Ezekiel Ezekiel, a priest and prophet, was born around 623 BC. He was probably raised in Jerusalem, and he was married (24:16-18). He went into exile in Babylon with Jehoiachin in 597 BC, where he lived by the Kebar River. He was called to be a prophet in Babylon on July 31, 593 BC (1:1). All that we know of his personal life is from the book named after him. Ezekiel often reinforced his prophetic words with strange actions, such as illustrating his message about the dire lack of food in the final siege of Jerusalem by eating food cooked over dung (4:12). Another time, he lay motionless for 430 days, one day for each year of Israel’s and Judah’s sin (4:4-7). When Ezekiel’s wife died suddenly, he was forbidden to mourn her in public (24:16-18); her death was a solemn warning of what would happen in Judah (24:15-27). Ezekiel’s strange actions were designed to grab people’s attention. At first, Ezekiel’s messages were rejected, but his prophecies were later vindicated as they began to come true and the nation was purged of idolatry. His teaching emphasized holiness, purity, resurrection, and the ritual law. His message of hope encouraged the exiles to remain faithful during t...

Israel’s Geography as Theology The division of the land in Ezekiel 47:13–48:35 combines spiritual ideals with a practical message that reinforces themes from earlier sections of the vision (Ezek 40–46). The prophet Ezekiel saw a future with strong links to the past, for the land of Israel was still the special land that had been promised to the patriarchs. The map in this vision does not resemble the earlier tribal patchwork established in Joshua’s time. In Ezekiel’s vision, each tribe would receive an equal portion of the land, arranged in east-to-west strips that oriented the whole land on the same axis as the Temple at its center. These strips of land bear no connection to the actual geographic features of the land—they are not intended to be understood physically. The point seems to be that the old tribal jealousies and hatreds will be gone, as each tribe is on exactly the same footing as the others. The monarchy is not abolished in this vision, but it is transformed. The defiled city that was destroyed in the earlier chapters of Ezekiel gives way to a new holy city of unity and harmony for the tribes. A life-giving river does its work of restoration, bringing the bles...