1 The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.
3 Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for removing, and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight: it may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious house.
4 Then shalt thou bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing: and thou shalt go forth at even in their sight, as they that go forth into captivity.
5 Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.
6 In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulders, and carry it forth in the twilight: thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.
7 And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for captivity, and in the even I digged through the wall with mine hand; I brought it forth in the twilight, and I bare it upon my shoulder in their sight.
8 And in the morning came the word of the LORD unto me, saying,
9 Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou?
10 Say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; This burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel that are among them.
11 Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove and go into captivity.
12 And the prince that 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, that he see not the ground with his eyes.
13 My net also will I 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 shall he not see it, though he shall die there.
14 And I will scatter toward every wind all that are about 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 shall 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; that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen whither 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 thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness;
19 And say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord GOD of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel; They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water with astonishment, that her land may be desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein.
20 And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
21 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
22 Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?
23 Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision.
24 For there shall be no more 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 be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD.
26 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying.
27 Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off.
28 Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord GOD.
Chapter 12 of the Book of Ezekiel in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible is an intriguing and symbolic narrative that introduces a series of prophetic actions performed by the prophet Ezekiel. This chapter is an embodiment of God's message to the rebellious house of Israel, particularly the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who are living in denial of the impending doom of their city and nation. The prophetic actions performed by Ezekiel are symbolic representations of the impending exile and the ensuing desolation that the Israelites will face. The chapter is divided into three main sections: Ezekiel's symbolic act of exile, the prophecy against those who delay the day of doom, and the assurance that the prophecy will come to pass.
The chapter begins with the Lord instructing Ezekiel to perform a symbolic act that would serve as a prophecy for the Israelites. Ezekiel is commanded to pack his belongings as if he were going into exile, dig through the wall of his house, and exit the city through this hole, carrying his packed belongings on his shoulder. This act is performed in the sight of the people, during the day. The significance of these actions is profound, as they represent the impending exile of King Zedekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who will try to escape the city in vain, only to be captured by the Babylonians.
Ezekiel's actions are not random or meaningless; instead, they are prophetic symbols designed to convey God's message to the people of Israel. When Ezekiel packs his belongings, he is symbolizing the Israelites' forthcoming exile. The act of digging through the wall and fleeing under the cover of darkness illustrates their futile attempt to escape the Babylonian siege. Moreover, the fact that Ezekiel performs these actions in broad daylight signifies that the Israelites' attempted escape will not remain a secret; it will be seen by all. This symbolic act of exile is a clear and ominous warning to the Israelites about their impending doom.
In the second part of the chapter, the Lord addresses those who are in denial about the impending doom and believe that the fulfillment of the prophecy is far off. These are the people who are delaying the day of doom, living in a state of complacency and denial. Through Ezekiel, God rebukes this belief and assures the people that the prophecy will come to pass in their own lifetime. The Lord says, "For I am the Lord: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord God." (Ezekiel 12:25).
This prophecy serves as a stern reminder to the Israelites that God's word is immutable and certain. It urges them to abandon their complacency and denial and to recognize the severity and imminence of their situation. It is a call to repentance and a warning of the severe consequences of their rebellion against God.
The final section of the chapter reiterates the certainty of the prophecy's fulfillment. God assures the people that there will be no more false visions or flattering divinations within the house of Israel. The word of the Lord will come to pass, and the people will know that He is the Lord. This assurance is both a warning and a promise: a warning of the impending judgment and a promise of God's faithfulness in fulfilling His word.
In conclusion, Chapter 12 of the Book of Ezekiel is a powerful narrative that uses symbolic actions and prophecies to convey the impending judgment and exile of the Israelites. It is a call to repentance and a reminder of God's faithfulness in fulfilling His word. The chapter serves as a sobering warning to all who read it, reminding us of the consequences of rebellion against God and the certainty of His word.
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