What does Ezechiel Chapter 12 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Moving and being carried form a sign. Capture explains the prince’s fate. Distress and rejected delay proverbs accompany desolation.

Chapter breakdown

Ezechiel 12 addresses a provoking house that sees and hears without understanding. The prophet must prepare necessities and bring removing furniture out by day in view of the people, then go out in the evening. He must dig through a wall, cover his face without seeing the ground and be carried in darkness on men's shoulders as a sign. He reports bringing goods by day, digging with his hand at evening and being carried on men's shoulders. This is not carrying a bundle on his own shoulders, and crawling, an earthen house wall and exclusively barehanded excavation are not specified.

The next morning's word addresses the people's question and explains the burden concerning Jerusalem's prince and Israel. Removal into captivity, a prince carried on shoulders through a dug wall in darkness with covered face, and capture in the Lord's net are foretold. He is brought to Babylon, does not see it and dies there. The edition explains eyes put out by Nabuchodonosor; the heading identifies Sedecias. Guards and troops scatter with a pursuing sword. A few survive sword, famine and pestilence to declare their wicked deeds among nations. Chains and a Reblatha location are not in this particular span.

Troubled bread-eating and water drunk in hurry and sorrow signify Jerusalem's care, desolation and land emptied for iniquity. Inhabited cities become waste. A proverb that days prolong and visions fail is rejected: days and effects are near, with no vain visions or doubtful divination. The Lord's word is accomplished in their days without further prolongation. Another claim places the vision far off; it too receives a promise of accomplishment without delay. That is not a promise that every prophecy is fulfilled instantly.

The story inside

Opening: Moving and being carried form a sign. Development: Capture explains the prince’s fate. Conclusion: Distress and rejected delay proverbs accompany desolation.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Moving and being carried form a sign.
2
Capture explains the prince’s fate.
3
Distress and rejected delay proverbs accompany desolation.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 92256–92267
12:5. Dig thee a way through the wall before their eyes: and thou shalt go forth through it. 12:6. In their sight thou shalt be carried out upon men’s shoulders, thou shalt be carried out in the dark: thou shalt cover thy face, and shalt not see the ground: for I have set thee for a sign of things to come to the house of Israel. 12:7. I did therefore as he had commanded me: I brought forth my goods by day, as the goods of one that removeth: and in the evening I digged through the wall with my hand, and I went forth in the dark, and was carried on men’s shoulders in their sight.
Lines 92282–92292
12:12. And the prince that is in the midst of them, shall be carried on shoulders, he shall go forth in the dark: they shall dig through the wall to bring him out: his face shall be covered, that he may not see the ground with his eyes. 12:13. And I will spread my net over him, and he shall be taken in my net: and I will bring him into Babylon, into the land of the Chaldeans, and he shall not see it, and there he shall die. He shall not see it.... Because his eyes shall be put out by Nabuchodonosor.
Lines 92325–92336
12:23. Say to them therefore: Thus saith the Lord God: I will make this proverb to cease, neither shall it be any more a common saying in Israel: and tell them that the days are at hand, and the effect of every vision. 12:24. For there shall be no more any vain visions, nor doubtful divination in the midst of the children of Israel. 12:25. For I the Lord will speak: and what word soever I shall speak, it shall come to pass, and shall not be prolonged any more: but in your days, ye provoking house, I will speak the word, and will do it, saith the Lord God.