Ezekiel

Also known as: son of man · Family: Israel · Role: priest · First appears: Ezekiel 1

Ezekiel, also known as son of man, is a priest of Israel and the son of Buzi. In chapter 1, by the river Chebar in the land of the Chaldeans, God reveals visions to him and sends His word; Ezekiel falls facedown after seeing God’s glory. In chapter 2, God sends him to the rebellious children of Israel and commands him to speak whether they listen or refuse: “I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD.”

In chapters 2–5, God gives Ezekiel a scroll of lamentations, mourning, and woe, commands him to eat it, and sends him to speak to Israel. He is appointed a watchman, taken to the captives at Telabib, shut inside his house, and made unable to speak to the rebellious house. He then enacts signs of Jerusalem’s siege, bears Israel’s and Judah’s iniquity by lying on his sides, and shaves, divides, burns, and scatters his hair. Through the following chapters, God repeatedly commands him to prophesy against Israel’s mountains, Jerusalem, its idols, prophets, elders, and abominations, and to judge Aholah and Aholibah.

Ezekiel also prophesies against the men at the east gate, and Pelatiah dies while he speaks. He performs a public sign of captivity by carrying his belongings through a breached wall and eats and drinks with trembling as a sign of distress. When his wife dies in chapter 24, he obeys God’s command not to mourn; his mouth is opened, and he becomes a sign to the people. He later prophesies against the Ammonites, Tyrus, Zidon, Egypt, Pharaoh, the shepherds of Israel, mount Seir, and Gog, while God continues to appoint him as a watchman and command him to warn Israel.

In chapters 37–44, God carries Ezekiel in visions to the valley of dry bones and commands him to prophesy over them, then brings him into the land of Israel and sets him on a very high mountain. Ezekiel is commanded to show Israel the house, record its laws, and communicate the sanctuary’s ordinances; he is also instructed concerning offerings for the altar and the priests. At the river Chebar, he recognizes the living creatures under God as cherubims.