Ezekiel 12:11

Eze 12:11 Say, I [am] your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove [and] go into captivity.

Ver. 11. I am your sign.] And so it pleases you to make me your mocking stock. Sed risus hic est Sardonius. Of such mirth one may safely say, "It is mad; and of such laughter, What doeth it?" {Ecc 2:2}

Like as I have done.] My removal is mira, nova inimica, et ludicra; a marvel, newly hostile, and a show; but upon you it will fall heavily and horridly. That which hath befallen me in type only, shall befall you in truth and reality.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

sign--portent of evil to come (Eze 24:27; Zac 3:8, Margin). Fulfilled (Kg2 25:1-7; Jer 52:1-11).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(11) Your sign.—The change of pronoun is intentional. The prophet’s action was to be a sign not only to Zedekiah and the people in Jerusalem, but also to those in captivity, since they rested their hope upon the safety of the holy city.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11. I am your sign] i.e. a sign to you—the exiles, to whom he is speaking; while done “to them” refers to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Cf. Eze_12:6.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

My net also will I spread upon him,.... Meaning the Chaldean army, which the Lord raised up, and brought against him, and gave success unto:

and he shall be taken in my snare; as a bird is taken in the snare of the fowler; or a wild beast by the hunter. The Jews have a tradition, which is mentioned both by Jarchi, Kimchi, and Abendana on the place, that there was a cave which reached from Zedekiah's house to the plains of Jericho, by the way of which he fled; and that God prepared a deer, which went upon the top of the cave; and the Chaldeans pursued it; and when it came to the mouth of the cave, Zedekiah was coming out, and they took him:

and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it; his eyes being put out at Riblah, Jer 39:7. The Prophet Jeremiah says that his eyes should behold the eyes of the king of Babylon, Jer 34:3; and yet here Ezekiel says that he should not see the land of the Chaldeans. Josephus (u) observes, that Zedekiah thought these two prophecies contradicted each other, and therefore gave credit to neither; but they both proved true; he saw the king of Babylon at Riblah; but his eyes being there put out, he saw not Babylon, whither he was carried captive:

though he shall die there; as he did, Jer 52:11.

(u) Joseph. Antiqu. l. 10. c. 7. sect. 2. and c. 8. sect. 2.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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.

Remove; change their habitations, and carry away their goods, such as the clemency of a conqueror will permit.

Go into captivity; you to whom I tell these things shall see them come from Jerusalem unto Babylon, as dejected, spoiled, and naked captives.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

11. I am your sign — It is no light thing to be set as a sign by the Lord. It is only the brave and consecrated man that God can so use. Few men have been great enough to be honored thus. Jehovah never takes the man clothed in fine linen, but the one clothed in sackcloth, when he would set a man as a sign before the world.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Teaching by example.

The Jews had neglected the words of Ezekiel; the prophet is now to attempt to rouse them by a fresh method, by an illustrative action. They would not attend when he told them that the trouble was coining; he is now to perform before their eyes an action illustrative of that trouble. The inhabitants of Jerusalem refused to admit that they will be sent into captivity, and it would seem that their friends in captivity were in sympathy with them in this respect, and could communicate with them. So Ezekiel packs up his goods and removes his house, as a sign of the approaching removal of the Jews into captivity. This is the most effective method of teaching.

I WHY TEACHING BY EXAMPLE IS EFFECTIVE.

1. It is lucid. Deeds are more visible than words. Men of various languages can understand the same facts. The bold outlines of an event are more readily grasped than the floating sounds of speech.

2. It is impressive. We are struck by what we see with our own eyes tar more than by what is reported to us by others. The greatest deeds recorded in history do not produce so much impression on us as the much smaller things with which we have had personal contact; but those historic deeds are far more interesting than abstract philosophical principles.

3. It is suggestive. Deeds are more eloquent than words. They are manysided, and every face; is capable of reflecting some truth. Titus the same illustration may convey various aspects of truth to different persons.

4. It is enduring. The memory of events remains when that of words has faded. Nothing dies so rapidly as the influence of an orator. Facts live forever, while words of preaching vanish almost as soon as they are spoken.

II WHAT TEACHING BY EXAMPLE IS MOST EFFECTIVE.

1. That which is human. We may take illustrations from nature, and read "sermons in stones, books in the running brooks, and good in everything;" but human life is more lull of instruction more lucid, impressive, suggestive, and enduring in its lessons. Hence the inestimable value of honest biography.

2. That which is personal to the teacher. It is good to be able to point to great examples in history. But when the preacher himself does some striking deed, his influence is far greater. Ezekiel was himself to remove in illustration of the Captivity. We can teach best by our lives.

3. That which involves self-sacrifice. Ezekiel"s action was one of trouble and vexation. If our message costs us little, it may be lightly esteemed. Nothing is so impressive as the evidence of pain and cost in the effort to enlighten others. Self-denial is the most eloquent of persuasive influences. He who thus puts himself to trouble proves his sincerity, and impresses his neighbours with his own earnestness, and with the corresponding weightiness of his message.

Note: All this may be most perfectly illustrated from the gospel of Christ. Here we are taught by the facts of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Those facts are seen in the personal history of our great Teacher, and pre-eminently in his sacrifice of himself to the truth and for the benefit of the world.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I am your sign - My person is the emblem of yours, and my actions of that you shall do. And the like shall be done to you, O inhabitants of Jerusalem. We cannot say concerning our dwelling place, that it is our resting place. For how far we may be tossed from it before we die, we cannot foresee.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

I am a sign to you

Here the word "sign" refers to something that communicates a special warning to those who see it. Ezekiel speaks of himself and his actions as being this warning. AT: "I am a warning to you" (See: Metaphor)

so it will be done to them

The word "them" refers to the people living in Jerusalem. This can be stated in active form. AT: "so others will do to them" (See: Active or Passive)

in the dark

"at night"

They will dig through the wall

The word "They" refers to the people living in Jerusalem.

He will cover his face

"The prince will cover his face"

I will spread out my net over him and he will be caught in my snare

Yahweh speaks of enabling the Chaldeans to capture the prince as if he himself were catching the prince in a trap that he had set. (See: Metaphor)

I will bring him to Babylon

Yahweh speaks of enabling the Chaldeans to bring the prince to Babylon as if he himself were bringing the prince there. AT: "I will cause the Chaldeans to bring him to Babylon" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

translationWords

sign

exile

captive

prince

darkness

Babylon

Chaldea

die

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.