Ezekiel 12:4-14

4 And thou shalt bear withoutforth thy vessels, as the vessels of a man passing over by day, in the sight of them; soothly thou shalt go out in the eventide before them, as a man passing forth goeth out. (And by day, in their sight, or before them, thou shalt carry thy things outside, like the necessary things of a man going into exile, or into captivity; and in the evening thou shalt go out before them, like a man going into exile, or into captivity, goeth out.)

5 Before the eyes of them dig (in) the wall to thee, and thou shalt go out through it, (Before their eyes, dig thou through the wall, and then thou shalt go out through it.)

6 in the sight of them. Thou shalt be borne on shoulders, thou shalt be borne out in darkness; thou shalt cover thy face, and thou shalt not see the earth, for I have given thee to be a sign of thing to coming to the house of Israel. (In their sight, or before them, thou shalt carry those things out upon thy shoulders, yea, thou shalt carry them out in the darkness; thou shalt cover thy face, and thou shalt not see the ground, for I have given thee to be a sign of what is to come for the house of Israel.)

7 Therefore I did as the Lord commanded to me; I brought forth my vessels, as the vessels of a man passing over by day, and in the eventide I digged (through) a wall to me with (mine) hand; I went out in darkness, and I was borne on shoulders, in the sight of them. (And so I did as the Lord commanded me; by day I brought forth my things, like the necessary things of a man going into exile, or into captivity, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my hands; then I went out in the darkness, in the sight of them, and I carried those things upon my shoulders.)

8 And the word of the Lord was made early to me, and he said, (And early in the morning the word of the Lord was made to me, and he said,)

9 Son of man, whether the house of Israel, the house stirring (me) to wrath, said not to thee, What doest thou?

10 Say thou to them, The Lord God saith these things, This burden is on the duke, which is in Jerusalem (This burden is on the prince, who is in Jerusalem), and on all the house of Israel, which is in the midst of them.

11 Say thou, I am your sign of thing to coming; as I did, so it shall be done to them; they shall go into passing over, and into captivity. (Say thou, I am your sign of what is to come; as I did, so it shall be done to them; they shall go into exile, and into captivity.)

12 And the duke which is in the midst of them, shall be borne out on shoulders, and he shall go out in darkness; they shall dig (through) the wall, and lead him out; his face shall be covered, that he see not with eye the earth. (And the prince who is in their midst, shall carry his necessary things upon his shoulder, and he shall go out in darkness; they shall dig through the wall to let him out; his face shall be covered, so that he shall not see the ground with his eyes.)

13 And I shall stretch forth my net on him, and he shall be taken in my net; and I shall lead him into Babylon, into the land of Chaldees, and he shall not see that land, and he shall die there. (And I shall stretch forth my net upon him, and he shall be caught in my net; and I shall lead him to Babylon, to the land of the Chaldeans, but he shall not see that land, even though he shall die there.)

14 And I shall scatter into each wind all men that be about him, his help, and his companies; and I shall draw out the sword after them. (And I shall scatter into the winds all those who be about him, yea, his help, and his companies; and I shall draw out the sword after them.)

Ezekiel 12:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 12

In this chapter, under the sign of the prophet's removing household goods, is represented the removal of the king of Judah and his people from their own land into captivity; and under another sign, of the prophet's eating and drinking with quaking, and trembling, and carefulness, is set forth, either the famine that should be during the siege of Jerusalem, or the desolations following the taking of it; and the chapter is concluded with a reproof of the Jews flattering themselves that these prophecies respected times a great way off, and therefore hoped they would never be accomplished. The preface to the first sign is in Eze 12:1,2; which describes the people of the Jews as rebellious, and given up to judicial blindness and hardness; and suggests the cause of all their calamities: the order to prepare goods for removing, to show to the people; for digging a wall; carrying the stuff out in their sight, on his shoulders, at twilight; and covering his face when he did it, is in Eze 12:3-6; the execution of this order, which is declared in part for the whole, is in Eze 12:7; then follows the explication of this sign, Eze 12:8-11; and the application of it, first to King Zedekiah, in whom should be fulfilled several of the particulars mentioned, Eze 12:12,13; and to the people about him, and his army that should be scattered and fall by the sword, Eze 12:14; the end of which should be, that the Lord should be known, his power, truth, and righteousness, by a few that should escape the famine, pestilence, and sword, Eze 12:15,16. The second sign, with the explication and application of it, is in Eze 12:17-20; and the chapter is closed with a reproof of the Jews; the proverbial expression they used, and which the Lord resented, is cited Eze 12:21,22; and the prophet is bid to assure them that it should cease, or there should be no room for it; and also every vain vision and flattering divination, Eze 12:23,24; and that the word of the Lord should not be prolonged, but should quickly and certainly be accomplished; and that their hopes of the contrary were in vain, Eze 12:25-28.