Ezequiel 12
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Ezequiel 12:1-6
12:1 This is a textual marker of inspiration. SPECIAL TOPIC: INSPIRATION SPECIAL TOPIC: WAYS OF REVELATION 12:2 "you live in the midst of the rebellious house" Shockingly, this described the covenant people living and worshiping in Jerusalem (cf. Ezek. 2:5,7,8; 3:7; 20:8; Isa. 6:5,9-13; 29:13). ▣ "who have eyes to see but do not see, who have ears to hear but do not hear" Spiritual blindness and deafness has always been a problem for the children of Jacob (cf. Deut. 29:1-4; 32:5; Isa. 1:2-3; 6:9,10; Jer. 5:21; 6:10; Zech. 7:11; Matt. 13:13, 14; Mark 8:18; John 9:39-41; 12:39-40; Acts 28:26, 27) and all fallen humanity in general! The results of Eden are pervasive! SPECIAL TOPIC: THE FALL OF MANKIND 12:3-6 This describes in dramatic symbolism the fall of Jerusalem brought about by Nebuchadneaazr's army in 586 B.C. 12:3 "son of man" See note at Ezek. 2:1. SPECIAL TOPIC: SON OF MAN ▣ "prepare for yourself baggage for exile" Ezekiel is to pack bags as if he were being exiled (he had done this very thing in 597 B.C.). The VERB (BDB 793, KB 889) is the first of two Qal IMPERTAIVES. ▣ "go into exile" This VERB's (BDB 162, KB 191) basic meaning is "to uncover" or "to remove," but here it is used for going into exile (cf. Jdg. 18:30; 2 Kgs. 17:23; 25:21; Isa. 5:13; Jer. 1:3; 52:27; Lam. 1:3; Ezek. 12:3; 39:23; Amos 1:5; 5:5; 6:7; 7:11,17; Micah 1:16). It is the second Qal IMPERATIVE. ▣ "by day in their sight" "In their sight" (BDB 744) is repeated twice for emphasis. It is a wordplay on their blindness mentioned in Ezek. 12:2. This wordplay continues in the phrase "perhaps they will understand," which is literally the verb "to see" (BDB 906, KB 1157, Qal IMPERFECT). Some modern theologians have taken literary phrases like this and Jer. 26:3; 36:3,7 and have asserted that YHWH does not know how free moral human agents will act. It is called "Open Theism." In my opinion all truth comes in tension-filled pairs. There are theological ditches on both sides. In this case the two extremes are God's sovereignty chose some to heaven and others to hell (no human choice at all) Human choice is ultimate and free and unknown by God (human choice is the deciding factor) Our text is a literary statement, not a theological doctrine! YHWH desires that none should perish (cf. Ezek. 18:30-32), but He requires a repentant, faithful human response. SPECIAL TOPIC: THE BIBLE IN EASTERN LITERATURE (biblical paradoxes) SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN 12:5 "Dig a hole through the wall" This refers to the wall of his house, which was made of dried bricks (little wood was available in southern Mesopotamia). Obviously Ezekiel's activity caught the people's attention. The noise of breaking through the walls right after dark (cf. Ezek. 12:4,6) caused quite a disturbance. The VERB "dig" (BDB 369, KB 365) is the third Qal IMPERATIVE in this context. Ezekiel's dramatic actions were not his own design, but YHWH's (cf. Ezek. 12:6,7). This action mimicked the siege techniques of the Neo-Babylonian army in Jerusalem. 12:6 "in the dark" This rare term (BDB 759, KB 832) occurs only here and Gen. 15:17. Both occur in visions. Genesis 15, of YHWH removing Canaanites from Canaan because of their sin and giving the land to Israel Ezekiel 12, of YHWH about to remove the remaining Judeans from Jerusalem ▣ "You shall cover your face so that you shall not see the land, for I have set you as a sign before the house of Israel" This probably relates to King Zedekiah (called "the prince" in vv. 10,12) who attempted escape from Jerusalem during the neo-Babylonian siege (cf. 2 Kgs. 25:1-7; Jer. 39:4), as do Ezek. 12:10 and 12. He was caught and blinded by Nebuchadnezzar II at Riblah (cf. Ezek. 12:13). For the covenant people there were two things which they depended on YHWH's covenant promises about Jerusalem (Deuteronomy and Isaiah) YHWH's promises about a Davidic king (2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17) For both of these to be taken and destroyed was a theological blow that was unimaginable for them. They had forgotten the conditional nature of all the covenant promises! SPECIAL TOPIC: KINGS OF THE DIVIDED MONARCHY SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT SPECIAL TOPIC: KEEP
Ezequiel 12:8-16
12:8 YHWH communicated to Ezekiel regularly as he performed the previous revelation. 12:9 "the rebellious house" This phrase refers to the exiles (cf. Ezek. 2:5-8). The term "rebellion" (BDB 598) is used often by Ezekiel (cf. Ezek. 2:5,6,7,8; 3:9,26; 12:2 [twice], 3,9,25; 17:12; 23:3; 44:6). 12:10 "Say to them" This (BDB 55; KB 65) Qal INFINITIVE is repeated twice (Ezek. 12:10 and Ezek. 12:11) to emphasize that Ezekiel is modeling the future judgment of YHWH on idolatrous Jerusalem. 12:11 "a sign" This term (BDB 69) basically means "wonder," "sign," or "portent." Here it is used to show YHWH's control of future events (i.e. Ezek. 12:6,11; 24:24,27; 1 Kgs. 13:3,5; 2 Chr. 32:24;31). In the Ancient Near East a military defeat demonstrated the power of one national god over another. Israel was defeated because of her covenant disobedience, not YHWH's impotence! Passages such as this demonstrate His omnipotence and control! SPECIAL TOPIC: SIGN (OT) SPECIAL TOPIC: BIBLE (its uniqueness and inspiration) ▣ "As I have done, so it will be done to them" Notice these are words from YHWH for Ezekiel to speak to the exiles. They show the power of YHWH's word (cf. Isa. 44:24-28; 45:23; 55:11; Matt. 24:35) that Ezekiel is a true prophet (i.e. his prophecies came true) Both of these theological items are crucial, especially when Ezekiel begins to prophesy about the restoration! ▣ "they will go into exile, into captivity" The "they" refers to the few in Judah and Jerusalem who will escape the destruction and horror of the invasion (cf. Ezek. 12:16). The terms "exile" (BDB 163) and "captivity" (BDB 985) are parallel. Judgment is coming! YHWH will do it! His own people will be taken out of the land (cf. Jer. 13:19; 15:2; 20:4,6) which He promised to their fathers! YHWH is no respecter of persons. He removed the evil Canaanites (cf. Gen. 15:12-22), now He will remove evil Judah. SPECIAL TOPIC: CONSEQUENCES OF IDOLATRY 12:12 "They will dig a hole" This refers to the attendants (cf. v. 4) of Zedekiah, who apparently dug a secret hole in the wall of Jerusalem for the king to secretly escape. Surprisingly, the LXX and Peshitta, followed by the RSV and NRSV, have "he." The UBS Text Project, p. 33, gives "they" a "B" rating. It is simply a literary way of referring to Zedekiah and his entourage (cf. v. 14). 12:13 "I shall also spread My net over him" This refers to the capture of King Zedekiah. It was YHWH who planned and executed (by means of the Neo-Babylonian army) his capture (i.e. 5:10,12; 6:8; 12:14,15; 20:23; 22:15; 36:19). The imagery used is for a "net" (BDB 440, cf. Ezek. 17:20; 19:8), which denotes either a fishing net casting, Ezek. 12:13; 32:3 dragging, Ezek. 26:5,14; 47:10 a snare (for birds) ▣ "the Chaldeans" See SPECIAL TOPIC: CHALDEANS ▣ "yet he will not see it" See 2 Kgs. 25:1-7; Jer. 39:1-10, especially Ezek. 12:7. Zedekiah will be blinded by Nebuchadnezzar, just after his failed attempt to escape. ▣ "he will die there" The blinded and exiled Davidic King Zedekiah will die in captivity (cf. Jer. 52:11). The king that would not "see" now can not "see" (cf. Isa. 6:9-13). The result of his faithless reign was destruction and exile (cf. Jeremiah 39). 12:14 NASB, NRSV, JPSOA, LXX "his helpers" NKJV, Peshitta "to help him" "all the members of his court and his advisers and bodyguards" "his army" "body guard" The UBS Text Project, p. 34, mentions: the MT has "his guard" (עזרה, BDB 740 I, MASCULINE NOUN) the Massoretic scholars suggested (Qere) "his help" (עזרו, BDB 740 I, FEMININE NOUN) SPECIAL TOPIC: MASORETIC TEXT ▣ "I shall scatter to every wind" This VERB (BDB 279, KB 280, Piel IMPERFECT) is used in Ezek. 5:2, which describes Ezekiel's prophetic acts of judgment (see note at Ezek. 12:13). "Every wind" is an idiom for every direction (i.e. complete exile). 12:15 This verse, which describes the exile of Judah into all the surrounding nations, can be viewed theologically in two ways. This is the consequence of covenant rebellion predicted in Deuteronomy (i.e. Deut. 4:27; 28:64; 29:28). This had a secondary effect of forcing Israel to fulfill her missionary mandate (similar to the dispersion of the Tower of Babel). Ezekiel makes this missionary mandate definite in Ezek. 36:20-21, 22-38! ▣ "they will know" This VERB (BDB 393, KB 390, Qal PERFECT) is used in a special sense in Ezekiel. It describes YHWH's desire that His people, all people, know (in the sense of intimate personal relationship, i.e. Gen. 4:1; Jer. 1:5) Him. The characteristic phrase "they will know that I am the Lord" first occurs in the covenant context of the exodus (cf. Exod. 6:7; 7:5,17; 16:12; 29:46). The phrase refers to future actions of YHWH, positive and negative. All His acts are revelations of His character and purposes! SPECIAL TOPIC: KNOW 12:16 "But I will spare a few of them" The VERB (BDB 451, KB 451, Hiphil PERFECT) is used in several senses by Ezekiel. spare, Ezek. 6:8; 12:16 the rest, Ezek. 34:18 some survivors, Ezek. 14:22 what remains, Ezek. 39:14,28; 48:15,18,21 SPECIAL TOPIC: THE REMNANT, three senses. ▣ "the sword, the famine, the pestilence" These are the three major enemies of a city under siege (cf. Ezek. 5:12; 6:11-12; 7:15; 14:21). These are mentioned repeatedly in Deuteronomy (esp. Deuteronomy 27-29). ▣ "and may know that I am the Lord" The goal of a "chosen people" was to be a means of revelation to the nations. Israel was called to be a kingdom of priests (cf. Exod. 19:5-6), but she failed. SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN
Ezequiel 12:17-20
12:18 Ezekiel is told to emulate the fear of the people of Judah facing invasion (cf. Ezek. 12:19; Deut. 28:65). eat bread with trembling (BDB 950) drink water with quivering (BDB 919) with anxiety (BDB 178) It is possible that this is a reversal of the Exodus meal (cf. Exodus 11-12)! YHWH gave them the land (cf. Gen. 15:12-21), but now He takes it away! 12:19 "the people of the land" In the earlier parts of the OT this phrase means the landed nobility, but after the exile and in Jesus' day it speaks of the poorest people of the land. Here it refers to Ezekiel's fellow exiles. SPECIAL TOPIC: PEOPLE OF THE LAND 12:20 Two terms describe YHWH's judgment of Judah. the VERB "will be laid waste," BDB 351, KB 349, Qal IMPERFECT, cf. Ezek. 6:6; 25:19; 30:7 the NOUN "desolation," BDB 1031, cf. Ezek. 6:14; 14:15,16; 15:8; 23:33; also used often in the prophecies against the nations, chapters 25-32
Ezequiel 12:21-25
12:21-25 There are two stated reasons why the exiles were holding out hope that Jerusalem would not fall and that they might return. Ezekiel's prophecies were far into the future and would not affect them, Ezek. 12:22-23,26-28. There were other prophets who were predicting the opposite of Jeremiah and Ezekiel. 12:22 "the days are long and every vision fails" This was a proverb spoken by the rebellious house of Israel (cf. Ezek. 12:27) that God was not going to fulfill His prophecy through Ezekiel. Ezekiel started preaching in the fifth year of the exile and the city of Jerusalem did not fall until the thirteenth year of the exile. Delay does not mean YHWH's word will not be accomplished (cf. Ezek. 12:23,25,28). Ezekiel often quotes (or alludes to) popular proverbs (cf. Ezek. 16:44; 18:2,3) or parables (cf. Ezek. 17:2; 24:3). 12:24 "false" See SPECIAL TOPIC: EMPTY, VAIN, FALSE, NOTHINGNESS ▣ "divination" This (BDB 890) was strictly forbidden for the people of God. It is an attempt by humans to know and control future events! The fact that a prophet would use this forbidden method to know God's will shows the degradation of the leadership (cf. Lev. 19:26; Deut. 18:10-12; Ezek. 13:6,7,9,23; 21:21,22,23,29; 22:28; Jer. 14:14). For an interesting discussion of occult practices in the OT see Synonyms of the Old Testament by Robert G. Girdlestone, pp. 296-302, and Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, pp. 608-610. SPECIAL TOPIC: DIVINATION SPECIAL TOPIC: MAGIC 12:25 "'I shall speak the word and perform it,' declares the Lord God" Also note Ezek. 6:10; 12:28; 17:24; 22:14; Isa. 14:24; 55:6-13. YHWH's word is sure (i.e. Isa. 55:9-11), but often His patience and longsuffering are misunderstood.
Ezequiel 12:26-28
12:26-28 See note at Ezek. 12:21-25.