And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth [month], in the fifth [day] of the month, [as] I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me.
Ver. 1. In the sixth year.] Of Jeconiah's captivity.
In the sixth month.] Elul, answerable to our August.
In the fifth day.] Which was Sabbath day, saith Junius.
As I sat in mine house.] In Mesopotamia, among the captives.
And the elders of Judah sat before me.] a As their wont was, upon the Sabbath day. 2Ki 4:23 These Jews were ever learning, but never came to the knowledge of the truth. Yet God still bore with them, and taught them better. b
That the hand of the Lord God fell there upon me,] i.e., The Spirit (the spirit of prophecy, saith the Chaldee), to whom the absolving and perfecting of God's work is congruously attributed. He is fitly said to brood the waters, Gen 1:2 to overshadow the Virgin Mary, Luk 1:35 to seal the elect, Eph 4:30 to add ultimam manum; for God the Father doth all by the Son, through the Holy Ghost. Ezekiel had here a mighty impulse of the Spirit, which fell upon him quasi fulgur efficax et penetrans, as lightning.
a Sedentes et quiescentes apti sunt ad percipiendam S. S. gratiam.
b Hinc apparet μακροθυμια Dei. - Lavat.