Ezekiel 24:15
The word of the LORD came to me:
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel 24:15
The word of the LORD came to me:
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse doesn't just announce a message; the "Also" signals a significant shift, introducing a profoundly personal tragedy that directly mirrors the impending national disaster. God is about to use Ezekiel's deepest grief to underscore the total devastation awaiting Jerusalem, stripping away even the most sacred personal comfort.
Just after God reveals a powerful parable about a boiling pot symbolizing Jerusalem's judgment, He gives Ezekiel another, deeply personal sign. The Lord announces that Ezekiel's beloved wife, the "desire of his eyes," will suddenly die that very day. Furthermore, the prophet is commanded to show absolutely no outward signs of mourning, not even a tear or a sigh, an instruction that starkly contrasts with the intense grief he and the nation are experiencing.
Have you ever had a message from God hit you out of the blue, changing everything in an instant? Ezekiel certainly did.
The phrase "the word of the LORD came to me" is a recurring motif in the Old Testament, signaling divine communication. For Ezekiel, this wasn't just another prophetic message; it was a deeply personal and disruptive directive.
A Sudden Turn
The text emphasizes the suddenness. It wasn't part of the previous parable about the boiling pot; it arrived "also," meaning in addition to, and possibly right after, the earlier message on the same day. This suggests that God's revelations don't always follow our neat categories or comfortable timelines. They can arrive when we least expect them, often demanding immediate attention and obedience.
God asked Ezekiel to experience his nation's coming devastation not just intellectually, but intimately. This involved the loss of his most treasured possession.
This verse marks the beginning of a profound and painful sign God assigns to Ezekiel: the death of his wife, whom the text describes as "the desire of your eyes." This wasn't a symbolic death within a vision; it was a real, personal loss.
Mourning Denied
God's instructions were stark: Ezekiel was forbidden to mourn conventionally. No weeping, no wailing, no outward signs of grief like covering his head or going barefoot. He was even forbidden to eat the bread of mourners, a common practice where friends would provide food for the grieving family.
This was meant to be a powerful sign to the people of Israel about their own impending loss. Their devastation would be so complete, and their sorrow so overwhelming, that they would be unable to engage in the usual rituals of mourning. Ezekiel's forced stoicism mirrored their future inability to properly grieve their lost city and temple.
Understand the original words
dabar · Hebrew Noun
The divine message or decree communicated from God to His prophet; it carries the weight and authority of God Himself.
This verse occurs during the intense period of Jerusalem's final siege and destruction. The prophet Ezekiel receives a devastating personal blow—the death of his wife—but is forbidden from expressing grief outwardly. This profound personal experience serves as a stark, living symbol of the utter devastation awaiting Jerusalem and the exiles' profound inability to process their grief when the ultimate calamity strikes.
c. 597 BC
First Deportation of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem and deports King Jehoiachin and many skilled citizens, including the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile for Judah.
c. 593 BC
Ezekiel's First Vision
Ezekiel receives his initial prophetic commission by the Chebar River in Babylon, beginning his ministry to the exiles.
c. 589 BC
Siege of Jerusalem Begins
Nebuchadnezzar lays siege to Jerusalem, initiating a prolonged and devastating period for those remaining in the city.
c. 588-587 BC— this verse
Ezekiel's Wife Dies
The word of the LORD comes to Ezekiel, informing him of the sudden death of his beloved wife. He is commanded not to mourn her in conventional ways, symbolizing the nation's inability to mourn when Jerusalem falls.
This passage also describes God forbidding a prophet to marry or mourn as a sign to the people, highlighting the profound national calamity that supersedes personal grief.
Hosea 1:2-3Similar to Ezekiel, the prophet Hosea's personal life, including his marriage and children, became a living sign from God to illustrate His relationship with unfaithful Israel.
Isaiah 20:2-4Isaiah also performed symbolic acts of distress and captivity, walking barefoot and naked, demonstrating God's judgment on Egypt and Ethiopia in a way that impacted his own life directly.
Lamentations 2:10This passage reflects the deep sorrow and silence of the elders of Zion, mirroring the restrained grief expected of Ezekiel as he faced the symbolic death of his wife amidst a greater national catastrophe.
ellicottEzekiel 24:15: "Also the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,"
(15) Also the word. —What follows is distinctly separated from the utterance of the foregoing parable and its interpretation, yet Ezekiel 24:18 shows that it took place upon the same day. Ezekiel is warned of the sudden death of his wife, who is described as deeply beloved, and yet he is forbidden to make any sign of mourning for her.
henryEzekiel 24:15-27: "Also the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,"
24:15-27 Though mourning for the dead is a duty, yet it must be kept under by religion and right reason: we must not sorrow as men that have no hope. Believers must not copy the language and expressions of those who know not God. The people asked the meaning of the sign. God takes from them all that was dearest to them. And as Ezekiel wept not for his affliction, so neither should they weep for theirs. Blessed be God, we need n…
This verse doesn't just announce a message; the "Also" signals a significant shift, introducing a profoundly personal tragedy that directly mirrors the impending national disaster. God is about to use Ezekiel's deepest grief to underscore the total devastation awaiting Jerusalem, stripping away even the most sacred personal comfort.
Just after God reveals a powerful parable about a boiling pot symbolizing Jerusalem's judgment, He gives Ezekiel another, deeply personal sign. The Lord announces that Ezekiel's beloved wife, the "desire of his eyes," will suddenly die that very day. Furthermore, the prophet is commanded to show absolutely no outward signs of mourning, not even a tear or a sigh, an instruction that starkly contrasts with the intense grief he and the nation are experiencing.
Just after God reveals a powerful parable about a boiling pot symbolizing Jerusalem's judgment, He gives Ezekiel another, deeply personal sign. The Lord announces that Ezekiel's beloved wife, the "desire of his eyes," will suddenly die that very day. Furthermore, the prophet is commanded to show absolutely no outward signs of mourning, not even a tear or a sigh, an instruction that starkly contrasts with the intense grief he and the nation are experiencing.
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c. 587-586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar's forces breach Jerusalem's walls, destroying the Temple and the city, and deporting most of the remaining population to Babylon.
"The word of the LORD came to me:" — This verse doesn't just announce a message; the "Also" signals a significant shift, introducing a profoundly personal tragedy that directly mirrors the impending national disaster. God is about to us…