יחזקאל, פרק א׳, פסוק ג׳

A prophetic revelation unfolding on foreign soil presents a profound spiritual challenge. Traditionally, the Divine Presence does not rest upon prophets outside the borders of the Land of Israel, making a vision in the Babylonian exile highly unusual. To explain how such an event could occur in the land of the Chaldeans, commentators offer two main perspectives. One approach suggests that when prophecy takes place outside of Israel, it must happen in a location of natural purity. For this reason, the vision specifically unfolded near a body of water, by the Chebar river [רד״ק]. A second perspective argues that experiencing prophecy abroad is only possible if the prophet had already received the Divine Presence while living in the Land of Israel. The phrasing used to describe the arrival of the prophecy indicates that God had previously spoken to Ezekiel in Israel before he was taken in the exile of King Jehoiachin. Because of this established connection, God could speak to him once again in Babylon [רש״י, רד״ק].

Regarding the prophet's lineage, the title identifying him as the son of Buzi carries a tradition that Ezekiel was actually the son of the prophet Jeremiah. The nickname Buzi was given to Jeremiah because the people of his generation constantly despised and humiliated him [רד״ק]. Although Ezekiel is recording his own experiences, he writes about himself in the third person. This stylistic choice is not unusual; it is a standard and accepted form of expression throughout the Bible [רד״ק].

The message delivered to Ezekiel is defined as the word of God, referring specifically to the verbal communication that followed his initial visual experience [מצודת דוד]. The actual onset of this prophecy is described as the hand of God resting upon him. Commentators agree that this phrase represents the spirit of prophecy [ביאור שטיינזלץ], highlighting its overwhelming power and intensity. The force of the Divine revelation is so immense that it completely overtakes the prophet. It strikes with such might that he is seized, even against his will, reaching a state where he loses all personal control [רש״י, מצודת דוד].