Ezekiel 24:2

2 Son of man, write thee the name of this day, on which the king of Babylon hath set himself against Jerusalem to day.

Ezekiel 24:2 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 24:2

Son of man, write thee the name of the day
That is, what day of the week it was, as well as what day of the month; as whether the first, or second, or third: for the Jews had no other names for their days, as we have: even of this same day;
according to Bishop Usher ^F18, it was the 30th of January, and the fifth day of the week (Thursday); A.M. 3414, or 590 before Christ. Mr. Whiston ^F19 places it at 3413 A.M. or 591 before Christ. The prophet is bid to observe it punctually, and write it exactly, that there might be no mistake; to set it down in his pocket book; or it may be in some public register, that it might not only be remembered by him, but known by the people; that so when they should hear the fact afterwards related, and exactly agreeing with this prediction, they would acknowledge him to be a true prophet; since this would be a confirmation of the word of the Lord coming to him: the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day;
or "drew nigh" ^F20; brought up his army to it, and laid siege against it, and prepared everything to carry it on; which he very probably did in person, though he afterwards retired, and left the command of his army with his generals; and this was exactly the day before mentioned; see ( 2 Kings 25:1 ) ( Jeremiah 39:1 ) ( 52:4 ) . The Prophet Ezekiel was now in Chaldea, many miles from Judea, and yet had this account the very selfsame day, even from the Lord himself, who is omniscient and omnipresent.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F18 Annales Vet. Test. A. M. 3414.
F19 Chronological Tables, cent. 10.
F20 (Kmo) "appropinquavit", Pagninus, Vatablus; so R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 84. 2. "adjunxit se", Montanus

Ezekiel 24:2 In-Context

1 And the word of the Lord came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, the tenth day of the month, saying:

2 Son of man, write thee the name of this day, on which the king of Babylon hath set himself against Jerusalem to day.

3 And thou shalt speak by a figure a parable to the provoking house, and say to them: Thus saith the Lord God: Set on a pot, set it on, I say, and put water in it.

4 Heap together into it the pieces thereof, every good piece, the thigh and the shoulder, choice pieces and full of bones.

5 Take the fattest of the flock, and lay together piles of bones under it: the seething thereof is boiling hot, and the bones thereof are thoroughly sodden in the midst of it.