Ezekiel 12:4

Then shalt thou bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing: and thou shalt go forth at even in their sight, as they that go forth into captivity.

Then shalt thou bring forth {H3318} thy stuff {H3627} by day {H3119} in their sight {H5869}, as stuff {H3627} for removing {H1473}: and thou shalt go forth {H3318} at even {H6153} in their sight {H5869}, as they that go forth {H4161} into captivity {H1473}.

Bring out your belongings during the day while they watch, as supplies for exile; and you yourself, while they watch, are to leave as people do who are going into exile.

Bring out your baggage for exile by day, as they watch. Then in the evening, as they watch, go out like those who go into exile.

And thou shalt bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing; and thou shalt go forth thyself at even in their sight, as when men go forth into exile.

Commentary

Ezekiel 12:4 describes a powerful symbolic act God commanded the prophet Ezekiel to perform, illustrating the impending exile of Jerusalem's inhabitants, particularly King Zedekiah.

Context

The Book of Ezekiel is set during a tumultuous period in Judah's history, as the Babylonian Empire was asserting its dominance. Ezekiel himself was among the first wave of exiles taken to Babylon in 597 BC. While many in Jerusalem, including King Zedekiah, held onto false hope that God would deliver them from Babylonian power, God used Ezekiel to shatter these illusions. Chapters 11 and 12 are part of a series of "sign acts" โ€“ dramatic, visual prophecies that Ezekiel performed to communicate God's inescapable judgment on Jerusalem and Judah. This particular act directly foreshadows the siege of Jerusalem, King Zedekiah's desperate flight, and the subsequent deportation of the remaining population.

Key Themes

  • Impending Exile and Captivity: The most prominent theme is the certainty of the coming Babylonian captivity. Ezekiel's public display of packing and "going forth into captivity" vividly communicated that what had happened to the first wave of exiles would soon happen to those left in Jerusalem.
  • Prophetic Sign Act: God frequently used His prophets to embody His message, not just speak it. Ezekiel's actions were a living parable, a dramatic illustration designed to make the abstract reality of judgment tangible and undeniable to a stubborn people.
  • Divine Sovereignty and Judgment: This verse underscores God's sovereign control over the nations and His unwavering commitment to bring judgment upon His people for their persistent idolatry and disobedience, even if it meant their exile from the Promised Land.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing" uses the Hebrew term k'lei golah (ื›ึผึฐืœึตื™ ื’ื•ึนืœึธื”), which literally means "vessels of exile" or "utensils of captivity." This emphasizes that the belongings were not for a pleasant journey or a comfortable move, but for a forced, stripped-down departure into bondage. The word "removing" comes from the same root as "captivity" (golฤh), reinforcing the idea of a compelled, sorrowful departure. "Go forth at even" (Hebrew: ba'erev tetzei) highlights the clandestine and desperate nature of the flight, often associated with attempting to escape under the cover of darkness, only to be apprehended.

Related Scriptures

Ezekiel's role as a prophetic messenger is foundational to his book; see Ezekiel's commission as a watchman in Ezekiel 3:17. The fulfillment of this prophecy regarding King Zedekiah's desperate escape and capture is recorded in 2 Kings 25:4-7. This event also aligns with broader prophecies of Judah's exile, such as Jeremiah 25:11 concerning the 70 years of Babylonian captivity.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 12:4 serves as a powerful reminder that God communicates His warnings clearly, sometimes through dramatic means, and that the consequences of persistent disobedience are real. It encourages us to:

  1. Heed God's Warnings: Just as Judah faced inescapable judgment, we are called to pay attention to God's warnings in Scripture and through circumstances.
  2. Discern Spiritual Realities: The "sign act" reminds us that there are spiritual realities at play, and God often uses tangible events to reveal His plans and purposes.
  3. Trust God's Sovereignty: Even in difficult times of judgment or consequence, God remains sovereign and accomplishes His will, demonstrating His justice and faithfulness.
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Cross-References

  • Jeremiah 39:4 (5 votes)

    And it came to pass, [that] when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king's garden, by the gate betwixt the two walls: and he went out the way of the plain.

  • Ezekiel 12:12 (4 votes)

    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 Kings 25:4 (4 votes)

    And the city was broken up, and all the men of war [fled] by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which [is] by the king's garden: (now the Chaldees [were] against the city round about:) and [the king] went the way toward the plain.

  • Jeremiah 52:7 (3 votes)

    Then the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled, and went forth out of the city by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which [was] by the king's garden; (now the Chaldeans [were] by the city round about:) and they went by the way of the plain.