< Ezekiel 12 >
1 Yahweh gave me another message. [He said, ]
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
2 “You human, you are living among people who are [very] rebellious. They have eyes, but they do not [what I want them to see]; they have ears, but they do not [what I want them to hear], because they are rebellious/stubborn people.
“Son of man, you live in the midst of a provoking house. They have eyes to see, and they do not see; and ears to hear, and they do not hear. For they are a provoking house.
3 Therefore, you human, pack your belongings as though you were (going into exile/being forced to go to another country). Then, during the daytime, while people are watching, [prepare to] go to another place. Even though the people are rebellious, perhaps they will [what you are symbolizing].
As for you, then, son of man, prepare for yourself the supplies for traveling far away, and travel away in the daytime in their sight. And you shall travel from your place to another place in their sight, so that perhaps they may consider it. For they are a provoking house.
4 During the daytime, while they are watching, bring out the things that you want to take and pack them. Then in the evening, while they are watching, do what those who are preparing to go into exile do.
And you shall carry your supplies outside, like the supplies of one who is traveling far away, in the daytime in their sight. Then you shall go forth in the evening in their presence, just as one goes forth who is moving far away.
5 Dig through [city] wall and take your things through the hole.
Dig for yourself through the wall, before their eyes. And you shall go out through it.
6 Then put [in a sack] on your shoulder while they are watching and leave at dusk. Cover your face in order that you cannot see the path. [I want you to do this] because I want you to warn the Israeli people.”
In their sight, you shall be carried on shoulders, you shall be carried in the dark. You shall cover your face, and you shall not see the ground. For I have appointed you as a portent for the house of Israel.”
7 [So] I did what Yahweh told me to do. During the day I brought things out of my [as though] I was packing to go into exile. Then in the evening I dug through [city] wall. [Then] while people watched, I put my sack of belongings on my shoulder and left.
Therefore, I did just as he had instructed me. I brought out my supplies in the daytime, like the supplies of one who is moving far away. And in the evening, I dug myself through the wall by hand. And I went out in the dark, and I was carried on shoulders, in their sight.
8 The next morning, Yahweh gave me this message:
And the word of the Lord came to me, in the morning, saying:
9 “You human, the rebellious people [MTY] of Israel asked you, ‘What are you doing?’
“Son of man, has not the house of Israel, the provoking house, said to you: ‘What are you doing?’
10 [So go back and] say to them, ‘What I did is about the king in Jerusalem and all the [other] people of Israel who are there.’
Say to them: Thus says the Lord God: This is the burden concerning my leader who is in Jerusalem, and concerning the entire house of Israel, who are in their midst.
11 Tell [them], ‘[What I did] is a warning to you.’ What has happened to you will happen to them. They will be captured and forced to go to another country.
Say: I am your portent. Just as I have done, so shall it be done to them. They will be taken captive and moved far away.
12 Their king will put his belongings on his shoulder at dusk and leave. [His servants] will dig a hole through the city wall, [and he will take his belongings] through it. He will cover his face in order [others will not recognize] him.
And the leader who is in their midst will be carried on shoulders; he will go forth in darkness. They will dig through the wall, so that they may lead him away. His face will be covered, so that he may not see the land with his eye.
13 [it will be as though] I will spread a net for [to be captured]; [enemy soldiers will] capture him and take him to [city]. But he will [be able to] see it; and there he will die.
And I will extend my net over him, and he will be captured in my dragnet. And I will lead him to Babylon, into the land of the Chaldeans, but he himself will not see it. And there he shall die.
14 I will scatter in all directions [IDM] all those who have been around him—his advisors and his soldiers—and I will cause his enemies to pursue them, with their swords ready to strike them.
And all who are around him, his guards and his companies, I will scatter into every wind. And I will unsheathe the sword after them.
15 Then, when I scatter them among many nations [DOU], they will know that I, Yahweh, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].
And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I will have dispersed them among the Gentiles, and will have sowed them among the lands.
16 But I will spare/save a few of them from being killed by swords and from dying from famines or plagues, with the result that in the nations to which they are forced to go, they will realize/admit that they have been doing disgusting things, and they will know that I, Yahweh, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].”
And I will leave behind a few men of them, apart from the sword, and the famine, and the pestilence, so that they may declare all their wicked deeds among the Gentiles, to whom they will go. And they shall know that I am the Lord.”
17 Then Yahweh gave me another message. [He said, ]
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
18 “You human, tremble while you eat your food, and shudder fearfully while you drink your water.
“Son of man, eat your bread in consternation. Moreover, drink your water hurriedly and in sorrow.
19 Tell [this to] the Israeli people: 'This is what Yahweh the Lord says about those who are [still] living in Jerusalem and [other places in] Israel: They also will be very anxious/worried [DOU] while they eat their food and drink their water, because their country will [soon] have everything taken away. That will happen because the people who live there [continually] act [very] violently.
And say to the people of the land: Thus says the Lord God, to those who are living in Jerusalem, in the land of Israel: They shall eat their bread in anxiety, and drink their water in desolation, so that the land may be desolate before its multitude, because of the iniquity of all who are living in it.
20 The towns where people live will be devastated, and the land will become barren/empty. Then you people will know that it is I, Yahweh, [who have the power to do what I say that I will do].'”
And cities that are now inhabited will become desolate, and the land will be forsaken. And you shall know that I am the Lord.”
21 Yahweh gave me another message. [He said, ]
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
22 “You human, the people in Israel have this proverb/saying: ‘The days pass, and [the prophets] predict never happens.’
“Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel? saying: ‘The days shall be extended in length, and every vision shall perish.’
23 So say to them, ‘This is what Yahweh the Lord says: I am going to prove that (what they say/that proverb) is not correct, and then they will never say that again in Israel.’ Tell them, ‘It will soon be the time when everything that the prophets have predicted will happen.
Therefore, say to them: Thus says the Lord God: I will cause this proverb to cease, and it shall no longer be a common saying in Israel. And tell them that the days are approaching, and the word of every vision.
24 No longer [false prophets tell] to the Israeli people false visions, or prophecies that try to please people.
For there shall no longer be any empty visions, nor any ambiguous divination in the midst of the sons of Israel.
25 Instead, I, Yahweh, will say what I want to tell the people, and what I predict will quickly happen. You rebellious people, I will cause to happen everything that I say will happen. [That is what I, ] Yahweh the Lord, say.’”
For I, the Lord, will speak. And whatever word I will speak, it shall be done, and it shall not be delayed any more. Instead, in your days, O provoking house, I will speak a word and do it, says the Lord God.”
26 Yahweh also gave me this message:
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
27 “You human, the Israeli people are [constantly] saying [about you], ‘The things that he sees in [will not happen soon]. They are [things that will happen] many years from now, far in the future.’
“Son of man, behold the house of Israel, those who are saying: ‘The visions that this one sees is many days away,’ and, ‘This man prophesies about times that are far away.’
28 Therefore say to them, ‘This is what Yahweh the Lord [DOU] says: I will no longer [causing to happen] any of the things that I have prophesied. Whatever I have predicted [very soon] happen.’”
Because of this, say to them: Thus says the Lord God: No word of mine will be delayed any longer. The word that I will speak will be fulfilled, says the Lord God.”