New International Version the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians. There the hand of the LORD was on him. New Living Translation (The LORD gave this message to Ezekiel son of Buzi, a priest, beside the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians, and he felt the hand of the LORD take hold of him.) English Standard Version the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar canal, and the hand of the LORD was upon him there. Berean Standard Bible the word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Kebar. And there the LORD’s hand was upon him. Berean Literal Bible the word of YHWH came directly to Ezekiel son of Buzi the priest in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Kebar; And there the hand of YHWH was upon him. King James Bible The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him. New King James Version the word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was upon him there. New American Standard Bible the word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there the hand of the LORD came upon him.) NASB 1995 the word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there the hand of the LORD came upon him.) NASB 1977 the word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there the hand of the LORD came upon him.) Legacy Standard Bible the word of Yahweh came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there the hand of Yahweh came upon him.) Amplified Bible the word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar; and the hand of the LORD came upon him there.) Berean Annotated Bible the word of the LORD {YHWH} came directly to Ezekiel (God strengthens) the priest, the son of Buzi (my contempt), in the land of the Chaldeans (the Babylonians) by the River Kebar (far-off). And there the LORD’s hand was upon him. Christian Standard Bible the word of the LORD came directly to the priest Ezekiel son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar Canal. The LORD’s hand was on him there. Holman Christian Standard Bible the word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar Canal. And the LORD’s hand was on him there. American Standard Version the word of Jehovah came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of Jehovah was there upon him. English Revised Version the word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him. GOD'S WORD® Translation the LORD spoke his word to the priest Ezekiel, son of Buzi, in Babylon by the Chebar River. The power of the LORD came over Ezekiel. Good News Translation There in Babylonia beside the Chebar River, I heard the LORD speak to me, and I felt his power. International Standard Version a message from the LORD came directly to Buzi's son Ezekiel, the priest, by the Chebar River in the land of the Chaldeans. The hand of the LORD rested upon him there. NET Bible the word of the LORD came to the priest Ezekiel the son of Buzi, at the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians. The hand of the LORD came on him there). New Heart English Bible the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD came upon me. Webster's Bible Translation The word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Kebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard Biblethe word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Kebar. And there the LORD’s hand was upon him. World English Bible Yahweh’s word came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and Yahweh’s hand was there on him. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionthe word of YHWH has certainly been to Ezekiel son of Buzi the priest, in the land of the Chaldeans, by the river Chebar, and there is on him there a hand of YHWH. Berean Literal Bible the word of YHWH came directly to Ezekiel son of Buzi the priest in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Kebar; And there the hand of YHWH was upon him. Young's Literal Translation hath the word of Jehovah certainly been unto Ezekiel son of Buzi the priest, in the land of the Chaldeans, by the river Chebar, and there is on him there a hand of Jehovah. Smith's Literal Translation The word of Jehovah being, was to Jehezhel, son of Buzi, the priest, in the land of the Chaldean by the river Chebar; and the hand of Jehovah will be there upon him. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleThe word of the Lord came to Ezechiel the priest the son of Bud in the land of the Chaldeans, by the river Chobar: and the hand of the Lord was there upon him. Catholic Public Domain Version the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel, a priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans, next to the river Chebar. And the hand of the Lord was over him there. New American Bible the word of the LORD came to the priest Ezekiel, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar. There the hand of the LORD came upon him. New Revised Standard Version the word of the LORD came to the priest Ezekiel son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was on him there. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThe word of the LORD carne to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon me. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated The word of LORD JEHOVAH came to Khezekiel, son of Buzi, the Priest OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917the word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him. Brenton Septuagint Translation And the word of the Lord came to Jezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans, by the river of Chobar; and the hand of the Lord was upon me. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context Ezekiel's Vision by the River Kebar…2On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin— 3the word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Kebar. And there the LORD’s hand was upon him. Cross References the word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, Ezekiel 3:4 Then He said to me, “Son of man, go now to the house of Israel and speak My words to them. Jeremiah 1:4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying: Jonah 1:1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, the son of Buzi, Jeremiah 1:1 These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests in Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. Isaiah 1:1 This is the vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Zechariah 1:1 In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying: in the land of the Chaldeans Ezekiel 12:13 But I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans; yet he will not see it, and there he will die. Jeremiah 24:5 “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Like these good figs, so I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I have sent away from this place to the land of the Chaldeans. Daniel 1:1-2 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. / And the Lord delivered into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, along with some of the articles from the house of God. He carried these off to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, where he put them in the treasury of his god. by the River Kebar. Ezekiel 3:15 I came to the exiles at Tel-abib who dwelt by the River Kebar. And for seven days I sat where they sat and remained there among them, overwhelmed. Ezekiel 10:15 Then the cherubim rose upward. These were the living creatures I had seen by the River Kebar. Psalm 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. And there the LORD’s hand was upon him. Ezekiel 3:14 So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the LORD upon me. Ezekiel 8:1 In the sixth year, on the fifth day of the sixth month, I was sitting in my house, and the elders of Judah were sitting before me; and there the hand of the Lord GOD fell upon me. Ezra 7:28 and who has shown me favor before the king, his counselors, and all his powerful officials. And because the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, I took courage and gathered the leaders of Israel to return with me. Jeremiah 1:2 The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah, Treasury of Scripture The word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there on him. word Jeremiah 1:2,4 To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign… Hosea 1:1 The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. Joel 1:1 The word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel. Jump to Previous Babylonians Chaldaeans Chaldeans Chalde'ans Chebar Expressly Ezekiel Hand Kebar Priest River WordJump to Next Babylonians Chaldaeans Chaldeans Chalde'ans Chebar Expressly Ezekiel Hand Kebar Priest River WordEzekiel 1 1. The time of Ezekiel's prophecy at Chebar.4. His vision of four cherubim; 15. of the four wheels; 26. and of the glory of God. the word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, God appointed Ezekiel as His spokesman and gave him a message carrying divine authority. Ezekiel’s priestly background prepared him to address the defilement of the temple, the seriousness of covenant unfaithfulness, and the need for cleansing and restoration. Ezk 3:4 Then He said to me, “Son of man, go now… the son of Buzi, Ezekiel belonged to a priestly family, grounding his ministry in Israel’s historical worship and covenant life. Though Buzi is otherwise unknown, his name identifies Ezekiel as a real man called by God within a particular family and generation. Jer 1:1 These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah,… in the land of the Chaldeans Ezekiel ministered among the Judean exiles in Babylon after the nation’s rebellion brought the judgment God had announced through earlier prophets. Israel’s removal from the land confirmed God’s faithfulness to His warnings, yet exile did not place His people beyond His presence or His purposes. Ezk 12:13 But I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught… by the River Kebar. The Kebar was likely a canal near Nippur, where displaced Judeans lived and worked. Far from Jerusalem and the temple, Ezekiel received visions revealing that the glory of the LORD was not confined to one land or building. Ezk 3:15 I came to the exiles at Tel-abib who dwelt by the River… And there the LORD’s hand was upon him. God’s hand empowered Ezekiel for a demanding ministry among a resistant people. The prophet spoke, acted, and endured because the LORD had taken hold of him, showing that God remains actively present with His people even under judgment. Ezk 3:14 So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away… Persons / Places / Events 1. EzekielA priest and prophet, Ezekiel is the central figure in this verse. His name means "God strengthens," which is significant given the challenging messages he was tasked to deliver. 2. Buzi Ezekiel's father, mentioned to establish Ezekiel's priestly lineage, which is important for understanding his role and authority. 3. Chaldeans Refers to the Babylonians, indicating the location of the Jewish exile. This context is crucial for understanding the setting of Ezekiel's prophecies. 4. Kebar River A canal near Babylon where the Jewish exiles, including Ezekiel, were settled. This location is significant as it is where Ezekiel receives his visions. 5. The Hand of the LORD A phrase indicating divine empowerment and inspiration, suggesting that Ezekiel's message is directly from God. Teaching Points Divine Calling and EmpowermentEzekiel's calling as a prophet emphasizes that God equips those He calls. We can trust that God will provide the strength and wisdom needed for the tasks He assigns us. Faithfulness in Exile Despite being in a foreign land, Ezekiel remains faithful to his calling. This teaches us to remain steadfast in our faith, even in challenging or unfamiliar circumstances. The Importance of Spiritual Heritage Ezekiel's priestly lineage underscores the value of spiritual heritage and upbringing. It reminds us to honor and build upon the faith traditions passed down to us. God's Presence in Difficult Times The phrase "the hand of the LORD was upon him" assures us that God's presence is with us, even in exile or hardship. We can find comfort and strength in His presence. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Ezekiel 1:3?2. How does Ezekiel 1:3 emphasize God's authority in calling His prophets today? 3. What role does "the word of the LORD" play in Ezekiel's mission? 4. How can we discern God's call in our lives like Ezekiel 1:3? 5. Compare Ezekiel's calling with other prophets; what similarities do you find? 6. How does Ezekiel 1:3 inspire us to respond to God's voice today? 7. What is the significance of Ezekiel's prophetic calling in Ezekiel 1:3? 8. How does Ezekiel 1:3 establish the authority of Ezekiel's visions? 9. Why is the location by the Kebar River important in Ezekiel 1:3? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Ezekiel 1? What Does Ezekiel 1:3 Mean The word of the LORD came directly• Scripture never portrays prophetic insight as vague intuition; it is a concrete message from God Himself. As with Jeremiah—“The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah” (Jeremiah 1:2)—and Amos—“The words of Amos… which he envisioned concerning Israel” (Amos 1:1)—Ezekiel receives an unmistakable, authoritative communication. • “Directly” underscores that no intermediary stood between the Lord and Ezekiel. This mirrors how “holy men of God spoke as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). • Because God speaks, His people can anchor their faith on revealed truth rather than speculation (Psalm 119:89). to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi • Ezekiel brings a priestly background into a prophetic calling. Priests knew God’s holiness through temple service (Exodus 28:1; 2 Chronicles 29:11), so Ezekiel is uniquely prepared to portray God’s glory and standards. • His lineage (“son of Buzi”) roots him in real history, reinforcing that this is not allegory but fact (compare Luke 3:23 ff. listing Jesus’ genealogy). • God often calls specific people in specific roles—Isaiah from the royal courts (Isaiah 6:1), Amos from tending sheep (Amos 7:14–15)—showing His sovereign choice. in the land of the Chaldeans • The setting is exile, hundreds of miles from Jerusalem after Babylon’s conquest (2 Kings 25:21). Even far from the promised land, God’s voice is not silenced—“Where can I flee from Your presence?” (Psalm 139:7). • The Chaldean empire appears formidable, yet God’s Word transcends political powers, reassuring captive Israel that He remains in control (Jeremiah 29:4–14). • This proves judgment and mercy can coexist: judgment in exile, mercy in ongoing revelation. by the River Kebar • The Kebar canal was a major irrigation artery near Babylon. Psalm 137:1 captures the exiles’ grief: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept.” • God meets people in ordinary locations—burning bush in Midian (Exodus 3:1), threshing floor in Ophrah (Judges 6:11), fishing boats on Galilee (Matthew 4:18–19). The Kebar reminds us no place is too secular for divine encounter. • Ezekiel later sits “among the exiles by the Kebar River, and I sat there overwhelmed” (Ezekiel 3:15), indicating an ongoing ministry hub amid suffering people. And there the LORD’s hand was upon him • “The LORD’s hand” signals divine power and guidance. Similar phrasing marks Elijah outrunning Ahab’s chariot (1 Kings 18:46) and the early church’s growth—“The hand of the Lord was with them” (Acts 11:21). • For Ezekiel, this means: – Empowerment to deliver hard messages (Ezekiel 3:14). – Protection against intimidation (Ezekiel 2:6). – Assurance that the visions to follow come from God, not imagination. • When God lays His hand on someone, ordinary ability is eclipsed by supernatural enablement (compare Acts 4:13). summary Ezekiel 1:3 reveals God taking the initiative to communicate a clear, authoritative word to a real historical priest, Ezekiel, even while he lives in foreign captivity. The setting by the Kebar canal highlights God’s willingness to meet His people amid discouraging circumstances, and the phrase “the LORD’s hand was upon him” assures us that divine power equips the messenger for the task. Together these details affirm that God’s Word is both transcendent and personal, trustworthy and transformative, wherever His people may find themselves. (3) Came expressly.—Or, came certainly, with the fullest proof of reality. In the original there is simply the ordinary form of the repetition of the verb for the sake of emphasis. The prophet mentions his own name only here and in Ezekiel 24:24.The hand of the Lord was there upon him.—A form of expression to indicate that special power and influence which the Spirit exercised over the prophets at times when they were called to become the means of the Divine communications. (Comp. 1Kings 18:46, and Ezekiel 3:22; Ezekiel 37:1; see also Daniel 8:18; ... Verse 3. - The word of the Lord came expressly, etc.; literally, coming, there come the word of the Lord; the iteration having (as commonly in this combination in Hebrew) the force of emphasis. The phrase stands, as elsewhere, for the conscious inspiration which made men feel that Jehovah had indeed spoken unto them, and that they had a message from him to deliver. To give parallel passages would be to copy several pages from a concordance, but it may not be without interest to note its first (Genesis 15:1) and last (Malachi 1:1) occurrences in the Old Testament, and its reappearance in the New Testament (Luke 3:2). Unto Ezekiel. We note the transition from the first person to the third; but it does not give sufficient ground for rejecting either ver. 1 or ver. 2, 3 as an interpolation. (For the prophet's name, which appears only here and in Ezekiel 24:24, see Introduction; and for "land of Chaldeans," note on ver. 1.) The hand of the Lord. Here again we haw a phrase of frequent occurrence, used of Elijah (1 Kings 18:46), of Elisha (2 Kings 3:15), of Daniel (Daniel 8:18; Daniel 10:10), of Isaiah (Isaiah 8:11), of St. John (Revelation 1:17). The "hand" of the Lord is the natural symbol of his power, and the phrase seems to be used to add to the consciousness of inspiration, that of a constraining, irresistible power. Ezekiel continually uses it (Ezekiel 3:14, 22; Ezekiel 8:1; Ezekiel 33:22; Ezekiel 37:1; Ezekiel 40:1).Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew the wordדְבַר־ (ḏə·ḇar-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause of the LORD יְ֠הוָה (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel came הָיֹ֣ה (hā·yōh) Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be directly הָיָ֣ה (hā·yāh) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be to אֶל־ (’el-) Preposition Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to Ezekiel יְחֶזְקֵ֨אל (yə·ḥez·qêl) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3168: Ezekiel -- 'God strengthens', two Israelites the priest, הַכֹּהֵ֛ן (hak·kō·hên) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3548: Priest the son בֶּן־ (ben-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 1121: A son of Buzi, בּוּזִ֧י (bū·zî) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 941: Buzi -- the father of Ezekiel in the land בְּאֶ֥רֶץ (bə·’e·reṣ) Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct Strong's 776: Earth, land of the Chaldeans כַּשְׂדִּ֖ים (kaś·dîm) Noun - proper - masculine plural Strong's 3778: Chaldeans -- a region of southern Babylon and its inhab by עַל־ (‘al-) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against the Kebar כְּבָ֑ר (kə·ḇār) Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 3529: Chebar -- a river of Babylon River. נְהַר־ (nə·har-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 5104: A stream, prosperity And there שָׁ֖ם (šām) Adverb Strong's 8033: There, then, thither the LORD’s יְהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel hand יַד־ (yaḏ-) Noun - feminine singular construct Strong's 3027: A hand was וַתְּהִ֥י (wat·tə·hî) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be upon him. עָלָ֛יו (‘ā·lāw) Preposition | third person masculine singular Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against Additonal Resources Ezekiel 1:3 Blue Letter BibleEzekiel 1:3 Bible Gateway Ezekiel 1:3 Bible.com Ezekiel 1:3 NIV |
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