Within the structure, there are some correspondences between chapters 1 through 24 and 25 through 48. The news of the destruction of Jerusalem plays a key role in the book. Shortly before the city fell in July 586, Ezekiel's wife died, and the propet was forbidden to perform the mourning rites for her as a symbol of the loss of the city (24, 15-27). He was also struck dumb (3, 26-27; 24, 27). When the news comes, he was able to speak (34, 21-22) and proclaimed the Lord's restoration. In 3, 16-21, Ezekiel was made a sentinel charged with telling his people of their impending destruction. When the destruction took place, his sentinel task was reaffirmed (33, 1-9) for the new phase in God's plan for the people. In 36, 1-5, the prophet blessed the mountains of Israel, reversing his earlier dununciations in 6, 1-10; the mountains evidently stand for the entire land.
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