What was prophet Ezekiel's story?

Answer 1

Ezekiel was a priest in the temple at Jerusalem towards the end of the monarchy in Judah, and was then deported to Babylon and wrote his book there.

The Book of Ezekiel displays a knowledge of Israelite history, and the chronological order of the visions Ezekiel describes is rational, but it is unlikely that he really did experience visions as of God. At times, Ezekiel appears to blur the distinction between Israel (the northern kingdom) and Judah, whereas his slightly older contemporary Jeremiah stringently observed the distinctions between the separate nations of Israel and Judah, especially in the early chapters which otherwise bear comparison with aspects of Ezekiel's historical allegories. The book is didactic and demonstrates an awareness of self-interest. Also, too many of Ezekiel's prophecies were never fulfilled, or only partially so, for them to have been of divine origin. Several times, Ezekiel prophesied the imminent return of all the Israelites scattered by the Assyrian conquest in 722 BCE. Too many of Ezekiel's prophecies were never fulfilled, or only partially so, for them to have been of divine origin, but his emphasis was on the return of both Israelites and Jews, who would be reunited under Jewish leadership, but this never happened.

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Answer 2

Ezekiel the son of Buzi (Ezekiel 1:3) was of the priestly (Kohen) lineage of the descendants of Ithamar, and lived in Anathoth. He lived before, during and shortly after the First Destruction, and mentions "the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile". At the age of 25, Ezekiel was among those who were exiled to Babylon. On the bank of the Chebar River, Ezekiel and his wife dwelt in their own home, and exiled Judaic visitors came to seek his prophetic teachings. He is not mentioned as having had children, only that his wife died rather young, in the ninth year of exile, when Ezekiel was 34 years old.

At the age of 30, Ezekiel describes at length his first vision of God. He also foretold the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple. Ezekiel and his contemporaries like Jeremiah, another prophet who was living in Jerusalem at that time, witnessed the fulfillment of their prophecies when Jerusalem was sacked by the Babylonians. He served as a prophet for at least 22 years.