Ezekiel 12:10

“Say thou unto them, thus saith the Lord God, &c.] In answer to their sneering question; or notwithstanding their stupidity and indolence, and in order to awaken them out of it: this burden [concerneth] the prince in Jerusalem; the present reigning prince in Jerusalem, King Zedekiah. The sense is, either that that burden of goods the prophet carried out on his shoulders had a regard to the king of Judah and his captivity, and was an emblem of it; or rather that the burden of prophecy, or that sorrowful calamity predicted by the above sign or type, had relation to that prince, and would be fulfilled in him; and so the Targum, “upon the prince is the burden of this prophecy;” in like manner…”

“burden--that is, weighty oracle. the prince--The very man Zedekiah, in whom they trust for safety, is to be the chief sufferer. JOSEPHUS [Antiquities, 10.7] reports that Ezekiel sent a copy of this prophecy to Zedekiah. As Jeremiah had sent a letter to the captives at the Chebar, which was the means of calling forth at first the agency of Ezekiel, so it was natural for Ezekiel to send a message to Jerusalem confirming the warnings of Jeremiah. The prince, however, fancying a contradiction between Eze 12:13; "he shall not see Babylon," and Jer 24:8-9, declaring he should be carried to Babylon, believed neither. Seeming discrepancies in Scripture on deeper search prove to be hidden harmonies.”

“Burden - A word used to indicate a prediction of woe to be borne by some individual or people (Isaiah 13:1 note). Ezekiel, bearing his “stuff” on his shoulder was a sign of the weight of calamity coming upon king and people. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Say - Though they enquire not, yet tell them what I mean hereby, that this prophecy is a burden which the kingdom shall groan under. The prince - Zedekiah. Ezekiel 12:11”

“This: Kg2 9:25; Isa 13:1, Isa 14:28; Mal 1:1 prince: That is, Zedekiah king of Judah. Eze 7:27, Eze 17:13-21, Eze 21:25-27; Jer 21:7, Jer 24:8, Jer 38:18 Ezekiel 12:11”