Then I came to them of the captivity at Telabib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.

EZEKIEL 3:15KJV
Know the Bible

Ezekiel 3:15 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 3:15 mean?

Ezekiel 3:15 describes the prophet Ezekiel joining the Jewish exiles at a place called Telabib by the river Chebar, where he sits with them in stunned silence for seven days. The verse shows Ezekiel sharing in the experience and shock of the people who have been taken captive.

Ezekiel himself is speaking, describing his arrival among fellow exiles in Babylon after receiving a difficult message from God. Telabib was a settlement of Jewish captives by the Chebar canal, far from their homeland. Ezekiel’s silence and astonishment for seven days reflects the heavy emotional and spiritual weight of his prophetic calling and the suffering of the people around him.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 3:15

  • "captivity" (גּוֹלָה, golah): This word refers to people who have been taken away from their homeland, emphasizing that Ezekiel is among those living in forced exile.
  • "astonished" (שָׁמֵם, shamem): This word often means to be appalled, desolate, or devastated. Ezekiel’s reaction is not just surprise, but a deep, overwhelming sense of shock and grief.
  • "sat" / "remained" (יָשַׁב, yashav): This word appears several times, highlighting Ezekiel’s physical and emotional presence among the exiles. He is not simply visiting; he is settling in and fully identifying with their situation.

Why Ezekiel 3:15 matters

  • This verse shows Ezekiel’s deep empathy and solidarity with the exiles, not just delivering a message but sharing in their pain and confusion.
  • The seven days of silence echoes mourning customs, underlining the seriousness of the situation and the burden of Ezekiel’s prophetic role.
  • Ezekiel’s stunned reaction prepares the reader for the weighty messages that follow, showing that even a prophet can be overwhelmed by the reality of God’s word and the suffering of his people.

Where else these words appear

“Chebar” Hebrew H3529 · used in 8 verses

  • Ezekiel 1:1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
  • Ezekiel 3:23 Then I arose, and went forth into the plain: and, behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river of Chebar: and I fell on my face.
  • Ezekiel 10:20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims.

“captivity” Hebrew H1473 · used in 41 verses

  • 2 Kings 24:15 And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.
  • Ezra 10:8 And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.
  • Jeremiah 49:3 Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai is spoiled: cry, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth; lament, and run to and fro by the hedges; for their king shall go into captivity, and his priests and his princes together.

“astonished” Hebrew H8074 · used in 87 verses

  • Leviticus 26:22 I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your high ways shall be desolate.
  • Isaiah 54:1 Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.
  • Ezekiel 28:19 All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.

“river” Hebrew H5104 · used in 109 verses

  • Genesis 2:10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.
  • Ezra 8:31 Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way.
  • Isaiah 42:15 I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.