It came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, and sat before me.
Parallel translations
- WEB In the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of Yahweh, and sat before me.
- KJV And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the LORD, and sat before me.
- BSB In the seventh year, on the tenth day of the fifth month, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and they sat down before me.
- NASB Now in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth of the month, men from the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, and they sat before me.
- NLT On August 14, during the seventh year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, some of the leaders of Israel came to request a message from the Lord. They sat down in front of me to wait for his reply.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
About a year later, elders of Israel come to inquire of the Lord through Ezekiel. The visit sets the scene for God's long review of Israel's history of rebellion.
Overview
The dated heading (the seventh year, fifth month) marks this as roughly 591 BC during the exile. The elders' sitting before the prophet signals an official request for a word from God. Their outward religiosity, however, masks unrepentant hearts, prompting the searching indictment that follows in this chapter.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 23
- Ezek 8:1In the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, the Lord Yahweh’s hand fell there on me.
- Ezek 24:1Again, in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
- Ezek 40:1In the twenty-fifth 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 struck, in the same day, Yahweh’s hand was on me, and he brought me there.
- Ezek 30:20In the eleventh year, in the first month, in the seventh day of the month, Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
- Ezek 29:1In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
- Ezek 31:1In the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month, Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
- Ezek 32:1In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, in the first day of the month, Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
- Ezek 29:17It came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first month, in the first day of the month, Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
- Ezek 26:1In the eleventh year, in the first of the month, Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
- Ezek 33:30–33As for you, son of man, the children of your people talk of you by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak to one another, everyone to his brother, saying, Please come and hear what is the word that comes out from Yahweh.
- Ezek 14:1–3Then came certain of the elders of Israel to me, and sat before me.
- Jer 37:17then Zedekiah the king sent, and fetched him. The king asked him secretly in his house, and said, “Is there any word from Yahweh?” Jeremiah said, “There is.” He said also, “You will be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.”
- 1 Kgs 22:15–28When he had come to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall we forbear?” He answered him, “Go up and prosper; and Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
- Isa 58:2Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways. As a nation that did righteousness, and didn’t forsake the ordinance of their God, they ask of me righteous judgments. They delight to draw near to God.
- Acts 22:3“I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict tradition of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are today.
- Ezek 1:2In the fifth of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity,
- Isa 29:13The Lord said, “Because this people draws near with their mouth and with their lips to honor me, but they have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men which has been taught;
- 1 Kgs 14:2–6Jeroboam said to his wife, “Please get up and disguise yourself, so that you won’t be recognized as Jeroboam’s wife. Go to Shiloh. Behold, Ahijah the prophet is there, who said that that I would be king over this people.
- 2 Kgs 3:13Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father, and to the prophets of your mother.” The king of Israel said to him, “No, for Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”
- Luke 8:35People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
- Matt 22:16They sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and teach the way of God in truth, no matter whom you teach, for you aren’t partial to anyone.
- Luke 2:46After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the middle of the teachers, both listening to them, and asking them questions.
- Luke 10:39She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
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Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 20:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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