Ezekiel 12–17

Why Captivity?

Ezekiel 12–17 contains the Lord’s revelations to Ezekiel that there would be more Babylonian attacks on Jerusalem and more Jews taken captive. The Lord also revealed why these events would happen and told Ezekiel to preach repentance to those in captivity.

Ezekiel 12 assures the Jews that more would be taken captive.

Ezekiel 13 tells that the Lord condemned false prophets who pretended to speak in His name and others who led people away from Him in various ways.

Ezekiel 14 records that Jewish leaders came to Ezekiel seeking counsel. The Lord told them He would not counsel them until they stopped seeking answers from idols as well. He emphasized that each individual must be righteous in order to endure the coming judgments and that they could not rely on their leaders’ righteousness.

Ezekiel 15 holds a comparison between the children of Israel and a burned vine, which is good for nothing. Many other times in the scriptures, the Lord compared the children of Israel to a vine or a vineyard (see Isaiah 5; Jacob 5).

Ezekiel 16, like other places in the Old Testament, contains a comparison between the Lord’s relationship with Israel and the covenant of marriage. Chapter 16 goes into great detail to show how Israel (Jerusalem) was unfaithful to her “husband” and why she deserved her punishment.

Ezekiel 17 includes a parable the Lord revealed to Ezekiel that taught the people they should not seek deliverance from Egypt while in bondage but rather to submit to the Babylonians and the Lord would eventually redeem them.