Ezekiel 12:12
And the prince who is among them shall lift his baggage upon his shoulder at dusk, and shall go out. They shall dig through the wall to bring him out through it. He shall cover his face, that he may not see the land with his eyes.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
What's easily missed here is the king's ignominious flight isn't just a secret escape; he's literally carrying his own meager belongings like a common refugee. This detail powerfully shows how even the highest authority is reduced to nothing, forced to hide his face not just from shame, but from the crushing reality of his fallen status.
Ezekiel is acting out a prophecy about the king of Judah and the impending destruction of Jerusalem. This verse describes the king's ignominious attempt to escape in secret during the siege. He'll be forced to flee under the cover of darkness, breaking through a wall, with his face covered in shame and fear. This action foreshadows his eventual capture and the loss of his sight.
Imagine your nation's leader, not in a grand chariot, but burdened like a common refugee. What does this image tell us about his future?
In this verse, Ezekiel paints a vivid picture of King Zedekiah's desperate flight from Jerusalem.
A Dignity Lost
Notice how the prince, the king, is described: "shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight." This isn't the triumphant posture of royalty. He's carrying his own baggage, like a commoner, and moving under the cover of darkness (twilight).
The Wall of Shame
Further humiliation comes with the detail: "They shall dig through the wall to bring him out." This wasn't a planned, dignified exit. It suggests a forceful, almost desperate breach, implying that even conventional escape routes were either impossible or too risky. It's a stark contrast to the secure walls that once protected the king and his city.
This imagery powerfully foreshadows Zedekiah's ultimate downfall and the loss of his kingdom.
Why would a king cover his face during a secret escape? It's a gesture with layers of meaning, hinting at both shame and a future sorrow.
The verse concludes with a striking image: "He shall cover his face, that he may not see the land with his eyes."
The Mask of Shame
On one level, covering his face was a desperate attempt at disguise. Zedekiah didn't want to be recognized as he fled, perhaps fearing betrayal or capture. It's the act of someone deeply ashamed, trying to hide his identity from the very land he ruled.
A Glimpse of Future Pain
However, the commentators also highlight a prophetic dimension. This act of covering his eyes, preventing him from seeing the land, foreshadows the horrific punishment Zedekiah would later endure. His eyes would be brutally put out by the Babylonians, leaving him literally unable to see the land he once governed.
Understand the original words
nâsî’ · Hebrew Noun
In the context of Ezekiel, this refers to Zedekiah, the ruling monarch of Judah, whose position symbolizes the leadership's failure and the end of the Davidic dynasty in Jerusalem.
This verse vividly portrays King Zedekiah's desperate, failed attempt to escape Jerusalem during its final siege. His ignominious flight, marked by disguise and a clandestine exit through a breached wall, foreshadows his eventual blinding and captivity, highlighting the utter collapse of royal authority and hope.
597 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, besieges Jerusalem and deports King Jehoiachin and many Judean leaders to Babylon. Zedekiah, Jehoiachin's uncle, is installed as the new king.
c. 588 BC
Siege of Jerusalem Begins
Nebuchadnezzar returns to lay siege to Jerusalem again after Zedekiah rebels against Babylonian rule. The siege lasts for about two years.
July 587/586 BC— this verse
Babylonians Breach Jerusalem Walls
After a prolonged siege, the Babylonian army breaches Jerusalem's walls, leading to the city's final fall.
July 587/586 BC
Zedekiah's Failed Escape Attempt
King Zedekiah attempts to flee Jerusalem under the cover of darkness through a secret passage, but he is captured by Babylonian forces.
This passage describes the very event Ezekiel is prophesying about—King Zedekiah's attempt to escape Jerusalem at night through a breach in the walls, illustrating the king's desperate and hidden flight.
Jeremiah 39:4Similar to 2 Kings, this verse recounts Zedekiah's capture after fleeing Jerusalem through a gate between the two walls, highlighting the ignominious end of his attempt to escape unnoticed.
Lamentations 4:20This verse directly refers to the 'anointed of the LORD,' speaking of the king, being captured in a 'snare,' which parallels the humiliation and capture of Prince Zedekiah prophesied by Ezekiel.
Psalm 89:36This psalm speaks of David's 'descendant' (a reference to the Davidic kings, including Zedekiah) having his 'line' established forever before God, contrasting sharply with Zedekiah's ignominious flight and capture, showing the brokenness of God's covenant promises due to human sin.
pooleEzekiel 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."
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…
calvinEzekiel 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."
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.
Et princeps qui in medio ipsoru…
What's easily missed here is the king's ignominious flight isn't just a secret escape; he's literally carrying his own meager belongings like a common refugee. This detail powerfully shows how even the highest authority is reduced to nothing, forced to hide his face not just from shame, but from the crushing reality of his fallen status.
Ezekiel is acting out a prophecy about the king of Judah and the impending destruction of Jerusalem. This verse describes the king's ignominious attempt to escape in secret during the siege. He'll be forced to flee under the cover of darkness, breaking through a wall, with his face covered in shame and fear. This action foreshadows his eventual capture and the loss of his sight.
Ezekiel is acting out a prophecy about the king of Judah and the impending destruction of Jerusalem. This verse describes the king's ignominious attempt to escape in secret during the siege. He'll be forced to flee under the cover of darkness, breaking through a wall, with his face covered in shame and fear. This action foreshadows his eventual capture and the loss of his sight.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Ezekiel 12:12 is available in the Sola app.
This detail emphasizes the totality of his ruin – a king stripped of dignity, identity, and even sight.
c. 587/586 BC
Zedekiah's Eyes Are Put Out
After his capture, Zedekiah is taken to Nebuchadnezzar in Riblah, where his sons are killed before his eyes, and then his own eyes are blinded.
c. 587/586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Babylonians utterly destroy Jerusalem, burning the Temple and leveling the city walls, marking the end of the kingdom of Judah.
After 586 BC
Third Babylonian Deportation
The remaining population of Jerusalem, except for the poorest of the land, is deported to Babylon.
"And the prince who is among them shall lift his baggage upon his shoulder at dusk, and shall go out. They shall dig through the wall to bring him out through it. He shall cover his face, that he may not see the land with his eyes." — What's easily missed here is the king's ignominious flight isn't just a secret escape; he's literally carrying his own meager belongings like a common refugee. This detail powerfully shows how even t…
