Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 2:2
And the spirit entered into me when he spoke unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spoke unto me.
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.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The spirit – i. e. the Spirit of God.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Eze 2:2
And the Spirit entered into me.
God helping His ministers
Mark the course of a river like the Thames; how it winds and twists according to its own sweet will. Yet there is a reason for every bend and curve; the geologist, studying the soil and marking the conformation of the rock, sees a reason why the rivers bed diverges to the right or to the left; and so, though the Spirit of God blesses one preacher more than another, and the reason cannot be such that any man could congratulate himself upon his own goodness, yet there are certain things about Christian ministers which God blesses, and certain other things which hinder success. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The power behind the preacher
The Rev. F.B. Meyer has a firewood factory in connection with his church, where employment is provided for men and boys. A circular saw is used for cutting through beams of solid timber. Until recently, this saw was worked by a crank, turned by twelve or fifteen men. But it was slow, hard, and expensive work. At last, says Mr. Meyer, we were driven to something more expeditious, and bought a gas engine. And now, the saw, driven by this engine, does in two or three hours as much work as it did formerly in a day, and at less than a tenth of the cost. It is the same saw; but the difference lies in the power that drives it. It used to be driven by hand power, now it is driven by an equivalent for steam, and the only thing we need to do is to keep the connecting band tight. It is not a question, continues Mr. Meyer, as to our abilities or qualifications, but of the power behind us. If that is nothing more than human, it is not surprising that the results are miserably poor. But if we link ourselves to the eternal power of God, nothing will be impossible to us. All things are possible to him that believeth.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 2. And the spirit entered into me] This spirit was different to that mentioned above, by which the wheels, c., were moved. The spirit of prophecy is here intended whose office was not merely to enable him to foresee and foretell future events, but to purify and refine his heart, and qualify him to be a successful preacher of the word of life.
He who is sent by the God of all grace to convert sinners must be influenced by the Holy Ghost; otherwise he can neither be saved himself, nor become the instrument of salvation to others.
And set me upon my feet] That he might stand as a servant before his master, to receive his orders.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
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, Eze 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.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. spirit entered . . . when hespakeThe divine word is ever accompanied by the Spirit(Gen 1:2; Gen 1:3).
set . . . upon . . . feetHehad been “upon his face” (Eze1:28). Humiliation on our part is followed by exaltation on God’spart (Eze 3:23; Eze 3:24;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 forGod (Eph 5:8; Eph 6:15).
that I heardrather,”then I heard.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole 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.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(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. Isa. 6:5-7; Dan. 8:18; Dan. 10:15-19; Rev. 1:17.) There can be no doubt, therefore, that the spirit is here the Spirit of God, and not merely the prophets own human vigour and courage; and this is made still more plain in Eze. 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 Eze. 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.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. And the spirit Literally, a spirit. This was probably the spirit that controlled the living creatures (Eze 1:20), though Ezekiel does not yet seem to recognize this.
Set me upon my feet God’s majesty may smite the beholder with weakness, but when one is weakest he finds working within him a “spirit” making him strongest. This spirit only comes to the humble soul. It is only after one has fallen upon his face before God that he becomes able to stand before him and hear him speak. The inner strength comes to the man who does not dare even to lift up his face to heaven.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Eze 2:2. And the Spirit entered into me, &c. That is, say some, the same Spirit which influenced and animated the living creatures. Calmet interprets it, the prophetic spirit; which, from ch. Eze 3:24 seems the most probable.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Let the Reader, while observing the Prophet’s sacred ordination, fail not to observe with it, what is here said: that the Spirit entered into him, and set him on his feet; so that he heard him that spake. How truly blessed is that ordination, (and none else can be blessed), which hath the Lord Jesus, as the Great Bishop of souls to ordain, and the Holy Ghost inwardly to move, and to qualify for the arduous work of the ministry! Reader! pray that the Lord will suffer none to go, but such as are thus ordained!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Eze 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.
Ver. 2. And the Spirit entered into me. ] This was right, when word and Spirit went together. See Isa 59:21 . See Trapp on “ Isa 59:21 “
And set me upon my feet.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the spirit entered .
He spoke. Entered with the word. Compare Gen 1:2, Gen 1:3. The Divine summons is accompanied by Divine preparation. Compare Eze 3:24. Rev 1:17.
spirit. Hebrew. ruach App-9.
I heard. This is ever the Divine qualification.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Eze 2:2-3
Eze 2:2-3
“And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet; and I heard him that spake unto me. And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to nations that are rebellious, which have rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me even unto this very day.”
“To nations that are rebellious …” (Eze 2:3). These were the two nations of northern Israel and southern Israel, here referred to collectively as “the children of Israel.”
“And the spirit entered into me …” (Eze 2:2). We agree with Pearson that the spirit mentioned here can be none other than the blessed Holy Spirit himself.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Eze 3:12, Eze 3:14, Eze 3:24, Eze 36:27, Num 11:25, Num 11:26, Jdg 13:25, 1Sa 16:13, Neh 9:30, Joe 2:28, Joe 2:29, Rev 11:11
Reciprocal: Eze 11:5 – the Spirit Dan 8:18 – he touched
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 2:2. Spirit entered into me means the spirit of encouragement not the Spirit of God. It is true, that Spirit was communicating with the prophet, but it was when He (the Spirit of God) spoke to Ezekiel that his spirit came back to him. This shows the passage to mean that when God spoke to the prophet it en-couraged him to take heart” so that he felt able to stand up. This is similar to the experiences that Daniel had in chapter 8: 17, 18 and 10: 9, 10.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
2:2 {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.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The Holy Spirit, or perhaps a wind sent from God, [Note: Robert B. Chisholm Jr., Handbook on the Prophets, p. 233.] entered Ezekiel as the Lord spoke to him and enabled him to stand up and hear what the Lord was saying (cf. Eze 3:24; Exo 4:10-15; Exo 31:1-11; 1Sa 10:9-11; Psa 51:11; Jer 1:4-19; Dan 8:18; Act 2:4; Eph 5:18; et al.).