¶ And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first [month], in the first [day] of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
And it came to pass in the seven {H7651} and twentieth {H6242} year {H8141}, in the first {H7223} month, in the first {H259} day of the month {H2320}, the word {H1697} of the LORD {H3068} came unto me, saying {H559},
On the first day of the first month of the twenty-seventh year, the word of ADONAI came to me:
In the twenty-seventh year, on the first day of the first month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the firstmonth, in the firstdayof the month, the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
-
Ezekiel 29:1
¶ In the tenth year, in the tenth [month], in the twelfth [day] of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, -
Ezekiel 1:2
In the fifth [day] of the month, which [was] the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity, -
Ezekiel 24:1
¶ Again in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth [day] of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Ezekiel 29:17 serves as a precise chronological marker, introducing a new and significant prophetic message from God to the prophet Ezekiel. This verse meticulously dates the divine revelation, setting the stage for the specific oracle that follows concerning God's judgment upon Egypt.
Context
This verse marks the latest dated prophecy in the book of Ezekiel, occurring in the 27th year of King Jehoiachin's captivity. This is a considerable time after Ezekiel's previous prophecies against Egypt, which were delivered earlier in his ministry (see Ezekiel 29:1). The unique timing of this particular word from the LORD is crucial: it directly relates to the conclusion of the long and arduous siege of Tyre by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. The subsequent verses in Ezekiel 29 explain that Nebuchadnezzar's army received no spoil from Tyre despite their immense effort, and God promises to give them the land of Egypt as compensation for their labor.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The phrase "the word of the LORD came unto me" is a common and powerful prophetic formula found throughout the Old Testament. In Hebrew, this is d'var Yahweh (דְּבַר יְהוָה), which strongly emphasizes that the message originated directly from God Himself, not from Ezekiel's own thoughts or human reasoning. The detailed chronological notation—"in the seven and twentieth year, in the first month, in the first day of the month"—underscores the divine precision and the historical veracity of Ezekiel's prophetic commission.
Significance and Application
While brief, Ezekiel 29:17 serves as a powerful reminder of God's active involvement in human history. It assures us that God works according to His perfect, often unseen, timetable, revealing His plans in stages. For the original audience, living under the shadow of Babylonian power, this verse would have affirmed God's ultimate control over the nations and provided a deeper understanding of the unfolding geopolitical events. For believers today, it reinforces the reliability and divine inspiration of biblical prophecy. It also subtly introduces the concept of God's justice in compensating even those who, like Nebuchadnezzar, serve His purposes unknowingly, as seen in the subsequent promise of Egypt as spoil (see Ezekiel 29:18-20).