Ezekiel 3 NASB
[25]As for you, son of man, they will put ropes on you and bind you with them so that you cannot go out among them.
Been searching trying to find out were Ezekiel was bound with ropes but couldn't find the place
Could it be this ropes are figurative?
I see the Hebrew of Ezekiel 3:25 like this:
And you, son of man, behold, they shall put cords upon you, and they shall bind you with them, and you will not go out among them.
Details:
עֲבוֹתִ֔ים (from עֲבֹת, Strong's H5688 - `aboth) refers to intertwined cords/ropes.
In Ezekiel 4 God tells Ezekiel to construct a diorama of the siege that is to come upon Jerusalem, saying in verse 8 (as I understand the Hebrew):
And behold, I shall put cords upon you, so you will not turn about from one side of you to the other until you finish the days of your siege.
Details:
God says in Ezekiel 4:8 that HE will bind Ezekiel with cords, but this will be done via the agents (THEY) that were mentioned previously in Ezekiel 3:25. Ezekiel was to remain bound for יְמֵ֥י מְצוּרֶֽךָ, i.e. "the days of your siege".
It should be noted that the "days" (יְמֵ֥י from יוֹם, Strong's H3117 - yowm) mentioned here are most likely the daylight hours, rather than 24 hours. The purpose of Ezekiel's "siege" was the depiction of what was coming upon "the children of Israel", not the torture of God's prophet. Besides, Ezekiel was instructed concerning cooking and drinking, which he could hardly undertake while bound.
The cords of Ezekiel 3:25 are literal, and were deployed by agents in God's service who would assist Ezekiel in his modelling of the days that were soon to come upon the children of Israel.
