Ezekiel 12:3

3 Therefore thou, son of man, make to thee vessels of passing over, and thou shalt pass over by day before them; forsooth thou shalt pass over from thy place to another place, in the sight of them; if peradventure they behold, for it is an house stirring to wrath. (And so thou, son of man, prepare for thyself the necessary things for going into exile, or into captivity, and thou shalt go out by day before them as if going into exile, or into captivity; and thou shalt go out from thy place to another place before them; if perhaps they shall see, for it is a house stirring me to anger.)

Ezekiel 12:3 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 12:3

Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for removing,
&c.] Or, "vessels of captivity" ^F19, such as persons take along with them when they go a journey, or into a far country; such as a staff, scrip, purse, shoes or household goods; such as tables, chairs, and the like, which are removed when a person goes from one house to another; by which sign they of the captivity were to be taught that Zedekiah and the people of the Jews should in like manner be carried captive into Babylon; which they were not willing to believe, and the false prophets had told them the contrary: and remove by day in their sight;
be carrying the stuff out, day by day, several days running, as Jarchi from Menachem interprets it; that they may see and take notice of it, and ask the reason of it; which, when known, they might send to their correspondents at Jerusalem, and acquaint them with it: and thou shall remove from thy place to another place in their sight;
from the house in which he dwelt, to another house at some distance; yet so as to be seen by them, both from whence and whither he moved: it may be they will consider;
or "see" ^F20; make use of their eyes, and of their understandings, and think better of things. The Targum is,

``perhaps they will fear;''

the Lord, and regard his prophets, and be afraid of his judgments: though they [be] a rebellious house;
such who are the most obstinate may be reclaimed.

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 (hlwg ylk) "vasa transmigrationis", Pagninus, Montanus, Starckius; "instrumenta migrationis", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Polanus.
F20 (wary ylwa) "fortasse visuri sunt", Junius & Tremellius, Polanus; "fortasse videbunt", Piscator, Starckius.

Ezekiel 12:3 In-Context

1 And the word of the Lord was made to me, and he said,

2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of an house stirring to wrath, which have eyes to see, and see not, and ears to hear, and hear not; for it an house stirring to wrath. (Son of man, thou livest in the midst of a house stirring me to anger, those who have eyes to see, and see not, and ears to hear, and hear not; for it a house stirring me to anger.)

3 Therefore thou, son of man, make to thee vessels of passing over, and thou shalt pass over by day before them; forsooth thou shalt pass over from thy place to another place, in the sight of them; if peradventure they behold, for it is an house stirring to wrath. (And so thou, son of man, prepare for thyself the necessary things for going into exile, or into captivity, and thou shalt go out by day before them as if going into exile, or into captivity; and thou shalt go out from thy place to another place before them; if perhaps they shall see, for it is a house stirring me to anger.)

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.)