Ezekiel 12

The prophet is commanded by God to represent his own person the flight and captive carrying away of King Zedekia and the people excepting a few vers 1 also to eat his bread and to drink his water with carefulness and anguish for a token unto the Jews 17 God rejecteth the taunting proverb of the Jews and foretelleth on the contrary a sudden and certain accomplishment of his prophesies ,21.

1. Moreover ,the of word of the Lord came unto me ,saying :

2. Child of man thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious [that is in Chaldea amongst the Jews that with the King Jojachin were carried away out of their own country into Babylon among whom though God had his own people above chap 11.16,17,c yet it appeareth from this place that many of them were unbelieving and obstinate persons of the term rebellious house see above chap 2 on vers 5 also in the sequel compare above likewise chap 2.3 and 5.6,7 and3.26 ,27] which have eyes tosee and see not [to wit inwardly by the spirit to perceive what punishments themselves had endured and yet had to expect more to the end that they might be converted unto God compare Isa6.9 and 42.18 Jerem 5.21]have ears to hear and to hear not [that is believe not nor obey according to all the warnings or threatening which God hath given them by the prophets compare Jerem 5.21.] for they are a rebellious house .

3. Therefore thou child of man make thee furniture of removing [to wit a wallet or bundle staff traveling –coat shoes and other necessary for a journey compare Matth 10.9,10 .Others understand household -stuff as bedding bolster stools tables chests cabinets &c] and remove by day before their eyes [that is so as that they may behold it with their eyes for the Lord would by that which the prophet was to do publicly give these that were carried away a captive by a certain token of that which of a certain should shortly basal those of Juda and Jerusalem because they believed it not that it should be ill with them yea they hoped suddenly themselves to return thither Jerem 28.3 they rebuking the prophet Jeremia by whose advice they had suffered themselves to be carried away into Chaldea] and thou shalt remove from thy place [to wit where thou dwellest]to another place [to wit where in the city thou hast not dwelt and that to fashion thy self every way after the manner of those that remove indeed and are wont to change often and frequently their habitation which was to be token unto the people that king Zedikia with his people should be constrained suddenly to remove out Juda and Jerusalem and to carried away captive to Babel]before their eyes it may be before they considerate [to wit how I will punish them from their rebellion it may be he useth his particle to leave the prophet doubtful of the successful event of this token that he might learn to be contented with only obeying and following his command .It sheweth also that he would raise up some good hope in the prophet to stir him up to diligence]though they be a rebellious house [that is though they be willful & disobedient so that there is not much amendment to be expected in them yet I will shew them this visible token for the greater conviction .Others because they are rebellious house in regard such judgments shall light upon their people and they themselves were not yet battered by their own judgment which had befallen them.]

4. Thou shalt then bring forth thy furniture [to wit whereof is spoken in the former vers]by day before their eyes as the furniture of those that remove [Heb as the furniture of removing that is which men take along with them when they remove depart or take a journey]afterwards thou shalt go forth in the evening before their eyes [it seemeth that the prophet is enjoyned first to bring his furniture into a place before his house being within the wall and to go away with it in the dark as followeth to signifie that the Jews should seek to escape away privily and that King Zedekia should get away out of Jerusalem and flee by night as it also came to pass 2Kings 25.4 Jerem 39.4 and 52.7 the evening is here taken for the night see Job 7 on vers 4]as they go forth that remove [Heb according to the goings forth of removing that is after the manner of going forth of them that take a journey .

5. Dig thee through the walls before their eyes and bring out thereby thy furniture [to wit to signifie that King Zedekia should cause the city walls to be broken that he with his soldiers might thrown the breach escape out of danger see the accomplishment thereof 2 kings 25.7 Jerem 52.7 these words thy furniture are here inserted from the foregoing fourth vers and the following seventh vers.]

6. Before their eyes [see above on vers 3] shalt thou carry it upon thy soldiers thou shalt bring it forth in the dark thou shalt cover thy face that thou see not the land [this signifieth that King Zedikiah should flee away from swifly and so dismayed to escape the hands of the Chaldean that he should fearcely see the land through which he fled again that Zedikiah should be deprived of his sight by the loss of his eyes so that he should not see the land of Babylon . See the accomplishment 2Kings 25 .7 Jerem 39.7and 52.11 the covering of the face hath also been a token of shame and grief which a man already hath and of trouble which is to be expected compare 2 Sam 15 on vers 30 Esther 7:8 Jerem 14.3]for I have given thee for a wonder token unto the house of Israel [to wit to signifie that which was to come namely the ruine of King Zedekia and of the city of Jerusalem so below vers 11 and chap 24.24 compare Psal 71.7 with the annotate .

7. And I did so according as I was commanded I brought forth my furniture by day as he furniture of them that remove [Heb f removing] afterwards in the evening I digged me through the wall mine hand [not with any iron tools and open violence but as it is were with a thief-like slight and privacy to signifie that king Zedekia with his company should seek privily to escape and flee from the hands of Chaldeans see 2 Kings 25:4]I brought it forth in the dark [to wit the traveling furniture and I carried it upon my should before their eyes .

8. And in the morning came the word of the Lord unto me saying :

9. Child of man hath not the house of Israel a rebellious house said unto thee what doest thou ?[that is what’s the matter that thou dost thus suddenly remove in a strange kind of a way ?]

10. Say unto them thus saith the Lord this burden [that is this prophecy that is propound unto you by the token of my removing see 2 Kings 9 on vrs 25]is against the prince of Jerusalem [that is king Zedikia and all the house of Israel the meaning is that the burden which he carried upon his shoulders was a token of the burden of great miseries that should come shortly unto the king his Lords and all the people or thus this burden is against Jerusalem]that is in the midst thereof [to wit the Jews that dwelt in Jerusalem or the city of Jerusalem wherein the Jews and Israelites were gathered.]

11. Say I am your wonder-token see above on vers 6 like as I have done [to wit in bearing this furniture thus for to remove]so shall it be unto them [namely to the king of Juda and his people] they shall be carrying away or removing go into captivity [to wit to Babel see the accomplishment hereof 2 Kings 25.]

12. And the prince [namely king Zedekia of whom is spoken in the foregoing vers] that is in the midst of them [that is of those of Jerusalem and all Juda] shall carry the furniture [to wit such furniture as in needful for traveling as above vers 4]upon his shoulder in the dark compare above vers 4,6,7]and he shall go forth and they shall dig through the wall [compare above vers 5]to bring him out thereby he shall cover his face that he see not the ground with his eye compare above vers 6. ]

13. I will also spread out my not upon him [to wit by the Chaldean soldier that shall pursue after him in his flight and take him as followeth see of the accomplishment 2 Kings 25:5 ,6 and of the phrase Job 19 on vers 6 that he be taken in my snare and I will bring him into Babylon the land of the Chaldeans also be shall not see it [to wit because by sentence past upon him his eyes shall be blinded before he cometh thither 2 Kings 25:7]though he shall die there .

14. And I will scatter into all the winds [see above chap 5 on vers 10]all that are about him for his help [to wit those that accompanied king Zedekia in his flight see the accomplishment hereof 2 Kings 25:5 understand the Egyptians that were formally come to help the king in his siege Jerem 37.6also those that are after Gedalias death were fled into Egypt Jerem 42.16,17,18and 43.5,6,7]and all his bands [the word signifieth properly wings and all his bands and troops of soldiers so below chap 17.21 and 39.10] and I will draw out the sword after them [see above chap 5 on vers 2.]

15. So they shall know [see above chap 5 on vers 13]that I am the Lord [see above chap 6 on vers 7]when I shall disperse them among the heathen and scatter them in the lands .

16. And I will cause a few men [Heb men of number that is a few man that may be easily be numbered see Genes 34.30]of them [to wit of the Jews and other Israelites that were mingled one among another in Jerusalem and without the city]to be left from the sword from the famine and from the pestilence that they may declare all their abominations [against the first and the second se thereof 2 Kings 16:3,4 and 21 .2,3 2Chron 33.2,3and36 .14,16] among the heathen wither they shall come [to wit that they may declare them not only in bare words but also actually declare that they were the cause of their scattering into all the countries round about whereby they shall be brought as it were upon the stage of a public shew of Gods vengeance against sin] and they shall know that I am the Lord [to wit not only the Jews shall know it finding really and indeed that I am true just and an enemy unto sin but also the Gentiles shall know it being informed by the Jews and beholding the just plagues wherewith God punished their sins .]

17. Afterwards the word of the Lord came unto me saying

18. Child of man thou shalt eat thy bread with trembling and thou shalt drink thy water with trouble and with carefulness [to wit to signifie the distress fear and dismaiedness where into the Jews should be brought into Jerusalem and everywhere through out the land compare above chap 4.16.]

19. And thou shalt say unto the people of the land [namely of Chaldea he meaneth the Jews and the Israelites that dwelleth there as captives unto these it would be satisfactory to hear what would yet become of Jerusalem for they were grieved to wit being seduced by false prophets that by Jeremias counsel they had left their own land and they have yielded themselves up to their enemies]thus saith the Lord of the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel they shall eat their bread with carefulness and they shall drink their water with astonishment [that is being exceedingly troubled perplexed and astonished at the unexpected and fearful miseries that should fall upon them once]because her land [meaning the land of Jerusalem ti wit wherein this city lay and over which she bare rule]shall be desolate from her fullness [that is from that which it is full of so Psal 24.1 meaning all manner of abundance and riches that should be taken away by the enemy]because of the violence of all them that dwell therein .

20. And the inhabited cities shall be laid wast and the land shall be wilderness and ye shall know that I am the Lord .

21. Again the word of the Lord came unto me saying :

22. Child of man what kind of proverb [the Hebrew word signifieth here a common word saying signifying much in few words and so well known to the greatest part of men that upon occasion it is commonly made use of see 1 Samuel 10:12 and 24 .14 and below chap 18.2] is this which you have in the land of Israel [to wit you that among your selves mock at my threatenings]saying the days shall be prolonged and every vision shall perish?[the meaning of this proverb is that they had nothing to do with the predictions of the prophet touching their ruine because God according to his patience and long suffering would prolong the time of the coming of their destruction which the prophet made it to be short or because their prophesie would never be found true .]

23. Therefore say unto them thus saith the Lord I will make this proverb to cease that they shall use it no more for a proverb in Israel but say unto them the days [that is the times of their ruine]are at hand and the word of every vision [that is the prophecy of their destruction by the Chaldeans or the subitance of every prophecy concerning your destruction aforesaid.]

24. For they shall be no more any vain vision [that is false and lying prediction so Liment 2.14 below chap 13.6 ,7 Zach 10.2 vanity for falsehood see Job 31on vers 5] nor flattering divination in the midst of the house of Israel [Heb smooth divination or divination of him that is smooth to wit is mouth or tongue by flattering and fair speaking compare Proverbs 5:3 and 26.28 and the annotate he speaketh of the false prophets that gain-sayed the true prophets and soothed up the people with sweet and pleasing predictions in their unbelief idolatry and wicked lives others slippery that is doubtful divinations.]

25. For I am the Lord I will speak the word that I shall speak shall be done the time shall be no more delayed [for the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar followed shortly after Heb properly be adjourned]for in your days [that is in your life time] o rebellious house will I speak the word and do the same saith the Lord.

26. Moreover the word of the Lord came to me saying :

27. Child of man behold they of the house of Israel say the vision that he seeth for many days [that is for a long while before it shall be accomplished for that the punishment shall not come in our days .They do not absolutely deny the truth of the prophecy but to rock themselves asleep they put it off a long while]be [they mean the prophet Ezekiel] prohesieth of the times that are far off .

28. Therefore say unto them thus saith the Lord LORD none of my words shall be anymore delayed the word that I have spoken it shall be done saith the Lord LORD.