The precise dates given throughout the book of Ezekiel show that his prophecies centred on a specific major event in the history of Judah, that is, the Fall of Jerusalem in 587 BCE. The book therefore divides into two main sections: prophecies relating to the ten years leading up to the Fall of Jerusalem ( chapters 1-32) and prophecies relating to time after the Fall of Jerusalem (chapters 33-48).
The material is arranged in five blocks:
PART 1 – EZEKIEL’S CALL TO THE PROPHETIC MINISTRY – CHAPTERS 1-3
1:1-3 – Introduction and superscription
1:4-28 – Vision of the glory of YHWH
2:1 – 3:27 – Ezekiel’s Commission
PART 2 – ORACLES OF WARNING TO ISRAEL AND JUDAH – CHAPTERS 4-24
4:1-5:4 – The siege of Jerusalem portrayed in symbolic acts
5:5 – 17 – A prophetic sermon directed against Jerusalem
6:1 – 7: 27 – A prophecy of judgement on the land of Israel
8:1 – 11:25 – A vision of God’s glory leaving the Temple
12:1 – 14:23 – False Prophets
15:1-8 – Jerusalem as a useless charred vine
16:1-63 – Jerusalem as Yahweh’s adulterous wife
17:1-24 – The allegory of two eagles and a vine
18:1-32 – Individual responsibility
19: 1-14 – A lament over the rulers of Israel
20: 1-49 – A review of Israel’s history
21:1-32 – The sword of destruction
22:1- 31 – Sinful Jerusalem
23:1-49 – Two unfaithful sisters
24:1-14 – Sayings on the cooking pot
24:15-27 – The death of Ezekiel’s wife
PART 3 – ORACLES AGAINST THE SURROUNDING NATIONS – CHAPTERS 25-32
25:1-7 – Against Ammon
25:8-11 – Against Moab
25:12-14 – Against Edom
25:15-17 – Against the Philistines
26:1 – 28: 19 – Against Tyre
28:20 -26 – Against Sidon
29:1 – 32:16 – Against Egypt
PART 4 – A MESSAGE OF HOPE AND RESTORATION -CHAPTERS 33-39
33:1-20 – The prophet as watchman
33:21-22 – News of the Fall of Jerusalem
33:23-29 – Prophecy against those who remained in Jerusalem
33:30-33 – God addresses Ezekiel: a prophet whose predictions had been fulfilled
34:1-31 – The false shepherds of Israel and the true shepherd
35:1-15 – Oracle against Edom
36:1-38 – Renewal promised to Israel
37:1 -14 – The valley of dry bones
37: 15-28 – Two sticks – reunification
38:1-39:29 – Oracle against Gog of Magog
PART 5 – THE NEW ISRAEL – CHAPTERS 40-48
40:1 – 43:12 – The vision of a new temple
43:13 – 46:24 – The worship in the new temple
47:1-12 – The life-giving river
47:13-48:35 – The Land and the City
Written Exposition 