Ezekiel 1:2-3

Ezekiel 1:2-3

[2] In the fifth  day of the month,  which was the fifth  year  of king  Jehoiachin's  captivity,  [3] The word  of the LORD  came expressly unto Ezekiel  the priest,  the son  of Buzi,  in the land  of the Chaldeans  by the river  Chebar;  and the hand  of the LORD 

What does Ezekiel 1:2-3 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Perhaps a later inspired scribe added the information in these verses to clarify exactly who Ezekiel was and when he saw this vision. King Jehoiachin"s fifth year of exile was593 B.C. Both Ezekiel and Jehoiachin went into captivity at the same time, in the second deportation of Judean prisoners in597 B.C. This is the reference year from which all the prophecies in Ezekiel date.
Ezekiel was a priest as well as a prophet. His father was Buzi, evidently of Zadok"s branch of Aaron"s family (cf. 1 Kings 1:32-35). As a priest, Ezekiel was familiar with the Mosaic Covenant and the priestly functions and paraphernalia of the temple, which becomes clear in this book. The Chaldeans were the rulers of the Babylonian Empire at the time of Israel"s captivity.
The hand of the Lord that came upon Ezekiel is an anthropomorphism expressing the direct control and divine empowerment that Yahweh exercised over Ezekiel ("God strengthens") as He gave him these visions ( Ezekiel 3:14; cf. Isaiah 25:10; Isaiah 41:10; Isaiah 41:20).
"The "hand of the Lord" is always a metaphor for His power." [1]
"The word of the Lord came to Ezekiel" and "The hand of the Lord was upon him" are phrases that typically introduce revelations from God in this book ( Ezekiel 3:22; Ezekiel 8:1; Ezekiel 33:22; Ezekiel 37:1; Ezekiel 40:1; cf. 2 Kings 3:15). The hand reference especially distinguishes Ezekiel as being under the controlling influence of God"s Spirit, compared to other prophets. [2] Perhaps this was important in this book since Ezekiel"s visions and actions have called his sanity into question. Several psychoanalytical studies have been done on Ezekiel. [3]
"These three elements-vision [4], word [5]-appear pervasively in Ezekiel"s descriptions of his call and of Yahweh"s self-revelation. The vision is the abstract message itself, the word is its interpretation, and the power is the means by which the message is effectually communicated. For the hand of the Lord to come on the prophet is to assure him of the Lord"s affirmation and enablement." [6]
The "visions of God" referred to in Ezekiel 1:1 receive fuller exposition in Ezekiel 1:4 to Ezekiel 2:7. Likewise the "word of the LORD" in Ezekiel 1:3 gets more attention in Ezekiel 2:8 to Ezekiel 3:11 as does the "hand of the LORD," also in Ezekiel 1:3, in Ezekiel 3:12-27. [7]