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15. Tel-abib. Heb. Tel ’abib, “mound of green ears of corn,” but the name is believed to represent the Akkadian Til abō«bi, “mound of the storm flood.” Such sand mounds, produced by the action of wind and water, are reported common in the vicinity of Nippur (see on ch. 1:1) and are popularly believed to be relics of the Flood. However, Tel-abib cannot be definitely located.

Seven days. Some have compared this seven-day period of silence to a time of retirement in the experiences of other great religious leaders; for example, to Elijah’s 40 days in Mt. Horeb (1 Kings 19:4-8); Paul’s retreat to Arabia (Gal. 1:17); and our Lord’s withdrawal into the wilderness after His baptism. Others suggest that Ezekiel’s conduct was the result of his surprise at the conditions he encountered or the attitudes he met. Still others compare Ezekiel’s silence to the conduct of Job’s friends who sat with the patriarch on the ground for “seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word” (Job 2:13). However, the context seems to suggest that God intended no such delay. The muteness may instead have been caused by Ezekiel’s bitterness and heat of spirit. The prophet’s conduct was probably one of deliberate postponement if not of settled refusal. The mercy of God waited seven days. When at the end of that period there was no response by Ezekiel, the word of the Lord came to him in solemn warning. We are reminded of a similar reluctance on the part of Ellen G. White to make known to others what the Lord had revealed to her (1T 62-64).