# In the thirtieth year

This is the thirtieth year of Ezekiel's life. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-ordinal]])

# the fourth month, and the fifth day of the month

"the fifth day of the fourth month." This is the fourth month of the Hebrew calendar. The fifth day is around the end of June on Western calendars. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-hebrewmonths]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-ordinal]])

# it came about that

This phrase is used here to mark an important event in the story. If your language has a way for doing this, you could consider using it here.

# I was living among the captives

The word "I" refers to Ezekiel. "I was one of the captives"

# I saw visions of God

"God showed me unusual things"

# it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin

Throughout the book, Ezekiel will date his prophecies based on when the Babylonians forced Jehoiachin to leave Jerusalem.

# to Ezekiel ... upon him there

Ezekiel speaks of himself as if he were another person. AT: "to me, Ezekiel ... upon me there" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-pronouns]])

# the word of Yahweh came to Ezekiel

The idiom "the word of Yahweh came to" is used to introduce a special message from God. AT: "Yahweh gave a message to Ezekiel" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]])

# Buzi

the name of a man (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]])

# the Kebar Canal

This is a river that people in Chaldea had dug to give water to their gardens. "the Kebar River"

# the hand of Yahweh was upon him

The word "hand" is often used to refer to someone's power or action. A person with his hand on another person has power over that other person. AT: "Yahweh was controlling him" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# Yahweh

This is the name of God that he revealed to his people in the Old Testament. See the translationWord page about Yahweh concerning how to translate this.