And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to the exiles. Then the vision that I had seen went up from me.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that Ezekiel was brought back to Chaldea by the Spirit, implying the vision wasn't just a random occurrence, but a divinely orchestrated journey that ended precisely as God intended. It wasn't that the vision left him, but that the divine transport ascended from him, returning him to his reality after God's message was delivered.
And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to the exiles. Then the vision that I had seen went up from me.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel, who had just witnessed a terrifying vision of God's glory departing from the defiled Temple in Jerusalem, is now transported back in spirit to his fellow exiles in Chaldea. This return signifies the end of that specific prophetic vision, allowing him to relay the messages of judgment and future hope he received to those who needed to hear it most.
Have you ever felt so immersed in a thought or experience that the world around you seemed to fade away? Ezekiel experienced this in an extraordinary way.
The text tells us, 'And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea...' This wasn't a physical journey. It was a supernatural experience, a divine transport orchestrated by God's Spirit.
An Ecstatic Vision
Commentators agree this was an 'ecstasy' or 'vision.' Ezekiel's senses were heightened to perceive spiritual realities, while his physical body remained in Chaldea. The Spirit didn't just suggest things; the Spirit actively 'lifted' and 'brought' him, emphasizing God's direct involvement in revealing His message.
Ezekiel's incredible vision concludes with a striking phrase: 'Then the vision that I had seen went up from me.' What happens when such a powerful revelation ends?
The 'going up' of the vision signifies its completion. It was a divine message, delivered and received, and now it ascends back to its source, much like prayer returning to God.
A Shift in Reality
While the vision ended, Ezekiel's reality shifted. He was no longer in the spiritual landscape of Jerusalem's destruction but returned to his physical location among the exiles. This return to normalcy, after a profound divine encounter, allows the prophet to process and then share what he's learned.
God's Enduring Presence
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Although the vision depicting God's glory departing the temple was shown to Ezekiel, God's Spirit didn't depart from the exiles. This return to Chaldea meant Ezekiel was back with his people, empowered by the very Spirit who had shown him these things, ready to minister God's word.
Understand the original words
rûaḥ · Hebrew Noun
The divine wind or breath of God; the third person of the Trinity in theological perspective. He is the agent of divine revelation, empowerment, and movement within the prophetic experience.
marʾeh · Hebrew Noun
A supernatural revelation or manifestation granted by God, often to prophets, to convey spiritual truth through symbols, auditory communication, or visual imagery.
This vision places Ezekiel and his audience squarely within the reality of the Babylonian exile, emphasizing that even in judgment, God's presence and prophetic word can reach His people wherever they are.
605 BC
First Deportation of Judahites to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar's forces besiege Jerusalem, and he deports a first group of high-ranking Judeans and skilled laborers to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation of Judahites
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar deports King Jehoiachin and another large group of Judeans, including many skilled artisans and priests, to Babylon. The prophet Ezekiel is among this group.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Third Deportation
After a prolonged siege, Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its temple, deporting the remaining population, except for the poorest, to Babylon. This event marks the end of the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
c. 592 BC— this verse
Ezekiel's Vision of God's Glory Departing
In a vision while in exile in Babylon, Ezekiel sees God's glory depart from the sinful Jerusalem temple. This vision highlights God's judgment on the city and the nation.
c. 580 BC
Ezekiel Prophesies Hope for Restoration
After prophesying judgment, Ezekiel begins to deliver messages of hope and future restoration for the exiles, including the promise of a new covenant and a revived land.
Just as Ezekiel is 'lifted up' by the Spirit in a vision, Elijah speaks of the 'Spirit of the Lord' carrying him away, highlighting supernatural transport for prophetic purposes.
Acts 8:39Philip is 'snatched away' by the Spirit after baptizing the Ethiopian eunuch, mirroring Ezekiel's sudden transport and emphasizing the Spirit's active, unseen agency in moving prophets.
Daniel 10:7-8Daniel experiences a profound vision where he feels weak and sees a vision, similar to Ezekiel's experience of being overwhelmed and then the vision departing, illustrating the powerful impact of divine revelation.
2 Corinthians 12:2-4Paul describes being 'caught up' to the third heaven in a vision, which is a parallel to Ezekiel's ecstatic, visionary experience that transports him to a different location.
Ezekiel 3:12-14Immediately after receiving his commission, Ezekiel is lifted by the Spirit and feels the power of the Lord upon him, showing a pattern of the Spirit empowering and moving him for prophetic tasks.
calvinEzekiel 11:24: "Afterwards the spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me."
- Et Spiritus sustulit me, et reduxit me in Chaldaeam ad captivitatem, in visione, in Spiritu Dei. Et ascendit desuper me [241] visio quam videram.
Let us add also the next verse --
Footnotes:
[241] That is, "left me." -- Calvin.
gillEzekiel 11:24: "Afterwards the spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me."
Afterwards the spirit took me up,.... From the east gate of the temple, whither he had brought him; when he had been shown, and everything had been told him, necessary for the reproof of the Jews in Jerusalem, and for the comfort of the captives: and brought me in vision by the spirit of God into Chaldea, to the…
The verse highlights that Ezekiel was brought back to Chaldea by the Spirit, implying the vision wasn't just a random occurrence, but a divinely orchestrated journey that ended precisely as God intended. It wasn't that the vision left him, but that the divine transport ascended from him, returning him to his reality after God's message was delivered.
Ezekiel, who had just witnessed a terrifying vision of God's glory departing from the defiled Temple in Jerusalem, is now transported back in spirit to his fellow exiles in Chaldea. This return signifies the end of that specific prophetic vision, allowing him to relay the messages of judgment and future hope he received to those who needed to hear it most.
Ezekiel, who had just witnessed a terrifying vision of God's glory departing from the defiled Temple in Jerusalem, is now transported back in spirit to his fellow exiles in Chaldea. This return signifies the end of that specific prophetic vision, allowing him to relay the messages of judgment and future hope he received to those who needed to hear it most.
"And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to the exiles. Then the vision that I had seen went up from me." — The verse highlights that Ezekiel was brought back to Chaldea by the Spirit, implying the vision wasn't just a random occurrence, but a divinely orchestrated journey that ended precisely as God int…
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Last reviewed October 2026