Ezekielchapter 12

A.Digging through the wall with a captive's baggagevv. 1-16

1 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, you are living in a rebellious house. They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house. 3 Therefore, son of man, pack your bags for exile. In broad daylight, set out from your place and go to another as they watch. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house. 4 Bring out your baggage for exile by day, as they watch. Then in the evening, as they watch, go out like those who go into exile. 5 As they watch, dig through the wall and carry your belongings out through it. 6 And as they watch, lift your bags to your shoulder and take them out at dusk; cover your face so that you cannot see the land. For I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.” 7 So I did as I was commanded. I brought out my bags for exile by day, and in the evening I dug through the wall by hand. I took my belongings out at dusk, carrying them on my shoulder as they watched. 8 And in the morning the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 9 “Son of man, hasn’t the rebellious house of Israel asked you, ‘What are you doing?’ 10 Tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘This burden concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are there.’ 11 You are to say, ‘I am a sign to you.’ Just as it happened here, so will it be done to them; they will go into exile as captives. 12 And at dusk the prince among them will lift his bags to his shoulder and go out. They will dig through the wall to bring him out. He will cover his face so he cannot see the land. 13 But I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans; yet he will not see it, and there he will die. 14 And I will scatter to every wind all the attendants around him and all his troops, and I will draw a sword to chase after them. 15 And they will know that I am the LORD, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them throughout the countries. 16 But I will spare a few of them from sword and famine and plague, so that in the nations to which they go, they can recount all their abominations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

B.Eating bread with trembling, drinking water with dreadvv. 17-20

17 Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 18 “Son of man, eat your bread with trembling, and drink your water with quivering and anxiety. 19 Then tell the people of the land that this is what the Lord GOD says about those living in Jerusalem and in the land of Israel: ‘They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water in dread, for their land will be stripped of everything in it because of the violence of all who dwell in it. 20 The inhabited cities will be laid waste, and the land will become desolate. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”

C.No more delayed visions — the word will be donevv. 21-28

21 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 22 “Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by, and every vision fails’? 23 Therefore tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will put an end to this proverb, and in Israel they will no longer recite it.’ But say to them: ‘The days are at hand when every vision will be fulfilled. 24 For there will be no more false visions or flattering divinations within the house of Israel, 25 because I, the LORD, will speak whatever word I speak, and it will be fulfilled without delay. For in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak a message and bring it to pass, declares the Lord GOD.’” 26 Furthermore, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 27 “Son of man, take note that the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is for many years from now; he prophesies about the distant future.’ 28 Therefore tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘None of My words will be delayed any longer. The message I speak will be fulfilled, declares the Lord GOD.’”

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Chapter summary

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The prophet packs an exile's baggage and carries it out in the sight of the people, digging through the wall at evening with his face covered, the exact fate of Zedekiah, who will be brought to Babylon yet never see it, since his eyes are put out on the way. 'I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare.' Then Ezekiel eats his bread with quaking and drinks his water with trembling. Two proverbs of delay are answered: 'The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth' is replaced with 'the days are at hand, and the fulfilment of every vision.' No word of Jehovah shall be deferred any more.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Prophecy · Ezekiel — Ezekiel overview

A. 1–16 Digging through the wall with a captive's baggage
B. 17–20 Eating bread with trembling, drinking water with dread
C. 21–28 No more delayed visions — the word will be done

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Ezekiel 126 verses
- Ezekiel 12:6And as they watch, lift your bags to your shoulder and take them out at dusk; cover your face so that you cannot see the land. For I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.”
- Ezekiel 12:12And at dusk the prince among them will lift his bags to his shoulder and go out. They will dig through the wall to bring him out. He will cover his face so he cannot see the land.
- Ezekiel 12:16But I will spare a few of them from sword and famine and plague, so that in the nations to which they go, they can recount all their abominations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”
- Ezekiel 12:22“Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by, and every vision fails’?
- Ezekiel 12:23Therefore tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will put an end to this proverb, and in Israel they will no longer recite it.’ But say to them: ‘The days are at hand when every vision will be fulfilled.
- Ezekiel 12:27“Son of man, take note that the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is for many years from now; he prophesies about the distant future.’
- Read Ezekiel 12 →
Ezekiel 64 verses
- Ezekiel 6:6Wherever you live, the cities will be laid waste and the high places will be demolished, so that your altars will be laid waste and desecrated, your idols smashed and obliterated, your incense altars cut down, and your works blotted out.
- Ezekiel 6:7The slain will fall among you, and you will know that I am the LORD.
- Ezekiel 6:8Yet I will leave a remnant, for some of you will escape the sword when you are scattered among the nations and throughout the lands.
- Ezekiel 6:14I will stretch out My hand against them, and wherever they live I will make the land a desolate waste, from the wilderness to Diblah. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’”
- Read Ezekiel 6 →
Ezekiel 243 verses
- Ezekiel 24:18So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. And the next morning I did as I had been commanded.
- Ezekiel 24:19Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things you are doing mean to us?”
- Ezekiel 24:24‘Thus Ezekiel will be a sign for you; you will do everything that he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Lord GOD.’
- Read Ezekiel 24 →
Ezekiel 173 verses
- Ezekiel 17:12“Now say to this rebellious house: ‘Do you not know what these things mean?’ Tell them, ‘Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, carried off its king and officials, and brought them back with him to Babylon.
- Ezekiel 17:20I will spread My net over him and catch him in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgment upon him there for the treason he committed against Me.
- Ezekiel 17:21All his choice troops will fall by the sword, and those who survive will be scattered to every wind. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken.’
- Read Ezekiel 17 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Jeremiah 392 verses
- Jeremiah 39:4When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled. They left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls, and they went out along the route to the Arabah.
- Jeremiah 39:7Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze chains to take him to Babylon.
- Read Jeremiah 39 →
Ezekiel 372 verses
- Ezekiel 37:7So I prophesied as I had been commanded. And as I prophesied, there was suddenly a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to bone.
- Ezekiel 37:10So I prophesied as He had commanded me, and the breath entered them, and they came to life and stood on their feet—a vast army.
- Read Ezekiel 37 →
Ezekiel 72 verses
- Ezekiel 7:5This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Disaster! An unprecedented disaster—behold, it is coming!
- Ezekiel 7:27The king will mourn, the prince will be clothed with despair, and the hands of the people of the land will tremble. I will deal with them according to their conduct, and I will judge them by their own standards. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’”
- Read Ezekiel 7 →
Jeremiah 522 verses
- Jeremiah 52:15Then Nebuzaradan captain of the guard carried into exile some of the poorest people and those who remained in the city, along with the deserters who had defected to the king of Babylon and the rest of the craftsmen.
- Jeremiah 52:28These are the people Nebuchadnezzar carried away: in the seventh year, 3,023 Jews;
- Read Jeremiah 52 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.