The Meaning of Ezekiel 1:2 Explained

Ezekiel 1:2

KJV: In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,

YLT: In the fifth of the month -- it is the fifth year of the removal of the king Jehoiachin --

Darby: On the fifth of the month, (it was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,)

ASV: In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

In the fifth  [day] of the month,  which [was] the fifth  year  of king  Jehoiachin's  captivity, 

What does Ezekiel 1:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezekiel 1:1-21 - A Vision Of God's Majesty
A dark storm-cloud approaches the prophet, from which an incessant blaze of lightning scintillated. As it drew near, the forms of four living creatures became visible, combining, under various figures, intelligence, strength, patience, and soaring aspiration. The wheels were evidently symbolical of the cycles of divine providence, which cooperate with the ministers of the divine will. The slab of blue expanse supported a human semblance, suggestive of that great after-event-God manifest in the flesh. The whole conception impresses us with the reality, order, majesty, and humanness, of the Eternal God. Those holy beings surely represent the intelligent company of innumerable angels and servants, while the wheels represent the material creation. All these are sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation. Angels and nature minister to us, if we are in union with God. All things serve the servants of the Most High. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 1

1  The time of Ezekiel's prophecy at Chebar
4  His vision of four cherubim;
15  of the four wheels;
26  and of the glory of God

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 1:2 mean?

On [day] five of the month that [was] in the year fifth of captivity King of Jehoiachin
בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ הִ֚יא הַשָּׁנָ֣ה הַחֲמִישִׁ֔ית לְגָל֖וּת הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ יוֹיָכִֽין

בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה  On  [day]  five 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Number, masculine singular
Root: חָמֵשׁ  
Sense: five.
לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ  of  the  month 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: the new moon, month, monthly.
הִ֚יא  that  [was] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
הַשָּׁנָ֣ה  in  the  year 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
הַחֲמִישִׁ֔ית  fifth 
Parse: Article, Number, ordinal feminine singular
Root: חֲמִישִׁי  
Sense: ordinal number, 5th.
לְגָל֖וּת  of  captivity 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: גָּלוּת  
Sense: exile, exiles.
הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ  King 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
יוֹיָכִֽין  of  Jehoiachin 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄויָכִין  
Sense: king of Judah, son of Jehoiakim, and the next to last king of Judah before the Babylonian captivity; kingship lasted for 3 months and 0 days before he surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar who took him to Babylon and imprisoned him for 36 years when he was finally released.