EZEKIEL, BOOK OF (e-ze'ki-el).
(1) Genuineness. The genuineness of the writ ings of Ezekiel has been the subject of very little dispute. According to Jewish tradition doubts were entertained as to the canonicity of the book on the ground of its containing some apparent contradictions to the law, as well as because of the obscurity of many of its visions. These, however, were removed, it is said, by Rabbi Hana nias, who wrote a commentary on the book, in which all these difficulties were satisfactorily solved (Afischna, ed. Surenhusius, Pra'f. ad Port.
iv ; Carpzov. Introd., pt. iii. p. 215 ; but still, on account of their obscurity, the visions at the begin ning and close of the book were forbidden to be read by those who were under thirty years of age (Carpzov., p. 212).
Some minor continental critics of the last cen tury have impugned the canonicity of the last nine chapters, but their arguments have little weight or probability. The book belongs to that not very numerous class which, from beginning to end, maintains by means of favorite expressions and peculiar phrases such a unity of tone as by that circumstance alone to prevent any suspicion that separate portions of it are not genuine.
(2) Canonicity. The canonicity of the book of Ezekiel in general is satisfactorily established by Jewish and Christian authorities. There is, indeed, no explicit reference to it, or quotation from it, in the New Testament. Eichhorn (Ein /cit. p. 218) mentions the following passages as having apparently a reference to this book (Rom.
ii :24; comp. Ezek. xxxvi :21 ; Rom. x:5; Gal.
iii :12 ; comp. Ezek. xx ; 2 Pet. iii :4; comp. Ezek. xii :22, but none of these are quotations). The closing visions of Ezekiel are clearly referred to, though not quoted, in the last chapters of the Apocalypse. The prophet Ezekiel is distinctly re ferred to by the son of Sirach : Ezekiel, who saw a vision worthy of belief, which the Cherubim pointed out to him upon a chariot; and also by Josephus (Antiq. x:5, sec. ; 6, sec. 3; 7, sec. 2;
8, sec. 2).
The book of Ezekiel is also mentioned as form ing part of the canon in the catalogues of Melito, Origen, Jerome and the Talmud.
(3) Unity. There is no evidence that the book, as at present existing, was ever considered two ; and the testimony of Josephus himself that only twenty-two books were received as sacred (Contr. Apion. i :8), appears quite opposed to such a sup position, since in whatever way the division of the Old Testament into twenty-two books is made there cannot be two out of the number left for Ezekiel.
(4) Predictions. The central point of Ezekiel's predictions is the destruction of Jerusalem. Pre viously to this catastrophe his chief object is to call to repentance those who were living in care less security ; to warn them against indulging in blind confidence that, by the help of the Egyp tians (Ezek. xvii :Is, 17; comp. Jer. xxxvii :7), the Babylonian yoke would be shaken off, and to assure them that the destruction of their city and temple was inevitable and fast approaching. After this event his principal care is to console the cap tives by promises of future deliverance and re turn to their own land, and to encourage them by assurances of future blessings. His predictions against foreign nations stand between these two great divisions, and were for the most part uttered during the interval of suspense between the Di vine intimation that Nebuchadnezzar was besieging Jerusalem (chap. xxiv :2), and the arrival of the news that he had taken it (chap. xxxiii:2I). The predictions are evidently arranged on a plan cor responding with these, the chief subjects of them, and the time of their utterance is so frequently noted that there is little difficulty in ascertaining their chronological order. This order is lowed throughout, except in the middle portion re lating to foreign nations, where it is in some in stances departed from to secure greater unity of subject (for example, chap. xxix :r7).