Ezekiel 12:6

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

Ezekiel 12:6 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 12:6

In their sight shall thou bear [it] upon [thy] shoulders
The bundle, packed up for his use and service, carried out through the wall dug by him. The Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions render it, as if he himself was to be carried out upon the shoulders of another, thus: "in their sight, upon the shoulders, thou shall be carried"; but the former sense is best: [and] carry [it] forth in the twilight;
signifying the same as before: thou shall cover thy face, that thou see not the ground;
or "land"; not the land of Israel, but the land of Chaldea, where the prophet was: this shows that great shame and confusion which should attend the king of Judah when he fled, and great fear and terror also; and likewise his regard to his eyes being put out by the king of Babylon; so that he saw not the land into which he was carried captive, ( Jeremiah 52:11 ) ; for I have set thee [for] a sign unto the house of Israel;
to show unto them by deeds, as well as by words, what should befall them; see ( Isaiah 8:18 ) ( 20:2-4 ) .

Ezekiel 12:6 In-Context

4 And bring forth thy baggage by day in their sight, as a captive's baggage, and thou thyself, 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] shoulder, and carry it forth in the dark; thou shalt cover thy face, and thou shalt not see the ground: for I have appointed thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.

7 And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my baggage by day, as a captive's baggage, and in the even I digged through the wall with my hand; I brought it forth in the dark, [and] bore it upon [my] shoulder, in their sight.

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

Footnotes

• [a]. Or 'portent,' as Zech. 3.8; 'wonders,' Ex. 4.21.