What Does Ezekiel 1:3 Mean in the King James?
The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The Hebrew uses the same verb for the word’s “coming” and the hand’s “being” there, joining revelation and contact as one event.
THE MEANING
This verse speaks now of presence as more than information: the word addresses, and the hand rests upon the person receiving it. Even Ezekiel’s name, “God strengthens”, holds the nature of the encounter in its own syllables.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It loosens the belief that a word from God is only information at a distance: here, the word arrives as the hand is present upon the receiver.
THE ROOT
וַיְהִי
wayhî
GROWS FROM
היה
h-y-h
be, become, happen
“came / was” in this verse is wayhî. Hebrew repeats this root in both halves: wayhî for the word’s arrival and wattehî for the hand’s presence. English renders them “came” and “was there,” while Hebrew binds them as one unfolding event.
ALSO GROWS
wayhî: and it happened; and it was
וַיְהִי
This form opens the clause about the LORD’s word reaching Ezekiel.
wattehî: and it was
וַתְּהִי
The same root opens the clause about the LORD’s hand resting upon him, binding word and presence together.
דָּבָר
dāḇār
GROWS FROM
דבר
d-b-r
speak, utter words
Dāḇār can mean a word, a matter, or a thing, so the arrival is more than information alone. The word reaches Ezekiel as an event, paired with the LORD’s hand resting upon him.
ALSO GROWS
dibbēr: he spoke
דִּבֵּר
The spoken form reveals that this “word” belongs to speech in motion.
deḇārīm: words; matters or things
דְּבָרִים
The same word family holds speech and the matter at hand together.
יְחֶזְקֵאל
Yeḥezqēʾl
GROWS FROM
חזק
ḥ-z-q
be strong, strengthen, make firm
“Ezekiel” in this verse is Yeḥezqēʾl. Yeḥezqēʾl joins the root for strength with El, God: “God strengthens.” The name within this verse echoes the encounter in which the LORD’s hand is upon him.
ALSO GROWS
ḥāzaq: be strong; grow firm
חָזַק
This verb names the strength carried in Ezekiel’s name.
ḥizzēq: strengthen; make firm
חִזֵּק
This form makes the name’s nature explicit: strength is established or given.
THE PATTERN
The LORD’s word becomes an active presence that reaches people and carries its work forward.
Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.THE THREAD
Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.Ezekiel’s verse places the LORD’s word and hand together; Jeremiah’s makes their relationship visible as the hand touches his mouth and the LORD puts words there. Speech arrives through contact, so the two signs become one encounter.
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