Ezekiel 43:2 kjv
And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.
Ezekiel 43:2 nkjv
And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory.
Ezekiel 43:2 niv
and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory.
Ezekiel 43:2 esv
And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory.
Ezekiel 43:2 nlt
Suddenly, the glory of the God of Israel appeared from the east. The sound of his coming was like the roar of rushing waters, and the whole landscape shone with his glory.
Ezekiel 43 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezek 43:1 | Then he brought me to the gate, the gate facing east. | Ezek 43:2 (Contextual preceding) |
| Ezek 1:28 | Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the brilliance around him. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the LORD’s glory. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice speaking. | Ezek 43:2 (Description of God's glory) |
| Isa 6:3 | And they cried out to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” | Ezek 43:2 (Nature of God's glory) |
| Ps 24:7-10 | Lift up your heads, O gates, and lift them up, you ancient doorways, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates, and lift them up, you ancient doorways, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! | Ezek 43:2 (Messianic King's return) |
| Rev 21:23 | And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its Lamb is its lamp. | Ezek 43:2 (God's glory as light) |
| John 1:14 | And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. | Ezek 43:2 (Incarnation of God's glory) |
| Acts 7:55 | But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. | Ezek 43:2 (Seeing God's glory) |
| Ex 29:43 | There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory. | Ezek 43:2 (Sanctification by glory) |
| 1 Kgs 8:10-11 | And the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD. | Ezek 43:2 (God's glory filling the temple) |
| Ezek 10:4 | Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherubim to the threshold of the house, and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the radiance of the glory of the LORD. | Ezek 43:2 (God's glory departing and returning) |
| Ezek 37:27 | My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. | Ezek 43:2 (God dwelling with His people) |
| Jer 31:33 | But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. | Ezek 43:2 (God's presence and covenant) |
| Zech 8:3 | Thus says the LORD: “I will return to Zion and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the Holy Mountain.” | Ezek 43:2 (God's return to Jerusalem) |
| Mal 3:1 | “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.” | Ezek 43:2 (Messenger preparing for Lord's arrival) |
| John 2:19 | Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” | Ezek 43:2 (Jesus as the temple) |
| 1 Cor 3:16 | Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? | Ezek 43:2 (Believers as God's temple) |
| 1 Cor 6:19 | Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, | Ezek 43:2 (Believers as temples) |
| Eph 2:20-21 | building on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. | Ezek 43:2 (Building on a foundation) |
| Heb 4:14 | Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. | Ezek 43:2 (Jesus as High Priest) |
| 1 Pet 2:5 | you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. | Ezek 43:2 (Spiritual house and priesthood) |
| Rev 19:11 | Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. | Ezek 43:2 (Jesus returning in glory) |
Ezekiel 43 verses
Ezekiel 43 2 Meaning
Ezekiel 43:2 describes a glorious manifestation of God's presence. The visible glory of the God of Israel is depicted as returning to the temple, its radiant arrival signaling His restored relationship with His people and the holiness of His dwelling place. This event signifies a future fulfillment of God's promise to dwell among His people.
Ezekiel 43 2 Context
This verse is part of Ezekiel's elaborate vision of the restored temple. Following the devastating judgment that befell Jerusalem and the temple due to Israel's sin and idolatry, Ezekiel receives visions of a future restoration. The preceding chapter describes the cherubim and wheels moving, signifying God's departure from the defiled temple. Ezekiel 43:1-5 depicts the glorious return of God to the new temple. The gate facing east is significant, as it was often associated with the sun's rising and pagan worship, a practice God had condemned. Here, it is the locus of God's glorious return, indicating His reclamation of even that space. This vision provides a profound message of hope and the ultimate triumph of God's presence and holiness over sin and destruction for the post-exilic community.
Ezekiel 43 2 Word Analysis
- וְ (və): "And." A conjunction connecting this verse to the preceding vision or introducing a new aspect of the vision.
- אַחַר־ (aḥar-): "After." Indicates sequence, positioning this event in time after the previous depiction or action.
- כֵּן (kēn): "so" or "then." Signals consequence or the manner in which something occurs.
- הוֹבִיל (hōḇîl): "he brought" or "he led." In this Hiphil stem from the root yāḇa, it denotes causing to go, signifying active leadership and bringing into a place.
- אֹתִי (’ōṯî): "me." The first-person pronoun, referring to Ezekiel the prophet.
- אֶל־ (’el-): "to" or "toward." A preposition indicating direction or destination.
- שַׁעַר (ša‘ar): "gate." A gateway, often a significant architectural element.
- שַׁעַר (ša‘ar): "gate." Repetition for emphasis, specifically identifying "the gate."
- הַפֹּנֶה (ha-pōnēh): "which faces" or "that faces." The Qal participle of the root pānâ, meaning to turn or face.
- קָדִים (qāḏîm): "east" or "eastward." Refers to the direction from which the sun rises, a direction that carried symbolic weight.
Words-group Analysis
- "he brought me to the gate, the gate facing east": This phrase sets the scene for a pivotal moment. The repetition of "gate" emphasizes its importance as a point of entry. The facing "east" is significant; in ancient Near Eastern contexts, the east was often associated with the rising sun and, by extension, deities or divine manifestations. For God to enter through the east gate is a profound reversal of pagan associations and a statement of His exclusive presence.
- "and behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the way of the east": This entire clause announces the main event. "Behold" (hinneh) is an interjection of attention-grabbing significance. "Glory of the God of Israel" (כְּבֹוד אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - kəḇōḏ ’ĕlōhê yiśrã’ēl) refers to the visible manifestation of God's presence, a divine radiance. "Coming from the way of the east" links the glory's arrival to the specific gate mentioned, signifying God's sovereign power to enter and inhabit His designated sanctuary.
Ezekiel 43 2 Bonus Section
The "glory of God" (כְּבֹוד kəḇōḏ) in the Old Testament often refers to the tangible, visible manifestation of God's presence, His majesty, His power, and His holiness. It is not merely an abstract concept but a palpable radiance or luminescence, as seen in the burning bush, the pillar of cloud and fire, and at Mount Sinai. In Ezekiel's visions, this glory dramatically departs due to Israel's defilement of the temple, indicating God's displeasure and judgment. Its return in chapter 43 signifies the ultimate triumph of God's presence and a covenant renewal, establishing a new order of holiness for His dwelling. This concept of God’s glory returning and filling a restored dwelling points prophetically to the incarnate Christ, who is the very radiance of God's glory (Heb 1:3), and subsequently to the Holy Spirit dwelling in believers, making them His temple. The eastward direction, while potentially symbolic against sun worship, is primarily where the glory is seen to enter the sacred space.
Ezekiel 43 2 Commentary
Ezekiel 43:2 describes the visible return of God's glory. After experiencing its departure in chapter 10 due to the nation's sin, this signifies restoration and reaffirmation of God's presence. The glory arriving from the east, through the eastern gate, powerfully contrasts with practices that deified the sun or the east. This indicates that God reclaims even those points of potential idolatry, imbuing them with His own holiness. The verse is a theological declaration that God’s dwelling place is ultimately determined by His will and His presence is the ultimate sanctifier of the temple. This imagery foreshadows Christ's ultimate presence among His people, making believers themselves God's temple where His glory indwells. The restoration of God's glory promises a future where His presence is permanently and holily re-established.