Ezekiel 11 23

Ezekiel 11:23 kjv

And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.

Ezekiel 11:23 nkjv

And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain, which is on the east side of the city.

Ezekiel 11:23 niv

The glory of the LORD went up from within the city and stopped above the mountain east of it.

Ezekiel 11:23 esv

And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain that is on the east side of the city.

Ezekiel 11:23 nlt

Then the glory of the LORD went up from the city and stopped above the mountain to the east.

Ezekiel 11 verses

Ezekiel 11 23 Meaning

This verse describes the final phase of God's manifest presence, the Glory of the Lord, departing from Jerusalem due to its persistent unfaithfulness and idolatry. The Glory ascends from within the city's confines and makes a significant, albeit temporary, halt over the Mount of Olives, symbolizing the withdrawal of divine protection and marking a crucial prophetic moment for future events associated with both judgment and restoration.

Ezekiel 11 23 Context

Ezekiel 11:23 is the culmination of a visual narrative in chapters 8-11 detailing the progressive withdrawal of God's Glory from the Temple and city of Jerusalem. The preceding chapters document the rampant idolatry and moral depravity permeating Jerusalem, from secret rites in the Temple's inner courts (Ezek 8) to widespread violence and injustice. In response to this profound rebellion against the covenant, divine judgment is enacted (Ezek 9). Chapters 10 and 11 then describe the phased departure of the "Glory of the Lord," characterized by a celestial chariot borne by cherubim, representing God's active, personal presence. The Glory first moved from the Holy of Holies to the Temple threshold (Ezek 9:3; 10:4), then to the East Gate of the Temple court (Ezek 10:18-19). This departure signified God removing His protective hand and covenantal presence, abandoning His defiled sanctuary and city to impending destruction by the Babylonians. Verse 23 portrays the final step, where the Glory pauses on the Mount of Olives before disappearing, serving as a powerful visual testament to Jerusalem's condemnation and prophetically linking this historical judgment with future divine interventions involving this specific mountain.

Ezekiel 11 23 Word analysis

• And the glory of the Lord: Hebrew: וּכְבוֹד יְהוָה (uḵəḇōḏ Yahweh).

  • Glory (כְּב֣וֹד - kəḇōḏ): This refers to the visible manifestation of God's weighty presence, His divine essence, authority, and power. It's His "Shekinah" or dwelling presence among His people, now actively departing.
  • Lord (יְהוָ֖ה - YHWH): God's personal covenant name, emphasizing that the one who made the covenant is the one withdrawing His presence due to Israel's unfaithfulness.

• went up (וַיַּעַל֙ - way·ya·‘al): From the verb ‘alah, "to go up, ascend." This denotes an active, upward, and outward movement, signifying not just a repositioning but a clear and intentional departure from the inner confines of the city.

• from the midst of the city (מִתּ֥וֹךְ הָעִ֖יר - mit·tōwḵ hā·‘îr):

  • Midst (תּוֹךְ - tōwḵ): Indicates from the very core, heart, or interior. It signifies that God's glory was intimately present within Jerusalem, emphasizing the profound break caused by the city's sin.
  • The city (הָעִ֖יר - hā·‘îr): Clearly designates Jerusalem, the sacred city chosen by God, now experiencing His abandonment.

• and stood (וַיַּעֲמֹ֖ד - way·ya·‘amōḏ): From ‘amad, "to stand, to take one's stand." This suggests a pause, a temporary cessation of movement. It implies a moment of watchful contemplation or reluctant departure rather than immediate disappearance, lingering over the city for a final observation.

• above the mountain (עַל־הָהָ֗ר - ‘al-hā·hār):

  • Above (עַל - ‘al): Means "upon" or "over," suggesting the glory hovered or settled directly above the mountain, maintaining a distinct presence visible from the city.
  • The mountain (הָהָ֗ר - hā·hār): The definite article indicates a well-known, specific mountain in the immediate vicinity of Jerusalem.

• that is on the east side of the city (אֲשֶׁר֙ מִקֶּ֖דֶם לָעִֽיר - ’ăšer miq·qeḏem lā·‘îr):

  • East side (מִקֶּ֖דֶם - miq·qeḏem): Points definitively to the geographical direction from which the sun rises.
  • The mountain that is on the east side of the city: This detailed description unambiguously identifies the Mount of Olives (Har Ha-Zeitim). This location is profoundly significant, being the site of Jesus' lament over Jerusalem, His ascension, and the prophesied site of His second coming, demonstrating a deep theological connection between Ezekiel's vision and New Testament events.

Ezekiel 11 23 Bonus section

The sequential movement of the Glory described across Ezekiel chapters 9-11 (Holy of Holies -> Threshold -> East Gate -> Mount of Olives) underscores God's deep reluctance to depart. Each movement signifies a progression of His withdrawing presence, patiently and painfully detaching from His beloved, yet unfaithful, people and His desecrated sanctuary. The use of "Cherubim," celestial guardians often associated with the protection of God's presence, as the bearers of His Glory during its departure highlights that even the divine attendants bear witness to the profound sorrow and righteous necessity of this act. The direction of departure, eastward, sets up a powerful parallelism with the eventual prophesied return of the Lord's Glory through the Eastern Gate into a renewed Temple in the vision of Ezekiel 43. This sequence reinforces that divine judgment is never final without a prospect of redemptive restoration for those who turn back to God.

Ezekiel 11 23 Commentary

Ezekiel 11:23 climactically portrays God's solemn departure from His apostate city, Jerusalem. The precise, measured, and step-by-step movement of the Glory of the Lord signifies the gravity of Israel's sin and God's holiness, which cannot co-exist with unrepentant defilement. The Mount of Olives is not a random resting place; it offers a final, lingering vantage point overlooking the city and the Temple that the Glory had just abandoned. This "standing" of God's Glory upon the Mount of Olives is not merely an geographical detail but a potent prophetic symbol. It links this historical moment of divine abandonment to future events on the same mountain: Jesus' lament over Jerusalem from this very peak (Lk 19:41-44), His ascension into heaven (Acts 1:9-12), and His prophesied return to Earth (Zech 14:4), often described as "coming from the East" (Ezek 43:1-5; Rev 1:7). The departure via the east foreshadows a glorious return from the same direction, weaving together themes of judgment, longing, and ultimate restoration through Christ.