1. The Inscription of the book. Who was Ezekiel? Whether Buzi was a prophet? Ezekiel prophesied in Chaldea near the river Chebar. His erudition and talent. He was a contemporary of Jeremiah. His death.
This book is called יחזקאל/Ezekiel, which appears to denote him whom God shall comfort, reinforce, or God shall wax strong, act powerfully.[1] He is the author of this book, and in Ezekiel 1:3 is said to beבֶּן־בּוּזִ֧י הַכֹּהֵ֛ן בְּאֶ֥רֶץ כַּשְׂדִּ֖ים עַל־נְהַר־כְּבָ֑ר, the son of Buzi, Priest in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar. That Buzi was Jeremiah himself, the Hebrews ineptly contrive. Undoubtedly he was a Priest and teacher of Israel: but whether he was also a Prophet, is not evident. We do not hold the rule of the Hebrews to be certain, that, of what Prophets the fathers are named, those Fathers were also Prophets. But Ezekiel was both a Priest and a Prophet in Chaldean, where, together with Jeconiah or Jehoiachin and Daniel, he was carried captive: more particularly by the river Chebar, or Chobar, which, situated in Mesopotamia under the dominion of the Chaldeans, was called Χαάβωρος/Chaaboros by Ptolemy,[2] Ἀβόῤῥος/Aborros by Strabo,[3] and Abora by Marcellinus,[4] and discharges itself into the Euphrates. This was the singular goodness of God, that, although a great many priests had declined from the way, He preserved for Aaron a faithful and holy seed, by whom the people, pressed with cruel captivity, might be instructed, and might receive the balm of divine consolations. And he was so strong in that erudition and ability, that (with the gift of Prophecy set aside, which is beyond comparison) he is not unworthily compared with Homer, on account of the beautiful ἐννοίας/thoughts, illuminating comparisons, great knowledge of many things, especially of architecture. He was a contemporary of Jeremiah, and what things Jeremiah proclaimed in Jerusalem, Ezekiel proclaimed in Chaldea, and perhaps not a little exchange passed between them, concerning which more things in the Chronology. What things concerning the rest of his life and martyrdom, which he endured at Babylon at the hands of the Leader of the Jews on account of his παῤῥησίαν/frankness, and also his burial, Ephiphanius, Isidore, and Dorotheus[5] mention, are of uncertain tradition.
[1]אֵל/El signifies God; חָזַק, to strengthen, or to grow strong. [2]Geography, book 5, section 18. [3]Geography, book 16. [4]Rerum gestarum, book 14, section 3, book 23, section 5. Ammianus Marcellinus (c. 330-c. 390) was Roman noble, soldier, and historian. His Res Gestæ covered the period of Roman history from the reign of Nerva in 96 to the Battle of Adrianople in 378; unhappily, only the last portion (353-378) survives. [5] Dorotheus (c. 255-362) served as Bishop of Tyre. He suffered exile under Diocletian, attended the Council of Nicea (325) under Constantine, and was martyred under Julian the Apostate. A number of works are incorrectly ascribed to him.