Ezekiel 40 2

Ezekiel 40:2 kjv

In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south.

Ezekiel 40:2 nkjv

In the visions of God He took me into the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain; on it toward the south was something like the structure of a city.

Ezekiel 40:2 niv

In visions of God he took me to the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, on whose south side were some buildings that looked like a city.

Ezekiel 40:2 esv

In visions of God he brought me to the land of Israel, and set me down on a very high mountain, on which was a structure like a city to the south.

Ezekiel 40:2 nlt

In a vision from God he took me to the land of Israel and set me down on a very high mountain. From there I could see toward the south what appeared to be a city.

Ezekiel 40 verses

Ezekiel 40 2 Meaning

Ezekiel 40:2 initiates a profound visionary experience where the prophet is supernaturally transported to the land of Israel by God's divine power. He is placed on an exceedingly high mountain, from which he observes what appears to be the expansive, organized framework of a city or significant architectural complex, oriented towards the south. This vision marks the beginning of the detailed revelation of a future temple and its associated structures, symbolizing God's impending restoration of worship and relationship with His people in their homeland after the Babylonian exile.

Ezekiel 40 2 Context

Ezekiel 40:2 is foundational to the latter section of the Book of Ezekiel (chapters 40-48), which focuses entirely on a detailed vision of a restored temple, its functions, and the reordering of the land of Israel. This vision immediately follows a section where God's glory departs from the defiled first temple in Jerusalem (Ezek 8-11), followed by prophecies of judgment against surrounding nations, and promises of restoration for Israel (Ezek 33-39). The verse places Ezekiel in the land of Israel, a significant act of divine mercy given that the Jewish people were exiled in Babylon. The date of the vision (Ezek 40:1) marks it as the 25th year of exile, the 14th year after the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. This timing underscores the message of hope and future glory at a time of deep despair for the exiled community. The mountain's elevation provides a commanding view, suggesting divine revelation and comprehensive understanding, not limited to human perspective. The description of "something like the structure of a city" is the initial glimpse of the vastness and intricacy of the coming temple complex, setting the stage for the meticulous measurements and details that follow.

Ezekiel 40 2 Word analysis

• In the visions of God (בְּמַרְאוֹת אֱלֹהִים - bemar'ot Elohim):
  • Visions (מַרְאוֹת - mar'ot): The plural form emphasizes that this is not an ordinary dream or human imagination, but a succession of divine, objective revelations from the true God. It signifies direct, clear prophetic communication. The Hebrew root ra'ah means "to see," implying perception of something supernaturally revealed. This phrase also introduces the supernatural agency inherent throughout Ezekiel's prophetic ministry (cf. Ezek 1:1, 8:3).
  • God (אֱלֹהִים - Elohim): The majestic plural form for God, signifying His omnipotence, sovereignty, and supreme authority as the source of all revelation. It underscores that this vision is divinely orchestrated, not a human invention.
• He brought me (הֵבִיא אוֹתִי - hevi oti):
  • He brought (הֵבִיא - hevi): An active verb indicating divine action. Ezekiel is a passive recipient, demonstrating that the experience is God's initiative, not his own. This highlights the sovereignty of God in conveying prophetic truth and intervening in the prophet's life, echoing God's previous "carrying" of Ezekiel in vision (Ezek 8:3).
• into the land of Israel (אֶל-אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל - el-eretz Yisrael):
  • Land of Israel (אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל - eretz Yisrael): Highly significant. During the exile, the physical land was lost to the people. Being brought back to "the land of Israel" in a vision directly addresses the exiled community's deepest longings for return and restoration. It grounds the future hope in the very geographical and spiritual heartland promised by God, reaffirming God's covenant with the land and His people. It points to a restoration that is both spiritual and physical.
• and set me (וַיַּנִּיחֵנִי - vayyannicheni):
  • Set me (וַיַּנִּיחֵנִי - vayyannicheni): This implies a firm, secure placement, not a casual or momentary stop. God deliberately positions Ezekiel for the subsequent revelation, ensuring he has the optimal vantage point.
• on a very high mountain (עַל הַר גָּבֹהַּ מְאֹד - al har gavoha me'od):
  • Very high (גָּבֹהַּ מְאֹד - gavoha me'od): The superlative intensifies the height. A high mountain symbolizes several things:
    • Divine Revelation: Mountains were historically places of encounter with God (Sinai for Moses, Mount of Transfiguration for Jesus).
    • Exalted Perspective: Providing a panoramic view, indicating a comprehensive understanding of the detailed temple vision that follows. It suggests a divine perspective above earthly limitations.
    • Holiness and Separation: Set apart, a place of purity from which sacred things are observed. In prophetic literature, the "mountain of the Lord's house" is often seen as a spiritual high ground (Isa 2:2; Mic 4:1).
    • Contrast to Pagan Practices: Unlike pagan cults which often built temples on natural high places to emulate divinity, here God places Ezekiel on the mountain, demonstrating His sovereignty over all such places.
• on it toward the south (עָלָיו מִנֶּגֶב - alav minnegev):
  • On it (עָלָיו - alav): Referring to the mountain.
  • Toward the south (מִנֶּגֶב - minnegev): Specifies the direction Ezekiel was looking. This precision indicates a practical geographical orientation of the complex relative to Jerusalem. Historically, the temple mount's original structures might have been viewed from the south if approaching the city. This specific orientation serves as an anchoring point for the subsequent meticulous descriptions of the temple gates and dimensions.
• was something like the structure of a city (כְּמִבְנֵה עִיר - k'mivne ir):
  • Like (כְּ - ke-): This simile is crucial. It means it wasn't literally a city, but had the appearance or characteristics of one—immense size, intricate design, and perhaps ordered organization, but for a different purpose (a temple complex).
  • Structure/building (מִבְנֵה - mivneh): Refers to the constructed aspect, something built with deliberate design.
  • Of a city (עִיר - ir): This indicates grandeur and scale. It suggests a massive complex, foreshadowing the immense, divinely-designed temple compound described in the following chapters, blurring the lines between a temple and a city (e.g., New Jerusalem concept later). It hints at a holy precinct that would function like a self-contained community.

Ezekiel 40 2 Bonus section

The choice of "south" (Hebrew: negev) in Ezekiel 40:2 is not arbitrary. The Negev in Israel is known as a desert region, and seeing the future temple complex oriented towards it might subtly indicate God's power to bring life and structure even to arid, desolate places, symbolizing spiritual and national flourishing where there was once barrenness. Furthermore, historically, the main entrance to the temple Mount was often from the south, particularly for the general public, making this orientation pragmatic for Ezekiel's initial view. This meticulous detail establishes the exact frame of reference for all subsequent measurements and descriptions within the vision, confirming its precise divine blueprint rather than a general, abstract concept.

Ezekiel 40 2 Commentary

Ezekiel 40:2 opens the capstone section of Ezekiel's prophecy, shifting from pronouncements of judgment to an extended vision of restoration and future glory. This verse sets the stage by divinely transporting Ezekiel to an ideal viewpoint—a very high mountain in the land of Israel—to behold an elaborate structure resembling a vast city, yet understood as a grand temple complex. The phrase "visions of God" affirms the divine origin and authoritative nature of this detailed revelation, dispelling any notion of human invention or dream. God's act of bringing and setting Ezekiel highlights divine initiative and sovereign control over future events. The return to the "land of Israel" is powerfully symbolic for the exiled people, representing a reversal of their captivity and the ultimate fulfillment of God's covenant promises. The "very high mountain" serves as a spiritual and observational vantage point, signifying proximity to the divine and a perspective above human limitations, from which the expansive, orderly design, seen "toward the south," can be fully appreciated. This "structure of a city" points to a comprehensive divine plan for future worship, encompassing not just a building, but an entire holy precinct, implying a vast, perfectly ordered, and majestic presence of God among His people. The precise architectural details to follow underscore God's meticulous nature and His intent to re-establish proper worship and fellowship in His restored kingdom. This vision provided profound hope to the exiled Israelites, showing that even after destruction, God had a future for them centered on renewed divine presence and order.