Ezekiel 8 1

Ezekiel 8:1 kjv

And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me.

Ezekiel 8:1 nkjv

And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house with the elders of Judah sitting before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell upon me there.

Ezekiel 8:1 niv

In the sixth year, in the sixth month on the fifth day, while I was sitting in my house and the elders of Judah were sitting before me, the hand of the Sovereign LORD came on me there.

Ezekiel 8:1 esv

In the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, with the elders of Judah sitting before me, the hand of the Lord GOD fell upon me there.

Ezekiel 8:1 nlt

Then on September 17, during the sixth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, while the leaders of Judah were in my home, the Sovereign LORD took hold of me.

Ezekiel 8 verses

Ezekiel 8 1 Meaning

Ezekiel 8:1 sets the scene for a significant prophetic vision detailing Jerusalem's spiritual corruption. It recounts that in the sixth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, specifically on the fifth day of the sixth month, as the prophet Ezekiel sat in his home among exiled Judahite elders seeking divine counsel, the powerful "hand of the Lord GOD" came upon him. This divine encounter indicates a profound spiritual experience, enabling Ezekiel to receive and transmit a crucial message to the people concerning the idolatry practiced within the very Temple in Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 8 1 Context

Ezekiel chapter 8 opens a crucial section of the book (chapters 8-11) where Ezekiel, through a series of powerful visions, is transported in spirit from Babylon to Jerusalem. The immediate context of verse 1 is set against the backdrop of the Babylonian exile, approximately five years after Ezekiel's initial call and the first deportation of Judahites in 597 BCE, including King Jehoiachin and Ezekiel himself. Jerusalem and its Temple still stand, but their destruction is imminent, being just a few years away. Ezekiel, serving as a prophet among the exiles by the Chebar Canal, regularly receives visits from the "elders of Judah"—leading members of the exiled community who seek divine guidance concerning their predicament and the fate of their homeland. This verse establishes a specific time, place (Ezekiel's house in Tel-abib), and audience for a vision that will starkly reveal the idolatry and abominations that are defiling the Jerusalem Temple, thereby justifying its impending destruction and God's departure from it.

Ezekiel 8 1 Word analysis

• And it came to pass (וַיְהִי, wa-y'hî): A common narrative transition in Hebrew, often signaling the commencement of a significant new event or a change in a historical timeline, drawing attention to what follows. It establishes a real, chronological sequence for the divine activity.

• in the sixth year: This chronological marker refers to the sixth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity (c. 592 BCE), building on the dating established in Eze 1:2. It precisely situates the vision within Ezekiel's prophetic ministry and the exiles' experience.

• in the sixth month (בַּשִּׁשִּׁי חֹדֶשׁ, ba-shishî chodesh): Corresponds to the Hebrew month Elul (August/September). This month typically preceded the High Holy Days (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur in Tishrei), a period traditionally associated with self-examination and repentance, making it a fitting time for revelations concerning national sin.

• in the fifth day of the month: This adds another layer of chronological specificity, highlighting the precise, historical nature of the divine revelation, rather than it being a vague or general experience.

• as I sat in mine house: This places the prophet in a domestic setting, rather than a temple or an officially designated sacred space. It indicates that God's presence and revelation are not confined to the physical Temple in Jerusalem but extend even to His prophet among the exiles, de-sacralizing geography in a way that emphasizes God's presence with His people, wherever they are. Ezekiel is in a state of rest, receptive to divine input.

• and the elders of Judah (וְזִקְנֵי יְהוּדָה, wəziq'nê yəhûdâ): These are representatives and leaders of the exiled community, seeking an oracle or word from the Lord. Their presence highlights the community's need for divine guidance during their challenging time in captivity, and it emphasizes that the vision, though experienced by Ezekiel, is intended for the broader community.

• sat before me: Indicates they were positioned to listen attentively and formally, likely in an inquiry, seeking to understand God's will. This often signifies a posture of submission and readiness to receive a prophetic message.

• that the hand of the Lord GOD (יַד אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה, yad Adonai Yahweh): This is a profound idiomatic expression consistently used for overwhelming divine power, presence, and enablement in Ezekiel's ministry. It signifies a direct, forceful, and often overwhelming spiritual experience that commissions the prophet for a task, often involving the impartation of a vision, spiritual transport, or the capacity to speak.

• fell there upon me: Implies a sudden, powerful, and undeniable divine intervention. It conveys the sense of God's sovereign initiative in imparting the vision, overcoming any human resistance, and thoroughly possessing the prophet for His purpose. "There" reiterates the specific location, in his house, making it the locus of this divine encounter.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • Detailed Dating (In the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day): The precision of dating emphasizes the historicity and significance of the event, grounding the extraordinary visions in a specific human timeline. This exactitude makes the prophecies feel immediate and relevant to the contemporary exiles.
  • Setting (As I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me): This group establishes a critical contrast. While Ezekiel is among the exiles in a mundane home, God's revelation occurs. The presence of the elders underscores the communal aspect of prophetic ministry—Ezekiel is a messenger for his people.
  • Divine Intervention (that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me): This phrase marks the onset of supernatural activity. The "hand of the Lord GOD" indicates powerful, direct, and purposeful divine intervention. Its "falling" on Ezekiel conveys irresistible power and authority, initiating a profound spiritual encounter intended to impart divine truth for the people.

Ezekiel 8 1 Bonus section

The precise, repeated dating using the number "six" (sixth year, sixth month) before the "fifth day" could subtly emphasize themes connected to humanity, work, and potential incompleteness or sin before a time of grace or completion (related to the six days of creation before the day of rest, or the general biblical association of six with human imperfection versus seven with divine perfection). The elders' persistent inquiry to Ezekiel, even after past negative or unheeded prophecies (e.g., in chapter 14 or 20), demonstrates a human longing for divine insight and a community's continuous grappling with their circumstances and the future, despite their prior unfaithfulness. It highlights Ezekiel's established authority among the exiles, even when God's messages are difficult.

Ezekiel 8 1 Commentary

Ezekiel 8:1 is a precise and foundational opening for a deeply significant vision concerning the spiritual decay of Jerusalem. The exact date provided serves not only as a historical marker but also underscores the gravity and the urgent timeliness of the revelation; God is meticulously keeping track of His people's actions. The scene in Ezekiel's house in Babylon, with the exiled elders present, shifts the locus of divine revelation away from the Jerusalem Temple—which God is about to expose as defiled—and relocates it to where His people are, emphasizing His unwavering connection with them even in exile. The coming of the "hand of the Lord GOD" upon Ezekiel signifies a powerful, divine anointing and commission for what follows. It is the direct intervention of God enabling the prophet to receive and communicate a profound message about the abominations practiced within the holy city, setting the stage for the dramatic revelation of Temple idolatry in the subsequent verses and providing the divine justification for Jerusalem's impending destruction.