< Ezekiel 12 >

1 The LORD’s word also came to me, saying,
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
2 “Son of man, you dwell in the middle of the rebellious house, who have eyes to see, and do not see, who have ears to hear, and do not hear; for they are a rebellious house.
Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a provoking house: who have eyes to see, and see not: and ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a provoking house.
3 “Therefore, you son of man, prepare your baggage for moving, and move by day in their sight. You shall move from your place to another place in their sight. It may be they will consider, though they are a rebellious house.
Thou, therefore, O son of man, prepare thee all necessaries for removing, and remove by day in their sight: and thou shalt remove out of thy place to another place in their sight, if so be they will regard it: for they are a provoking house.
4 You shall bring out your baggage by day in their sight, as baggage for moving. You shall go out yourself at evening in their sight, as when men go out into exile.
And thou shalt bring forth thy furniture as the furniture of one that is removing by day in their sight: and thou shalt go forth in the evening in their presence, as one goeth forth that removeth his dwelling.
5 Dig through the wall in their sight, and carry your baggage out that way.
Dig thee a way through the wall before their eyes: and thou shalt go forth through it.
6 In their sight you shall bear it on your shoulder, and carry it out in the dark. You shall cover your face, so that you do not see the land, for I have set you for a sign to the house of Israel.”
In their sight thou shalt be carried out upon men’s shoulders, thou shalt be carried out in the dark: thou shalt cover thy face, and shalt not see the ground: for I have set thee for a sign of things to come to the house of Israel.
7 I did so as I was commanded. I brought out my baggage by day, as baggage for moving, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my hand. I brought it out in the dark, and bore it on my shoulder in their sight.
I did therefore as he had commanded me: I brought forth my goods by day, as the goods of one that removeth: and in the evening I digged through the wall with my hand: and I went forth in the dark, and was carried on men’s shoulders in their sight.
8 In the morning, the LORD’s word came to me, saying,
And the word of the Lord came to me in the morning, saying:
9 “Son of man, has not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said to you, ‘What are you doing?’
Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the provoking house, said to thee: What art thou doing?
10 “Say to them, ‘The Lord GOD says: “This burden concerns the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel among whom they are.”’
Say to them: Thus saith the Lord God: This burden concerneth my prince that is in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel, that are among them.
11 “Say, ‘I am your sign. As I have done, so will it be done to them. They will go into exile, into captivity.
Say: I am a sign of things to come to you: as I have done, so shall it be done to them: they shall be removed from their dwellings, and go into captivity.
12 “‘The prince who is among them will bear his baggage on his shoulder in the dark, and will go out. They will dig through the wall to carry things out that way. He will cover his face, because he will not see the land with his eyes.
And the prince that is in the midst of them, shall be carried on shoulders, he shall go forth in the dark: they shall dig through the wall to bring him out: his face shall be covered, that he may not see the ground with his eyes.
13 I will also spread my net on him, and he will be taken in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet he will not see it, though he will die there.
And I will spread my net over him, and he shall be taken in my net: and I will bring him into Babylon, into the land of the Chaldeans, and he shall not see it, and there he shall die.
14 I will scatter toward every wind all who are around him to help him, and all his bands. I will draw out the sword after them.
And all that are about him, his guards, and his troops I will scatter into every wind: and I will draw out the sword after them.
15 “‘They will know that I am the LORD when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them through the countries.
And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall have dispersed them among the nations, and scattered them in 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. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’”
And I will leave a few men of them from the sword, and from the famine, and from the pestilence: that they may declare all their wicked deeds among the nations whither they shall go: and they shall know that I am the Lord.
17 Moreover the LORD’s word came to me, saying,
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
18 “Son of man, eat your bread with quaking, and drink your water with trembling and with fearfulness.
Son of man, eat thy bread in trouble: and drink thy water in hurry and sorrow.
19 Tell the people of the land, ‘The Lord GOD says concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the land of Israel: “They will eat their bread with fearfulness and drink their water in dismay, that her land may be desolate, and all that is therein, because of the violence of all those who dwell therein.
And say to the people of the land: Thus saith the Lord God to them that dwell in Jerusalem in the land of Israel: They shall eat their bread in care, and drink their water in desolation: that the land may become desolate from the multitude that is therein, for the iniquity of all that dwell therein.
20 The cities that are inhabited will be laid waste, and the land will be a desolation. Then you will know that I am the LORD.”’”
And the cities that are now inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate: and you shall know that I am the Lord.
21 The LORD’s word came to me, saying,
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
22 “Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel, saying, ‘The days are prolonged, and every vision fails’?
Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel? saying: The days shall be prolonged, and every vision shall fail.
23 Tell them therefore, ‘The Lord GOD says: “I will make this proverb to cease, and they will no more use it as a proverb in Israel;”’ but tell them, ‘“The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every vision.
Say to them therefore: Thus saith the Lord God: I will make this proverb to cease, neither shall it be any more a common saying in Israel: and tell them that the days are at hand, and the effect of every vision.
24 For there will be no more any false vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel.
For there shall be no more any vain visions, nor doubtful divination in the midst of the children of Israel.
25 For I am the LORD. I will speak, and the word that I speak will be performed. It will be no more deferred; for in your days, rebellious house, I will speak the word and will perform it,” says the Lord GOD.’”
For I the Lord will speak: and what word soever I shall speak, it shall come to pass, and shall not be prolonged any more: but in your days, ye provoking house, I will speak the word, and will do it, saith the Lord God.
26 Again the LORD’s word came to me, saying,
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
27 “Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, ‘The vision that he sees is for many days to come, and he prophesies of times that are far off.’
Son of man, behold the house of Israel, they that say: The vision that this man seeth, is for many days to come: and this men prophesieth of times afar off.
28 “Therefore tell them, ‘The Lord GOD says: “None of my words will be deferred any more, but the word which I speak will be performed,” says the Lord GOD.’”
Therefore say to them: Thus saith the Lord God: Not one word of mine shall be prolonged any more: the word that I shall speak shall be accomplished, saith the Lord God.

< Ezekiel 12 >