The Meaning of Ezekiel 43:3 Explained

Ezekiel 43:3

KJV: And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face.

YLT: And according to the appearance is the appearance that I saw, as the appearance that I saw in my coming in to destroy the city, and the appearances are as the appearance that I saw at the river Chebar, and I fall on my face.

Darby: And the appearance of the vision that I saw was according to the vision that I had seen when I came to destroy the city; and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar: and I fell upon my face.

ASV: And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city; and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And [it was] according to the appearance  of the vision  which I saw,  [even] according to the vision  that I saw  when I came  to destroy  the city:  and the visions  [were] like the vision  that I saw  by the river  Chebar;  and I fell  upon my face. 

What does Ezekiel 43:3 Mean?

Verse Meaning

This vision reminded Ezekiel of the vision of God that he had seen by the river Chebar ( Ezekiel 1:3), when he saw God coming to judge Jerusalem (cf. Ezekiel 1:4-28; Ezekiel 9:1; Ezekiel 9:5; Ezekiel 32:18). He responded by prostrating himself before the Lord again (cf. Ezekiel 1:28; Ezekiel 3:23). [1]

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 43

1  The returning of the glory of God into the temple
7  The sin of Israel hindered God's presence
10  The prophet exhorts them to repentance and observation of the law of the house
13  The measures
18  and ordinances of the altar

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 43:3 mean?

And [It] [was] like the appearance of the vision which I saw like the vision which I saw when I came to destroy - the city And the visions [were] I saw by the River Chebar and I fell on my face
וּכְמַרְאֵ֨ה הַמַּרְאֶ֜ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָאִ֗יתִי כַּמַּרְאֶ֤ה אֲשֶׁר־ רָאִ֙יתִי֙ בְּבֹאִי֙ לְשַׁחֵ֣ת אֶת־ הָעִ֔יר וּמַרְא֕וֹת רָאִ֖יתִי אֶל־ נְהַר־ כְּבָ֑ר וָאֶפֹּ֖ל אֶל־ פָּנָֽי

וּכְמַרְאֵ֨ה  And  [It]  [was]  like  the  appearance 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַרְאֶה  
Sense: sight, appearance, vision.
הַמַּרְאֶ֜ה  of  the  vision 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַרְאֶה  
Sense: sight, appearance, vision.
רָאִ֗יתִי  I  saw 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
כַּמַּרְאֶ֤ה  like  the  vision 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַרְאֶה  
Sense: sight, appearance, vision.
רָאִ֙יתִי֙  I  saw 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
בְּבֹאִי֙  when  I  came 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, first person common singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
לְשַׁחֵ֣ת  to  destroy 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁחַת  
Sense: to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָעִ֔יר  the  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
וּמַרְא֕וֹת  And  the  visions  [were] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural
Root: מַרְאֶה  
Sense: sight, appearance, vision.
רָאִ֖יתִי  I  saw 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
נְהַר־  the  River 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נָהָר  
Sense: stream, river.
כְּבָ֑ר  Chebar 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: כְּבָר  
Sense: a Babylonian river near which many Israelite exiles settled; maybe the ‘Habor’ or the ‘Royal Canal’ of Nebuchadnezzar.
וָאֶפֹּ֖ל  and  I  fell 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
פָּנָֽי  my  face 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.