Bible Commentaries

Ezekiel 12:21 to Ezekiel 14:11. The Folly of the Popular Attitude to Prophecy.

In two further ways the people allowed themselves to be deluded—(i.) by their ignoring of true prophets, such as Jeremiah and Ezekiel, (ii.) by their confidence in false prophets.

Ezekiel 12. Exile Foreshadowed.

Ezekiel 12:1-16. 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 symbol of exile. But more, it symbolises king Zedekiah's stealthy attempt (cf. prince, Ezekiel 12:12) to escape (2 Kings 25:4); and the description of his face so covered that he could not see the ground is so plain an allusion to his blinding by the Babylonians (2 Kings 25:7) that some have supposed the passage to be written after the event. But Ezekiel, with his peculiar gifts, may very well have had a presentiment of the fate of Zedekiah. Thus sternly does he tear from them the illusion of the indestructibility of the monarchy; but this whole tragic experience is meant to teach the people the true character of their God.

Ezekiel 12:17-20. The Straits of the Siege.—In another message whose symbols resemble those of Ezekiel 4:10 f., Ezekiel 4:16 f., he seeks to bring home to them the certain and horrible privations of the siege.

Ezekiel 12:21-28. Disregard of the True Prophets.—One reason for ignoring the stern message of Ezekiel is suggested by the popular saying that the days keep stretching out but the doom is never fulfilled, so that there is nothing in prophecy after all (Ezekiel 12:21-25). Another group of people appears to have believed in prophecy, but regarded the doom at which it pointed to be so far away as to be negligible (Ezekiel 12:26-28). To both Ezekiel reiterates his message with the assurance that the doom is coming speedily.