Ezekiel 12:3

Prepare thee stuff for removing— See the note on chap. Ezekiel 4:1. This command is merely an information by action, instead of words, foretelling the approaching captivity of Zedekiah. Dr. Waterland observes, that he sees no reason for thinking that the prophet might not really perform all here related, and more, without difficulty, or forfeiting either his discretion or gravity. The manner and circumstances of the whole narrative, as it stands in the prophet, being very different from what we meet with in several others, pleads strongly for the strict and literal interpretation. It is no less than seven times repeated, that the prophet was to do, or did this in the sight of the people; and he did it in the evening, in the twilight, and in the morning, after God came to ask him whether the house of Israel had taken notice of such his uncommon behaviour, and had inquired what it meant. These and other circumstances appear to be very cogent proofs of real facts, and that it is more than a narrative of a vision, or recital of a parable. And, therefore, I cannot but think that it is going much too far from strict rule, to reject the literal sense here, though I know that a very pious and learned writer has done it, and that he had some appearance of reason, besides the authority of some Jewish interpreters to countenance him in it. See his Script. Vind. part 3: p. 97 and Smith's Select Discourses, p. 228.

Stuff— Instruments, furniture, goods; whatever is fitting for a particular purpose; as here, for a long journey.