XII.
The vision being finished, there follows a series of connected prophecies, extending through Ezekiel 19, just as the vision of Ezekiel 4:5 was followed by the prophecies of Ezekiel 6:7; and in this case, as in the former, the prophecy includes symbolical action (Ezekiel 12:3-7). In Ezekiel 12:9 the people are represented as inquiring the meaning of this action, and in Ezekiel 12:8 the Divine answer is spoken of as given “in the morning” after the action; it was, therefore, undoubtedly actually performed. The object of this whole series of prophecies is the same as that of the preceding vision: to show the worthlessness of the trust in the preservation of the kingdom of Judah and Jerusalem, and in an early release from the Babylonian yoke. In the present chapter the prophet is required to foreshow the captivity of the king and the people by a symbolical action (Ezekiel 12:3-7); to explain this action (Ezekiel 12:8-16); to set forth by another symbolical action the distress of the people (Ezekiel 12:17-20); and, finally, to meet the objection that these things will either never occur, or at least will be long delayed (Ezekiel 12:21-28).