Ezekiel 12

1 The word of Jehovah also came to me, saying,

2 Son of man, thou dwell in the midst of the rebellious house, that have eyes to see, and see not, that have ears to hear, and hear not, for they are a rebellious house.

3 Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for moving, and move by day in their sight. And thou shall move from thy place to another place in their sight. It may be they will consider, though they are a rebellious house.

4 And thou shall bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for moving. And thou shall go forth thyself at evening in their sight, as when men go forth into exile.

5 Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out by that.

6 Thou shall bear it upon thy shoulder in their sight, and carry it forth in the dark. Thou shall cover thy face, that thou not see the land. For I have set thee for a sign to the house of Israel.

7 And I did so as I was commanded. I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for moving, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my hand. I brought it forth in the dark, and bore it upon my shoulder in their sight.

8 And in the morning the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

9 Son of man, has not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said to thee, What are thou doing?

10 Say thou to them, Thus says the lord Jehovah: This burden concerns the ruler in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel among whom they are.

11 Say, I am your sign. Just as I have done, so shall it be done to them. They shall go into exile, into captivity.

12 And the ruler who is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the dark, and shall go forth. They shall dig through the wall to carry out by it. He shall cover his face, because he shall not see the land with his eyes.

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

14 And I will scatter toward every wind all who are round about him to help him, and all his groups. And I will draw out the sword after them.

15 And they shall know that I am Jehovah, when I shall disperse them among the nations, and scatter them through the countries.

16 But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they come. And they shall know that I am Jehovah.

17 Moreover the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

18 Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with fearfulness.

19 And say to the people of the land, Thus says the lord Jehovah concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the land of Israel: They shall eat their bread with fearfulness, and drink their water in dismay, that her land may be desolate of all that is in it, because of the violence of all those who dwell therein.

20 And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be a desolation. And ye shall know that I am Jehovah.

21 And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

22 Son of man, what is this proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision fails?

23 Tell them therefore, Thus says the lord Jehovah: I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel, but say to them, The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every vision.

24 For there shall no more be any false vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel.

25 For I am Jehovah. I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall be performed. It shall be no more deferred. For in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word, and will perform it, says the lord Jehovah.

26 Again the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

27 Son of man, behold, those of the house of Israel say, The vision that he sees is for many day to come, and he prophesies of times that are far off.

28 Therefore say to them, Thus says the lord Jehovah: There shall none of my words be deferred any more, but the word which I shall speak shall be performed, says the lord Jehovah.