New: Plus articles on faith, family and the Bible. Read them →

About this book: Ezekiel

Ezekiel was a priest carried off to Babylon with the first wave of exiles, and God called him to be a prophet by the Kebar canal, far from the temple he had expected to serve in. The book opens with a stunning vision of God's glory on a moving throne, showing that the Lord is not confined to Jerusalem. For years Ezekiel acts out warnings through strange symbolic actions and speaks of judgment on a city that believes it is safe. After Jerusalem falls, his message turns to comfort: God will gather his scattered flock, give a new heart and his Spirit, and bring dry bones back to life. The book ends with a vision of a restored temple and the Lord's presence returning to dwell with his people. Throughout, God's refrain is that people will know that he is the Lord. Ezekiel is a book about God's holiness, personal responsibility, and a hope that does not depend on circumstances.

Author
The prophet Ezekiel, a priest and exile in Babylon; the book is written largely in the first person.
Date
Ezekiel's ministry ran from about 593 to 571 BC, with the book reaching its final form shortly after.
Audience
The Judean exiles in Babylon, and through them the whole people of God.

Themes

The glory and holiness of GodJudgment on idolatryPersonal responsibilityThe new heart and the SpiritA restored temple and presence

Outline

  1. 1:1–3:27The vision of glory and Ezekiel's call
  2. 4:1–24:27Judgment on Jerusalem
  3. 25:1–32:32Oracles against the nations
  4. 33:1–39:29Watchman, shepherd and restoration
  5. 40:1–48:35The vision of the new temple

Key verses

About this chapterEzekiel, a priest among the exiles by the Chebar canal in Babylon, sees heaven opened. A storm cloud approaches carrying four living creatures, each with four faces, and beside them wheels within wheels covered with eyes, moving wherever the Spirit goes. Above them stretches a shining expanse, and over it a throne with a figure like a man surrounded by radiance like a rainbow. Ezekiel recognizes this as the appearance of the glory of the Lord, and falls on his face. The vision tells the exiles that God is not confined to Jerusalem's temple but is present, mobile and sovereign in Babylon too.

Ezekiel, a priest among the exiles by the Chebar canal in Babylon, sees heaven opened. A storm cloud approaches carrying four living creatures, each with four faces, and beside them wheels within wheels covered with eyes, moving wherever the Spirit goes. Above them stretches a shining expanse, and over it a throne with a figure like a man surrounded by radiance like a rainbow. Ezekiel recognizes this as the appearance of the glory of the Lord, and falls on his face. The vision tells the exiles that God is not confined to Jerusalem's temple but is present, mobile and sovereign in Babylon too.

Themes

  • Vision of God's glory
  • God with the exiles
  • Throne above the storm

Key verses

Audio Bible · Ezekiel 1

Listen while you go about your day.

Ezekiel 1

Berean Standard Bible28 verses · 4 min read

1In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the River Kebar, the heavens opened and I saw visions of God. 2On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin— 3the word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Kebar. And there the LORD’s hand was upon him. 4I looked and saw a whirlwind coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing back and forth and brilliant light all around it. In the center of the fire was a gleam like amber, 5and within it was the form of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: They had a human form, 6but each had four faces and four wings. 7Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the hooves of a calf, gleaming like polished bronze. 8Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. All four living creatures had faces and wings, 9and their wings were touching one another. They did not turn as they moved; each one went straight ahead. 10The form of their faces was that of a man, and each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and also the face of an eagle. 11Such were their faces. Their wings were spread upward; each had two wings touching the wings of the creature on either side, and two wings covering its body. 12Each creature went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they moved. 13In the midst of the living creatures was the appearance of glowing coals of fire, or of torches. Fire moved back and forth between the living creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it. 14The creatures were darting back and forth as quickly as flashes of lightning. 15When I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. 16The workmanship of the wheels looked like the gleam of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. Their workmanship looked like a wheel within a wheel. 17As they moved, they went in any of the four directions, without pivoting as they moved. 18Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around. 19So as the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them, and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. 20Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise alongside them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21When the creatures moved, the wheels moved; when the creatures stood still, the wheels stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose alongside them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 22Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of an awesome expanse, gleaming like crystal. 23And under the expanse, their wings stretched out toward one another. Each one also had two wings covering its body. 24When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the roar of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings. 25And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood still with their wings lowered. 26Above the expanse over their heads was the likeness of a throne with the appearance of sapphire, and on the throne high above was a figure like that of a man. 27From what seemed to be His waist up, I saw a gleam like amber, with what looked like fire within it all around. And from what seemed to be His waist down, I saw what looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded Him. 28The appearance of the brilliant light all around Him was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking.

Pray for them

Real requests from the YESHVA community

  • WAQAS

    🙏 Please Pray for Me Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, please keep me and my family in your prayers. 🙏 I have neither my mother nor my father. I am trying my best to support my family, and my brother also…

  • Luciano

    🙏❤️ **Prayer Request for Santiago** Today we ask you to join us in prayer for little Santiago, son of Maho and David, who will undergo two surgeries. God has led them through miracle after miracle, and today we trust…

  • David

    🙏 I ask for your prayers for my broken heart after a recent breakup. I'm struggling with sadness, anxiety, and loneliness. Please pray that God will give me peace, strength, and emotional healing during this time.…

Verses in Ezekiel 1

Chapters of Ezekiel

All books