Ezekiel 12:4

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. BRING FORTH THY STUFF BY DAY - in broad daylight, when all can see thee. THOU SHALT GO FORTH AT EVEN - not contradicting the words "by day." The baggage was to be sent before by day, and Ezekiel was to follow at night-fall (Grotius). Or, the preparations were to be made by day; the actual departure was to be effected at night (Henderson). AS THEY THAT GO FORTH INTO CAPTIVITY - literally, as the goings forth of the captivity, i:e., of the captive band of exiles, namely, amid the silent darkness; typifying Zedekiah's flight by night on the taking of the city (; )....

1-16 By the preparation for removal, and his breaking through the wall of his house at evening, as one desirous to escape from the enemy, the prophet signified the conduct and fate of Zedekiah. When God has delivered us, we must glorify him and edify others, by acknowledging our sins. Those who by afflictions are brought to this, are made to know that God is the Lord, and may help to bring others to know him....

The particulars which Ezekiel here foretold actually occurred (compare 2 Kings 25:4; Jeremiah 39:4); but at this time Zedekiah seemed to be prosperous, and the Jews at Jerusalem expected, it is clear, a long continuance of his prosperity (see Ezekiel 17:1 note). The prophetic character of the passage is undoubted (the prophet is declared to be “a sign,” Ezekiel 12:6) - the genuineness of the book and of the position of the passage in the book, are beyond dispute; in the historical event we have an exact fulfillment. The only legitimate inference is that the prophet received his kno

EXPOSITION EZEKIEL 12:1 THE WORD OF THE LORD, etc. This formula, so familiar in Isaiah and Jeremiah, appears for the first time in Ezekiel, but occurs repeatedly afterwards, especially in this chapter (verses 8, 17, 21, 26. and again Ezekiel 13:1; Ezekiel 14:2, _et al._)_. _The teaching by "the visions of God" ceases, and that of direct message or symbolic acts is resumed. In each case the point aimed at was the same. The people who heard the one or saw the other were to be taught how utterly groundless was the hope that Jerusalem could hold out against its enemies. The interval between the two was probably a short one, and the new teaching, we may conjectu

THEN SHALL THOU BRING FORTH THY STUFF BY DAY IN THEIR SIGHT,.... Bring it forth, that they may be spectators of it; and "by day", that it might be manifest to them what was carried out; and this day by day, till all was removed: AS STUFF FOR REMOVING; that is intended to be removed from one place to another, and is carried away in the daytime, in the view of everyone: AND THOU SHALL GO FORTH AT EVEN IN THEIR SIGHT; as a man, having removed his goods in the daytime, goes forth himself at evening: this denotes the flight of Zedekiah from Jerusalem in the night, Jeremiah 39:4; AS THEY THAT GO FORTH INTO CAPTIVITY: with a sorrowful countenance, in a mournful habit, and with airs and gestures showing anger, anxiety, and distress; with a bundle on their shoulders, and a staff in their hands....

CHAPTER S 12-19 Signs, Messages, and Parables _ 1. Signs given through the prophet (Ezekiel 12:1) _ 2. The message of speedy judgment (Ezekiel 12:21) 3. The message against false prophets and prophetesses. (Ezekiel 13:1) 4. The message against the elders (Ezekiel 14:1) 5. The parable of the vine given to the fire (Ezekiel 15:1) 6. The parable of the abandoned child and Israel's whoredom (Ezekiel 16:1)

EZEKIEL 12. EXILE FORESHADOWED. Ezekiel 12:1. Flight from the Beleaguered City. Ezekiel's message of doom has surely been made plain enough, but the rebellious house will not listen; for one thing, their confidence in the indestructibility of the monarchy and the throne made such a message incredible. Well then, if they will not hear, they must be made to see; and again, as before (4) Ezekiel incarnates his message. By his conduct, he becomes a prophetic sign. In the daytime, before the eyes of the people, he packs a few belongings together, such as an exile might take with him to the land for which he was destined; then, having thus stimulated their curiosity, he carries them on his shoulder in the dead of night through a hole which he had dug in the wall (apparently of his house). In the morning, in answer to their astonished queries, he tells them plainly that it is a prophetic sy

AT EVEN. The sign (Ezekiel 12:11) that the prince (Zedekiah) would try to escape by night (2 Kings 25:4.Jeremiah 39:4; Jeremiah 39:4)....

Symbolical action, prefiguring the escape and capture of the fugitives The details of the symbol seem to be as follows: First, the prophet prepares "stuff for removing" such articles as one meaning to escape would carry with him. These things being prepared, he brings them out. It is not said where he deposits them; it would be in some place convenient to make his escape from, in the vicinity of the wall of the city. These things he does before the eyes of the people during daylight. His action represents the conduct of persons in a besieged city, whose movements are free within the city; hence this part of the action is done openly (Ezekiel 12:3). Secondly, these preparations having been made by day, the prophet himself goes out in the even, in the darkness, and digs through the wall, making his escape at the opening, and carrying on his shoulder the articles which he had prepared to t...

CHAPTER SEVEN SYMBOLS AND SERMONS 12:1-14:23 This section does not begin with a chronological note, but in all likelihood the symbolic actions and oracles recorded here date from the same time frame as those in the preceding section. According to the modern calendar, that would be in the summer of 592 B.C. Ezekiel's purpose here is to defend and reinforce the announcement of Jerusalem's coming judgment. This material may be divided into four subdivisions with each subdivision itself being a logical bifid. Ezekiel has here incorporated (1) two symbolic actions which he performed (Ezekiel 12:1-22); (2) two popular sayings which he corrected (Ezekiel 12:17-20); (3) two scathing oracles which he delivered ...