Ezekiel 12:12-13
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)
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This verse reveals a shocking detail about the king's attempted escape: he's forced to carry his own meager belongings like a common fugitive. Even more poignant is the reason he covers his face: not just for disguise, but because he's so filled with shame and grief that he can't bear to look upon the land he's abandoning.
Ezekiel is acting out the downfall of Jerusalem, specifically focusing on its leader. This verse describes the king, Zedekiah, attempting a secret escape from the besieged city under cover of darkness, carrying his meager belongings on his shoulder. His shame and desire to conceal himself are so great that he covers his face, a powerful foreshadowing of his future blinding.
Imagine your nation's leader, not in royal robes, but sneaking out under cover of darkness. This verse paints a vivid picture of a king's desperate, undignified flight.
Ezekiel describes the king, Zedekiah, carrying his own belongings on his shoulder. This wasn't a king leading his army, but a fugitive trying to disappear.
A King's Burden
Walls are meant to protect, but here, a wall becomes the very means of a desperate, shameful exit. What does this 'digging through the wall' signify?
The act of digging through the wall is more than just a physical escape route; it's a powerful symbol of the destruction and desperation facing Jerusalem and its king.
Breaking Down Defenses
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.
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.
Ezekiel's prophecy vividly portrays King Zedekiah's desperate, shameful flight from besieged Jerusalem, prefiguring his capture and blinding. This highlights the utter collapse of Davidic royalty and the people's misplaced trust in earthly rulers over God.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, conquers Judah and Jerusalem, taking some of the royal family and nobility, including Daniel, captive to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Judah's decline.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
After a brief rebellion, Jerusalem is besieged again. King Jehoiachin and thousands more are deported to Babylon, including the prophet Ezekiel himself.
589 BC
Siege of Jerusalem Begins
Zedekiah, the puppet king installed by Babylon, rebels once more. Nebuchadnezzar lays siege to Jerusalem, a brutal siege that will last for nearly two years.
c. July 587 BC— this verse
Zedekiah's Failed Escape
During the siege, King Zedekiah attempts a desperate, clandestine escape from Jerusalem with his remaining forces under the cover of night. They try to flee south towards the Arabah.
This passage describes the historical fulfillment of Ezekiel's prophecy, detailing how King Zedekiah attempted to flee Jerusalem through a secret passage in the wall during the night, exactly as Ezekiel foretold.
2 Kings 25:4This verse provides another historical account of Zedekiah's failed escape, confirming he fled with his men at night through a breach in the city walls, highlighting the desperate and ignominious nature of his flight.
Lamentations 4:20This verse speaks of the 'anointed of the Lord' being taken in the enemy's pits, a poignant parallel to the fall of Jerusalem's leadership and the king's capture, underscoring the profound loss and devastation.
Ezekiel 12:13This verse immediately follows the one in question and directly explains the 'covering his face' by stating the king would be brought to Babylon, where he would see it with his eyes, but would not see it himself, foreshadowing his blinding.
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…
This verse reveals a shocking detail about the king's attempted escape: he's forced to carry his own meager belongings like a common fugitive. Even more poignant is the reason he covers his face: not just for disguise, but because he's so filled with shame and grief that he can't bear to look upon the land he's abandoning.
Ezekiel is acting out the downfall of Jerusalem, specifically focusing on its leader. This verse describes the king, Zedekiah, attempting a secret escape from the besieged city under cover of darkness, carrying his meager belongings on his shoulder. His shame and desire to conceal himself are so great that he covers his face, a powerful foreshadowing of his future blinding.
Ezekiel is acting out the downfall of Jerusalem, specifically focusing on its leader. This verse describes the king, Zedekiah, attempting a secret escape from the besieged city under cover of darkness, carrying his meager belongings on his shoulder. His shame and desire to conceal himself are so great that he covers his face, a powerful foreshadowing of his future blinding.
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c. July 587 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar's armies capture Zedekiah near Jericho. The walls of Jerusalem are breached, the city is plundered and burned, and the remaining population is taken into exile.
c. 587 BC
Zedekiah's Punishment
Zedekiah is taken to Riblah, Nebuchadnezzar's headquarters. His sons are killed before his eyes, and then his own eyes are brutally put out. He is then taken captive to Babylon in chains.
"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…" — This verse reveals a shocking detail about the king's attempted escape: he's forced to carry his own meager belongings like a common fugitive. Even more poignant is the reason he covers his face: not…
