XII. The vision being finished, there follows a series of connected prophecies, extending through Ezekiel 19, just as the vision of Ezekiel 4:5 was followed by the prophecies of Ezekiel 6:7; and in this case, as in the former, the prophecy includes symbolical action (Ezekiel 12:3). In Ezekiel 12:9 t... [ Continue Reading ]
A REBELLIOUS HOUSE. — Comp. Deuteronomy 1:26; Romans 10:21. The _seeing not_ and _hearing not_ is that perverse refusing to see and to hear so often spoken of in Scripture. (See Deuteronomy 29:4; Isaiah 6:9; Jeremiah 5:21; Matthew 13:14.) It was because of this disposition that the prophet was to gi... [ Continue Reading ]
PREPARE THEE STUFF FOR REMOVING. — The same words are translated in Jeremiah 46:19, “Furnish thyself to go into captivity.” Stuff includes all that an emigrant would require, clothes, utensils, &c.; and “removing” is the same word as is translated _captivity_ in Ezekiel 12:4. The symbolical action w... [ Continue Reading ]
DIG THOU THROUGH THE WALL. — This is a sub sequent action, as shown by Ezekiel 12:7. The wall was probably of adobe, sun-dried brick, the common building material of the country, and there was, therefore, no great difficulty in digging through it; but this way of entering the house indicates somethi... [ Continue Reading ]
BEAR IT... CARRY IT. — The pronouns are not in the original, and are better omitted. Otherwise, the “it” might seem to refer to the stuff already carried out during the day. Read, “Thou shalt bear upon thy shoulders, and carry forth in the dark.” The word rendered “twilight” is used only here and in... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE MORNING. — This implies that the foregoing symbolical action was actually performed, since the Divine message comes in answer to the inquiry of the people (Ezekiel 12:9), “What doest thou?”... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL. — The _burden_ (or message of woe) was directed immediately to the king and his princes, but the people were also necessarily involved. Israel is here, as elsewhere, used. for the then existing nation, which was considered as representing the whole, although composed chiefly... [ Continue Reading ]
YOUR SIGN. — The change of pronoun is intentional. The prophet’s action was to be a sign not only to Zedekiah and the people in Jerusalem, but also to those in captivity, since they rested their hope upon the safety of the holy city.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL DIG THROUGH THE WALL. — This circumstance is not mentioned in the history of Zedekiah’s flight; yet it is not necessary to understand it figuratively, since such a breach in the walls at a place unwatched by the enemy might easily be arranged to secure secrecy, and as easily be passed ove... [ Continue Reading ]
YET SHALL HE NOT SEE IT, THOUGH HE SHALL DIE THERE. — The prophet does not explain how this could be; but Jeremiah (Jeremiah 52:11) makes it plain by recording that Zedekiah’s eyes were put out in Riblah, before he was carried to Babylon. Josephus has a curious story (_Antiq._ x. 7, § 2), that Zedek... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL SCATTER TOWARD EVERY WIND. — The people of Judah were not carried captive to Babylon only, but many of them were scattered wherever they could find refuge; and, finally, the remnant left in the land by Nebuchadnezzar, after the murder of his governor Gedaliah, escaped into Egypt (Jeremiah 41-... [ Continue Reading ]
MAY DECLARE ALL THEIR ABOMINATIONS. — This they were to do, that the false impression that God was unable to protect His people might be removed from the minds of the heathen, and the truth that He was punishing them for their sins be made known. They should do it both by word of mouth (as in Jeremi... [ Continue Reading ]
EAT THY BREAD WITH QUAKING. — This is another symbolical action, the meaning of which is immediately explained. The prophet is to eat and drink as men in the terror and distress of a siege.... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND, — _i.e._, of the land of Chaldæa: Ezekiel’s fellow-captives. All these prophecies, though concerning Jerusalem and its people, were immediately addressed to the exiles, and their teaching was primarily for them. It is not unlikely, however, as St. Jerome says, that all t... [ Continue Reading ]
(21-28) These verses contain two distinct messages from the Lord (Ezekiel 12:21), both designed to meet the objection that warning prophecies had been uttered now for a long time, and as they had not come to pass there was no reason to expect their fulfilment, at least until some far distant future.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL, is not here simply equivalent to the “in Israel” of Ezekiel 12:23, but refers to a proverb current among those who had not yet been carried into captivity, and who fancied that they should not be.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE EFFECT OF EVERY VISION. — The sense would be made clearer by rendering “the accomplishment” of every vision.... [ Continue Reading ]