying out what the prophet is commissioned to do in the following chapters” (Kliefoth), i.e., can only mean that he is to perform in his own house what is commanded him in Ezekiel 4 and 5, or that he is not to leave his house during their performance. More can hardly be sought in this injunction, nor can it at all be taken to mean that, having shut himself up from others in his house, he is to allow no one to approach him; but only that he is not to leave his dwelling. For, according to , the symbolical representation of the siege of Jerusalem is to be a sign for the house of Israel; and according to , Ezekiel is, during this symbolical action, to bake his bread before their eyes. From this it is seen that his contemporaries might come to him and observe his proceedings.

‏ Ezekiel 3:23

CHAP. III. 22- V. 17. THE DESTINY OF JERUSALEM AND ITS INHABITANTS.

Vers. 22—27 in Eze 3, no longer belong to the prophet's inauguration and introduction into office, nor do they form the conclusion of his call, but the introduction to his first prophetic act and prediction, as has been rightly recognized by Ewald and Kliefoth. This appears already from the introductory formula, “The hand of Jehovah came upon me” (ver. 22), and, more distinctly still, from the glory of Jehovah appearing anew to the prophet (when, in obedience to a divine impulse, he had gone down into the valley), in the form in which he had seen it by the river Chebar, and giving him a commission to announce by word and symbol the siege of Jerusalem, and the fate of its inhabitants. For, that the divine commission did not consist merely in the general directions, Eze 3:25-27, but is first given in its principal parts in ch. iv. and v., is indisputably evident from the repetition of the words וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֗ם in Eze 3:25, 4:1, and v. 1. With וְאַתָּ֣ה neither can the first nor, in general, a new prophecy begin. This has been recognised by Hitzig himself in ch. iv. 1, where he remarks that the first of the three oracles which follow down to viii. 1, and which he makes begin with Eze 4:1, “attaches itself to Eze 3:25-27 as a continuation of the same.” But what holds true of Eze 4:1 must hold true also of Eze 3:25, viz. that no new oracle can begin with this verse, but that it is connected with Eze 3:22-24. The commencement, then, we have to seek in the formula, “and the hand of Jehovah came upon me” (Eze 3:22), with which also Eze 8:1 (where only PaW stands instead of וַתְּהִ֥י) and Eze 40:1 — new oracles — are introduced. No doubt these passages are preceded by chronological notices, while in Eze 3:22 every note of time is wanting. But nothing further can be inferred from this, than that the divine word contained in 3:25-v. 17 was imparted to the prophet immediately after his consecration and call, so that it still falls under the date of Eze 1:2; which may also be discovered from this, that the שָׁ֖ם in ver. 22 points to the locality named in ver. 15.

Immediately after his call, then, and still in the same place where the last word of calling (eze 3:16-21) was addressed to him, namely, at Tel-Abib, in the midst of the exiles, Ezekiel received the first divine revelation which, as prophet, he was to announce to the people. This revelation is introduced by the words in ch. iii. 22-24; and divided into three sections by the thrice-occurring, similar address, “And thou, son of man” (Eze 3:25, 4:1, 5:1). In the first section, Eze 3:25-27, God gives him general injunctions as to his conduct while carrying out the divine commission ; in the second, ch. 4. He commands him to represent symbolically the siege of Jerusalem with its miseries ; and in the third, ch. v., the destiny of the inhabitants after the capture of the city. Eze. 3:22-27. Introduction to the first prophetic announcement. — Ver. 22. And there came upon me there the hand of Jehovah, and He said to me, Up I go into the valley, there will 1 speak to thee. Ver. 23. And I arose, and went into the valley : and, lo, there stood the glory of Jehovah, like the glory which I had seen at the river Chebar: and I fell upon my face. Ver. 24. And spirit came into me, and placed me on my feet, and He spake with we, and said to me. Go, and shut thyself in thy house. — הַבִּקְעָ֔ה is, without doubt, the valley situated near Tel-Abib. Ezekiel is to go out from the midst of the exiles — where, according to ver. 15, he had found himself — into the valley, because God will reveal Himself to him only in solitude.

When he had complied with this command, there appears to him there the glory of Jehovah, in the same form in which it had appeared to him at the Chaboras (Eze 1:4-28) ; before it he falls, a second time, on his face ; but is also, as on the first occasion, again raised to his feet, cf. Eze 1:28-2:2. Hereupon the Lord commands him to shut himself up in his house, — which doubtless he inhabited in Tel-Abib, — not probably “as a sign of his future destiny,” as a realistic explanation of the words, “Thou canst not walk in their midst (ver. 25) ; they will prevent thee by force from freely exercising thy vocation in the midst of the people.” For in that case the “shutting of himself up in the house” would be an arbitrary identification with the “ binding with fetters” (ver. 25) ; and besides, the significance of the address וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֗ם, and its repetition in Eze 4:1 and v. 1, would be misconceived. For as in Eze 4:1 and Eze 5:1 there are introduced with this address the principal parts of the duty which Ezekiel was to perform, so the proper divine instruction may also first begin with the same in Ezz 3:25; consequently the command “to shut himself up in his house ” can only have the significance of a preliminary divine injunction, without possessing any significancy in itself ; but only “serve as a means for carrying out what the prophet is commissioned to do in the following chapters ” (Kliefoth), i.e. can only mean that he is to perform in his own house what is commanded him in ch. 4. and 5., or that he is not to leave his house during their performance. More can hardly be sought in this injunction, nor can it at all be taken to mean that, having shut himself up from others in his house, he is to allow no one to approach him ; but only that he is not to leave his dwelling. For, according to Eze 4:3, the symbolical representation of the siege of Jerusalem is to be a sign for the house of Israel ; and according to Eze 4:12, Ezekiel is, during this symbolical action, to bake his bread before their eyes. From this it is seen that his contemporaries might come to him and observe his proceedings.

Introduction to the first prophetic announcement. -

Eze 3:22.And there came upon me there the hand of Jehovah, and He said to me, Up! go into the valley, there will I speak to thee. Eze 3:23 . And I arose, and went into the valley: and, lo, there stood the glory of Jehovah, like the glory which I had seen at the river Chebar: and I fell upon my face. Eze 3:24 . And spirit came into me, and placed me on my feet, and He spake with me, and said to me, Go, and shut thyself in thy house. - הבּקעה is, without doubt, the valley situated near Tel-abib. Ezekiel is to go out from the midst of the exiles - where, according to Eze 3:15, he had found himself-into the valley, because God will reveal Himself to him only in solitude. When he had complied with this command, there appears to him there the glory of Jehovah, in the same form in which it had appeared to him at the Chaboras (Ezekiel 1:4-28); before it he falls, a second time, on his face; but is also, as on the first occasion, again raised to his feet, cf. 1:28-2:2. Hereupon the Lord commands him to shut himself up in his house - which doubtless he inhabited in Tel-Abib - not probably “as a sign of his future destiny,” as a realistic explanation of the words, “Thou canst not walk in their midst (Eze 3:25); they will prevent thee by force from freely exercising thy vocation in the midst of the people.” For in that case the “shutting of himself up in the house” would be an arbitrary identification with the “binding with fetters” (Eze 3:25); and besides, the significance of the address ואתּה בן אדם, and its repetition in Eze 4:1 and Eze 5:1, would be misconceived. For as in Eze 4:1 and Eze 5:1 there are introduced with this address the principal parts of the duty which Ezekiel was to perform, so the proper divine instruction may also first begin with the same in Eze 3:25; consequently the command “to shut himself up in his house” can only have the significance of a preliminary divine injunction, without possessing any significance in itself; but only “serve as a means for carrying out what the prophet is commissioned to do in the following chapters” (Kliefoth), i.e., can only mean that he is to perform in his own house what is commanded him in Ezekiel 4 and 5, or that he is not to leave his house during their performance. More can hardly be sought in this injunction, nor can it at all be taken to mean that, having shut himself up from others in his house, he is to allow no one to approach him; but only that he is not to leave his dwelling. For, according to Eze 4:3, the symbolical representation of the siege of Jerusalem is to be a sign for the house of Israel; and according to Eze 4:12, Ezekiel is, during this symbolical action, to bake his bread before their eyes. From this it is seen that his contemporaries might come to him and observe his proceedings.