The Meaning of Ezekiel 12:6 Explained

Ezekiel 12:6

KJV: In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulders, and carry it forth in the twilight: thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.

YLT: Before their eyes on the shoulder thou dost bear, in the darkness thou dost bring forth, thy face thou dost cover, and thou dost not see the earth, for a type I have given thee to the house of Israel.'

Darby: In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulder, and carry it forth in the dark; thou shalt cover thy face, and thou shalt not see the ground: for I have appointed thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.

ASV: In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulder, and carry it forth in the dark; thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the land: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

In their sight  shalt thou bear  [it] upon [thy] shoulders,  [and] carry [it] forth  in the twilight:  thou shalt cover  thy face,  that thou see  not the ground:  for I have set  thee [for] a sign  unto the house  of Israel. 

What does Ezekiel 12:6 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 12

1  Under the type of Ezekiel's removing
8  is shown the captivity of Zedekiah
17  Ezekiel's trembling shows the Jews' desolation
21  The Jews' presumptuous proverb is reproved
26  The speediness of the vision

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 12:6 mean?

In their sight on [your] shoulders you shall bear [them] at twilight [and] carry [them] out your face you shall cover so that cannot you see - the ground for a sign I have made you to the house of Israel
לְעֵ֨ינֵיהֶ֜ם עַל־ כָּתֵ֤ף תִּשָּׂא֙ בָּעֲלָטָ֣ה תוֹצִ֔יא פָּנֶ֣יךָ תְכַסֶּ֔ה וְלֹ֥א תִרְאֶ֖ה אֶת־ הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּֽי־ מוֹפֵ֥ת נְתַתִּ֖יךָ לְבֵ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

לְעֵ֨ינֵיהֶ֜ם  In  their  sight 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, cdc, third person masculine plural
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
כָּתֵ֤ף  [your]  shoulders 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: כָּתֵף  
Sense: shoulder, shoulder-blade, side, slope.
תִּשָּׂא֙  you  shall  bear  [them] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
בָּעֲלָטָ֣ה  at  twilight 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֲלָטָה  
Sense: thick darkness.
תוֹצִ֔יא  [and]  carry  [them]  out 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
פָּנֶ֣יךָ  your  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
תְכַסֶּ֔ה  you  shall  cover 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: כָּסָה  
Sense: to cover, conceal, hide.
וְלֹ֥א  so  that  cannot 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תִרְאֶ֖ה  you  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָאָ֑רֶץ  the  ground 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
מוֹפֵ֥ת  a  sign 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹופֵת  
Sense: wonder, sign, miracle, portent.
נְתַתִּ֖יךָ  I  have  made  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לְבֵ֥ית  to  the  house 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.