Ezekiel
Ezekiel (; Hebrew: יְחֶזְקֵאל, Y'ḥez'qel, Hebrew pronunciation: [jəħezˈqel]), meaning "May God strengthen him", "God will strengthen" (from חזק, ḥazaq, [ħaˈzaq], literally "to fasten upon", figuratively "strong", and אל, el, [ʔel], literally "God", and so figuratively "The Almighty") is the central protagonist of the Book of Ezekiel in the Hebrew Bible.
In Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Bahá'í Faith, Ezekiel is acknowledged as a Hebrew prophet. In Judaism and Christianity, he is also viewed as the author of the Book of Ezekiel that reveals prophecies regarding the destruction of Jerusalem, the restoration to the land of Israel and the Millennial Temple visions, or the Third Temple.
Life
The author of the Book of Ezekiel presents himself as Ezekiel, the son of Buzzi, born into a priesthood (Kohen) lineage of the patrilineal line of Ithamar, and resident of Anathoth. Apart from identifying himself, the author gives a chronology for the first divine encounter which he will present. He states that it happened "in the thirtieth year", which may be a reference to his age at the time. In such a case, the approximate year of birth is 622 BC. He also dates the event 5 years after the exile of King of Judah Jehoiachin by the Babylonians, a recurring dating pattern throughout the book. Josephus claims that under at the request of Nebuchadnezzar II, Babylonian armies exiled three thousand Jews from Judah, after deposing King Jehoiachin in 598 BC.
