Ezekiel 12
1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
A message from the Lord came to me, saying,
2 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.
“Son of man, you are living among rebellious people. They have eyes to see but they don't see, and ears to hear but they don't hear, because they are rebellious people.
3 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.
So, son of man, go and pack your bags as if you're going into exile. As people watch, get everything ready during the day so you can leave where you are and go somewhere else. Maybe they will realize what this means, even though they are rebellious people.
4 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.
Take your bags out for traveling into exile during the day while they watch. But you yourself are to leave in the evening as they watch, just like someone going into exile.
5 Dig thee a way through the wall before their eyes: and thou shalt go forth through it.
While they go on watching, knock down part of the wall of your house and take your belongings out through the hole.
6 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.
When it gets dark, as they continue to watch, put your bags on your shoulder and carry them as you leave. Cover your face so that you can't see the country you're leaving behind, because I'm providing you as a sign to warn the people of Israel.”
7 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.
So I did as I was told. I took my bags out to go into exile during the day, and in the evening I knocked down part of the wall of my house with my bare hands. I took my belongings out when it got dark, carrying them on my shoulder while they watched.
8 And the word of the Lord came to me in the morning, saying:
In the morning a message from the Lord came to me, saying,
9 Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the provoking house, said to thee: What art thou doing?
“Son of man, haven't those rebellious Israelites asked you, ‘What are you doing?’
10 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.
Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: ‘This prophetic sign concerns the prince who is ruling in Jerusalem and all the people of Israel who are living there.’
11 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.
You are to say to them, ‘I'm a sign to you.’ Just as it was demonstrated here, so it will happen to them—they will go into exile as prisoners.
12 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.
When it gets dark, their prince will also put his bags on his shoulder and leave. They will knock down the wall to take him away. He will cover his face so he can't see the country he's leaving behind.
13 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.
But I will catch him in my net; I will trap him in my snare. I will take him to Babylon in the country of Babylonia. However, won't see it, and he'll die there.
14 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.
I'm going to scatter all his attendants and all his troops in every direction, and I will chase after them with a drawn sword.
15 And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall have dispersed them among the nations, and scattered them in the countries.
They will know that I am the Lord when I scatter them among the different nations and countries.
16 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.
But I will let a few of them survive war, famine, and disease so that they can tell the nations where they're exiled about all their disgusting sins. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
17 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
A message from the Lord came to me, saying,
18 Son of man, eat thy bread in trouble: and drink thy water in hurry and sorrow.
“Son of man, tremble as you eat your bread; shake with worry as you drink your water.
19 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.
Then explain to the people of this country that this is what the Lord God says to those living in Jerusalem and in the country of Israel: They will be worried as eat their bread and they will be in despair as they drink their water, for their land will be stripped bare because of the violent crimes committed by everyone who lives there.
20 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.
The towns will be destroyed, and the countryside turned into a wasteland. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
21 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
Another message from 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 shall be prolonged, and every vision shall fail.
“Son of man, what's this proverb you people have in the land of Israel: ‘Time goes by, and no vision comes true’?
23 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.
So tell them that this is what the Lord God says: ‘I will put a stop to this proverb. No one in Israel will quote it anymore.’ Instead tell them: The time is soon coming when every vision will come true.
24 For there shall be no more any vain visions, nor doubtful divination in the midst of the children of Israel.
There won't be any more false visions or fake prophecies among the Israelites,
25 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.
because I, the Lord, will say whatever I choose to say, and it will happen immediately. Right now, you rebellious people, I will say something and make sure it happens, declares the Lord God.”
26 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
An additional message from the Lord came to me, saying,
27 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.
“Son of man, notice what the people of Israel are saying, ‘The vision that he's describing won't happen for a long time. He's prophesying about a time in the distant future.’
28 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.
So tell them that this is what the Lord God says: Everything I've said is about to happen. There won't be any more delay, declares the Lord God.”
