Ezekiel 12ASV
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Ezekiel12

American Standard Version · Public Domain

1The word of Jehovah also came unto me, saying,

2Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of the rebellious house, that have eyes to see, and see not, that have ears to hear, and hear not; for they are a rebellious house.

3Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for removing, and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight: it may be they will consider, though they are a rebellious house.

4And thou shalt bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing; and thou shalt go forth thyself at even in their sight, as when men go forth into exile.

5Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.

6In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulder, and carry it forth in the dark; thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the land: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.

7And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for removing, and in the even I digged through the wall with my hand; I brought it forth in the dark, and bare it upon my shoulder in their sight.

8And in the morning came the word of Jehovah unto me, saying,

9Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou?

10Say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: This burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel among whom they are.

11Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them; they shall go into exile, into captivity.

12And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the dark, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, because he shall not see the land with his eyes.

13My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare; and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.

14And I will scatter toward every wind all that are round about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the sword after them.

15And they shall know that I am Jehovah, when I shall disperse them among the nations, and scatter them through the countries.

16But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the nations whither they come; and they shall know that I am Jehovah.

17Moreover the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

18Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with fearfulness;

19and say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the land of Israel: They shall eat their bread with fearfulness, and drink their water in dismay, that her land may be desolate, and despoiled of all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein.

20And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be a desolation; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.

21And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

22Son of man, what is this proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?

23Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the fulfilment of every vision.

24For there shall be no more any false vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel.

25For I am Jehovah; I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall be performed; it shall be no more deferred: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I speak the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord Jehovah.

26Again the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

27Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of times that are far off.

28Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: There shall none of my words be deferred any more, but the word which I shall speak shall be performed, saith the Lord Jehovah.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Ezekiel 12.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The approaching captivity. (1-16). An emblem of the consternation of the Jews. (17-20). Answers to the objections of scoffers. (21-28).

vv1-16

By the preparation for removal, and his breaking through the wall of his house at evening, as one desirous to escape from the enemy, the prophet signified the conduct and fate of Zedekiah. When God has delivered us, we must glorify him and edify others, by acknowledging our sins. Those who by afflictions are brought to this, are made to know that God is the Lord, and may help to bring others to know him.

vv17-20

The prophet must eat and drink in care and fear, with trembling, that he might express the condition of those in Jerusalem during the siege. When ministers speak of the ruin coming upon sinners, they must speak as those that know the terrors of the Lord. Afflictions are happy ones, however grievous to flesh and blood, that improve us in the knowledge of God.

vv21-28

From that forbearance of God, which should have led them to repent, the Jews hardened themselves in sin. It will not serve for an excuse in speaking evil, to plead that it is a common saying. There is but a step between us and an awful eternity; therefore it concerns us to get ready for a future state. No one will be able to put from himself the evil day, unless by seeking peace with the Lord.

Cross References

Ezekiel 12
v2Deuteronomy 29:4quotation

Directly quoted or alluded to regarding Israel's willful spiritual blindness and deafness.

Supported by JFB

v13Jeremiah 52:11fulfillment

Explicit fulfillment of the prophecy that Zedekiah would be brought to Babylon but not see it.

Supported by JFB

v4Jeremiah 39:4fulfillment

Historical account of King Zedekiah fleeing by night, fulfilling the twilight flight symbol.

Supported by JFB

v132 Kings 25:7fulfillment

Records Zedekiah's eyes being put out before being taken to Babylon, explaining the riddle.

Supported by JFB

The purpose of God's sign is 'it may be they will consider' their latter end.

Supported by JFB

v6Ezekiel 24:24thematic

Ezekiel acts as a sign (portent) to Israel, showing in himself what they will experience.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v13Job 19:6thematic

Parallels God spreading His net/snare over the rebellious king, an instrument of divine judgment.

Supported by JFB

v222 Peter 3:4thematic

Parallels the scoffers' proverb that the vision fails and days are prolonged with NT mockers.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v2Isaiah 6:9thematic

Classic indictment of a rebellious nation possessing physical senses but lacking spiritual perception.

Supported by JFB

v3Jeremiah 46:19thematic

The phrase 'stuff for removing' translates as the 'instruments/outfit of captivity' in Jeremiah.

Supported by JFB

v6Ezekiel 12:12thematic

Direct internal explanation of Ezekiel covering his face to represent the prince's flight.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v13Ezekiel 17:20thematic

Ezekiel repeats the specific metaphor of God spreading His net over the fleeing king.

Supported by JFB

Laments the capture of the king ('the prince'), under whose shadow they hoped to live.

Supported by JFB

v18Ezekiel 4:16thematic

Ezekiel's symbolic action of eating bread and drinking water with trembling and quaking.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v22Ezekiel 12:27thematic

The mockers' objection that the prophecy is only for 'times that are far off.'

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole