translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: EZK

label: NET study note

text: The meaning of the thirtieth year is problematic. Some take it to mean the age of Ezekiel when he prophesied (e.g., Origen). The Aramaic Targum explains the thirtieth year as the thirtieth year dated from the recovery of the book of the Torah in the temple in Jerusalem ( 2 Kgs 22:3-9 ). The number seems somehow to be equated with the fifth year of Jehoiachin’s exile in 1:2 , i.e., 593 b.c .


text: The Assyrians started the tactic of deportation, the large-scale forced displacement of conquered populations, in order to stifle rebellions. The task of uniting groups of deportees, gaining freedom from one’s overlords and returning to retake one’s own country would be considerably more complicated than living in one’s homeland and waiting for an opportune moment to drive out the enemy’s soldiers. The Babylonians adopted this practice also, after defeating the Assyrians. The Babylonians deported Judeans on three occasions. The practice of deportation was reversed by the Persian conquerors of Babylon, who gained favor from their subjects for allowing them to return to their homeland and, as polytheists, sought the favor of the gods of the various countries which had come under their control.


text: The Kebar River is mentioned in Babylonian texts from the city of Nippur in the fifth century b.c . It provided artificial irrigation from the Euphrates.


text: For the concept of the heavens opened in later literature, see 3 Macc 6:18; 2 Bar. 22:1; T. Levi 5:1; Matt 3:16 ; Acts 7:56 ; Rev 19:11 .


text: The prophet’s name, Ezekiel , means in Hebrew “May God strengthen.”


text: Storms are often associated with appearances of God (see Nah 1:3 ; Ps 18:12 ). In some passages, the “storm” ( סְעָרָה , sÿ ’ arah ) may be a whirlwind ( Job 38:1 , 2 Kgs 2:1 ).


text: They had human form may mean they stood erect.


text: The Hebrew verb translated gleamed occurs only here in the OT.


text: Burning coals of fire are also a part of David’s poetic description of God’s appearance (see 2 Sam 22:9, 13 ; Ps 18:8 ).


text: Another vision which includes wheels on thrones occurs in Dan 7:9 . contains a vision similar to this one.


text: Reference to the glowing substance and the brilliant light and storm phenomena in vv. 27-28 a echoes in reverse order the occurrence of these phenomena in v. 4 .