What Does Ezekiel 3:22 Mean in the King James?
And the hand of the LORD was there upon me; and he said unto me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with thee.
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 “plain” is a valley whose Hebrew name carries the sense of ground split open: the promised conversation waits where the path leads into an opening.
THE MEANING
The LORD’s hand is upon you and sends you out toward the open valley; there, the promise is direct speech with you. Direction and nearness move together: the place you are led to becomes the place where the voice addresses you.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie that being sent away from what is familiar means being left without God’s voice dissolves here: the same hand that sends you outward promises to speak with you there.
THE ROOT
הַבִּקְעָה
habbiqʿah
GROWS FROM
בקע
b-q-ʿ
split, cleave, break open
The word translated “plain” is biqʿah, a valley or broad lowland, from baqaʿ, “to split or cleave open.” The destination carries an image of opened ground, placing the promised speech in an opening reached by movement.
ALSO GROWS
baqaʿ: to split or cleave open
בָּקַע
This verb makes the opening sense active: the plain’s name echoes a place where something has been opened.
nibqaʿ: was split open
נִבְקַע
This form names the result of opening, echoing the cleft landscape named as the place of encounter.
קוּם
qum
GROWS FROM
קום
q-w-m
rise, stand, establish
“Arise” and the Hebrew word for “place” share the root qum. The command links getting to one’s feet with reaching a place where one stands.
ALSO GROWS
maqom: place, location
מָקוֹם
The word for place grows from the same root as “arise,” linking standing up with the place one occupies.
heqim: raise, establish
הֵקִים
The root can describe both rising and being established, giving “Arise” a sense of being set on one’s feet.
אֲדַבֵּר
adabber
GROWS FROM
דבר
d-b-r
speak, declare
The verb “talk” shares its root with davar, “word” or “matter.” The promise is more than sound: it is an address with substance, spoken directly with you.
ALSO GROWS
davar: word, matter, thing
דָּבָר
The same root names both speaking and the word or matter spoken, joining voice with content.
dibber: he spoke, said
דִּבֵּר
This spoken form shares the root of the promised “talk,” connecting the act of speaking with its fulfillment.
THE PATTERN
A place reached through movement becomes the setting where divine speech meets a person.
And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.THE THREAD
Then the spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet, and spake with me, and said unto me, Go, shut thyself within thine house.“Talk” here and “spake” in verse 24 share the root דבר (d-b-r), which also gives davar, “word” or “matter.” The conversation promised “there” in verse 22 becomes spoken address in verse 24.
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