Ezekiel 13:1

¶ And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

And the word ^{H1697} of the LORD ^{H3068} came unto me, saying ^{H559},

The word of ADONAI came to me:

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

Ezekiel 13:1 serves as the foundational opening to a significant prophetic message, immediately establishing the divine origin and authority behind the words that follow. This brief verse sets the stage for God's forceful denunciation of false prophets who mislead His people.

Context

The prophet Ezekiel was among the Jewish exiles in Babylon, deported after the first siege of Jerusalem. His ministry largely focused on delivering messages of judgment against Judah and Jerusalem for their idolatry and unfaithfulness, as well as future prophecies of restoration. Chapter 13 specifically addresses the grave problem of false prophets and prophetesses who were giving deceptive messages of peace and prosperity, contrary to God's true word of impending judgment and exile. This introductory verse, "And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying," underscores that what Ezekiel is about to declare is not his own opinion or political analysis, but a direct, authoritative revelation from God Himself, distinguishing him from the very false prophets he is about to condemn.

Key Themes

Divine Revelation: The most prominent theme is that God directly communicates with His chosen servants. This phrase emphasizes that the message is not human in origin but divine, carrying ultimate authority.
Prophetic Authority: For Ezekiel, this declaration serves as his credentials. His authority to speak comes solely from the fact that "the word of the LORD came unto him," a common prophetic formula found throughout the Old Testament.
Introduction to Judgment: While simple, this verse acts as a solemn preamble to a chapter filled with severe warnings against those who claim to speak for God but speak only from their own imaginations, leading the people astray (Ezekiel 13:3).

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "the word of the LORD" translates from the Hebrew dabar Yahweh. Dabar means "word," "matter," "thing," or "affair," but when connected with Yahweh (the personal name of God), it signifies a powerful, authoritative, and active divine utterance. It implies not just spoken words but a divine decree or message that carries the power to accomplish what it declares. The phrase "came unto me" highlights the direct, personal nature of this revelation to Ezekiel, distinguishing it from general revelation or human speculation.

Practical Application

For believers today, Ezekiel 13:1 serves as a vital reminder of the importance of the source of spiritual messages. It encourages us to critically examine what we hear and read, asking whether it truly aligns with the established Word of God. Just as God spoke directly to Ezekiel to expose falsehood, His written Word (the Bible) remains our primary standard for discerning truth from error. This verse calls us to value and heed God's authoritative message above all human pronouncements, especially concerning matters of faith and destiny.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

No cross-references found for this verse.