Bible Commentaries
Ezekiel 12

Verse 1

Eze 12:1. Instead Of using a vision God spoke directly to the prophet.

Verse 2

Eze 12:2. Ezekiel and most of the Jews were in Babylon at the time he was doing his work as a prophet. At the same time there were still some left in Jerusalem, for that city had not yet been destroyed. That event was about due and would be the 3rd stage of the captivity. But in spite of the two events that had taken place, referred to as the 1st and 2nd captivities, as well as other evidences of God’s truth, many of the Jews doubted that their capital would really be destroyed. Some of them in Babylon even professed to hope that they would soon return to Jerusalem which they would find unharmed. Eyes and ears which see and hear not, means they refused to use their own senses to perceive the truth.

Verse 3

Eze 12:3. The prophet was told to do some more “acting” which we have previously seen. (See at 1Ki 20:35.) In this case it was to emphasize the prediction that the people still left in Jerusalem would soon be moved out and taken to another place. Stuff means the outfit that one would use or need when going from one place to another. That i3, the articles one would especially need were he going to spend some time in a strange locality. With these articles Ezekiel was to go through the motions of moving in the sight of the rebellious house or people.

Verse 4

Eze 12:4. Day and even are both named in a significant manner. He was to use the day in making the preparation, and when evening came he was to go out with the movements of one who had been banished from his native land.

Verse 5

Eze 12:5. The town where Ezekiel and other captives were living would he enclosed with a wall. He was to make an opening through that wall large enough for a man to pass through, then let the people see him leave by way of the opening.

Verse 6

Eze 12:6. Covering Ills face while going through this performance would indicate that the prophet was not seeing his own way in it, but was being directed by an unseen force. This would serve as a sign to the Israelites: the word Is from MOPHETH which Strong defines. “A token or omen." By such an unusual performance of the prophet it was hoped to impress the people that something important was about to take place.

Verse 7

Eze 12:7, This verse merely records the carrying out of the orders which the prophet had received from the Lord.

Verse 8

Eze 12:8. The scenes described in the preceding verses produced some interest among the people as the night was passing, and in the morning the Lord spoke again.

Verse 9

Eze 12:9, God knew the people had asked the prophet for an explanation of his actions, and He was ready to furnish the answer.

Verse 10

Eze 12:10. Burden is a figure of speech and means an important prophecy or other message was about to be delivered. The prince in Jerusalem was Zedekiah, who was left on his throne there by the king of Babylon, but who was reigning only as a subject-king under Nebuchadnezzar. There were also some of the inhabitants of the city left in it and they were included in the house of Israel that are among them.

Verse 11

Eze 12:11. This verse connects the acting of the prophet witb the event that was to be its fulfillment. Ezekiel was to tell his people that it was performed in their sight as a sign. (See the explanation of this word at verse 6.1 Them and they are pronouns that stand for the persons mentioned in the close of the preceding verse. The prediction was that they were to go into captivity, meaning the "3rd captivity."

Verse 12

Eze 12:12. The apparent secrecy that Ezekiel maintained would prove to have foreshadowed some of the actions of Zedekiah. He had been warned to be submissive to the king of Babylon since the whole transaction of the captivity was of the Lord, but he thought he could etude the enemy and escape. Dig through the wall is what Ezekiel actually did as a sign, but it is used figuratively of Zedekiah. However, he did attempt to escape by means of the wall, and did it in the twilight or night. The fulfillment of this is recorded in 2Ki 25:4 and Jer 39:4.

Verse 13

Eze 12:13. This net referred to the forces of Babylon which the Lord was using in the overthrow of Jerusalem and its acting king. The apparent difficulty in the closing clause of this verse will be made clear by 2 Kings 25 : G, 7; Jer 32:4.

Verse 14

Eze 12:14. Some of the men of war in Jerusalem thought to elude capture by following Zedekiah in his flight. This verse predicts their failure, and the historical account of it is in 2Ki 25:4; 2Ki 25:6.

Verse 15

Eze 12:15. Again we see the chief motive that was behind these great demonstrations against the unfaithful people of Israel from time to time was to make them know; that I am the Lord.

Verse 16

Eze 12:16. These few were the "remnant" referred to frequently and the fulfillment is at Ezr 2:64. See the note at Jer 14:12 regarding the sword, famine and pestilence, regarded as one form of judgment upon the evil nation.

Verse 17

Eze 12:17. Moreover means the same as furthermore. The Lord had something more to say to the prophet, and it was to be in connection with his next work.

Verse 18

Eze 12:18. This verse directed Ezekiel to do some more "acting." He was not in any personal want but was to deai with the conditions of famine that were to come upon the jieopie still left in Jerusalem. The carefulness means he was to use the provisions sparingly as if they were being rationed out to him.

Verse 19

Eze 12:19. People of the land meant the Jews then in Babylon with the prophet, and inhabitants of Jerusalem were those still in the city but who were doomed to be soon removed. Ere that event took place they were to undergo the pangs of famine.

Verse 20

Eze 12:20. Some cities besides Jerusalem were still lingering on the verge of total destruction, and they, too, were soon to feel the final blows from Babylon.

Verse 21

Eze 12:21-22. The Jews persisted in denying the warnings that had been so often tittered to them and which had been backed up by so muck evidence of being from God. Just at the moment, most of the nation was in the land of Babylon, having been victims of the first or second stage of the captivity. And yet, when the prophet, declared that all Jerusalem and its remaining inhabitants were to be overthrown, they either denied the truth of it altogether, or else were saying that It was not to be for a long time. If a threatened judgment upon man does not come as soon as he expects, then the seeming delay is interpreted to mean that the prediction is false. Solomon had such a condition In mind when he wrote Ecc 8:11, and the same thought ia set forth in 2Pe 3:4 regarding the end of the world.

Verse 23

Eze 12:23. Proverb ts used in the sense of something that is repeated frequently as if it were taken for granted to be a truth. But the Lord declared that it would he caused to cease, for the days are at hand when the threatened event will occur. All of Ezekiel’s writings thus far were done between the 2nd and 3rd stages of the captivities, and that period altogether was only eleven years. But most of that had passed at the time we are now studying, hence the final downfall of the capital city was truly at liana.

Verse 24

Eze 12:24. Vain vision and flattering divination refers to the false predictions and unauthorized assurances that the evil leaders had been giving to the people. The actual fall of the city would certainly put an end to that.

Verse 25

Eze 12:25. in your days denoted that the very people to whom these threats had been made would live to see their fulfillment and would personally suffer in them.

Verse 26

Eze 12:26. The frequent repetition of such language as this verse will keep us mindful that the prophet was being inspired by the Lord in all his utterances.

Verse 27

Eze 12:27. The attention of the prophet was called to the clamors of the people, relative to the far-off date of the affliction that has been made against them.

Verse 28

Eze 12:28, Ezekiel was assured that the fulfillment was not far off, and the reader may see the account of Its fulfillment in 2Ki 25:1-2.