Ezekiel 1:1

Ezekiel 1:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
• New International Version (NIV)In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.

Context of Ezekiel 1:1

Now it came about in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was by the river Chebar among the exiles, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. 2(On the fifth of the month in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile, 3the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there the hand of the Lord came upon him.)

Ezekiel 1:1 word by word

וַיְהִ֣י׀ בִּשְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֗ה בָּֽרְבִיעִי֙ בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֣ה לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ וַאֲנִ֥י בְתֽוֹךְ־הַגּוֹלָ֖ה עַל־נְהַר־כְּבָ֑ר נִפְתְּחוּ֙ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וָאֶרְאֶ֖ה מַרְא֥וֹת אֱלֹהִֽים׃Read the interlinear

• Now it cameהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• about in the thirtiethשְׁלֹשִׁיםshelôshîym shelôshîym · thirtyH7970
• yearשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
• on the fifthחָמֵשׁchâmêsh chămishshâh · fiveH2568
• of the fourthרְבִיעִיrebîy‛îy rebi‛îy · fourthH7243
• monthחֹ֫דֶשׁchôdesh · monthH2320
• riverנָהָרnâhâr · riverH5104
• Chebarכְּבָרkebâr · ChebarH3529
• amongתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
• the exilesגּוֹלָהgôlâh gôlâh · captivityH1473
• heavensשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• were openedפָּתַחpâthach · to openH6605
• and I sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• visionsמַרְאָהmar'âh · visionH4759
• of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430

Cross-references for Ezekiel 1:1

• Numbers 4:3from thirty years and upward, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service to do the work in the tent of meeting.
• Luke 3:23When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, the son of Eli,
• Ecclesiastes 9:1For I have taken all this to my heart and explain it that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God. Man does not know whether it will be love or hatred; anything awaits him.
• Jeremiah 24:5“Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Like these good figs, so I will regard as good the captives of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans.
• Ezekiel 1:3the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there the hand of the Lord came upon him.)
• Ezekiel 3:15Then I came to the exiles who lived beside the river Chebar at Tel-abib, and I sat there seven days where they were living, causing consternation among them.
• Ezekiel 10:15Then the cherubim rose up. They are the living beings that I saw by the river Chebar.
• Ezekiel 43:3And it was like the appearance of the vision which I saw, like the vision which I saw when He came to destroy the city. And the visions were like the vision which I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face.
• Ezekiel 1:20Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go in that direction. And the wheels rose close beside them; for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.
• Matthew 3:16After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him,
• Luke 3:21Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened,
• John 1:51And He said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
• Acts 7:56and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
• Acts 10:11and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground,
• Revelation 4:1After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.”
• Revelation 19:11And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.

Commentaries on Ezekiel 1:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1In the thirtieth year - We know not what this date refers to. Some think it was the age of the prophet; others think the date is taken from the time that Josiah renewed the covenant with the people, 2 Kings 22:3, from which Usher, Prideaux, and Calmet compute the forty years of Judah's transgression, mentioned 2 Kings 4:6. Abp. Newcome thinks there is an error in the text, and that instead of בשלשים bisheloshim, in the thirtieth, we should read בחמישית…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1The thirtieth year - being closely connected with as I, is rather in favor of considering this a personal date. It is not improbable that Ezekiel was called to his office at the age prescribed in the Law for Levites Numbers 4:23, Numbers 4:30, at which age both John the Baptist and our Lord began their ministry. His call is probably to be connected with the letter sent by Jeremiah to the captives Ezekiel 1:2 a Jewish, date; but it is not certain that this…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Ezekiel was one of the priests; he was carried captive to Chaldea with Jehoiachin. All his prophecies appear to have been delivered in that country, at some place north of Babylon. Their chief object appears to have been to comfort his brethren in captivity. He is directed to warn of the dreadful calamities coming upon Judea, particularly upon the false prophets, and the neighbouring nations. Also to announce the future restoration of Israel and Judah…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1In the thirtieth year: Priests began their service in the temple in Jerusalem when they were 30 years old. Ezekiel was a priest (see Ezekiel 1:3). However, he was living with the Judean exiles in Babylon. Because he was far from Jerusalem, he could not serve in the temple in the usual way. Ezekiel’s identity as a priest in exile is important for understanding his message. The exiles felt separated from God and from the normal ways of worshiping him in the…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1The name Ezekiel means "(whom) God will strengthen" [Gesenius]; or, "God will prevail" [Rosenmuller]. His father was Buzi (Eze 1:3), a priest, and he probably exercised the priestly office himself at Jerusalem, previous to his captivity, as appears from the matured priestly character to be seen in his prophecies, a circumstance which much increased his influence with his captive fellow countrymen at Babylon. Tradition represents Sarera as the land of his…Read the comment

Topics related to Ezekiel 1:1

• Chebar
• Ezekiel
• Heaven
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Prophets

In the dictionaries

• God
• Euphrates River, the River
• Chebar
• Heaven
• Living creatures
• Assyria
• Cherubim (1)
• Creature
• Ezekiel
• Israel, History of

Commentaries on Ezekiel 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings