Bible Strands
Ezekiel 12:22
“Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by, and every vision fails’?
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Lord addresses Ezekiel to confront the people of Israel with a circulating saying during a period of unfulfilled prophecy.
The words — The Hebrew מָשָׁל (mashal) translates literally to "proverb" or "parable," while הַזֶּה (ha-zeh) means "this," isolating the specific saying the populace is reciting.
The thread — This motif of delayed prophetic fulfillment appears in Ezekiel 18:2 regarding generational blame and in Ezekiel 11:3 regarding false assurances of imminent safety.
Why it lands — The text explicitly states that the days are at hand and every vision will be fulfilled, demanding readers abandon impatience and recognize that prophetic delay is not prophetic failure.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?
Cross-references
- Ezekiel 18:2 “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children are set on edge’?
- Ezekiel 11:3 They are saying, ‘Is not the time near to build houses? The city is the cooking pot, and we are the meat.’
- Ezekiel 12:27 “Son of man, take note that the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is for many years from now; he prophesies about the distant future.’
- Isaiah 5:19 to those who say, “Let Him hurry and hasten His work so that we may see it! Let the plan of the Holy One of Israel come so that we may know it!”
- Jeremiah 5:12 They have lied about the LORD and said: “He will not do anything; harm will not come to us; we will not see sword or famine.
- Jeremiah 23:33 “Now when this people or a prophet or priest asks you, ‘What is the burden of the LORD?’ you are to say to them, ‘What burden? I will forsake you, declares the LORD.’
- Amos 6:3 You dismiss the day of calamity and bring near a reign of violence.
- 2 Peter 3:3 Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.
- Ezekiel 16:44 Behold, all who speak in proverbs will quote this proverb about you: ‘Like mother, like daughter.’