When was Ezekiel written?

Answer 1

Some believe Ezekiel has a dual message - to the captives in the House of Judah (Southern Kingdom) where he was at the time, and to the House of Israel (Northern Kingdom) who had been captive long (circa 722-718 BC) before Ezekiel's time (circa 593-571 BC).

Ezekiel 3New King James Version (NKJV)

3 Moreover He said to me, "Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel." 2 So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll...

11 And go, get to the captives, to the children of your people, and speak to them and tell them, 'Thus says the Lord God,' whether they hear, or whether they refuse."

By interpreting verse 11 to mean the House of Judah where he was part in their captivity, then Ezekiel could only have spoken to the Jewish people. His writings were to be for a future time for the northern 10 tribes of Israel of which he is appointed a Watchman to warn of the future dangers they will all face:

Ezekiel 3:17New King James Version (NKJV)

17 "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me:

Answer 2

Ezekiel was one of the many Jews who went into the "Babylonian captivity."

"In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I WAS AMONG THE EXILES by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God." (Ezek.1:1)

Answer 3

Ezekiel was a priest in the temple at Jerusalem towards the end of the monarchy in Judah, and was then deported to Babylon in 597 BCE, and wrote his book there. The Book of Ezekiel is notable for the careful way in which the author regularly tells us the exact date on which he receives his visions. Either Ezekiel was attempting to assure his sceptical readers that he really did experience these visions before the related prophecies came to pass, or he kept a series of journal notes, dating each one as written, for future reference, but they do provide us some dates to work from. He tells us (40:1) that he received a vision in 573 BCE, so presumably the book was completed some time after that.
The prophet Ezekiel is never mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament, leading to some debate as to whether his name was a pseudonym, perhaps for a slightly later author, but this view does not have strong support. In any case, scholars point to numerous glosses and additions, and these would have been completed long after Ezekiel's death.

For more information, please visit: http://Christianity.answers.com/bible/the-book-of-ezekiel-explained

Answer 4

The role of prophets in ancient Jewish society was to pass on messages from God, usually received as visions or dreams. The Book of Ezekiel is notable for the careful way in which Ezekiel regularly tells us the exact date on which he receives his visions. Either the author was attempting to assure his sceptical readers that he really did experience these visions before the related prophecies came to pass, or he kept a series of journal notes, dating each one as written, for future reference.

One message in the Book of Ezekiel is that Jerusalem should never form alliances with other nations. Ezekiel uses extreme pornography and of images of death and destruction to express this message. For example, chapter 16 begins by portraying a gracious and compassionate God, who symbolically rescues Jerusalem, an abandoned infant, from near-certain death. After she grew symbolically into a beautiful woman, she played the harlot, making alliances with and paying tribute to Egypt, then Assyria, then Babylon. There follows an intensely pornographic depiction of Jerusalem like a harlot who invites everyone to her, refusing payment and even bribing men to come to her. Chapter 23 is the most difficult chapter in the entire Book of Ezekiel, as it is full of extremely pornographic images representing Israel, even when the words are revised in English translation to allow for modern sensibilities.

At times, Ezekiel appears to blur the distinction between Israel (the northern kingdom) and Judah, whereas his slightly older contemporary Jeremiah stringently observed the distinctions between the separate nations of Israel and Judah, especially in the early chapters which otherwise bear comparison with aspects of Ezekiel's historical allegories. Ezekiel several times prophesied the imminent return of all the Israelites scattered by the Assyrian conquest in 722 BCE, but this never happened and, after intermarriage and assimilation, can never happen. Too many of Ezekiel's prophecies were never fulfilled, or only partially so, for them to have been of divine origin, but his emphasis was on the return of both Israelites and Jews, who would be reunited under Jewish leadership.

In these ways, Ezekiel intended his Book as a message of hope for future deliverance and as a rulebook for the future leaders of Judah.

For more information, please visit: http://christianity.answers.com/bible/the-book-of-ezekiel-explained

Answer 5

Early in the Babylonian exile, six years before the destruction of the First Temple. King Jeconiah (together with Ezekel and others) were exiled before the Destruction; and it was during this interrim that he first prophesied.

Answer 6

Ezekiel was both a priest and a prophet of God reporting His revelations to the Jews now captive in Babylon. His writings are recorded in the Book of Ezekiel and since he was to speak to all Israel (previously captive Northern 10 tribes) it is believed his writings are a end-time prophecy to the Laodicean Church Era.

Answer 7

The 500's BC.