Ezekiel 2:2

And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) And the spirit entered into me.—Always Divine strength is vouchsafed to the prophets when thus overcome by the glory of their visions. (Comp. Isaiah 6:5-7; Daniel 8:18; Daniel 10:15-19; Revelation 1:17.) There can be no doubt, therefore, that the spirit is here the Spirit of God, and not merely the prophet’s own human vigour and courage; and this is made still more plain in Ezekiel 3:24. It was this which “set him upon his feet,” and enabled him amid such surroundings of awe to receive the word spoken to him; for while the revelation by vision still remained before him (see Ezekiel 3:12-13), he was now to be instructed also by the clearer revelation of the direct voice from heaven. We are not to think of any physical force exerted upon the prophet, but of all these things as still taking place in vision.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

2:1-5 Lest Ezekiel should be lifted up with the abundance of the revelations, he is put in mind that still he is a son of man, a weak, mortal creature. As Christ usually called himself the Son of man, it was also an honourable distinction. Ezekiel's posture showed reverence, but his standing up would be a posture of greater readiness and fitness for business. God will speak to us, when we stand ready to do what he commands us. As Ezekiel had not strength of his own, the Spirit entered into him. God is graciously pleased to work in us whatever he requires of us. The Holy Spirit sets us upon our feet, by inclining our wills to our duty. Thus, when the Lord calls upon the sinner to awake, and attend to the concerns of his soul, the Spirit of life and grace comes with the call. Ezekiel is sent with a message to the children of Israel. Many might treat his message with contempt, yet they should know by the event that a prophet had been sent to them. God will be glorified, and his word made honourable, whether it be a savour of life unto life, or of death unto death.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The spirit - i. e. "the Spirit of God."

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2. spirit entered … when he spake—The divine word is ever accompanied by the Spirit (Ge 1:2, 3).

set … upon … feet—He had been "upon his face" (Eze 1:28). Humiliation on our part is followed by exaltation on God's part (Eze 3:23, 24; Job 22:29; Jas 4:6; 1Pe 5:5). "On the feet" was the fitting attitude when he was called on to walk and work for God (Eph 5:8; 6:15).

that I heard—rather, "then I heard."

Matthew Poole's Commentary

And; so soon as the encouraging command went forth, immediately.

The spirit; the vital spirit or soul of the prophet, say some; but these suppose the vision had struck Ezekiel dead, which neither can be supposed, other prophetic visions did not prove deadly, nor did this; others will have it the spirit of courage, some an angel; but it is indeed the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost, Ezekiel 3:24. The same Spirit which actuated the living creatures and wheels enters the heart of the prophet.

Entered into me; gave the prophet special and suitable qualifications for his office. The Spirit entered that he might abide with the prophet as a constant assister and guide to him.

When he spake unto me; while the words were speaking, or so soon as they were spoken. The efficacy of the Spirit, and his accompanying the word of Christ, here appears.

He; either Christ, who from the throne spake to the prophet, or the Holy Spirit, newly entered into the prophet.

And set me upon my feet, that I heard him; opened his ear, that he heard what was spoken. It is the Spirit which is the fountain of all our abilities, and which also actuates them; without it there is neither life, strength, or motion.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And the spirit entered into me,.... Not his own spirit or soul; for it does not appear that that went out of him upon the sight of the vision; nor any of the ministering spirits, the angels, who are never said to enter into the prophets or people of God; but the Holy Spirit of God; the same Spirit that was in the living creatures, and in the wheels; in the ministers, and in the churches; who entered with his gifts to qualify him for his office as a prophet; and who enters with his graces into the hearts of all the saints, to quicken, renew, comfort, and sanctify them:

when he spake unto me; at the same time the Spirit went along with the word; and when the word of Christ is attended with the demonstration of the Spirit and of power, it is effectual:

and he set me upon my feet; not he that spake with him, and bid him stand on his feet; but the Spirit; for the word, though it is the word of God, and of Christ, yet is ineffectual without the Spirit; when he enters, he gives the word a place, and it works effectually; when he enters, as the Spirit of life from Christ, the soul is quickened and strengthened; and such that are fallen down stand up; yea, such as are dead arise and stand upon their feet:

that I heard him that spake unto me; so as to understand; for the Spirit, who searches the deep things of God, reveals them to his ministers, and causes them to understand the word of Christ, that they may be able to instruct others in it.

Geneva Study Bible

{c} And the spirit entered into me when he spoke to me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spoke to me.

(c) So that he could not abide God's presence, till God's Spirit entered into him.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. And the spirit] Perhaps, and spirit. It is not said directly to be the spirit of God, though in a sense this is meant. Spirit is strength, or, rather the source of strength and life; a power or energy entered into the prophet and set him on his feet. But this power was external to him and came from God. While God desires man to stand erect before him and be man, it is only spirit from God that enables man to take this right place.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 2. - And the Spirit, etc. It scarcely admits of question (though the Hebrew has no article, and so far Luther's Version, "Ich ward wieder erquickt," is tenable) that the word is used in the same sense as in Ezekiel 1:20, 21 (comp. Ezekiel 3:24). The Spirit which moved the "living creatures" and the "wheels" in the mysterious symbol was now in him. Ezekiel finds in that fact the ground of his prophetic inspiration (comp. Numbers 24:2; Judges 11:29; 1 Samuel 10:6, 10; Isaiah 11:2, etc.) Ezekiel 2:2

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Call of Ezekiel to the Prophetic Office - Ezekiel 2:1 and Ezekiel 2:2. Upon the manifestation of the Lord follows the word of vocation. Having, in the feeling of his weakness and sinfulness, fallen to the ground before the terrible revelation of Jehovah's glory, Ezekiel is first of all raised up again by the voice of God, to hear the word which calls him to the prophetic function. - Ezekiel 2:1. And He said to me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, I will speak with thee. Ezekiel 2:2. Then came spirit unto me as He spake unto me, and it placed me on my feet, and I heard Him speaking unto me. - The address בּן־אדם occurs so frequently in Ezekiel, that it must be regarded as one of the peculiarities of his prophecies. Elsewhere it occurs only once, Daniel 8:17. That it is significant, is generally recognised, although its meaning is variously given. Most expositors take it as a reminder of the weakness and frailness of human nature; Coccejus and Kliefoth, on the contrary, connect it with the circumstance that God appears to Ezekiel in human form, and find in it a τεκμήριον amicitiae, that God speaks in him as man to man, converses with him as a man with his friend. This last interpretation, however, has against it the usus loquendi. As בּן־אדם denotes man according to his natural condition, it is used throughout as a synonym with אנושׁ, denoting the weakness and fragility of man in opposition to God; cf. Psalm 8:5; Job 25:6; Isaiah 51:12; Isaiah 56:2; and Numbers 23:19. This is the meaning also of בּן־אדם in the address, as may be distinctly seen from the various addresses in Daniel. Daniel is addressed, where comfort is to be imparted to him, as אישׁׁ חמדות, "man greatly beloved," Daniel 10:11, Daniel 10:19, cf. Daniel 9:23; but, on the contrary, in Ezekiel 8:17, where he has fallen on his face in terror before the appearance of Gabriel, with the words, "Understand, O son of man," in order to remind him of his human weakness. This is also the case in our verse, where Ezekiel, too, had fallen upon his face, and by God's word spoken to him, is again raised to his feet. It is only in Ezekiel that this address is constantly employed to mark the distance between the human weakness of his nature and the divine power which gives him the capacity and the impulse to speak. Not, however, with the design, mentioned by Jerome on Daniel 8:17, "that he may not be elated on account of his high calling," because, as Hvernick subjoins, Ezekiel's extremely powerful and forcible nature may have needed to be perpetually reminded of what it is in reality before God. If this were the meaning and object of this address, it would also probably occur in the writings of several of the other prophets, as the supposition that the nature of Ezekiel was more powerful and forcible than that of the other prophets is altogether without foundation. The constant use of this form of address in Ezekiel is connected rather with the manner and fashion in which most of the revelations were imparted to him, that is, with the prevalence of "vision," in which the distinction between God and man comes out more prominently than in ordinary inspiration or revelation, effected by means of an impression upon the inner faculties of man. The bringing prominently forward, however, of the distance between God and men is to remind the prophet, as well as the people to whom he communicated his revelations, not merely of the weakness of humanity, but to show them, at the same time, how powerfully the word of God operates in feeble man, and also that God, who has selected the prophet as the organ of His will, possesses also the power to redeem the people, that were lying powerless under the oppression of the heathen, from their misery, and to raise them up again. - At the word of the Lord, "Stand upon thy feet," came רוּח into the prophet, which raised him to his feet. רוּח here is not "life consciousness" (Hitzig), but the spirit-power which proceeds from God, and which is conveyed through the word which imparted to him the strength to stand before the face of God, and to undertake His command. מדּבּר, partic. Hithpa., properly "collocutor," occurs here and in Ezekiel 43:6, and in Numbers 7:89; elsewhere, only in 2 Samuel 14:13.