Ezekiel 12 12

Ezekiel 12:12 kjv

And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes.

Ezekiel 12:12 nkjv

And the prince who is among them shall bear his belongings on his shoulder at twilight and go out. They shall dig through the wall to carry them out through it. He shall cover his face, so that he cannot see the ground with his eyes.

Ezekiel 12:12 niv

"The prince among them will put his things on his shoulder at dusk and leave, and a hole will be dug in the wall for him to go through. He will cover his face so that he cannot see the land.

Ezekiel 12:12 esv

And the prince who is among them shall lift his baggage upon his shoulder at dusk, and shall go out. They shall dig through the wall to bring him out through it. He shall cover his face, that he may not see the land with his eyes.

Ezekiel 12:12 nlt

"Even Zedekiah will leave Jerusalem at night through a hole in the wall, taking only what he can carry with him. He will cover his face, and his eyes will not see the land he is leaving.

Ezekiel 12 verses

Ezekiel 12 12 Meaning

Ezekiel 12:12 is a detailed prophecy describing the desperate and ignominious escape of the prince (King Zedekiah) from Jerusalem just before its destruction. The verse portrays his flight under the cover of darkness, laden with his meager possessions carried on his shoulder, compelled to breach the city wall to depart, and covering his face to avoid seeing the land of Judah, from which he would be forever exiled. It foreshadows the humiliation, swiftness, and ultimate sorrow of Judah's last king, confirming God's unwavering judgment against His rebellious people.

Ezekiel 12 12 Context

Ezekiel 12:12 is part of a prophetic vision and sign-act from Ezekiel chapters 11-12, delivered to the exiles in Babylon. Following previous messages about Jerusalem's impending destruction and the scattering of its inhabitants (Eze 11:1-25), Ezekiel is commanded by God to perform a dramatic pantomime of exile (Eze 12:3-7). He packs his bags, publicly leaves his dwelling, and then, at night, digs through the wall of his house to exit.

The actions in verses 1-7 are explained in verses 8-16, directly connecting the prophet's symbolic performance to the fate of Judah's king, Zedekiah, and the remaining residents of Jerusalem. Verse 12 specifically describes the details of the prince's flight, immediately preceded by verse 11 ("Say, ‘I am a sign for you; as I have done, so it will be done to them. They will go into exile, into captivity’"), ensuring the audience understands the personal relevance of the sign-act. The prophecy details the humiliation and futility of the escape attempt, highlighting that neither royal status nor city walls could thwart God's decreed judgment.

Historically, this event occurred around 593 BCE. King Zedekiah of Judah, despite being a vassal king installed by Nebuchadnezzar, was secretly plotting rebellion against Babylon, aligning with Egypt. God's judgment, as spoken through Ezekiel, condemns this betrayal and confirms the impending complete subjugation and exile for Jerusalem, emphasizing that all the inhabitants, including the king, would suffer the consequences of their rebellion against the covenant.

Ezekiel 12 12 Word analysis

• וְהַנָּשִׂיא (v'hánnasí) – "And the prince":
  • נָשִׂיא (nāsî’): Unlike מֶלֶךְ (melek) (king), Ezekiel consistently uses nasi (prince/chieftain) for the current ruler of Judah. This choice diminishes the royal title, emphasizing God's perspective on Zedekiah's diminished authority under Babylonian rule and implicitly signaling the impending end of Judah's independent monarchy. It marks a shift from a divinely appointed kingship to a mere human leadership that failed God's people.
• אֲשֶׁר בְּתוֹכָם (ăšer b'tôḵām) – "who is among them":
  • Highlights the prince's place within the besieged city, among the very people he would eventually lead to catastrophe and abandon in his flight. This emphasizes his personal accountability and involvement in the fate of the nation.
• עַל־כָּתֵף יִשָּׂא (‘al-kātēf yiśśā’) – "on shoulder he will carry":
  • כָּתֵף (kātēf): shoulder. This imagery depicts a humiliating and burdensome task, atypical for a king. Kings were carried by servants; here, the prince is the burden-bearer, symbolizing the stripping of royal dignity and the dire circumstances of flight. It shows a desperate escape, devoid of pomp or proper preparation.
• בַּחֹשֶׁךְ (bakhōšek) – "in the dark":
  • חֹשֶׁךְ (ḥōšek): darkness, night. Signifies secrecy, fear, haste, and a desire to avoid detection by the Babylonian forces surrounding Jerusalem. It also carries connotations of moral darkness, a judgment falling upon those who lived in spiritual darkness.
• וְיֵצֵא (v'yētse’) – "and he will depart/go out":
  • Simple verb יָצָא (yātsā’): to exit. Emphasizes the immediate and compelled act of leaving, a forced departure rather than a royal procession.
• בַּקִּיר יַחְתְּרוּ (bakkîr yaḥtərû) – "Through the wall they will dig":
  • קִיר (qîr): wall (referring to Jerusalem's fortifications).
  • חָתַר (ḥātar): to dig, undermine, bore. The plural "they will dig" (implying royal guards or accomplices) reveals the extent of their desperation. Breaking through the city wall was an act of extreme desperation, not normal egress, and signaled the collapse of the city's defenses. It confirms that they could not leave through gates.
• לְהוֹצִיא בָּהֶם (l'hôtsî’ bāhem) – "to bring out through them (it)":
  • Refers to the act of bringing out the baggage or perhaps even themselves through the opening made in the wall. It further highlights the desperate circumstances.
• עֵינָיו תִּשְׁטֹף (‘eynāyw tištōf) – "his eyes he will cover/blind":
  • תִּשְׁטֹף (tišṭōf): Grammatically challenging but understood from context and fulfillment to mean 'cover' or 'blind'. It suggests either Zedekiah deliberately covering his eyes/face (perhaps to conceal identity, or to not see the land in his disgrace), or God actively causing his sight to be obstructed. The Septuagint and historical fulfillment strongly support the idea of impaired vision, a prophetic foreshadowing of his actual blinding.
• לַשָּׂטֵם וְלֹא־יִרְאֶה (laśśātēm v'lō'-yir'eh) – "so that he cannot see":
  • Though שָׁטָם (śāṭām) means 'to hate' or 'oppose,' in this highly specific and debated context, its intent is clarified by the subsequent clause "and he will not see." The overall phrase signifies his inability to view the land due to deliberate obstruction or enforced blindness, emphasizing his final separation from Judah.
• אֶת־הָאָרֶץ בְּעֵינוֹ (et-hā’ārets b'‘eynô) – "the land with his own eye":
  • אָרֶץ (’ārets): the land (specifically Judah/Israel). Reinforces the tragedy: the king would never again lay eyes upon his own land after this shameful flight, culminating in his physical blinding.

Words-group analysis:

• "The prince... will load his baggage on his shoulder in the dark and depart": This whole phrase powerfully conveys the demotion of royalty. From one accustomed to luxury and attendants, Zedekiah becomes a common refugee, burdened, stealthy, and disgraced.
• "He will dig through the wall to bring his baggage out": This portrays a dramatic and desperate act. The supposedly impenetrable walls of Jerusalem, a symbol of national security and divine protection (often misunderstood by the people), are breached not by invaders first, but by its own fleeing king, indicating utter collapse and futility.
• "He will cover his face so that he cannot see the land with his eyes": This detail is exceptionally poignant, forecasting Zedekiah's fate (blinded by Nebuchadnezzar) and symbolizing the spiritual blindness of the nation. He is forced not to look back, cut off permanently from his homeland.

Ezekiel 12 12 Bonus section

The execution of Ezekiel's prophetic sign-act and its subsequent explanation was vital not just for the immediate generation, but for demonstrating the unchanging nature of God's word across all generations. The precise fulfillment of this detailed prophecy established Ezekiel's credibility as a true prophet of Yahweh, distinct from the false prophets promising peace. It solidified the message that no human power, no city wall, and no royal status could escape divine judgment once pronounced due to persistent sin and rebellion. The prince's flight was not just a historical event but a potent object lesson for understanding the certainty of God's plans.

Ezekiel 12 12 Commentary

Ezekiel 12:12 offers a stark, concrete prophecy regarding Zedekiah, the final king of Judah, delivered to the exiled community already removed from Jerusalem. This detailed foresight was critical for solidifying God's word and exposing the false hopes of immediate return to Jerusalem preached by other prophets. It painted an unsparing picture of royal disgrace and national disaster.

The act of "carrying baggage on the shoulder in the dark" speaks volumes. It’s not merely fleeing, but doing so without kingly dignity, like any other desperate refugee. The detail of "digging through the wall" underscores the sheer impossibility of an orderly departure, a direct indictment of Jerusalem's vaunted security and the hubris of its leaders who believed the city inviolable. This was not a military strategy but a covert escape, highlighting failure, not leadership.

The phrase "he will cover his face so that he cannot see the land with his eyes" is a prophetic masterstroke. While initially suggesting a disguise or act of shame, its literal fulfillment, Zedekiah's eyes being put out before his deportation to Babylon (2 Ki 25:7), underscores the devastating accuracy of divine judgment. He left his land never to see it again—physically, for his eyes were gouged out, and spiritually, as his kingdom was no more. This particular detail connects to themes of spiritual blindness pervasive in Old Testament prophecy (e.g., Isa 6:9-10), where unfaithfulness to God leads to a lack of perception, culminating in dire physical consequences. It served as a warning: rejecting God’s word would lead to complete separation from His blessings and land.