Jezekiel 12

1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

The LORD’s word also came to me, saying,

2 Son of man, you dwell in the midst of the iniquities of those, who have eyes to see, and see not; and have ears to hear, and hear not: because it is a provoking house.

“Son of man, you dwell in the middle of the rebellious house, who have eyes to see, and don’t see, who have ears to hear, and don’t hear; for they are a rebellious house.

3 You therefore, son of man, prepare yourself baggage for going into captivity by day in their sight; and you shall be led into captivity from your place into another place in their sight; that they may see that it is a provoking house.

“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.

4 And you shall carry forth your baggage, baggage for captivity, by day before their eyes: and you shall go forth at even, as a captive goes forth, in their sight.

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.

5 Dig for yourself into the wall [of the house], and you shall pass through it in their sight:

Dig through the wall in their sight, and carry your baggage out that way.

6 you shall be lifted up on [men's] shoulders, and shall go forth in secret: you shall cover your face, and shall not see the ground: because I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.

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 don’t see the land, for I have set you for a sign to the house of Israel.”

7 And I did thus according to all that he commanded me; and I carried forth my baggage for captivity by day, and in the evening I dug through the wall for myself, and went out secretly; I was taken up on [men's] shoulders before them.

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.

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

In the morning, the LORD’s word came to me, saying,

9 Son of man, have not the house of Israel, the provoking house, said to you, What do you?

“Son of man, hasn’t the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said to you, ‘What are you doing?’

10 Say to them, Thus says the Lord God, the Prince and the Ruler in Israel, even to all the house of Israel who are in the midst of them:

“Say to them, ‘The Lord GOD says: “This burden concerns the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel amongst whom they are.”’

11 say, I am performing signs: as I have done, so shall it be to him: they shall go into banishment and captivity.

“Say, ‘I am your sign. As I have done, so will it be done to them. They will go into exile, into captivity.

12 And the prince in the midst of them shall be borne upon shoulders, and shall go forth in secret through the wall, and shall dig so that he may go forth thereby: he shall cover his face, that he may not be seen by [any] eye, and he himself shall not see the ground.

“‘The prince who is amongst 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.

13 And I will spread out my net upon him, and he shall be caught in my toils: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; but he shall not see it, though he shall die there.

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 Kasdim; yet he will not see it, though he will die there.

14 And I will scatter to every wind all his assistants round about him, and all that help him; and I will draw out a sword after them;

I will scatter towards every wind all who are around him to help him, and all his bands. I will draw out the sword after them.

15 And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I have scattered them amongst the nations; and I will disperse them in the countries.

“‘They will know that I am the LORD when I disperse them amongst the nations and scatter them through the countries.

16 And I will leave of them [a few] men in number [spared] from the sword, and from famine, and pestilence; that they may declare all their iniquities amongst the nations whither they have gone; and they shall know that I am the Lord.

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 amongst the nations where they come. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’”

17 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

Moreover the LORD’s word came to me, saying,

18 Son of man, eat your bread with sorrow, and drink [your] water with torment and affliction.

“Son of man, eat your bread with quaking, and drink your water with trembling and with fearfulness.

19 And you shall say to the people of the land, Thus says the Lord to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, on the land of Israel; They shall eat their bread in scarcity, and shall drink their water in desolation, that the land may be desolate with all that it contains: for all that dwell in it are ungodly.

Tell the people of the land, ‘The Lord GOD says concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Eretz-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.

20 And their inhabited cities shall be laid utterly waste, and the land shall be desolate; and you shall know that I am the Lord.

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.”’”

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

The LORD’s word came to me, saying,

22 Son of man, what is your parable on the land of Israel, that you say, The days are long, the vision has perished?

“Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in Eretz-Israel, saying, ‘The days are prolonged, and every vision fails’?

23 Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord; I will even set aside this parable, and the house of Israel shall no more at all use this parable: for you shall say to them, The days are at hand, and the import of every vision.

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 fulfilment of every vision.

24 For there shall no more be any false vision, nor any one prophesying flatteries in the midst of the children of Israel.

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

25 For I the Lord will speak my words; I will speak and perform [them], and will no more delay, for in your days, O provoking house, I will speak the word, and will perform [it], says the Lord.

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.’”

26 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

Again the LORD’s word came to me, saying,

27 Son of man, behold, the provoking house of Israel boldly say, The vision which this man sees is for many days, and he prophesies for times afar off.

“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.’

28 Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord; Henceforth none of my words shall linger, which I shall speak: I will speak and do, says the Lord.

“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.’”