Under the type of Ezekiel's exile, 1-7, is shown the captivity of Zedekiah, 8-16. Ezekiel's trembling shows the Jews' desolation, 17-20. The Jews' presumptuous proverb is reproved, 21-25. The speediness of the vision, 26-28.
1 The word of the LORD also came to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see and do not see, who have ears to hear and do not hear, for they are a rebellious house. 3 Therefore, son of man, prepare stuff for exile, and move by day in their sight. And you shall move from your place to another place in their sight. It may be that they will consider, though they are a rebellious house. 4 Then you shall bring forth your stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for exile. And you shall go forth at evening in their sight, as those who go forth into captivity. 5 Dig through the wall in their sight and carry out thereby. 6 In their sight you shall bear it upon your shoulders and carry it forth in the twilight. You shall cover your face so that you may not see the ground, for I have set you for a sign to the house of Israel."
7 And so I did as I was commanded. I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for captivity, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my hand. I brought it forth in the twilight and bore it upon my shoulder in their sight.
8 And in the morning the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 9 "Son of man, has the house of Israel, the rebellious house, not said to you, 'What are you doing?' 10 Say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "This burden concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are among them."' 11 Say, 'I am your sign. As I have done, so it shall be done to them. They shall go into exile, into captivity.' 12 And the prince who is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight and shall go forth. They shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby. He shall cover his face so that he may not see the ground with his eyes. 13 My net I will also spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare. And I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans, yet he shall not see it, though he shall die there. 14 And I will scatter toward every wind all who are around him to help him and all his bands, and I will draw out the sword after them. 15 And they shall know that I am the LORD when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them in the countries. 16 But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence, so that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen where they come. And they shall know that I am the LORD."
17 Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 18 "Son of man, eat your bread with quaking and drink your water with trembling and with solicitude. 19 And say to the people of the land, 'Thus says the Lord GOD of the inhabitants of Jerusalem and of the land of Israel: "They shall eat their bread with solicitude and drink their water with astonishment, so that her land may be desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all those who dwell therein. 20 And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate. And you shall know that I am the LORD."'"
21 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 22 "Son of man, what is that proverb that you have in the land of Israel, saying, 'The days are prolonged, and every vision fails'? 23 Tell them therefore, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no longer use it as a proverb in Israel." But say to them, "The days are at hand, as well as the effect of every vision. 24 For there shall no longer be any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel. 25 For I am the LORD. I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass. It shall no longer be prolonged, for in your days, O rebellious house, I will say the word and perform it," says the Lord GOD.'"
26 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 27 "Son of man, behold, those of the house of Israel say, 'The vision that he sees is for many days to come, and he prophesies of the times that are distant.' 28 Therefore, say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "None of my words shall be further deferred, but the word which I have spoken shall be done,"'" says the Lord GOD.
Matthew Henry Commentary - Ezekiel, Chapter 12[➚]
John Gill's Chapter Summary:
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, 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 (Ezekiel 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 (Ezekiel 12:3-6); the execution of this order, which is declared in part for the whole (Ezekiel 12:7); then follows the explication of this sign (Ezekiel 12:8-11); and the application of it, first to King Zedekiah, in whom should be fulfilled several of the particulars mentioned (Ezekiel 12:12-13); and to the people around him and his army that should be scattered and fall by the sword (Ezekiel 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 (Ezekiel 12:15-16). The second sign, with the explication and application of it (Ezekiel 12:17-20); and the chapter is closed with a reproof of the Jews; the proverbial expression they used, and which the Lord resented (Ezekiel 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 (Ezekiel 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 (Ezekiel 12:25-28).
[v.2] - Reference, Matthew 13:14; Luke 8:10.