Ezekiel 12

1 A message from the Lord came to me, saying,

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2 “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.

“Son of man, you are living in a rebellious house. They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house.

3 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.

Therefore, son of man, pack your bags for exile. In broad daylight, set out from your place and go to another as they watch. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house.

4 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.

Bring out your baggage for exile by day, as they watch. Then in the evening, as they watch, go out like those who go into exile.

5 While they go on watching, knock down part of the wall of your house and take your belongings out through the hole.

As they watch, dig through the wall and carry your belongings out through it.

6 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.”

And as they watch, lift your bags to your shoulder and take them out at dusk; cover your face so that you cannot see the land. For I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.”

7 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.

So I did as I was commanded. I brought out my bags for exile by day, and in the evening I dug through the wall by hand. I took my belongings out at dusk, carrying them on my shoulder as they watched.

8 In the morning a message from the Lord came to me, saying,

And in the morning the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

9 “Son of man, haven't those rebellious Israelites asked you, ‘What are you doing?’

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

10 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.’

Tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘This burden concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are there.’

11 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.

You are to say, ‘I am a sign to you.’ Just as it happened here, so will it be done to them; they will go into exile as captives.

12 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.

And at dusk the prince among them will lift his bags to his shoulder and go out. They will dig through the wall to bring him out. He will cover his face so he cannot see the land.

13 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.

But I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans; yet he will not see it, and there he will die.

14 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.

And I will scatter to every wind all the attendants around him and all his troops, and I will draw a sword to chase after them.

15 They will know that I am the Lord when I scatter them among the different nations and countries.

And they will know that I am the LORD, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them throughout the countries.

16 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.”

But I will spare a few of them from sword and famine and plague, so that in the nations to which they go, they can recount all their abominations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

17 A message from the Lord came to me, saying,

Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

18 “Son of man, tremble as you eat your bread; shake with worry as you drink your water.

“Son of man, eat your bread with trembling, and drink your water with quivering and anxiety.

19 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.

Then tell the people of the land that this is what the Lord GOD says about those living in Jerusalem and in the land of Israel: ‘They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water in dread, for their land will be stripped of everything in it because of the violence of all who dwell in it.

20 The towns will be destroyed, and the countryside turned into a wasteland. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”

The inhabited cities will be laid waste, and the land will become desolate. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”

21 Another message from the Lord came to me, saying,

Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

22 “Son of man, what's this proverb you people have in the land of Israel: ‘Time goes by, and no vision comes true’?

“Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by, and every vision fails’?

23 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.

Therefore tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will put an end to this proverb, and in Israel they will no longer recite it.’ But say to them: ‘The days are at hand when every vision will be fulfilled.

24 There won't be any more false visions or fake prophecies among the Israelites,

For there will be no more false visions or flattering divinations within the house of Israel,

25 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.”

because I, the LORD, will speak whatever word I speak, and it will be fulfilled without delay. For in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak a message and bring it to pass, declares the Lord GOD.’”

26 An additional message from the Lord came to me, saying,

Furthermore, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

27 “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.’

“Son of man, take note that the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is for many years from now; he prophesies about the distant future.’

28 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.”

Therefore tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘None of My words will be delayed any longer. The message I speak will be fulfilled, declares the Lord GOD.’”