1.
The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying,
Ezekiel 12:1. The word of the Lord also came, &c.— This happened in the sixth year of Zedekiah, and five years before the siege of Jerusalem. The prophesies in the following chapters to the 20th are of the same year. The prophet here applies himself to those of the captivity among whom he dwelt: they saw Jerusalem still inhabited, and under the government of its own king; so that they who were left in the land of Canaan, insulted the exiles, who repined at their own situation; thinking those who dwelt at Jerusalem in a much better condition than themselves. The following parables, therefore, are designed to shew, that they who were left behind to sustain the miseries of a siege and the insults of a conqueror, would be in a much worse situation, than those who were already settled in a foreign land. See Lowth and Calmet. Houbigant, however, is of a different opinion, and thinks that this prophesy was delivered while Ezekiel dwelt in Jerusalem, before he was carried captive to Babylon.
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.
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.
Ezekiel 12:3. Prepare thee stuff for removing— See the note on chap. Ezekiel 4:1. This command is merely an information by action, instead of words, foretelling the approaching captivity of Zedekiah. Dr. Waterland observes, that he sees no reason for thinking that the prophet might not really perform all here related, and more, without difficulty, or forfeiting either his discretion or gravity. The manner and circumstances of the whole narrative, as it stands in the prophet, being very different from what we meet with in several others, pleads strongly for the strict and literal interpretation. It is no less than seven times repeated, that the prophet was to do, or did this in the sight of the people; and he did it in the evening, in the twilight, and in the morning, after God came to ask him whether the house of Israel had taken notice of such his uncommon behaviour, and had inquired what it meant. These and other circumstances appear to be very cogent proofs of real facts, and that it is more than a narrative of a vision, or recital of a parable. And, therefore, I cannot but think that it is going much too far from strict rule, to reject the literal sense here, though I know that a very pious and learned writer has done it, and that he had some appearance of reason, besides the authority of some Jewish interpreters to countenance him in it. See his Script. Vind. part 3: p. 97 and Smith's Select Discourses, p. 228.
Stuff— Instruments, furniture, goods; whatever is fitting for a particular purpose; as here, for a long journey.
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.
5.
Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.
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.
Ezekiel 12:6. I have set thee for a sign— That is, "as a man whose ways, words, and actions, shall be signs and figures to them of what is to happen: all in your person shall be significative and prophetical."
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.
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?
Ezekiel 12:9. Son of man, &c.— Son of man, the house of Israel, this rebellious house, hath thus inquired of thee, What is this that thou doest? Houbigant; who, instead of the prince in Jerusalem, in the next verse, reads, the prince, and Jerusalem.
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.
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.
Ezekiel 12:12. Shall bear upon his shoulder— Shall be carried upon shoulders, &c. They shall dig through the wall, and he shall go out thereby. Houbigant. Or rather, He shall dig. ο . Ar. Syr. For the fact, see Jeremiah 39:4; Jeremiah 52:7. 2 Kings 25:4. It is probable, that the king and his companions fled through a breach made by themselves in the wall. Or, as Michaelis suggests, the gate through which they fled may have been walled up during the siege.
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.
Ezekiel 12:13. My net also— "Though Zedekiah flatters himself with escaping the Chaldean army, yet he shall find himself fatally mistaken; for I will bring his enemies upon him, who shall encompass him, and stop his flight, as when a wild beast is entangled in a net." See Jeremiah 37; Jeremiah 38; and Jeremiah 52:10-11.
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.
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.
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;
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.
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.
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?
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.
24.
For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel.
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.
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.
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.