My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.

EZEKIEL 12:13KJV
Know the Bible

Ezekiel 12:13 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 12:13 mean?

Ezekiel 12:13 describes how God will trap the leader of Jerusalem, bringing him to Babylon, where he will die without ever seeing the land. The verse uses the image of a net and a snare to show that escape will be impossible, even though the person will not actually see Babylon with his own eyes.

In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Ezekiel to warn the people of Judah, especially their king. The situation is the coming Babylonian exile, where Jerusalem’s king (historically, Zedekiah) will be captured and taken to Babylon. The detail that he will not "see" Babylon, though he will die there, refers to the historical event where Zedekiah was blinded before being taken to Babylon.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 12:13

  • "net" (שֶׁבֶת, shevet): This word often refers to a literal net used for trapping animals, emphasizing the certainty and inescapability of the coming judgment.
  • "snare" (מוֹקֵשׁ, moqesh): This word means a trap or snare, reinforcing the idea that the king’s downfall is both sudden and unavoidable.
  • "see" (רָאָה, ra’ah): The word for "see" is the usual term for physical sight, which is important since the verse hints at the king’s future blindness.

Why Ezekiel 12:13 matters

  • Ezekiel 12:13 clears up that the king’s fate is not just exile, but a specific, humiliating punishment—he will be taken alive but blinded, so he never sees Babylon.
  • The verse connects to the wider passage by showing that God’s warnings through Ezekiel are not vague threats but detailed prophecies that will come true in real, historical ways.
  • The use of "net" and "snare" highlights that the king’s capture is not by chance or human power alone, but by God’s deliberate action, showing God’s control over the events.

Where else these words appear

“net” Hebrew H7568 · used in 21 verses

  • Exodus 27:4 And thou shalt make for it a grate of network of brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four brasen rings in the four corners thereof.
  • Psalms 25:15 Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
  • Proverbs 29:5 A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.

“snare” Hebrew H4686 · used in 22 verses

  • 1 Samuel 22:4 And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold.
  • 2 Samuel 23:14 And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
  • Psalms 31:3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.

“taken” Hebrew H8610 · used in 60 verses

  • Genesis 4:21 And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.
  • 2 Kings 14:13 And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Bethshemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
  • Jeremiah 49:16 Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill: though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the LORD.

“spread” Hebrew H6566 · used in 66 verses

  • Exodus 9:29 And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the LORD'S.
  • 2 Kings 8:15 And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead.
  • Isaiah 25:11 And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim: and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands.