Ezechiel — Book front (modern spelling)

The Argument of the Book of Ezechiel

Ezechiel a Priest, and a Prophet,¹ and at last a Martyr;² as likewise Ieremie was, near of the same age, prophesied for the most part the same things; but Ieremie began to prophesy a child, in Jerusalem, and finally in Egypt: Ezechiel when he was about thirty years old, in Babylon, where he was in captivity with King Iechonias and others.³ The beginning and end of his Prophecy are so obscure, that amongst the Hebrews (saith S. Jerome)⁴ none may read these parts, nor the beginning of Genesis, before the age of thirty years. The three first chapters contain⁵ a wonderful vision⁶, wherein the Prophet saw God as sitting in a glorious throne, resting as it were upon four living creatures, drawing strangely four wheels. Secondly, in one and twenty chapters following he⁷ prophesieth the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, with the captivity of the people for their enormous sins. Thirdly in eleven more chapters,⁸ he prophesieth the like of divers other nations. Fourthly, in four other chapters,⁹ he foreshoweth the reduction of the Jews from captivity, but more especially the Redemption of mankind by Christ, and the glorious state of his Church. Finally, in the other nine chapters,¹⁰ he describeth, but marvellous obscurely, his last vision of the restoration of the Temple, Sacrifices, Priests, and other religious things pertaining thereto; but principally concerning the Church of Christ, both militant and triumphant.