And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first month, in the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
EZEKIEL 29:17KJVWhat does Ezekiel 29:17 mean?
Ezekiel 29:17 marks a specific date when God’s message came to the prophet Ezekiel: the first day of the first month in the twenty-seventh year. This verse introduces a new prophecy and sets it at a precise moment in Ezekiel’s life and ministry.
Ezekiel, who is living among the Jewish exiles in Babylon, records the exact time when he received a word from the LORD (the personal name for Israel’s God). This timestamp helps readers place the prophecy in historical context and shows that Ezekiel’s messages were tied to real events and dates.
The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 29:17
- שֶׁבַע (sheva‘, "seven") and עֶשְׂרִים (esrim, "twenty"): These words combine to form "twenty-seven," pinpointing the year in Ezekiel’s exile timeline. The careful dating underlines the historical reality of the prophecy.
- דָּבָר (davar, "word"): This term means a spoken message or communication. Here, it emphasizes that what follows is not Ezekiel’s own thought, but a direct message from God.
- יְהוָה (YHWH, "LORD"): This is the personal name of Israel’s God, used to stress the authority and source of the message Ezekiel receives.
Why Ezekiel 29:17 matters
- The verse shows that Ezekiel’s prophecies are anchored in real time, not vague or mythical events, which helps readers understand the historical flow of his messages.
- By marking the date so precisely, the text signals a shift or new phase in Ezekiel’s prophetic work, drawing attention to the importance of what is about to be said.
- This timestamp also helps scholars and readers connect Ezekiel’s prophecies to other historical events in the Bible and in ancient Near Eastern history.