John Gill Commentary Ezekiel 12

The word of the Lord came to me, saying .
] The word of prophecy, as the Targum; the vision of the cherubim being over, this, very likely, immediately followed upon the former; though the exact time of the prophecy cannot be fixed, because the date is not given; it must be between the sixth month of the sixth year of Jehoiachin's captivity, (Ezekiel 8:1) ; and the fifth month of the seventh year, (Ezekiel 20:1) .

Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house , &c.] The captives in Babylon, who murmured at their present condition and circumstances, and looked upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem to be in happy ones, and believed they would continue in them, as the false prophets persuaded them; not believing the prophets of the Lord; and encouraged them to stand out against the king of Babylon, repenting that they had surrendered to him, and hoped they should by their means be delivered see the same character of them, (Ezekiel 2:3Ezekiel 2:5–7) (Ezekiel 3:9Ezekiel 3:26) ;

which have eyes to see, and see not: they have ears to hear, and hear not ; they had natural sense and understanding, and means and opportunities of being better informed, and of knowing the true state of things, and how they were, and would be; but they wilfully shut their eyes against all light and evidence, and stopped their ears, and would not hearken to the words of the prophets:

for they [are] a rebellious house ; stubborn, obstinate, and self-willed: or, "a house of rebellion" ^F18 .

FOOTNOTES:

• F18: (yrm tyb) "domus rebellionis", Montanus, Vatablus, Starckius; "domus inobedientiae", Cocceius.

Therefore, you son of man, prepare your stuff for removing ^F19, &c.] Or, "vessels of captivity", such as persons take along with them when they go a journey, or into a far country; such as a staff, scrip, purse, shoes or household goods; such as tables, chairs, and the like, which are removed when a person goes from one house to another; by which sign they of the captivity were to be taught that Zedekiah and the people of the Jews should in like manner be carried captive into Babylon; which they were not willing to believe, and the false prophets had told them the contrary: and remove by day in their sight; be carrying the stuff out, day by day, several days running, as Jarchi from Menachem interprets it; that they may see and take notice of it, and ask the reason of it; which, when known, they might send to their correspondents at Jerusalem, and acquaint them with it: and you shall remove from your place to another place in their sight; from the house in which he dwelt, to another house at some distance; yet so as to be seen by them, both from where and to where he moved.

it may be they will consider; ^F20 or "see"; make use of their eyes, and of their understandings, and think better of things. The Targum is,

``perhaps they will fear;'' the Lord, and regard his prophets, and be afraid of his judgments: though they are a rebellious house; such who are the most obstinate may be reclaimed.

FOOTNOTES:

• F19: (hlwg ylk) "vasa transmigrationis", Pagninus, Montanus, Starckius; "instrumenta migrationis", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Polanus.
• F20: (wary ylwa) "fortasse visuri sunt", Junius & Tremellius, Polanus; "fortasse videbunt", Piscator, Starckius.

Then will you bring forth your stuff by day in their sight ,
&c.] Bring it forth, that they may be spectators of it; and "by day", that it might be manifest to them what was carried out; and this day by day, till all was removed: as stuff for removing ;
that is intended to be removed from one place to another, and is carried away in the daytime, in the view of everyone: and you will go forth at even in their sight ;
as a man, having removed his goods in the daytime, goes forth himself at evening: this denotes the flight of Zedekiah from Jerusalem in the night, (Jeremiah 39:4) ; as they that go forth into captivity :
with a sorrowful countenance, in a mournful habit, and with airs and gestures showing anger, anxiety, and distress; with a bundle on their shoulders, and a staff in their hands.

Dig you through the wall in their sight
The wall of the house where he was, as an emblem of the city of Jerusalem closely besieged, from where there was no escape but by digging through the wall. This showed the manner in which Zedekiah made his escape, by the way of the gate, between the two walls which was by the king's garden, (Jeremiah 52:7); and carry out thereby ;
not his stuff, as before; but provisions for himself, necessary for his journey or flight; as no doubt Zedekiah and those with him did.