Ezekiel 17:12 kjv
Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to Babylon;
Ezekiel 17:12 nkjv
"Say now to the rebellious house: 'Do you not know what these things mean?' Tell them, 'Indeed the king of Babylon went to Jerusalem and took its king and princes, and led them with him to Babylon.
Ezekiel 17:12 niv
"Say to this rebellious people, 'Do you not know what these things mean?' Say to them: 'The king of Babylon went to Jerusalem and carried off her king and her nobles, bringing them back with him to Babylon.
Ezekiel 17:12 esv
"Say now to the rebellious house, Do you not know what these things mean? Tell them, behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took her king and her princes and brought them to him to Babylon.
Ezekiel 17:12 nlt
"Say to these rebels of Israel: Don't you understand the meaning of this riddle of the eagles? The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, took away her king and princes, and brought them to Babylon.
Ezekiel 17 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Ki 24:10–17 | At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged... and he carried out... king Jehoiachin and his mother... all Jerusalem’s elite... and brought them to Babylon. | First Babylonian deportation of Jehoiachin & elite. |
| 2 Chr 36:9–10 | Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months... king Nebuchadnezzar... sent and brought him to Babylon... | Confirming Jehoiachin's capture by Nebuchadnezzar. |
| Jer 22:24–27 | “As I live,” declares the LORD, “though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, were the signet ring on My right hand, yet I would pull you off... I will hurl you... you and your mother who gave birth to you, into another country..." | Prophecy against Jehoiachin (Coniah) concerning exile. |
| Jer 27:6–7 | “Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, My servant... | God's sovereignty, Nebuchadnezzar as His instrument. |
| Isa 10:5–6 | “Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger... I will send him against a godless nation and commission him against the people of My wrath..." | God uses pagan kings as instruments of judgment. |
| Hab 1:6–11 | For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, That fierce and impetuous people Who march throughout the earth... They are dreaded and fearsome; Their justice and authority originate with themselves. | God raising Babylon for judgment. |
| Dan 1:1–2 | In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it... He brought them to the land of Shinar... | Early capture, includes Daniel, indicating beginning of exile. |
| Ezek 12:2–3 | “Son of man, you live in the midst of the rebellious house, who have eyes to see but do not see, ears to hear but do not hear; for they are a rebellious house... So, son of man, prepare for yourself baggage for exile and go into exile by day in their sight..." | Israel/Judah's stubborn rebellion and impending exile. |
| Ezek 2:3 | And He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me... | Referring to Israel/Judah as the "rebellious nation." |
| Isa 6:9–10 | And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on seeing, but do not comprehend’... " | People's spiritual blindness and hardness of heart. |
| Matt 13:13–15 | “For this reason I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled..." | People's failure to understand parables due to hard hearts. |
| Mark 4:10–12 | As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables... so that while seeing, they may see and not perceive, and while hearing, they may hear and not understand..." | Disciples' need for interpretation, others' continued blindness. |
| Amos 3:7 | For the Lord GOD will not perform anything Unless He reveals His secret counsel To His servants the prophets. | God reveals His plans to His prophets. |
| Jer 25:8–9 | “Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Because you have not obeyed My words, behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will send to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land..." | God using Nebuchadnezzar for judgment. |
| Ezek 24:3 | And present a parable to the rebellious house and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD..." | Another instance of a parable given to the "rebellious house." |
| Zech 14:2 | For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to wage war; and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, and the women ravished... | Broader theme of Jerusalem's future capture and suffering. |
| Lk 19:43–44 | For the days will come upon you when your enemies will put up a barricade against you... and they will not leave in you one stone upon another... because you did not recognize the time of your visitation. | Jesus prophesying Jerusalem's destruction for not recognizing God. |
| Lam 2:1–2 | How the Lord has covered the daughter of Zion With a cloud in His anger!... He has brought down from heaven to earth The glory of Israel..." | Lament over the destruction and humiliation of Jerusalem/Israel. |
| Isa 39:6–7 | ‘Behold, the days are coming when everything that is in your house and what your fathers have stored up to this day will be carried to Babylon; nothing will be left,’ says the LORD. ‘And some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will father, will be taken away; and they will become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon.’" | Prophecy of the Babylonian exile to Hezekiah. |
| Jer 39:6–7 | The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes in Riblah; the king of Babylon also slaughtered all the nobles of Judah. He blinded Zedekiah... | Severity of judgment, even after initial exile of Jehoiachin. |
| Hos 8:1 | ...like an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed My covenant And rebelled against My Law. | Use of "eagle" imagery as a destructive force due to rebellion. |
| Lev 26:33 | ‘And I will scatter you among the nations and draw out a sword after you; your land will be a desolation and your cities a waste.’ | Forewarning of exile and scattering for covenant disobedience. |
Ezekiel 17 verses
Ezekiel 17 12 Meaning
Ezekiel 17:12 serves as an explicit divine interpretation of the allegorical riddle presented in the preceding verses, directly addressing the spiritual dullness of the "rebellious house" of Israel. The verse unequivocally identifies the great eagle as the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. It clarifies that the act of "coming to Jerusalem and taking its king and its princes and bringing them to him in Babylon" refers to the historical events of Jehoiachin's captivity and the first major deportation of Judah's leadership and elite to Babylon. This action signifies God's sovereign judgment executed through a foreign power, explaining the commencement of the Babylonian exile for Judah.
Ezekiel 17 12 Context
Ezekiel 17:12 is a crucial turning point within the larger parable of the two great eagles and the vine (Ezek 17:1-10). The preceding verses presented a veiled message, a riddle from the Lord concerning two eagles and a flourishing, then withered, vine. The original audience, the exiles in Babylon and those remaining in Jerusalem, were grappling with the complexities of their political situation and the underlying divine plan. This verse marks the explicit divine explanation, revealing the identity of the first eagle as the King of Babylon (Nebuchadnezzar) and interpreting the "plucking" of the vine's highest shoot as the capture and deportation of King Jehoiachin and the Judean nobility in 597 BC. Historically, this refers to the first significant wave of the Babylonian captivity, setting the stage for subsequent events. Ezekiel, as God's messenger to a "rebellious house" known for their spiritual obtuseness, is tasked with dismantling any lingering uncertainty about God's direct involvement in their national disaster and His use of the mighty Babylonian empire as His instrument of judgment against Judah's unfaithfulness. The parable then proceeds to warn about the consequences of Zedekiah's subsequent treachery against Babylon, which this verse indirectly sets up by explaining the prior context.
Ezekiel 17 12 Word analysis
- Say now (דַּבֶּר־נָא - daber-na): A divine imperative to Ezekiel, emphasizing the immediacy and authority of the prophetic message. "Na" intensifies the command, underscoring the urgency for God's message to be relayed to His people.
- to the rebellious house (אֶל־בֵּית֙ הַמֶּרֶ֔ד - el-beit hameri): A characteristic phrase used by Ezekiel to describe Judah/Israel. Beit means "house" or "family," and mered means "rebellion," "revolt," or "disobedience." This is not just a description of actions but their inherent spiritual disposition. It highlights their persistent refusal to obey God, seeing them as obstinate and unfaithful, a foundational problem God continually addresses through His prophet. (Ezek 2:5-8, 3:9, 12:2-3).
- Do you not know what these things mean? (הֲלֹ֤א יְדַעְתֶּם֙ מָה־אֵ֔לֶּה - ha-lo yedatem mah-elleh): A rhetorical question revealing God's frustration with their spiritual blindness and willful ignorance. It implies that the meaning should be evident or, at the very least, that they have neglected to seek understanding. This question sets up the explicit explanation, showing God's mercy in clarifying even for a stubbornly ignorant people.
- Tell them, ‘Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem (אֱמֹ֨ר אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם הִנֵּֽה־בָ֥א מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶל֙ יְרוּשָׁלַ֔͏ְמָה - emor aleihem hinneh-va melekh-Bavel Yerushalaimah): This is a direct command to speak, removing any symbolic ambiguity. "Behold" (hinneh) draws immediate attention to the upcoming revelation. The "king of Babylon" is explicitly named, making the identity of the first eagle undeniable. The act of "coming to Jerusalem" clearly points to the historical siege.
- and took its king and its princes (וַיִּקַּ֤ח אֶת־מַלְכָּהּ֙ וְאֶת־שָׂרֶ֔יהָ - vayiqqach et-malkah ve'et-sareha): Refers specifically to Jehoiachin and the nobility. "Its king" (malkah) identifies the primary leadership. "Its princes" (sareha) refers to the royal family members, nobles, and influential officials. This signifies the removal of national sovereignty, political leadership, and military strength, crippling Judah's autonomy. (2 Ki 24:14).
- and brought them to him in Babylon. (וַיָּבֵ֥א אוֹתָ֖ם אֶל־בָּבֶֽל - vayyave otam el-Bavel): Clearly delineates the destination and the event: the first major deportation of key Judean figures. This was not a random occurrence but a specific act orchestrated by the king of Babylon as part of the initial phase of exile, a direct fulfillment of prophetic warnings.
Ezekiel 17 12 Bonus section
- Polemics against Human Wisdom and Self-Reliance: By explicitly naming the king of Babylon and explaining his actions as divine judgment, God directly challenges Judah's prevailing reliance on political alliances (like with Egypt, hinted at in the latter part of the chapter) and their own understanding of power dynamics. They were blinded by earthly schemes, failing to see God's overarching hand in their destiny. This passage serves as a powerful reminder that all earthly powers are subservient to God's ultimate plan, irrespective of their apparent might or independent ambitions.
- The Nature of Prophetic Utterance: This verse exemplifies the dual nature of prophecy: initially veiled (riddle, parable) to test spiritual discernment, and then explicitly revealed, particularly to those whose hardness of heart hinders understanding. Ezekiel's role is not just to speak but to clarify God's words, ensuring the people are left without excuse regarding their circumstances.
- Thematic Foreshadowing: This interpretation of the past (Jehoiachin's exile) serves as a foundation for understanding the immediate future warned about in the rest of chapter 17, particularly Zedekiah's impending betrayal of Babylon and the dire consequences. God uses historical clarity to underline the severity of future disloyalty, proving His word is accurate both retroactively and proactively.
Ezekiel 17 12 Commentary
Ezekiel 17:12 is a moment of clear, direct divine communication, dispelling any mystique around the parable. God, through Ezekiel, peels back the allegorical layer, declaring to His "rebellious house" the self-evident truth: the first "great eagle" of the parable is unequivocally the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. The "plucking of the top of the cedar" (referencing 17:4) is now understood as the historical event of Nebuchadnezzar's capture of Jerusalem, leading to the deportation of King Jehoiachin and Judah's princes to Babylon. This divine explanation emphasizes God's sovereign control over international politics and historical events, asserting that even a formidable pagan monarch acts as an instrument of His will and judgment against a disobedient covenant people. The rhetorical question, "Do you not know what these things mean?", underscores their spiritual blindness, yet God's gracious response in providing a clear answer reveals His desire, even amidst judgment, for His people to understand and acknowledge His hand in their suffering, to move from ignorance to realization of their corporate sin and its consequences. It serves as a stern lesson that their political subjugation and loss of leadership were not merely geopolitical happenstance but the direct outcome of divine judgment on their rebellion and covenant breaking.