In the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me:
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse meticulously notes the date: the ninth year, tenth month, tenth day. This precision isn't just about historical record-keeping; it was the exact day Nebuchadnezzar began the siege of Jerusalem, a day later observed by Jews as a solemn fast.
In the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me:
English Standard Version (ESV)
This message from the Lord arrives on a significant day, precisely when Nebuchadnezzar begins his siege of Jerusalem, an event later observed as a fast. Ezekiel is immediately instructed to record this date and an image of a boiling caldron, which will represent Jerusalem and its inhabitants enduring the siege's horrors. The prophecy that follows will explain this symbol and reveal the city's impending, inescapable judgment due to its deep-seated sinfulness.
Why does the Bible get so specific about dates? This verse gives us a precise day, but it's more than just a calendar entry.
The Lord speaks to Ezekiel with remarkable precision, naming the year, month, and day: "In the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month." This exactness isn't just for historical record-keeping. It signifies that this moment is crucial and will be remembered.
A Day of Divine Judgment
This specific date marks the beginning of the final, devastating siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. It was the day the Babylonian army finalized its plans and effectively sealed the city's fate.
A Day of National Mourning
This day was so significant that, for generations, the Jewish people would observe it as a day of fasting and solemn remembrance. It became a national marker for a pivotal moment of judgment and loss.
A Prophet's Confirmation
For Ezekiel, receiving this word from the Lord on this exact day served as a divine confirmation of his prophetic call. It showed that God was speaking to him about events unfolding hundreds of miles away, in real time.
Ezekiel is thousands of miles away from Jerusalem, living among the exiles. How does God's message reach him, and what does that mean for his mission?
The phrase 'the word of the LORD came to me' is central to Ezekiel's prophetic ministry. It signifies a direct, divine impartation of God's message.
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Divine Authority
This isn't Ezekiel's opinion or analysis; it's a message directly from the Lord. This underscores the authority and divine origin of his prophecy, especially given the dire circumstances he's about to describe.
God's Presence in Exile
Even though the people of God are in a foreign land, and Jerusalem is under siege, God's word is still present. The Lord is not distant or uninvolved. He speaks to His prophet, guiding and informing him even amidst judgment and exile.
A Message of Judgment and Hope
Receiving this word on the day the siege began immediately connects Ezekiel's message to the impending doom of Jerusalem. It sets the stage for the powerful symbolic actions and prophecies that will explain God's judgment and, ultimately, His plan for restoration.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal and covenantal name of the God of Israel, who reveals Himself to His people. It signifies His eternal self-existence, faithfulness to His promises, and supreme authority over history.
This specific date was not just a date on a calendar; it was the day the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem commenced. God used this incredibly significant, tragic moment to speak through Ezekiel, marking the beginning of the end for the city and its people.
597 BC
First Deportation of Judah
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deports King Jehoiachin and thousands of Judah's elite to Babylon, installing Zedekiah as a puppet king.
c. 589 BC— this verse
Babylonian Siege of Jerusalem Begins
Nebuchadnezzar's army encircles Jerusalem, beginning a brutal siege that will last for years. This marks a turning point in the destruction of Judah.
c. 588 BC
Ezekiel's Wife Dies Suddenly
On the same day the siege begins, Ezekiel's wife, the 'delight of his eyes,' dies. He is instructed by God not to mourn publicly, a sign for the people.
587/586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
After a prolonged siege, Jerusalem is conquered. The city walls are breached, the Temple is destroyed, and the remaining population is deported.
c. 586 BC
Ezekiel Ends His Silence
Following the fall of Jerusalem, Ezekiel's divinely imposed silence ends, and he begins to prophesy messages of restoration to the exiles.
c. 516 BC
Day of Fasting Established
Centuries later, the tenth day of the tenth month is officially observed as a day of fasting and remembrance for the beginning of Jerusalem's destruction.
This passage shares the exact same date as Ezekiel 24:1, marking the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem, highlighting the shared historical moment and divine pronouncement.
2 Kings 25:1Similar to Ezekiel 24:1, this verse pinpoints the same crucial date for the commencement of Nebuchadnezzar's siege of Jerusalem, emphasizing the historical accuracy and prophetic significance of the timing.
Zechariah 8:19This verse explains that the date mentioned in Ezekiel 24:1 became a solemn fast day for the Jews, underscoring the profound and lasting impact of the events Ezekiel was prophesying about.
Ezekiel 22:24-25While Ezekiel 24:1 sets the stage with a date, Ezekiel 22:24-25 provides the 'why' by detailing the deep corruption and injustice within Jerusalem that necessitated such a devastating divine judgment, including the start of the siege.
Jeremiah 6:29-30This passage uses a similar metaphor of smelting and dross to describe God's judgment on sin, providing a conceptual parallel to the 'rusted caldron' imagery that begins in Ezekiel 24 and explaining the purifying, albeit destructive, nature of God's dealings with His people.
barnesEzekiel 24:1: "Again in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,"
The prophecies in this chapter were delivered two years and five months after those of the previous section Ezekiel 20:1 . The day mentioned here was the very day on which Nebuchadnezzar completed his arrangements for the siege, and closed in the city (marginal references). After the captivity this day was regularly observed as a fast day Zechariah 8:19 .
gillEzekiel 24:1: "Again in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,"
Again, in the ninth year,.... Of Jehoiachin's captivity, from which the dates of Ezekiel are, and of Zedekiah's reign, which commenced together: in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month; the month Tebet, which answers to part of our December, and part of January; so that it was at the latter end of December when this prophecy was given out; at which tim…
This verse meticulously notes the date: the ninth year, tenth month, tenth day. This precision isn't just about historical record-keeping; it was the exact day Nebuchadnezzar began the siege of Jerusalem, a day later observed by Jews as a solemn fast.
This message from the Lord arrives on a significant day, precisely when Nebuchadnezzar begins his siege of Jerusalem, an event later observed as a fast. Ezekiel is immediately instructed to record this date and an image of a boiling caldron, which will represent Jerusalem and its inhabitants enduring the siege's horrors. The prophecy that follows will explain this symbol and reveal the city's impending, inescapable judgment due to its deep-seated sinfulness.
This message from the Lord arrives on a significant day, precisely when Nebuchadnezzar begins his siege of Jerusalem, an event later observed as a fast. Ezekiel is immediately instructed to record this date and an image of a boiling caldron, which will represent Jerusalem and its inhabitants enduring the siege's horrors. The prophecy that follows will explain this symbol and reveal the city's impending, inescapable judgment due to its deep-seated sinfulness.
"In the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me:" — This verse meticulously notes the date: the ninth year, tenth month, tenth day. This precision isn't just about historical record-keeping; it was the exact day Nebuchadnezzar began the siege of Jer…
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Last reviewed October 2026