Ezekiel 40:1

¶ In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth [day] of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in the selfsame day the hand of the LORD was upon me, and brought me thither.

In the five {H2568} and twentieth {H6242} year {H8141} of our captivity {H1546}, in the beginning {H7218} of the year {H8141}, in the tenth {H6218} day of the month {H2320}, in the fourteenth {H702}{H6240} year {H8141} after {H310} that the city {H5892} was smitten {H5221}, in the selfsame {H6106} day {H3117} the hand {H3027} of the LORD {H3068} was upon me, and brought {H935} me thither.

In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month - this was the fourteenth year after the city [of Yerushalayim] was struck - it was on that very day that the hand of ADONAI was on me, and he took me there.

In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month—in the fourteenth year after Jerusalem had been struck down—on that very day the hand of the LORD was upon me, and He took me there.

In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in the selfsame day, the hand of Jehovah was upon me, and he brought me thither.

Commentary

Ezekiel 40:1 marks the beginning of one of the most profound and detailed prophetic visions in the Old Testament: the vision of a new temple and the restoration of Israel. This verse sets the precise chronological context for the monumental revelation that follows.

Context

The prophet Ezekiel was among the Jewish exiles taken to Babylon following the first deportation of Judah in 597 BC. This verse provides specific timestamps for the vision:

  • "In the five and twentieth year of our captivity": This places the vision around 573 BC, twenty-five years after Ezekiel's own exile with King Jehoiachin.
  • "In the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten": This is a crucial detail, indicating that the vision of restoration came 14 years *after* the devastating fall and destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 587/586 BC. The news of Jerusalem's fall had reached Ezekiel previously, as recorded in Ezekiel 33:21, shifting his prophetic focus from judgment to hope.
  • "In the beginning of the year, in the tenth [day] of the month": While interpretations vary, many scholars believe this refers to the tenth day of the seventh month (Tishri), which is the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). This timing would be highly symbolic for a vision concerning cleansing, renewed worship, and a fresh start for God's people.

The meticulous dating grounds this supernatural experience in historical reality, emphasizing the divine control over time and events, even amidst Israel's darkest period of exile.

Key Themes

  • Divine Revelation and Timing: The verse highlights God's sovereignty over time and His active involvement in revealing His plans to His chosen prophets. The precise dating underscores that God's visions are not random but part of His perfect, unfolding timeline.
  • Hope Amidst Desolation: Coming 14 years after the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem, this vision of a new, glorious temple offers a powerful message of hope and future restoration to a people in despair. It speaks to God's faithfulness to His covenant promises, even when His people are in exile.
  • The Hand of the LORD: The phrase "the hand of the LORD was upon me" is a recurring motif in Ezekiel (e.g., Ezekiel 1:3, Ezekiel 3:22). It signifies a direct, powerful, and often overwhelming divine influence or anointing that enables the prophet to receive and declare God's message, sometimes involving physical transport or spiritual ecstasy.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew phrase "the hand of the LORD" (*yad Yahweh*, יַד יְהוָה) is a powerful anthropomorphism used to describe God's direct, tangible, and often forceful intervention or empowerment. In Ezekiel's case, it frequently precedes a profound visionary experience or a divine command. The word "thither" (שָׁמָּה, *shammah*) points to the destination of this divine transportation, which the subsequent verse, Ezekiel 40:2, reveals as "a very high mountain."

Practical Application

Ezekiel 40:1 reminds us that even in periods of deep suffering, loss, or apparent hopelessness, God is at work. His timing is perfect, and He can grant visions of future glory and restoration when all earthly hope seems lost. For believers today, this verse offers encouragement that God's divine hand is always active, guiding, empowering, and revealing His purposes, often at precisely the right moment to provide hope and direction.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Ezekiel 33:21

    ¶ And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth [month], in the fifth [day] of the month, [that] one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten.

  • Ezekiel 32:17

    ¶ It came to pass also in the twelfth year, in the fifteenth [day] of the month, [that] 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 1:3

    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.

  • Ezekiel 32:1

    ¶ And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, in the first [day] of the month, [that] the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

  • Ezekiel 3:22

    ¶ And the hand of the LORD was there upon me; and he said unto me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with thee.

  • Ezekiel 3:14

    So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me.