Ezekiel

"God will strengthen." One of the great prophets, the son of Buzi the priest.¹ He was one of the Jewish exiles who settled at Tel-Abib, on the banks of the Chebar River, "in the land of the Chaldeans." He was probably carried away captive with Jehoiachin.² His prophetic call came to him "in the fifth year of Jehoiachin's captivity." He had a house in the place of his exile, where he lost his wife, in the ninth year of his exile, by some sudden and unforeseen stroke.³ He held a prominent place among the exiles, and was frequently consulted by the elders.⁴ His ministry extended over twenty-three years,⁵ during part of which he was contemporary with Daniel⁶ and Jeremiah, and probably also with Obadiah. The time and manner of his death are unknown. His reputed tomb is pointed out in the neighborhood of Baghdad, at a place called Al Kefil.

The chapters 1.-24 of his book, the twenty-sixth of the Old Testament, contain predictions before the fall of Jerusalem and chapters 25.-48 contain predictions after that event. The visions of the Temple (40.-48) are a unique feature of the book.

In Islam he is called Dhul-Kifl.

❧