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Ezekiel 1:3

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Ezekiel 1:3 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “the word of Jehovah came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of Jehovah was there upon him.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

the word of Jehovah came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of Jehovah was there upon him.
Ezekiel 1:3 — American Standard Version

Context — Ezekiel 1

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
1Now 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 Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
2In the fifth [day] of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin`s captivity,
3the word of Jehovah came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of Jehovah was there upon him.
4And I looked, and, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with a fire infolding itself, and a brightness round about it, and out of the midst thereof as it were glowing metal, out of the midst of the fire.
5And out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.
6And every one had four faces, and every one of them had four wings.
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“The word of the Lord came expressly, &c.] Or, “in being was”f28; which phrase denotes the reality, certainty, substantiality and evidence of the word of the Lord to him: unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi; which Buzi, some say, was Jeremiah. Kimchi observes, that, in the Jerusalem Targum, the Prophet Ezekiel is called the son of Jeremiah the prophet: and Jeremiah was called Buzi because they despised him; this is rejected by Abarbinel; nor is there any reason to believe it, any more than what Nazianzenf29 says, that Ezekiel was a servant of Jeremiah: in the land of the Chaldeans, by the river Chebar; (see Gill on “<260101>Ezekiel 1:1”). The Chaldee paraphrase makes the word of the Lord…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Came expressly - The phrase marks that it was in truth a heaven-sent vision. The hand of the Lord - A phrase in all prophecy implying a “constraining” power, because the spirit “constrains” the prophet independently of his own will. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“The word - What was visions, Eze 1:1, is here the word, both as signifying and declaring the mind of God, what he would do, and as continuing his commands to Ezekiel and to the people. Ezekiel - He speaks of himself in a third person. Priest - He was of the priests originally; he was a prophet by an extraordinary call. The hand - He felt the power of God opening his eyes to see the visions, opening his ear to hear the voice, and his heart to receive both. When the hand of the Lord goes along with his word, then it becomes effectual. Ezekiel 1:4”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“1:3 Ezekiel was a priest by descent and a prophet because the hand of the Lord was upon him. Priests offered sacrifices in the Temple and explained God’s law. Prophets delivered God’s words of blessing or curse to the people and interceded with God for them. Ezekiel’s ministry included aspects of both priestly and prophetic mediation between God and the Israelites.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“word: Jer 1:2, Jer 1:4; Hos 1:1; Joe 1:1; Ti1 4:1 Ezekiel: Heb. Jehezkel and the: Eze 3:14, Eze 3:22, Eze 8:1, Eze 33:22, Eze 37:1, Eze 40:1; Kg1 18:46; Kg2 3:15 Ezekiel 1:4”
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Related study paths

Read Ezekiel 1 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification