Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying. Here follows another sign of the desolation of the Jews, which the prophet was unto them; as the former signified their going into captivity, this their famine and distress at the siege of Jerusalem, and the dreadful calamities attending and following that. read more
Verse 17 The Prophet is now ordered to represent the famine which awaited the Jews in both the siege and exile. But this prophecy ought to be especially referred to the time of the siege; for the Jews were in continual fear, and thought that by means of their garrison they would be impregnable. But as the Lord had often removed this trust from them, so he does now: hence therefore that miserable anxiety and fear, so that they never ate their bread but in fear, nor drank their water but in... read more
The opening words, The worn of the Lord came to me, imply an interval of passivity and silence. One conscious burst of inspiration came to an end, and was followed, after a time, by another. read more
Deprivations caused by sin. "Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking," etc. This paragraph was addressed to Ezekiel's fellow exiles. "Say unto the people of the land;" i.e. of Chaldea. The design was to discourage the false expectations of the captives, who were looking forward to an early season of prosperity for their native land, in which they hoped to share. To this end the prophet shows to them that, in respect to their fellow... read more
Ezekiel 12:17-19. Moreover, &c. As he was a sign to them in digging through the wall and carrying out his stuff, so he must now be a sign to them in another way. Eat thy bread with quaking, &c. Show all the signs of anxiety and consternation when thou takest thy common sustenance. This he was to do that he might express the calamitous condition of those that should be in Jerusalem during the siege. And say unto the people Thy fellow-captives; Thus saith the Lord of the... read more
Messages to be heeded (12:17-28)Ezekiel’s starvation diet symbolized the shortage of food in Jerusalem during the last great siege (see 4:9-17). He was now told that, when he ate, he was to act as if he were stricken with terror, to emphasize the horror of the events about to overtake Jerusalem (17-20).Many of the exiles doubted the truth of the messages that Ezekiel announced. They argued that days, months, and even years passed, but they did not see his prophecies fulfilled (21-22). God’s... read more
"Moreover the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with fearfulness; and say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the land of Israel: They shall eat their bread with fearfulness, and drink their water in dismay, that her land may be desolate and despoiled of all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein. And the cities that... read more
1. The dramatic tragedy of exile 12:1-20This section contains three messages from the Lord all of which deal with the inevitability of another deportation of Jews from Jerusalem and Judah (Ezekiel 12:1-20). Jerusalem would be overthrown and the Jews still there would be taken to Babylon in the very near future. The prophet’s perspective now broadened from the temple (chs. 8-11) to the city (ch. 12). read more
The Lord also instructed Ezekiel to eat his bread and drink his water while trembling and visibly anxious. The prophet appears to have been eating still the symbolic rations that God had prescribed for him earlier (Ezekiel 4:9-17). read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 12:17-20
Here again the prophet is made a sign to them of the desolations that were coming on Judah and Jerusalem. 1. He must himself eat and drink in care and fear, especially when he was in company, Ezek. 12:17, 18. Though he was under no apprehension of danger to himself, but lived in safety and plenty, yet he must eat his bread with quaking (the bread of sorrows, Ps. 127:2) and drink his water with trembling and with carefulness, that he might express the calamitous condition of those that should... read more