Ezekiel 12:5 — Word Study
WLCלְעֵינֵיהֶ֖ם חֲתָר־ לְךָ֣ בַקִּ֑יר וְהוֹצֵאתָ֖ בּֽוֹ׃
BSAAs they watchʻayin [before their eyes, in their sight] digchâthar [to force a passage, like a burglar breaking in] through the wallqîyr [of the city, of your house] and carry [your belongings]yâtsâʼ [take out, bring forth, baggage, things]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לְעֵינֵיהֶ֖ם | to eyes their | Preposition, noun common feminine dual construct, suffix |
| חֲתָר־ | dig | Verb, Qal, imperative second person masculine singular |
| לְךָ֣ | yourself | Preposition, suffix |
| בַקִּ֑יר | in the wall | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וְהוֹצֵאתָ֖ | and you will bring out | Verb, Hiphil, sequential perfect second person masculine singular |
| בּֽוֹ׃ | in it | Preposition, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | As they watch, dig through the wall and carry your belongings out through it. |
| KJV | Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby. |
| ASV | Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby. |
| YLT | Before their eyes dig for thee through the wall, and thou hast brought forth by it. |
| WEB | Dig through the wall in their sight, and carry your baggage out that way. |
| BBE | Make a hole in the wall, before their eyes, and go out through it. |
Where they part company is in the rendering of וְהוֹצֵאתָ֖ — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause is followed by a prepositional phrase indicating where to dig, and a verb phrase describing the action of carrying out belongings.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbחָתַר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Ezekiel 12:5
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Ezekiel's Symbolic Actionsgenerated
Ezekiel 12:5 describes a command given to the prophet Ezekiel to perform a symbolic act in front of the people. This act involves digging through a wall to carry his belongings out, which represents the impending exile of the people of Israel. This chapter contains several such dramatic actions meant to communicate God's message visually, emphasizing the seriousness of their situation and the need for readiness in the face of judgment.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 Kings 25:4 | Then the city was breached; and though the Chaldeans had surrounded the city, all the men of war fled by night by way of the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden. They headed toward the Arabah, |
| 2 | Jeremiah 39:2–4 | And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city was breached. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — חֲתָר, cha.torgenerated
The Hebrew verb חֲתָר (*cha.tor*) means 'to dig' and is used here in the imperative form, indicating a command. It conveys the idea of forcing a passage, much like a burglar would break in, highlighting the urgency and desperation of the situation.
This verb is rooted in physical action, emphasizing the act of digging as a means to escape or access something. The context of this command suggests a dramatic representation of the people's forthcoming exile, where digging through the wall symbolizes the breaking of barriers and the need to prepare for departure.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb governing the verse is חֲתָר, dig, which commands the action to be taken. This verb is followed by a prepositional phrase indicating the location, and then the second verb וְהוֹצֵאתָ֖, and you will carry out, which indicates the action of removing belongings.
The sentence structure emphasizes the commands given to Ezekiel, with the verbs clearly marking the actions he is to perform in front of the watching people. The order of the verbs and phrases reflects the urgency and sequential nature of the actions.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates חֲתָר as διόρυχον, which means 'to dig through.' This choice aligns with the physical action described in the Hebrew, maintaining the urgency of the command.
The Greek word used reflects a similar sense of breaking through, suggesting a direct interpretation of the Hebrew command, emphasizing the act of digging as a means to escape or access.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Ezekiel 12:5 shows God instructing Ezekiel to dig through a wall and carry his belongings out in front of the people. This act symbolizes the coming exile of Israel, illustrating the urgency and need for preparation as they face judgment. The commands given to Ezekiel serve as a dramatic representation of their situation.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Digging through the wall symbolizes the breaking of barriers and the urgency of preparing for exile.
Ezekiel's actions were meant to serve as a visual representation of God's message regarding the impending exile of Israel.
The belongings represent the possessions of the people that they would need to carry with them into exile, highlighting their loss and the seriousness of their situation.
This verse connects to the themes of judgment, exile, and the need for readiness, which are prevalent throughout the book of Ezekiel.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What barriers do I need to break through in my own life to prepare for challenges ahead?
- How can I be more aware of the signs and messages God is sending me in my life?
- In what ways can I help others prepare for difficult situations they may face?
- What belongings or burdens do I need to let go of to move forward in faith?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Ezekiel 12:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleDig thou through the wall in their sight,.... The wall of the house where he was, as an emblem of the city of Jerusalem closely besieged, from whence there was no escape but by digging through the
Read John Gill on Ezekiel 12 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryDig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby. Dig thou through the wall in their sight. As Zedekiah was to escape like one digging through a wall, furtively to effect an escape (Ezekiel 12:12).
Read Robert Jamieson on Ezekiel 12 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleCome not through the door, but, as one who knows there is a watch and guard upon the door, get to some back part of thy house, and dig there, , thyself, either to make the greater haste, or to keep all secret; for all will be little enough for them that must act what thou dost represent. Thereby; through the hole thou hast dug.
Read Matthew Poole on Ezekiel 12 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsEzekiel 12:5 Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.Ver. 5. Dig through the wall.] Make any shift. Necessitas magnum telum. He that digged Mortimer’ s hole, as they call it, at Nottingham Castle, earned his liberty dearly. God might have said to the prophet at once, Get thee gone out of thy country - how sad a thing that is Ovid when banished setteth forth in many elegant elegies, sed cuncta per partes digerit - but he must do it piecemeal and by degrees, that it may the more affect them.
Read John Trapp on Ezekiel 12 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(5) 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 something of stealth and secrecy. He was to carry forth his goods openly through his door during the day, and then to re-enter at evening, and secretly to carry forth those things which he would not otherwise be allowed to take away.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Ezekiel 12 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 5. Dig thou through the wall] This refers to the manner in which Zedekiah and his family would escape from the city. They escaped by night through a breach in the wall. See Jeremiah 39:2-4; and 2Kg 25:4.
Read AdamClarke on Ezekiel 12 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges5. Dig through the wall] Naturally the “wall” is not the wall of his house, but the city wall. He brought out his articles of flight by day, making them ready for the night-time when he was to escape through the wall. It is absurd to suppose, as is usually done, that he carried his things back into the house, and digged through the wall of his house in the evening. This would mar the action and be ridiculous. The “wall” is the city wall. The question whether Tel Abib was a walled place is of no importance, because the actions were probably not actually performed.
Read Cambridge on Ezekiel 12 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible5, 6. Dig thou through the wall… and carry it [LXX., go] forth in the twilight — Or, darkness (Genesis 15:17).
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Ezekiel 12 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
As they watch, dig through the wall and carry your belongings out through it.
Dig through the wall in their sight, and carry your baggage out that way.
As they watch, dig through the wall and carry your belongings out through it.
While they are watching, dig a hole in the wall and carry your belongings out through it.
Tyndale line
Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.
Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.
Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.
Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.
Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and cary out thereby.
Strictly literal
Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.
Before their eyes dig for thee through the wall, and thou hast brought forth by it.
You dig through the wall before their eyes, and you have brought forth by it.
Before their eyes break a hole through the wall, and carry [them] through it.
Dig a hole through the wall in their sight, and go out through it.
From the Latin
Dig thee a way through the wall before their eyes: and thou shalt go forth through it.
Simplified
While they go on watching, knock down part of the wall of your house and take your belongings out through the hole.
Make a hole in the wall, before their eyes, and go out through it.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text aligns with the Septuagint in the main actions commanded to Ezekiel, though the Septuagint's word order differs. Both texts convey the same essential actions of digging and carrying out belongings, underscoring the prophetic symbolism of the act.
לְעֵינֵיהֶ֖ם חֲתָר־ לְךָ֣ בַקִּ֑יר וְהוֹצֵאתָ֖ בּֽוֹ׃
4 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Ezekiel 12:5
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word עַ֫יִן (*'ayin*) means 'eye' and can refer to both the physical organ and its figurative uses, such as mental qualities and desires. It also denotes a 'spring' or 'fountain' of water. The entries highlight various phrases and contexts, including appearances and expressions of emotion, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.
עַ֫יִן 859 n.f. eye
lit. as physical organ
eyes as showing mental qualities
desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes
Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states
Transferred mngs.:
visible surface of earth
appearance
gleam, sparkle
Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead
base
עַ֫יִן n.f. spring (of water). Particular springs are:
ע׳ חֲרֹר Ju 7:1
ע׳ הַקּוֹרֵא (partridge-spring) Ju 15:19
ע׳ רֹגֵל near Jerus.
ע׳ הַתַּנִּין (dragon-spring)
base
H5869a עַ֫יִן eye . lit. as physical organ
. . eyes as showing mental qualities
. desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes
. Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states
. Transferred mngs.: . visible surface of earth
. appearance
. gleam, sparkle
. Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead
H5869b עַ֫יִן spring (of water)
5869 `ayin ah'-yin
probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or
figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the
landscape):--affliction, outward appearance, + before, +
think best, colour, conceit, + be content, countenance, +
displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, + favour,
fountain, furrow (from the margin), X him, + humble,
knowledge, look, (+ well), X me, open(-ly), + (not) please,
presence, + regard, resemblance, sight, X thee, X them, +
think, X us, well, X you(-rselves).
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye.
: eye
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain (Gate).
§ spring, fountain
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain of.
§ spring, fountain
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: seeing.
: seeing
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: appearance.
: appearance
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: before(the eyes).
: before(the_eyes)
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: sin.
: sin
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
Prep | N-cd | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine dual construct · suffixHR/Ncfdc/Sp3mp
חָתַר (chathar) is a primitive root meaning to dig or row. It covers actions like digging into houses, often in the context of burglary, and rowing in water. The entries consistently emphasize these physical actions without significant disagreement.
חָתַר vb. dig, row
base
H2864 חָתַר
2864 chathar khaw-thar'
a primitive root; to force a passage, as by burglary;
figuratively, with oars:--dig (through), row.
חָתַר (cha.tar) — to dig.
1) to dig, row
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to dig (into houses-of burglary)
1a2) to row (in water)
V-Qal-Impv-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine singularHVqv2ms
(qur, "to dig", chathar; diorusso, "to dig through"): "I have digged (dug) and drunk strange waters" (2Ki 19:24). In his campaigns on foreign soil, where the enemy had stopped up the watersprings, Sennacherib would at once dig fresh wells for his armies. "They dig through houses" (Job 24:16; Mt 6:19,20 margin). Walls of eastern houses are often made of mud or clay, and frequently have no windows; and as the threshold of a Syrian house is sacred, the thief breaks in through the wall (see Trumbull, The Threshold Covenant).
M. O. Evans
ךָּ (ka) — you.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person masculine singular
HR/Sp2ms — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp2ms
קִיר (qir) means 'wall' and can refer to the walls of a house, chamber, or altar sides. It is derived from a root that is not clearly defined. The word appears in contexts such as Isaiah 22:5, where it is used to describe a wall.
קִיר 74 n.m. wall (√ unknown)
base
H7023 קִיר wall (√ unknown)
7023 qiyr keer
or qir (Isa. 22:5) {keer}; or (feminine) qiyrah {kee-raw'};
from 6979; a wall (as built in a trench):--+ mason, side,
town, X very, wall.
see HEBREW for 06979
קִיר (qir) — wall.
1) wall, side
1a) wall (of house or chamber)
1b) the sides (of the altar)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
wol.
See ARCHITECTURE; CITY; FORTIFICATION; HOUSE; JERUSALEM; VILLAGE.
Wall
Cities were surrounded by walls, as distinguished from “unwalled villages” (Ezek. 38:11; Lev. 25:29-34). They were made thick and strong (Num. 13:28; Deut. 3:5). Among the Jews walls were built of stone, some of those in the temple being of great size (1 Kings 6:7; 7:9-12; 20:30; Mark 13:1, 2). The term is used metaphorically of security and safety (Isa. 26:1; 60:18; Rev. 21:12-20). (See FENCE.)
יָצָא (yatsa') is a Hebrew verb meaning to go or come out, with various applications including departure, escape, and emergence. It can refer to both animate and inanimate subjects and emphasizes the idea of origin or source. The verb appears in different forms, such as Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, indicating actions like leading out or being brought forth.
יָצָא 1068 vb. go or come out
Qal
go or come out or forth
from (מִן) a place
go forth from (the presence of) a person
in technical senses
of flight, involving escape
depart
of inanimate things
with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source
of children as going forth from loins (of father)
go forth to a place
go forward, proceed to or toward something
come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result
of combinations
Hiph.
cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out
fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.
bring out animals
inanimate obj.
fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)
Hoph. be brought forth
base
H3318 יָצָא go or come out .. go or come out or forth . from (מִן) a place
. go forth from (the presence of) a person
. in technical senses
. of flight, involving escape
. depart
. of inanimate things
. with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source
. of children as going forth from loins (of father)
. . go forth to a place
. go forward, proceed to or toward something
. come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result
. of combinations
. . cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out
. fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.
. bring out animals
. inanimate obj.
. fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)
. be brought forth
3318 yatsa' yaw-tsaw'
a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great
variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct
and proxim.:--X after, appear, X assuredly, bear out, X
begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come
(abroad, out, thereat, without), + be condemned,
depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact,
fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence,
out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out),
going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out,
lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, X
scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring
out, stand out, X still, X surely, take forth (out), at any
time, X to (and fro), utter.
יָצָא (ya.tsa) — to come out: come.
: come/go_out/escape
1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart
1a2) to go forth (to a place)
1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something)
1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result)
1a5) to come out of
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out
1b2) to bring out of
1b3) to lead out
1b4) to deliver
1c) (Hophal) to be brought out or forth
יָצָא (ya.tsa) — to come out: send.
: send/take_out/release
1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart
1a2) to go forth (to a place)
1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something)
1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result)
1a5) to come out of
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out
1b2) to bring out of
1b3) to lead out
1b4) to deliver
Conj | V-Hiphil-2ms — Verb · Hiphil · sequential perfect second person masculine singularHc/Vhq2ms
וֹ (o) — him.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine singular
HR/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp3ms