TRV
Study This Verse
Commentary on Ezekiel 12 verses 21–28
Various methods had been used to awaken this secure and careless people to an expectation of the judgments coming, that they might be stirred up, by repentance and reformation, to prevent them. The prophecies of their ruin were confirmed by visions, and illustrated by signs, and all with such evidence and power that one would think they must needs be wrought upon; but here we are told how they evaded the conviction, and guarded against it, namely, by telling themselves, and one another, that though these judgments threatened should come at last yet they would not come of a long time. This suggestion, with which they bolstered themselves up in their security, is here answered, and shown to be vain and groundless, in two separate messages which God sent to them by the prophet at different times, both to the same purport; such care, such pains, must the prophet take to undeceive them, Eze 12:21, Eze 12:26. Observe,
I. How they flattered themselves with hopes that the judgments should be delayed. One saying they had, which had become proverbial in the land of Israel, Eze 12:22. They said, "The days are prolonged; the judgments have not come when they were expected to come, but seem to be still put off de die in diem - from day to day, and therefore we may conclude that every vision fails, because it should seem that some do, that because the destruction has not come yet it will never come; we will never trust a prophet again, for we have been more frightened than hurt." And another saying they had which, if it would not conquer their convictions, yet would cool their affections and abate their concern, and that was, "The vision is for a great while to come; it refers to events at a vast distance, and he prophesies of things which, though they may be true, are yet very far off, so that we need not trouble our heads about them (Eze 12:27); we may die in honour and peace before these troubles come." And, if indeed the troubles had been thus adjourned, they might have made themselves easy, as Hezekiah did. Is it not well if peace and truth shall be in my days? But it was a great mistake, and they did but deceive themselves into their own ruin; and God is here much displeased at it; for, 1. It was a wretched abuse of the patience of God, who, because for a time he kept silence, was thought to be altogether such a one as themselves, Psa 50:21. That forbearance of God which should have led them to repentance hardened them in sin. They were willing to think their works were not evil because sentence against them was not executed speedily; and therefore concluded the vision itself failed, because the days were prolonged. 2. It received countenance form the false prophets that were among them, as should seem from the notice God takes (Eze 12:24) of the vain visions, and flattering divinations, even within the house of Israel, to whom were committed the oracles of God. No marvel if those that deceived themselves by worshipping pretended deities deceived themselves also by crediting pretended prophecies, to which strong delusions God justly gave them up for their idolatries. 3. These sayings had become proverbial; they were industriously spread among the people, so that they had got into very one's mouth, and not only so, but were generally assented to, as proverbs usually are, not only the proverbs of the ancients, but those of the moderns too. Note, It is a token of universal degeneracy in a nation when corrupt and wicked sayings have grown proverbial; and it is an artifice of Satan by them to confirm men in their prejudices against the word and ways of God, and a great offence to the God of heaven. It will not serve for an excuse, in saying ill, to plead that it is a common saying.
II. How they are assured that they do but deceive themselves, for the judgments shall be hastened, these profane proverbs shall be confronted: Tell them, therefore, The days are at hand (Eze 12:23), and again, There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, Eze 12:28. Their putting the evil day far from them does but provoke God to bring it the sooner upon them; and it will be so much the sorer, so much the heavier, so much the more a surprise and terror to them when it does come. He must tell them,
1.That God will certainly silence the lying proverbs, and the lying prophecies, with which they buoyed up their vain hopes, and will make them ashamed of both: (1.) I will make this proverb to cease; for when they find the days of vengeance have come, and not one iota or tittle of the prediction falls to the ground, they will be ashamed to use it as a proverb in Israel, The days are prolonged, and the vision fails. Note, Those that will not have their eyes opened and their mistakes rectified, by the word of God, shall be undeceived by his judgments: for every mouth that speaks perverse things shall be stopped. (2.) There shall be no more any vain vision, Eze 12:24. The false prophets, who told the people they should have peace and should soon see an end of their troubles, shall be disproved by the event, and then shall be ashamed of their pretensions, and shall hide their heads and impose silence upon themselves. Note, As truth was older than error, so it will survive it; it got the start, and it will get the race. The true prophets' visions and predictions stand, and are in full force, power, and virtue; they give law, and receive credit, when the vain visions, and the flattering divinations, are lost and forgotten, and shall be no more in the house of Israel; for great is the truth, and will prevail.
2.That God will certainly, and very shortly, accomplish every word that he has spoken. With what majesty does he say it (Eze 12:25): I am the Lord! I am Jehovah! That glorious name of his speaks him a God giving being to his word by the performance of it, and therefore to the patriarchs, who lived by faith in a promise not yet performed, he was not known by his name Jehovah, Exo 6:3. But, as he is Jehovah in making good his promise, so he is in making good his threatenings. Let them know then that God, with whom they have to do, is the great Jehovah, and therefore, (1.) He will speak, whether they will hear or whether they will forbear: I am the Lord, I will speak. God will have his saying, whoever gainsays it. God's oracles are called lively ones, for they still speak when the pagan oracles are long ago struck dumb. There has been, and shall be, a succession of God's ministers to the end of the world, by whom he will speak; and, though contempt may be put upon them, that shall not put a period to their ministration: In your days, O rebellious house! will I say the word. Even in the worst ages of the church God left not himself without witness, but raised up men that spoke for him, that spoke from him. I will say the word, the word that shall stand. (2.) The word that he speaks shall come to pass; it shall infallibly be accomplished according to the true intent and meaning of it, and according to the full extent and compass of it: I will say the word and will perform it (Eze 12:25), for his mind is never changed, nor his arm shortened, nor is Infinite Wisdom ever nonplussed. With men saying and doing are two things, but they are not so with God; with him it is dictum, factum - said, and done. In the works of providence, as in those of creation, he speaks and it is done; for he said, Let there be light, and there was light - Let there be a firmament, and there was a firmament, Num 23:19; Sa1 15:29. Whereas they had said, Every vision fails (Eze 12:22), God says, "No, there shall be the effect of every vision (Eze 12:23); it shall not return void, but every sign shall be answered by the thing signified." Those that see the visions of the Almighty do not see vain visions; God confirms the word of his servants by performing it. (3.) It shall be accomplished very shortly: "The days are at hand when you shall see the effect of every vision, Eze 12:23. It is said, it is sworn, that delay shall be no longer (Rev 10:6); the year of God's patience has now just expired, and he will no longer defer the execution of the sentence. It shall be no more prolonged (Eze 12:25); he has borne with you a great while, but he will not bear always. In your days, O rebellious house! shall the word that is said be performed, and you shall see the threatened judgments and share in them. Behold, the Judge stands at the door. The righteous are taken away from the evil to come, but this rebellious house shall not be so quietly taken away; no, they shall live to be hurried away, to be chased out of the world." This is repeated (Eze 12:28): "There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but judgment shall now hasten on apace; and the longer the bow has been in the drawing the deeper shall the arrow pierce." When we tell sinners of death and judgment, heaven and hell, and think by them to persuade them to a holy life, though we do not find them downright infidels (they will own that they do believe there is a state of rewards and punishments in the other world), yet they put by the force of those great truths, and void the impressions of them, by looking upon the things of the other world as very remote; they tell us, "The vision you see is for many days to come, and you prophesy of the times that are very far off; it will be time enough to think of them when they come nearer," whereas really there is but a step between us and death, between us and an awful eternity; yet a little while and the vision shall speak and not lie, and therefore it concerns us to redeem time, and get ready with all speed for a future state; for, though it is future, it is very near, and while impenitent sinners slumber their damnation slumbers not.
(Verse 21 and following) And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel, saying: The days are prolonged, and every vision fails? Therefore say to them: Thus says the Lord God: I will make this proverb to cease, and it shall be used no more in Israel. Speak to them, and say: The days are at hand, and every vision shall be fulfilled. For there shall no longer be any false vision, nor ambiguous divination in the midst of the children of Israel. Because I, the Lord, will speak, whatever word I have spoken will be done. It will no longer be delayed, but in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak a word and I will do it, says the Lord God. And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, behold the house of Israel, saying: The vision that this man sees is for many days and he prophesies for a long time. Therefore, say to them: Thus says the Lord God: My word will no longer be delayed: the word that I have spoken will be fulfilled, says the Lord God. What we have said, the proverb, according to Symmachus, all other interpreters have translated as a parable, which in Hebrew is called Masal. Again, where it has been said by us: 'There shall not be an ambiguous divination,' the Seventy have translated it as 'nor one divining according to favor.' For which reason all have interpreted it as slippery, whereas what we have said is ambiguous, so that we may understand the deceiving words of our prophets. Now the meaning of the entire chapter is this: He had previously prophesied against the ruler who was in Jerusalem, then he declared to the people that there would be famine and a burning thirst. So the unbelieving crowd takes up an old and well-known proverb: The threat of prophets is postponed to a distant time, and every vision will perish, while it is seen in vain; or, according to Symmachus, it will vanish into thin air and a gentle breeze. Therefore, say to them, my threat will by no means be postponed, nor will a false and ambiguous prediction be made to the people that has an uncertain end, so that it is said at one time and fulfilled at another; but now, while you who speak and those who hear are alive, let the word that I have spoken be fulfilled. However, it signifies the imminent captivity of the city of Jerusalem and the capture of Zedekiah with the people of Judah. Not only at that time, but even today the unbelieving crowd and the hard hearts of mortals do not accept the prophecy of God: but they consider everything that the prophets threaten, everything that the Gospel preaches, to be postponed to another time. And here let us understand the parable that is presented by the Septuagint as being received as a proverb, in accordance with what we read in the psalm: 'And I became a proverb to them' (Psalm 68:12). And in the same prophet: What is this parable to you in the people of Israel, saying: The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the sons are set on edge? We clearly explain, so that we may remain in the more obscure.
Continue studying Ezekiel 12:26 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Ezekiel 12:26 serves as a pivotal divine pronouncement, signaling the commencement of a new message from the LORD to the prophet Ezekiel. This brief yet authoritative statement powerfully underscores God's persistent and unwavering communication, directly addressing the prevalent skepticism among the exiles regarding the delayed fulfillment of His prophetic words and emphatically setting the stage for an immediate declaration of divine action, thereby reaffirming God's absolute sovereignty and faithfulness.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse is strategically placed immediately following a powerful refutation of the exiles' cynical proverb, "The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth" (Ezekiel 12:22). God had just emphatically declared through Ezekiel, "For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged" (Ezekiel 12:25). Therefore, the introductory phrase "Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying," in verse 26 is not merely a formulaic opening but a deliberate reassertion of divine authority and a direct follow-up to the preceding assurance. It signals that the subsequent message will further elaborate on God's commitment to swift and certain fulfillment, directly countering the people's doubt and impatience. This repetition reinforces the gravity and immediacy of the divine communication, preparing the audience for the urgent message that follows.
Historical & Cultural Context: The prophet Ezekiel ministered during the Babylonian exile (597-538 BC), a period of profound national trauma and spiritual disillusionment for the Jewish people. Having witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, and forcibly removed from their homeland, many exiles struggled with their faith and the perceived delay of God's promised judgments and restoration. They clung to proverbs like the one cited in Ezekiel 12:22, indicating a deep-seated cynicism that God's word was either unreliable or indefinitely postponed. In this context, the repeated "word of the LORD" served as a vital anchor, reminding a displaced and disheartened people that God was still actively engaged with their history, that His prophetic messages were not mere human predictions but divine decrees, and that His timing, though often inscrutable to them, was perfect and certain. This divine intervention aimed to dispel fatalism and re-establish hope grounded in God's immutable character.
Key Themes: Ezekiel 12:26 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the book of Ezekiel and broader prophetic literature. Firstly, it highlights Divine Revelation, emphasizing that Ezekiel's messages originate directly from God, not from human insight or political calculation. The recurring phrase "the word of the LORD came to me" is the bedrock of prophetic authority, underscoring God's active involvement in human affairs and His sovereign choice to communicate His will. Secondly, it reinforces Prophetic Authority and Reliability. In a time of widespread doubt, the reiteration of God's direct speech through His prophet validates Ezekiel's role and the truthfulness of his pronouncements. This counters the exiles' skepticism by asserting that God's word is not subject to human timelines or interpretations of delay. Finally, in its immediate context within Ezekiel 12, the verse powerfully asserts God's Immediacy and Sovereignty over Time. Coming after the people's complaint about prolonged prophecies, this renewed divine communication signals that God is about to act decisively and swiftly, demonstrating His absolute control over events and the precise timing of His plans, a truth echoed throughout Scripture, as seen in Isaiah 55:11.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The primary literary device at play in Ezekiel 12:26 is Formulaic Language or Prophetic Formula. The phrase "Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying," is a recurring literary device throughout prophetic books, particularly prominent in Ezekiel, appearing over 60 times. Its repetition serves to punctuate the narrative, signaling a new divine oracle and reinforcing the divine origin and authority of the prophet's message. This Repetition is not redundant; rather, it acts as a powerful rhetorical tool, emphasizing the unwavering and persistent nature of God's communication, especially crucial in a context where the audience doubted His active involvement and the immediacy of His word. The phrase also functions as a form of Framing Device, clearly delineating sections of divine revelation and underscoring the direct, unmediated nature of God's speech to Ezekiel, thereby lending immense weight and credibility to the prophecies that follow.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezekiel 12:26, though brief, is profoundly significant in its theological implications. It powerfully asserts the active, persistent, and authoritative nature of God's communication with humanity. In an era of doubt and disillusionment, this verse reaffirms that God is not silent or distant; rather, He actively intervenes in human history through His revealed word. It underscores the reliability of divine prophecy, asserting that God's promises and warnings are not subject to human timelines or skepticism but will inevitably come to pass. The "word of the LORD" is presented as a dynamic, living entity that carries the power and authority of God Himself, destined to accomplish its intended purpose. This truth provides a foundational assurance of God's faithfulness and sovereignty over all events, reminding us that His decrees are immutable and His timing perfect.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezekiel 12:26 offers timeless lessons for believers today, particularly in an age often characterized by impatience and skepticism. First, it reminds us of the profound privilege of having God's revealed Word. Just as Ezekiel received direct communication, we possess the Bible, which is "the word of the LORD" – inspired, authoritative, and living. This should cultivate a deep reverence for Scripture and a commitment to diligently study and obey it, recognizing that through it, God continues to speak His truth into our lives. Second, this verse serves as a powerful antidote to doubt regarding God's timing. When circumstances seem prolonged, or God's promises appear delayed, Ezekiel 12:26 calls us to trust in His perfect timing and unfailing faithfulness. Our impatience does not negate His plan; rather, it is an invitation to deepen our reliance on His sovereign control and to wait with hopeful expectation. Finally, it underscores the inherent power and efficacy of God's word. It is not merely informative but performative, capable of shaping reality, transforming hearts, and fulfilling every purpose for which it is sent. This should inspire confidence in prayer, knowing that when we pray according to His Word, we are aligning with His powerful decrees, and encourage us to share this potent Word with a world in need of its truth and life.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is the phrase "Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying" repeated so often in Ezekiel?
Answer: The repetition of this formulaic phrase serves multiple critical purposes. Firstly, it emphasizes the divine origin and absolute authority of the messages Ezekiel delivers. In a time when the exiles were questioning God's faithfulness and the validity of prophecy, this constant reiteration affirmed that Ezekiel was not speaking his own thoughts but was a direct conduit for God's voice. Secondly, it acts as a crucial literary device to punctuate the narrative, marking distinct sections of divine revelation and signaling the beginning of a new oracle or prophetic discourse. This helps structure the book and highlights the progression of God's messages. Finally, in the immediate context of Ezekiel 12, the "Again" signifies God's persistent and unwavering communication, directly countering the people's proverb about delayed prophecies and emphasizing that God is actively speaking and will swiftly fulfill His word.
What is the significance of "the word of the LORD" in the Old Testament?
Answer: "The word of the LORD" (Hebrew: davar Yahweh) is a foundational concept in the Old Testament, denoting God's active, powerful, and authoritative communication. It is not merely a spoken sound but carries the weight of God's very being and purpose. This "word" is seen as creative (e.g., Genesis 1:3), covenantal (e.g., Deuteronomy 8:3), prophetic (as in Ezekiel), and performative—it accomplishes what it declares (e.g., Isaiah 55:11). It is the primary means by which God reveals His will, establishes His covenant, judges sin, and brings about His redemptive plans. The phrase underscores God's sovereignty, His faithfulness, and the absolute reliability of His pronouncements, serving as the very foundation of Israel's relationship with Yahweh.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ezekiel 12:26, with its emphasis on "the word of the LORD" coming to the prophet, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ. While the Old Testament prophets received a word from the LORD, the New Testament reveals that Jesus is the Word of God incarnate. As John 1:1 declares, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." This living Word, who was with God and was God, became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14), bringing grace and truth. All of God's previous communications, whether through prophets or other means, culminated in Christ, for "in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son" (Hebrews 1:1-2), who is the radiance of God's glory and the exact imprint of his nature. The persistent, authoritative, and unfailing nature of "the word of the LORD" that came to Ezekiel is perfectly embodied in Jesus, who is the faithful and true witness (Revelation 19:11) and whose every word is truth and life. He is the ultimate fulfillment of God's promise that His word would not be prolonged but would come to pass, for in Christ, all of God's promises are "Yes" and "Amen" (2 Corinthians 1:20), signifying their complete and certain fulfillment in Him.