Ezekiel 11:1-4

The Fall of Jerusalem

11:1 A wind ¹  lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of the Lord’s temple that faces the east. There, at the entrance of the gate, I noticed twenty-five men. Among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, officials of the people. ²  11:2 The Lord ³  said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who plot evil and give wicked advice in this city. 11:3 They say, ⁴  ‘The time is not near to build houses; ⁵  the city ⁶  is a cooking pot ⁷  and we are the meat in it.’ 11:4 Therefore, prophesy against them! Prophesy, son of man!”

[11:1]  ¹ tn Or “spirit.” See note on “wind” in 2:2.

[11:1]  ² sn The phrase officials of the people occurs in Neh 11:1; 1 Chr 21:2; 2 Chr 24:23.

[11:2]  ³ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:3]  ⁴ tn The Hebrew verb may mean “think” in this context. This content of what they say (or think) represents their point of view.

[11:3]  ⁵ sn The expression build houses may mean “establish families” (Deut 25:9; Ruth 4:11; Prov 24:27).

[11:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “she” or “it”; the feminine pronoun refers here to Jerusalem.

[11:3]  ⁷ sn Jerusalem is also compared to a pot in Ezek 24:3-8. The siege of the city is pictured as heating up the pot.