“And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,”
This dated oracle opening in the eleventh year, third month, first day establishes historical specificity while introducing a prophecy against Pharaoh that will employ the metaphor of a great tree, situating political judgment within the framework of cosmic order and divine superintendence. The precise chronological marking reflects the documentary impulse of prophetic literature and grounds the word in historical reality, affirming that divine revelation intersects concrete time and political circumstance. The dual address to both Pharaoh and his multitude indicates that judgment extends from leadership to population, yet holds particular focus on the ruler as the agent responsible for national pride and rebellion against God. The invocation of 'the word of the LORD' reiterates the prophetic authority by which Ezekiel speaks, distinguishing his message from mere political commentary or human speculation about Egypt's future. This opening verse establishes the framework for an extended meditation on kingship, pride, and the limits of human power when set against divine sovereignty.
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
Publish a note on this verse
0/2000
No notes on this verse yet. Be the first to write one!