complete verse (Ezekiel 12:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ezekiel 12:12:

  • Kupsabiny: “The king shall take his things and put on the shoulders as it is getting dark and go away. A hole will be dug in the wall to go through it and his shall cover his head so he does not see when he leaves his country.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Even their leader will-pass-through the wall which was-dug/[lit. made-a-hole] for him and he will-carry-on-(his)-shoulder his belongings/things-to-carry and will-go in the evening. He will-cover(-his-face) so-that he can- not -see the land.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Their king will put his belongings on his shoulder at dusk and leave. His servants will dig a hole through the city wall, and he will take his belongings through it. He will cover his face in order thatothers will not recognize him.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Ezekiel 12:12

And the prince who is among them shall lift his baggage upon his shoulder in the dark, and shall go forth …: This verse explains the meaning of the symbolic actions that God told Ezekiel to do in verses 5-6. It applies Ezekiel’s actions to the prince who is among them, that is, the ruler of the people of Jerusalem (see verse 10). It looks forward to what happened to King Zedekiah just before the Babylonian army destroyed Jerusalem (see 2 Kgs 25.4-7). For lift his baggage upon his shoulder in the dark, see Ezek 12.6. Some Hebrew manuscripts and a few translations read in the dark with the following verb go forth; for example, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “he goes out in the dark” (similarly New American Bible). This reading makes the verse more similar to verses 6-7. Although this reading is a little less likely than the one in Revised Standard Version, it is still acceptable.

He shall dig through the wall: See Ezek 12.5. Instead of he shall dig, the Hebrew has “they will dig.” Who the pronoun “they” refers to is not clear. It may refer to the people of Jerusalem (so New Century Version) or to the king’s servants (so Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), but it is probably an impersonal “they,” which may be rendered “someone,” “people,” or “others” (Contemporary English Version). For those languages that have the passive voice, this clause may be rendered “a hole will be made” (New Jerusalem Bible).

And go out through it: The Hebrew text says literally “in order to carry [his gear] out through it” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). For the textual problem here see Ezek 12.5. Good News Translation makes it explicit that the pronoun it refers to the hole in the wall, which may be helpful for other languages.

He shall cover his face, that he may not see the land with his eyes: See Ezek 12.6.

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .