Ezekiel 43:3

3 The vision I saw was like the vision that I had seen when he came to destroy the city, and like the vision that I had seen by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face.

Ezekiel 43:3 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 43:3

And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I
saw
Recorded in the first, ninth, and tenth chapters of this book; the form in which the glory of the God of Israel now appeared was like to what he then saw; in each of which visions was the likeness of a throne, and on it the appearance of the glory of God: even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the
city;
the city of Jerusalem; not that the prophet destroyed it, or came to destroy it himself, which was to be done, and was done, by the Chaldeans; but to foretell the destruction of it; which prediction of his made it as certain as if it was done. So the Targum,

``when I prophesied to destroy the city;''
and this was, when he was bid to cause, in a visionary and prophetic manner, six men, with their destroying weapons, to draw near unto it, and smite it; at which time he saw the glory of the God of Israel go up from the cherub, ( Ezekiel 9:1-3 ) . And the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar;
the four living creatures and the wheels; the throne of sapphire stone, and the glorious appearance above it, ( Ezekiel 1:3-28 ) ( 10:1-20 ) only with this difference, then he saw the glory of the God of Israel departing, especially in the last vision, but now returning: and I fell upon my face;
in reverence of such glorious majesty: affected with such a display of grace and goodness, and sensible of his own unworthiness to behold it: the clearer and fuller views saints have of the grace and glory of Christ, the more humble they are; see ( Isaiah 6:1-3 Isaiah 6:5 ) .

Ezekiel 43:3 In-Context

1 Then he brought me to the gate, the gate facing east.
2 And there, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east; the sound was like the sound of mighty waters; and the earth shone with his glory.
3 The vision I saw was like the vision that I had seen when he came to destroy the city, and like the vision that I had seen by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face.
4 As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east,
5 the spirit lifted me up, and brought me into the inner court; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Gk: Heb [Like the vision]
  • [b]. Syr: Heb [and the visions]
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.