1.
The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying,
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
2.
Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.
Son of man. See note on Ezekiel 2:1 .
rebellious = perverse. See note on Ezekiel 2:3 .
3.
Therefore, 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 be a rebellious house.
stuff = vessels, or baggage.
removing: i.e. for captivity.
4.
Then shalt thou bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing: and thou shalt go forth at even in their sight, as they that go forth into captivity.
at even. The sign (Ezekiel 12:11 ) that the prince (Zedekiah) would try to escape by night (2 Kings 25:4 .Jeremiah 39:4; Jeremiah 39:4 ).
5.
Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.
Dig thou through the wall . The sign (Ezekiel 12:2 ) that Zedekiah would do this "betwixt the walls" (2 Kings 25:4 .Jeremiah 39:4; Jeremiah 39:4 ).
6.
In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulders, and carry it forth in the twilight: thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.
cover thy face . The sign (Ezekiel 12:11 ) that Zedekiah would disguise himself.
the ground = the land: i.e. the land Zedekish was going forth from and would never see again. Hebrew. eth haerez.
a sign. Hebrew. 'oth. Compare Genesis 1:14 . Divine portents as to things that were to come.
7.
And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for captivity, and in the even I digged through the wall with mine hand; I brought it forth in the twilight, and I bare it upon my shoulder in their sight.
as = according as,
captivity . See notes on Ezekiel 12:3 .
8.
And in the morning came the word of the LORD unto me, saying,
9.
Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou?
10.
Say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; This burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel that are among them.
the Lord God . Hebrew Adonai Jehovah. See note on Ezekiel 2:4 ,
burden coneerneth the prince (i.e. Zedekiah). Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia ( App-6 ), for emphasis. Hebrew. hannasi hammassa. Eng. "this grief [concerneth] the chief
11.
Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove and go into captivity.
12.
And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes.
13.
My 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.
My net , &c.: i.e. the Chaldean army which overtook Zedekish.
not see it. The Figure of speech Amphibologia, or AEnigma ( App-6 ), as in Jeremiah 34:3 . The explanation is given in 2 Kings 25:7 , and Jeremiah 39:7 ; Jer 39:52 , Jeremiah 39:11 . Zedekish was taken to Babylon, but he never saw it, though he died there,
14.
And I will scatter toward every wind all that are about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the sword after them.
wind. Hebrew. ruach, App-9 . draw out the sword, &c. See note on Ezekiel 5:2 , Ezekiel 5:17 .
15.
And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the countries.
16.
But 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 heathen whither they come; and they shall know that I am the LORD.
they shall know. See note on Ezekiel 6:10 .
I shall scatter them. Ref to Pent, (Leviticus 26:33 .Deuteronomy 4:27 ; Deuteronomy 28:64 ). App-92 .
17.
Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
18.
Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness;
I will leave , &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 4:27 ).
men. Hebrew, plural of enosh. App-14 .
from . Some codices, with four early printed editions, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "and from", which em phasises the Figure of speech Polysyndeton ( App-6 ), to enhance the completeness of the enumeration.
heathen = nations.
19.
And say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord GOD of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel; They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water with astonishment, that her land may be desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein.
of the inhabitants = to the inhabitants.
the land, &c. = concerning the land, &c. Hebrew admath. See note on Ezekiel 11:17 .
her . Some codices, with one early printed edition, read "their".
all . The 1611 edition of the Authorized Version omitted this "all".
20.
And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
the cities . . . shall be laid waste. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:31 ). App-92 .
ye shall know, &c. See note on Ezekiel 6:7 .
21.
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
22.
Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?
what . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 .
proverb . See the Structure, "i", on p. 1119.
prolonged : i.e. protracted, or postponed.
23.
Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord GOD; 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 effect of every vision.
are at hand. The fulfilment took place five years later.
effect = word: i.e. the [fulfilled] word, meaning, or purpose.
24.
For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel.
vain vision. Compare Lamentations 2:14 .
house. Some codices, with one early printed edition (Rabbinic in margin), Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "sons".
25.
For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD.
prolonged : i.e. delayed, or deferred.
with the LORD = [isj Adonai Jehovah's oracle.
26.
Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
27.
Son 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 the times that are far off.
behold. Figure of speech Asterisnaos. App-6 ,
28.
Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord GOD.