Ezek. 12 Under the type of Ezekiel’s removing of his household stuff is showed the captivity of Zedekiah and his people, Ezek. 12:1–16. Under another type of his eating and drinking with trembling and anxiety is signified the consternation of the people and desolation of the land, Ezek. 12:17–20.

A Divine prediction of what was both sure and near to come to pass. Came unto me, in the sixth and seventh years of Jeconiah’s captivity, and of Zedekiah’s reign; in the latter end of the three hundred and eighty-seven of Ezekiel’s lying on his side, three years before the fatal siege began.

Thou dwellest; the prophet knowing the captivity would be long, had settled his habitation, and probably found some favour with the enemy, that he might be accommodated for his abode. The Jews who gave up to the Chaldeans found that kindness mentioned Jer. 29:4–7, with Ezek.

Therefore; and. Prepare thee; make ready in the sight of some of those which live about thee, that they may tell others. Stuff for removing; vessels or instruments, wherein thou mayst put what is portable, and you, with leave from the conqueror, may carry for your conveniencies; pack up what thou…

Having made all ready, as Ezek. 12:3, thou shalt proceed to bear it away; not employ servants and laboureth to do it. but thou thyself shalt do it. By day: see Ezek. 12:3. As stuff for removing: see Ezek. 12:3. At even: this circumstance, added to what was Ezek.

Come not through the door, but, as one who knows there is a watch and guard upon the door, get to some back part of thy house, and dig there, Ezek. 12:7, thyself, either to make the greater haste, or to keep all secret; for all will be little enough for them that must act what thou dost represent.

Upon thy shoulders; in testimony of the servitude they shall be reduced to, who then must do what servants or beasts were wont to be employed in. Carry it forth; either the stuff or thyself; thou shalt go forth in the twilight, when there is a little light to guide thy way, but more darkness to…

Forth; either out of the house into some court or yard, through the wall whereof he digged; or else here is a transposing of his actions, and rehearsal of that in the first place which was acted in the second place. Digged through the wall: see Ezek. 12:5.

In the evening he packed, digged through the wall, and removed in the sight of the people; next morning inquiry is made how the people resent it.

What! are none come to thee, are they all so stupid, and regardless of my word and judgments? Do none inquire that they may know and do what is necessary in their circumstances? Do not thy fellow captives think these actions are significative? Do they not ask whether they in Babylon, or their…

Though they regard not to inquire, yet give them to know what I mean hereby. Thus saith the Lord God: this to add weight and authority to the word. This burden; this dreadful prognostic; this prophecy is a burden which the kingdom shall groan under, and your king and the inhabitants of Jerusalem…

My person is the emblem of yours, and my actions in these cases are signs of that you shall do; and where you do not actively the like, yet the like shall be done to you, O inhabitants of Jerusalem.

The prince; Zedekiah. Among them; in Jerusalem. Shall bear upon his shoulder; disguised no doubt as a common ordinary servant, in hope so to escape; but to conceal himself he flees in a disguise, and chooseth the twilight as the time that would best favour his design; so 2 Kings 25:4.

In the disguise this fugitive might possibly escape from the net of Nebuchadnezzar, and of his captains. But, poor Zedekiah, dost thou not at last see that the Babylonians are employed of God, and that God will bring thee into his own and into Nebuchadnezzar’s net.

All that are about him; either the Egyptians who came to help him; or rather, those that did flee with him, as the choice and flower of his valiant and trusty servants, who would guard him through all dangers in the flight, till he might rest some where in safety.

They shall know; they shall see, confess, and be sensible of my power, justice, and truth, who make good my threats against obdurate sinners as well as my promises to believers.

But I will restrain the rage of the Chaldeans, and move them to some compassion towards some of the Jews, so that some, yet but few, shall remain; the sword shall not slay them, for 1 commission it, and it will not exceed its commission.

He was a sign to them in digging and bearing his stuff, now he must be a sign to them in another manner.

With quaking; with commotion or shakings, as one whose apprehension of danger brings as it were an earthquake upon him; and this trembling is the same thing, but in other words.

Explain the meaning of this unusual and uncomfortable manner of eating and drinking unto the people; the common sort of people, distinguished from rulers, of the land of Chaldea, in which the Jews were captives.

The cities, the lesser cities up and down the land, which now are and will be inhabited when Jerusalem is destroyed, shall be wasted with the sword, as the word seems to imply.

After the manner of man God speaks with man, What is? or it is a comely transition to a new subject of discourse. That proverb; that short saying taken up as undoubted truth, and in a very common manner used by all.

Tell them; either who use the proverb, or are stumbled at it; tell the one to convince, the other to instruct them. I will make this proverb to cease: thus they abuse my patience, and affront my truth, and deride my justice; but when my patience at its period calls in my justice to vindicate it,…

These proverbializing scoffers compared the true prophets with the false. These predict prosperity and return of the captives from Babylon within few years, and before Jerusalem be destroyed; so they flattered the people.

I can discover the vanity of flattering prophets, and will do it, by making good what my true prophets have foretold. No length of time shall make me forget it, no pretences of self-flattering prophets or people shall divert it, no power can hinder me, nor counsel defeat me.

Again; for instructing some that were seduced by those scoffers forementioned.

Some of the less judicious and the more credulous are abused by these sort of men. Say; think, and hope, and so discourse it, that the prophet is a good man and true prophet, but surely his visions look to after-times; we do not think his visions vain, but we hope they are not to come on us, and in…

Since it is an erroneous opinion they are brought into, it is not from contempt of my truth, but from weakness, warn them mildly, tell them the days are very near indeed, and there will be no adjournment.