Ezekiel 3:15
in Ezekiel 3I came to the exiles at Tel-abib who dwelt by the River Kebar. And for seven days I sat where they sat and remained there among them, overwhelmed.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abib, that dwelt by the river Chebar, and to where they dwelt; and I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days.
KJV
Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel–abib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.
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This verse in Ezekiel 3
Commentary
9 notes on this verse(Verse 15) For the hand of the Lord was with me, strengthening me. And I came to the exile at the heap of new fruits, to those who lived by the river Chebar. And I sat where they sat, and I stayed there for seven days mourning among them. LXX: And the hand of the Lord became strong upon me, and I entered into captivity exalted. And I went around the inhabitants of the river Chebar who were there, and I sat there for seven days dwelling among them.
This site's exposition
the exiles at Tel-abib
on Ezekiel 3:15-16
Ezekiel came to the exiles “at Tel-abib who dwelt by the River Kebar,” and his first act among them was silence. He says that “for seven days I sat where they sat,” the same number of days that Joseph mourned in Genesis 50:10.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistHomilies on Ezekiel, Book 1, Homily 11 · Written before 604.
proposed
Among the other miracles of prophecy, the books of the prophets also have this wonder: that just as in them things are explained by words, so sometimes words are explained by things, so that not only their sayings but also their deeds are prophecy. Hence it is now said: "I came to the captivity, to the heap of new fruits, to those who dwelt by the river Chobar." When the occasion required that he should have indicated that he was coming to the captivity, what necessity of speaking was there to express the place also through fruits, saying "to the heap of new fruits," unless it is that often causes are signified through things and places? For many years of captivity had already passed while Ezekiel was prophesying, and of those who had been led into captivity, many had already died in the death of the flesh, to whose children the prophet was coming to speak. Hence it is also said to him above: "Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to apostate nations who have departed from me. Their fathers transgressed my covenant until this day, and the children are of stiff neck and indomitable heart, to whom I am sending you." Because many of these were going to believe and through obedience were going to arrive at the fertility of good work, they are called a heap of fruits. For that good souls are called the fruits of God, another prophet testifies, saying: "Israel is holy to the Lord, the firstfruits of his fruits." For the Gentiles converted to the faith also became the fruits of the Lord afterward. But because Israel first believed in the Lord, this prophet rightly called him the firstfruits of his fruits. Therefore, because the prophet was sent not to the earlier people but brought words to the children of that same people, he came to a heap of new fruits. […]
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
); for those that know what it is to have communion with God cannot but prefer that before any converse with this world, especially such as is commonly met with. He went out into the plain, and there he saw the same vision that he had seen by the river of Chebar; for God is not tied to places.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Then I came to them of the captivity at Telabib,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Tel-abib - , on the river Chebar was the chief seat of the Jewish exiles in Babylonia. The name “Tel-abib” (“mount of ears of corn”) was probably given on account of its fertility. I sat where they sat - Rather, “And I saw them sitting there and I sat there.” Astonished - Rather, silent, with fixed and determined silence (compare Ezr 9:3-4). “To be silent” was characteristic of mourners Lam 3:28; “to sit” their proper attitude Isa 3:26; Lam 1:1; “seven days” the set time of mourning Job 2:13.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
I sat, &c.--This is the Hebrew Margin reading. The text is rather, "I beheld them sitting there" [GESENIUS]; or, "And those that were settled there," namely, the older settlers, as distinguished from the more recent ones alluded to in the previous clause. The ten tribes had been long since settled on the Chabor or Habor (2Ki 17:6) [HAVERNICK].
I came to them of the captivity - Because the hand of the Lord was strong upon him and supported him, he soon reached the place. Tel-abib - תל אביב “a heap of corn.” So the Vulgate: acervum novarum frugum, “a heap of new fruits.” letola chib, “to the hill Chib,” or the hill of grief. - Syriac. Seven days - Perhaps God kept him all this time without an immediate revelation, that the bitterness and heat of spirit of which he speaks above might be subdued, and that he might speak God’s words in God’s own Spirit. Had he gone in a better spirit he had probably been employed in his work as soon as he had gained the place of labor.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
and I went, embittered because it was distasteful to me to chide the children of my people.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וָאָב֨וֹא | vaavo' | and I came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַגּוֹלָ֜ה | hagolah | the exile[s] | H1473 → | 43 times |
| תֵּ֣ל | tel | Tel | H8512 → | |
| אָ֠בִיב | ʾaviv | Abib | H8512 → | |
| הַיֹּשְׁבִ֤ים | haiyoshevim | who were dwelling | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| אֶֽל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| נְהַר־ | nehar- | [the] river of | H5104 → | 119 times |
| כְּבָר֙ | kevar | Kebar | H3529 → | 8 times |
| וָֽאֵשֵׁ֔ב | vaasher | and I sat | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| הֵ֖מָּה | hemah | they | H1992 → | 553 times |
| יוֹשְׁבִ֣ים | yoshevim | [were] dwelling | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| שָׁ֑ם | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| וָאֵשֵׁ֥ב | vaeshev | and I sat | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| שָׁ֛ם | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| שִׁבְעַ֥ת | shivat | seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| יָמִ֖ים | yamim | days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| מַשְׁמִ֥ים | mashmim | appalled | H8074 → | 86 times |
| בְּתוֹכָֽם׃ | betokham | in midst of them | H8432 → | 418 times |
וָאָב֨וֹאand I came
vaavo'H935 →2568 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הַגּוֹלָ֜הthe exile[s]
hagolahH1473 →43 times
תֵּ֣לTel
telH8512 →
אָ֠בִיבAbib
ʾavivH8512 →
הַיֹּשְׁבִ֤יםwho were dwelling
haiyoshevimH3427 →1079 times
אֶֽל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
נְהַר־[the] river of
nehar-H5104 →119 times
כְּבָר֙Kebar
kevarH3529 →8 times
וָֽאֵשֵׁ֔בand I sat
vaasherH3427 →1079 times
הֵ֖מָּהthey
hemahH1992 →553 times
יוֹשְׁבִ֣ים[were] dwelling
yoshevimH3427 →1079 times
שָׁ֑םthere
shamH8033 →834 times
וָאֵשֵׁ֥בand I sat
vaeshevH3427 →1079 times
שָׁ֛םthere
shamH8033 →834 times
שִׁבְעַ֥תseven
shivatH7651 →394 times
יָמִ֖יםdays
yamimH3117 →2304 times
מַשְׁמִ֥יםappalled
mashmimH8074 →86 times
בְּתוֹכָֽם׃in midst of them
betokhamH8432 →418 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ezekiel 1:1In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the River Kebar, the heavens opened and I saw visions of God.
it leads to
- Matthew 3:16
As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Suddenly the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting on Him.
- Acts 7:56
“Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
- Ezekiel 11:24
And the Spirit lifted me up and carried me back to Chaldea, to the exiles in the vision given by the Spirit of God. After the vision had gone up from me,
- Revelation 19:11
Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war.
- Luke 3:21
When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as He was praying, heaven was opened,
- Matthew 3:16
Through
Job 2:13Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights, but no one spoke a word to him because they saw how intense his suffering was.
it leads to
- Genesis 50:10
When they reached the threshing floor of Atad, which is across the Jordan, they lamented and wailed loudly, and Joseph mourned for his father seven days.
- Genesis 50:10
Through
Psalms 137:1By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 1:1
In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the River Kebar, the heavens opened and I saw visions of God.
- Ezekiel 1:1
Through
Habakkuk 3:16I heard and trembled within; my lips quivered at the sound. Decay entered my bones; I trembled where I stood. Yet I must wait patiently for the day of distress to come upon the…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 23:9
As for the prophets: My heart is broken within me, and all my bones tremble. I have become like a drunkard, like a man overcome by wine, because of the LORD, because of His…
- Jeremiah 23:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Ezekiel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Gregory the Dialogist, Homilies on Ezekiel, Book 1, Homily 11; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.