Ezekiel 12

1 Then came the word of Yahweh unto me saying:

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

2 Son of man. In the midst of a perverse house, dost thou dwell, — Who have eyes to see—and have not seen. Ears have they to hear—and have no heard, For a perverse house, they are.

“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 Thou, therefore Son of man, Prepare thee baggage for exile, and exile thyself, by day, before their eyes, —so shalt thou exile thyself out of thy place unto another place before their eyes, peradventure they will consider— though a perverse house, they are.

“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 Therefore shalt thou take forth thy baggage as baggage for exile, by day before their eyes, —and thou thyself, shalt go forth in the evening, before their eyes, like them who go forth to exile.

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 Before their eyes, break thou forth by thyself through the wall, —and carry forth through it.

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

6 Before their eyes, Upon the shoulder, shalt thou lift it. In thick darkness, take it forth, Thy face, shalt thou cover so that thou see not the land; For a sign, have I appointed thee 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 so, just as I was commanded, My baggage, took I forth as baggage for exile by day, and in the evening, I brake forth by myself through the wall, by force: in the twilight, I took it forth—on to my shoulder, I lifted it, before their eyes.

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 Then came the word of Yahweh unto 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 perverse house, said unto thee, — What art thou doing?

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

10 Say unto them, Thus, saith My Lord, Yahweh, — [For] the Bearer, is this burden, in Jerusalem, and [for] all the house of Israel such as are in their midst.

“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 your sign: As I have done, so. shall it be done to them, Into exile—into captivity, shall they go.

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

12 Yea, the Bearer who is in their midst, Upon his shoulder, shall lift it. In thick darkness, shall he go forth, Through the wall, shall they break to bear forth through it, — His face, shall he cover, to the end that, his own eye, may not see the land.

“‘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 Then will I spread my net over him, and he shall be taken in my snare; And I will take him to Babylon. in the land of the Chaldeans, The which, indeed, he shall not see. And yet there, shall he die!

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.

14 And all who are round about him to help him and all his troops, will I scatter to every wind, —and, a sword, will I make bare 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 So shall they know that, I, am Yahweh, — By my dispersing them among the nations, And scattering them throughout the lands.

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

16 Yet will I leave remaining of them men easily counted, from the sword from the famine and from the pestilence, —that they may recount all their abominations among the nations whither they have come, So shall they know that, I, am Yahweh.

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 Then came the word of Yahweh unto me, saying:

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

18 Son of man, Thy bread with trembling, shalt thou eat, — And, thy water in agitation and in fear, shalt thou drink.

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

19 Then shalt thou say unto the people of the land, Thus saith My Lord Yahweh concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem upon the soil of Israel, Their bread with anxious care, shall they eat, And, their water in astonishment, shall they drink, — That her land, may be deserted, of her fulness, because of the violence of all them who dwell therein:

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.

20 Yea, the cities that are inhabited, shall be laid waste, And, the land, shall become, an astonishment, — So shall ye know that, I, am Yahweh.

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 Yahweh came unto me saying:

The LORD’s word came to me, saying,

22 Son of man What is this proverb ye have, concerning the soil of Israel, saying, — The days, are prolonged, Therefore shall every vision come to nought?

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

23 Therefore say unto them, Thus, saith My Lord Yahweh, I will cause this proverb to cease, And they shall use it as a proverb no more in Israel, — But speak unto them, The days, are drawn near, And the substance 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 vision of falsehood Or divination of deceit, In the midst of the house of Israel.

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

25 For, I, Yahweh will speak whatsoever word I please to speak, And it shall be done, It shall not be delayed any more, — For in your own days, O perverse house, will I speak a word and perform it, Declareth My Lord. Yahweh.

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 And the word of Yahweh came unto me, saying:

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

27 Son of man. Lo! the house of Israel are saying, the vision which he seeth is for many days, Yea for times far away, hath he prophesied.

“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 unto them. Thus saith My Lord Yahweh, None of my words shall be delayed any more, — Whatsoever word I speak, then shall it be performed, Declareth My Lord Yahweh.

“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.’”