Ezekiel 12:6

KJV

In their sight shalt thou bear [it] upon [thy] shoulders, [and] carry [it] forth in the twilight: thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground: for I have set thee [for] a sign unto the house of Israel.

KJV (with Strong's)

In their sight {H5869} shalt thou bear {H5375} it upon thy shoulders {H3802}, and carry it forth {H3318} in the twilight {H5939}: thou shalt cover {H3680} thy face {H6440}, that thou see {H7200} not the ground {H776}: for I have set {H5414} thee for a sign {H4159} unto the house {H1004} of Israel {H3478}.

Complete Jewish Bible

While they watch, you are to shoulder your pack and carry it out into the dark, with your face covered, so that you can't see the ground; for I am making you a sign for the house of Isra'el."

Berean Standard Bible

And as they watch, lift your bags to your shoulder and take them out at dusk; cover your face so that you cannot see the land. For I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.”

American Standard Version

In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulder, and carry it forth in the dark; thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the land: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Ezekiel 12:6 commands the prophet to perform a dramatic, public act of symbolic exile: bearing his belongings on his shoulders, departing at dusk, and covering his face. This divinely orchestrated mime is explicitly declared by God as a "sign" for the rebellious house of Israel, vividly portraying the impending Babylonian captivity and the desperate flight of King Zedekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who would face humiliation and disorientation as they were led into exile.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is a direct continuation of God's detailed instructions to Ezekiel, beginning in [Ezekiel 12:1](/ezekiel/12 "Ezekiel 12 - Prophecies of Exile"). The preceding verses, specifically [Ezekiel 12:3-5](/ezekiel/12-3 "Ezekiel 12:3-5 - Ezekiel's Symbolic Actions"), outline the preparation of "stuff for removing" and the public performance of these acts. Ezekiel is commanded to dig through the wall of his house, carrying his baggage through the breach, simulating the desperate escape of a besieged city's inhabitants. The specific actions in [Ezekiel 12:6](/ezekiel/12-6 "Ezekiel 12:6 - The Prophet as a Sign") emphasize the public nature ("in their sight"), the timing ("in the twilight"), and the shame or disorientation ("cover thy face") of the impending exile. The entire chapter focuses on the certainty and manner of Jerusalem's fall and the exile of its king and people, serving as a stark visual sermon to a complacent audience.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Ezekiel prophesied to the Jewish exiles already in Babylon, but his messages frequently concerned the fate of Jerusalem, which had not yet fallen. The people remaining in Jerusalem, including King Zedekiah, were largely in denial, clinging to a false sense of security that God would protect their city and temple. This widespread cultural complacency and spiritual blindness rendered verbal warnings insufficient. Consequently, God commanded Ezekiel to perform these unusual, public, and often humiliating symbolic acts to shock the people into understanding the grim reality of the impending siege and exile. The act of carrying possessions on one's shoulders and departing at twilight was a common sight for refugees or those fleeing a conquered city, making the imagery immediately recognizable and impactful to the ancient Near Eastern audience.
* **Key Themes:** [Ezekiel 12:6](/ezekiel/12-6 "Ezekiel 12:6 - The Prophet as a Sign") powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the book of Ezekiel. Foremost is the theme of **Divine Judgment and Exile**, emphasizing God's unwavering commitment to punish Israel's persistent idolatry and disobedience, as seen throughout [Ezekiel's prophecies](/ezekiel "The Book of Ezekiel"). The verse also highlights **Prophetic Symbolism as Divine Communication**, where the prophet himself becomes a living parable, making God's abstract warnings concrete and undeniable. This is a recurring motif, such as in [Ezekiel 4](/ezekiel/4 "Ezekiel 4 - The Siege of Jerusalem"), where Ezekiel acts out the siege of Jerusalem. Furthermore, the explicit statement "I have set thee for a sign" underscores **God's Sovereignty and Purpose** in history, demonstrating His active control over the destiny of His people and nations, using even their suffering to fulfill His righteous plan.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **shoulders (Hebrew, _kâthêph'_):** Refers to the upper end of the arm, specifically the part where garments hang. Figuratively, it can denote a side-piece or lateral projection. In this context, bearing "it upon thy shoulders" emphasizes the burden and personal effort involved in carrying one's belongings, characteristic of a hurried, desperate flight rather than an orderly departure.
* **carry it forth (Hebrew, _yâtsâʼ'_):** A primitive root meaning "to go out" or, causatively, "to bring out." It encompasses a wide variety of applications, including departing, issuing forth, or being carried out. Here, it signifies the act of taking one's possessions out of a place, specifically out of the house and city, in preparation for exile, highlighting the forced removal.
* **cover (Hebrew, _kâçâh'_):** Properly means "to plump" or "fill up hollows," but by implication, "to cover" for clothing or secrecy. In this verse, "thou shalt cover thy face" indicates an act of concealment, signifying shame, sorrow, or perhaps the desire to remain unseen during a desperate escape, or even the disorientation of not knowing where one is going.
* **sign (Hebrew, _môwphêth'_):** Denotes a miracle, a token, or an omen. It implies something conspicuous or extraordinary, serving as a divine pointer to future events, often carrying a sense of awe or dread. Ezekiel's performance is not merely an example but a divinely ordained, powerful demonstration of what is to come, underscoring the supernatural origin and profound significance of the prophetic act.
* **house (Hebrew, _bayith'_):** Refers to a house in its broadest sense, including a dwelling, a family, or an entire household. In the phrase "house of Israel," it signifies the entire nation, encompassing all its people and their collective identity, indicating that the sign is for the whole community, not just individuals.
* **Israel (Hebrew, _Yisrâʼêl'_):** Meaning "he will rule as God," this is the symbolic name given to Jacob and, by extension, to his posterity. It refers to the covenant people of God, the nation of Israel. The explicit mention of "the house of Israel" emphasizes that this prophetic sign is specifically directed at God's chosen, yet rebellious, people, for whom the judgment is intended.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"In their sight shalt thou bear [it] upon [thy] shoulders":** This clause emphasizes the public nature of Ezekiel's act. He is to perform this dramatic mime openly, ensuring that the people witness his actions. Bearing the baggage on his shoulders signifies the personal burden and the hurried, undignified nature of the impending exile, as opposed to a more organized, carted departure.
* **"[and] carry [it] forth in the twilight":** This specifies the timing of the departure. "Twilight" suggests a time of dusk or darkness, often associated with clandestine or desperate flight, adding to the sense of urgency, fear, and secrecy surrounding the forced removal. It also hints at the disorientation and lack of clear direction for those being exiled.
* **"thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground":** This action conveys deep shame, sorrow, or disorientation. Covering the face prevents seeing where one is going, symbolizing the blindness or confusion of the exiles, or perhaps the humiliation of King Zedekiah, who would have his eyes put out ([2 Kings 25:7](/2_kings/25-7 "2 Kings 25:7 - Zedekiah's Capture and Blinding")). It underlines the profound distress and loss of dignity associated with the impending judgment.
* **"for I have set thee [for] a sign unto the house of Israel.":** This concluding declaration reveals the divine purpose behind Ezekiel's actions. God explicitly states that He has appointed Ezekiel as a "sign" or "omen" for the entire nation of Israel. This signifies that Ezekiel's performance is not merely a human act but a divinely ordained prophecy, a living parable designed to communicate the certainty and nature of God's judgment and the coming exile to a people who had refused to listen to verbal warnings.

#### Literary Devices
Ezekiel 12:6 is rich in **Symbolism**. Ezekiel himself is a living symbol, embodying the fate of Jerusalem. His actions—bearing baggage, departing at twilight, and covering his face—are not literal instructions for his personal travel but symbolic representations of the impending exile. The "baggage" symbolizes the meager possessions the exiles would hastily gather; "twilight" symbolizes the hurried, desperate, and perhaps shameful nature of their flight; and "covering the face" symbolizes the humiliation, sorrow, and disorientation of those being led away, particularly foreshadowing King Zedekiah's blinding. This use of the prophet's body and actions as a **Dramatic Prophecy** is a hallmark of Ezekiel's ministry, making the abstract concept of judgment tangible and unavoidable for his audience. The entire passage functions as an **Allegory**, where the narrative of Ezekiel's departure directly mirrors the future reality of Jerusalem's fall and the exile of its inhabitants. The explicit declaration "I have set thee for a sign" serves as a **Metacommentary**, explaining the purpose and significance of the symbolic act to the audience.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezekiel 12:6 profoundly illustrates God's commitment to communicate His will, even through unconventional and dramatic means, when His people are resistant to conventional warnings. It underscores the severity of divine judgment against persistent rebellion and idolatry, demonstrating that God's covenant faithfulness includes both blessing for obedience and discipline for disobedience. The verse highlights the principle that God uses His chosen servants as instruments to convey His truth, making them living parables for their generation. This prophetic act serves as a stark reminder that God's word, whether spoken or dramatized, will not return to Him void, but will accomplish His purposes, bringing about either repentance or judgment.

* [Isaiah 20:3](/isaiah/20-3 "Isaiah 20:3 - Isaiah as a Sign")
* [Jeremiah 27:2](/jeremiah/27-2 "Jeremiah 27:2 - Jeremiah's Yoke")
* [Zechariah 3:8](/zechariah/3-8 "Zechariah 3:8 - Joshua and the Branch as Signs")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezekiel's dramatic performance in [Ezekiel 12:6](/ezekiel/12-6 "Ezekiel 12:6 - The Prophet as a Sign") challenges us to consider the various ways God communicates with humanity. For ancient Israel, it was a visceral warning of impending judgment, designed to break through their spiritual apathy. For believers today, this passage serves as a powerful reminder of the seriousness of God's warnings against sin and the inevitable consequences of persistent disobedience. It calls us to cultivate a posture of attentiveness and responsiveness to God's voice, whether through His written Word, the promptings of the Holy Spirit, or the circumstances He allows in our lives. Furthermore, like Ezekiel, we are called to be "signs" in our own generation—living testimonies of God's truth, embodying Christian principles, and pointing others to the transformative power of the Gospel, even when it means embracing uncomfortable or counter-cultural positions. Our lives, lived in faithfulness, can serve as a visible witness to a world desperately in need of divine truth.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does God use "signs" or dramatic events in our lives or in the world today to communicate His truth?**
* **In what ways might we, as believers, be called to be "signs" or living testimonies of God's truth to those around us?**
* **What aspects of our lives might we need to "cover" or lay aside in order to truly follow God's call, even if it feels disorienting or humiliating?**

### FAQ
**Why did God command Ezekiel to perform such a strange, public act?**

Answer: God commanded Ezekiel to perform these dramatic, public acts because the people of Israel, particularly those in Jerusalem, had become spiritually dull and resistant to verbal warnings. They were complacent, believing Jerusalem was impregnable. By having Ezekiel act out the impending exile—carrying baggage, departing at twilight, and covering his face—God provided a vivid, undeniable visual prophecy. This "sign" was designed to shock them into recognizing the reality and certainty of the coming judgment and the Babylonian captivity, making the abstract concept of exile concrete and inescapable for a people who refused to listen to the spoken word. It was a divinely orchestrated "street theater" to capture their attention and convey the urgency of their situation, as seen also in [Ezekiel 4](/ezekiel/4 "Ezekiel 4 - The Siege of Jerusalem") and [Ezekiel 5](/ezekiel/5 "Ezekiel 5 - The Hair and the Sword").

**What is the significance of "twilight" and "covering the face" in this prophecy?**

Answer: The timing of "twilight" (or dusk/dark) signifies a hurried, desperate, and perhaps secretive flight, characteristic of those fleeing a besieged city under duress, rather than an orderly departure. It evokes a sense of urgency, fear, and disorientation. "Covering the face" carries multiple layers of meaning. It can symbolize deep shame and humiliation, as those in disgrace might hide their faces. It also suggests the disorientation of not knowing where one is going, which would be true for exiles. Furthermore, it specifically foreshadows the fate of King Zedekiah, who would attempt to flee Jerusalem by night and subsequently have his eyes put out ([2 Kings 25:4-7](/2_kings/25-7 "2 Kings 25:7 - Zedekiah's Flight and Capture")). Thus, these details add profound emotional and prophetic depth to the symbolic act.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Ezekiel 12:6 directly prophesies the Babylonian exile, its deeper Christ-centered fulfillment lies in how it illuminates the nature of God's judgment and His ultimate plan of redemption. The shame, disorientation, and forced departure depicted in Ezekiel's symbolic act find their ultimate reversal and transformation in Christ. Jesus, the true [Lamb of God](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), voluntarily bore the burden of humanity's sin and shame, not as an exile from God's presence, but as one who was "made sin for us" ([2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Our Righteousness")). He entered into the "twilight" of Gethsemane and the darkness of the cross, experiencing ultimate abandonment so that we might be brought into God's light. Unlike Zedekiah, whose eyes were put out in judgment, Jesus, through His suffering, opened the eyes of the spiritually blind ([John 9:39](/john/9-39 "John 9:39 - Jesus Heals the Blind Man")). The "sign" of Ezekiel's forced departure points forward to the ultimate "sign" of Jonah, which Jesus Himself referenced ([Matthew 12:39-40](/matthew/12-39 "Matthew 12:39-40 - The Sign of Jonah"))—His death, burial, and resurrection. Through Christ's voluntary sacrifice and glorious resurrection, the ultimate "exile" of humanity from God's presence due to sin is overcome, and a path to eternal dwelling with God is established ([John 14:2-3](/john/14-2 "John 14:2-3 - Jesus Prepares a Place")). Thus, the prophetic warning of Ezekiel finds its redemptive climax in the person and work of Jesus, who transforms judgment into grace for all who believe.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Ezekiel 4:3

Moreover take thou unto thee an iron pan, and set it [for] a wall of iron between thee and the city: and set thy face against it, and it shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it. This [shall be] a sign to the house of Israel.

Isaiah 8:18

Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me [are] for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.

Ezekiel 24:24

Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign: according to all that he hath done shall ye do: and when this cometh, ye shall know that I [am] the Lord GOD.

1 Samuel 28:8

And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me [him] up, whom I shall name unto thee.

Ezekiel 12:11

Say, I [am] your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove [and] go into captivity.

Ezekiel 12:12

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.

2 Samuel 15:30

And David went up by the ascent of [mount] Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that [was] with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.