Ezekiel 1:2,3 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

In the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity This was of course the fifth year of Zedekiah, who succeeded Jehoiachin. And as the city and temple were destroyed in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, (2 Kings 25:2,) it follows that this vision appeared to Ezekiel six years before that event. The Hebrew writers, it must be observed, use several computations of the beginning of the Babylonish captivity: see the note on Jeremiah 25:11. That under Jehoiachin, wherein Ezekiel was made a captive, is the computation he always follows in the succeeding parts of his prophecy. The word of the Lord This expression signifies any sort of revelation, whether by a vision, such as is related in the following verses, or by a voice, as Ezekiel 2:3; came expressly Hebrew, היה היה, being was, or, in coming came, that is, came assuredly; unto Ezekiel It came with such clearness and conviction that he could neither doubt of its divine authority, mistake its import, nor question his being appointed to the prophetical office; the priest Being of the family of Aaron, he was a priest by birth, and was now made a prophet by an extraordinary call. In the land of the Chaldeans In the worst places God can raise up instruments for the service of his church. And the hand of the Lord was there upon him He felt sensible impressions of a divine power closing his senses to external objects, opening his eyes to see the visions, opening his ears to hear the voice, and his heart to receive both. When the hand of the Lord goes along with his word, then it becomes effectual.