Ezekiel 12:12-13
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What's easily missed is how the king's clumsy, shameful escape is described: he's not just fleeing, but burdened with his own possessions like a commoner, digging through a wall, and covering his face—all desperate attempts at disguise that highlight his fall from dignity and foreshadow his blindness. This isn't a king making a regal exit, but a disgraced leader trying to sneak away, emphasizing the utter collapse of his authority.
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. And I will spread my net over him, and he shall be taken in my snare. And I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, yet he shall not see it, and he shall die there.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel has been delivering a series of symbolic actions and pronouncements of judgment against Jerusalem and its leaders. This passage focuses on the king, Zedekiah, portraying his humiliating and failed attempt to escape the besieged city in secret. The description of his clandestine flight through a breach in the wall, disguised and covering his face, foreshadows his ultimate capture and the loss of his sight.
Imagine the most powerful person in the land, not riding in a chariot, but sneaking out under cover of darkness. What does this image tell us about their situation?
This verse paints a stark picture of King Zedekiah's attempted escape from Jerusalem. He wasn't fleeing with a royal entourage, but disguised, carrying his own meager belongings ('his baggage') on his shoulder. The text emphasizes the secrecy: he departs 'at dusk,' and a hole is 'dug through the wall' just for him. This wasn't a king making a grand exit; it was a desperate, undignified flight aimed at hiding from the enemy. It's a powerful symbol of how his pride and the city's doom had reduced him.
Why would a king cover his face during a secret escape? Is it just about hiding, or is there more to it?
The act of covering his face is layered with meaning. Primarily, it was a tactic for disguise, to avoid recognition as he tried to slip away unseen. But it also speaks volumes about his internal state. This covering could symbolize profound shame and grief at his downfall, unable to bear looking at the land he had failed to protect. Furthermore, it prophetically hints at his future blinding, a brutal punishment he would endure. This gesture encapsulates his humiliation, his failed leadership, and the impending divine judgment.
Understand the original words
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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.
metsôdâh · Hebrew Noun
A divine trapping or entrapment, metaphorically representing God’s sovereignty in bringing judgment upon those who believe they can escape His declared purpose.
Bâbel · Hebrew Proper Noun
The historical seat of the Babylonian Empire, which in biblical prophecy serves as the archetype of worldly power, pride, and the site of God's instruments of judgment.
This prophecy vividly portrays King Zedekiah's desperate and ignominious attempt to flee Jerusalem during the Babylonian siege. His attempt to hide his identity and escape in secret, only to be captured, serves as a stark symbol of the impending doom of Jerusalem and the finality of exile, stripping away any false hope of security within the city's walls.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Deportations Begin
The Assyrian Empire begins deporting populations from conquered territories as a strategy to disrupt rebellions and integrate new regions. This sets a precedent for later empires like Babylon.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, conquers Jerusalem and deports a first group of Judeans, including some nobility and skilled workers. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Following a revolt, Nebuchadnezzar deports King Jehoiachin and more of Jerusalem's elite, including the prophet Ezekiel himself. This event deeply shakes the Judean leadership and populace.
589-587 BC
Siege of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar lays siege to Jerusalem after King Zedekiah rebels. The city endures a lengthy and devastating siege, leading to widespread famine and desperation.
c. 587/586 BC— this verse
Zedekiah's Failed Escape
King Zedekiah attempts a clandestine escape from Jerusalem at night by breaking through a wall, but he is captured by Babylonian forces. This event is directly symbolized by Ezekiel's prophecy.
c. 587/586 BC
Zedekiah's Punishment
After witnessing the execution of his sons, Zedekiah's eyes are gouged out by Nebuchadnezzar's men at Riblah. He is then taken captive to Babylon in chains.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
The Babylonians breach Jerusalem's walls, destroy the Temple, and deport the remaining population, marking the end of the Judean kingdom.
This passage describes the actual fulfillment of Ezekiel's prophecy, where King Zedekiah attempted a nighttime escape through a breach in the city walls, highlighting the ignominious flight of the king.
Jeremiah 39:4Similar to 2 Kings, this verse details Zedekiah's attempt to flee Jerusalem at night and his capture, confirming the historical event that Ezekiel's prophecy foreshadowed.
Lamentations 4:20This passage speaks of the king as 'the breath of our nostrils,' emphasizing the deep trust and reliance the people placed on their ruler, which makes his ignominious flight and capture even more tragic.
Psalm 89:36This psalm speaks of the Davidic covenant, promising an everlasting dynasty, which makes Zedekiah's flight and the end of kingship in Jerusalem a profound departure from God's promises and the people's hope.
John 12:43This New Testament passage speaks of rulers who loved 'the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God,' which resonates with Zedekiah's desire to save himself through stealth rather than trusting in God's deliverance.
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 is how the king's clumsy, shameful escape is described: he's not just fleeing, but burdened with his own possessions like a commoner, digging through a wall, and covering his face—all desperate attempts at disguise that highlight his fall from dignity and foreshadow his blindness. This isn't a king making a regal exit, but a disgraced leader trying to sneak away, emphasizing the utter collapse of his authority.
Ezekiel has been delivering a series of symbolic actions and pronouncements of judgment against Jerusalem and its leaders. This passage focuses on the king, Zedekiah, portraying his humiliating and failed attempt to escape the besieged city in secret. The description of his clandestine flight through a breach in the wall, disguised and covering his face, foreshadows his ultimate capture and the loss of his sight.
Ezekiel has been delivering a series of symbolic actions and pronouncements of judgment against Jerusalem and its leaders. This passage focuses on the king, Zedekiah, portraying his humiliating and failed attempt to escape the besieged city in secret. The description of his clandestine flight through a breach in the wall, disguised and covering his face, foreshadows his ultimate capture and the loss of his sight.
"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. And I wi…" — What's easily missed is how the king's clumsy, shameful escape is described: he's not just fleeing, but burdened with his own possessions like a commoner, digging through a wall, and covering his fac…
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Last reviewed October 2026
