Ezekiel 12
1 Yahweh gave me another message. [He said, ]
Then came the word of Yahweh unto 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. 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.
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].
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.
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.
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.
5 Dig through [city] wall and take your things through the hole.
Before their eyes, break thou forth by thyself through the wall, —and carry forth 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.”
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.
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.
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.
8 The next morning, Yahweh gave me this message:
Then came the word of Yahweh unto me in the morning, saying:
9 “You human, the rebellious people [MTY] of Israel asked you, ‘What are you doing?’
Son of man, Have not the house of Israel the perverse house, said unto thee, — What art thou 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 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.
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 sign: As I have done, so. shall it be done to them, Into exile—into captivity, shall they go.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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 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.
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].
So shall they know that, I, am Yahweh, — By my dispersing them among the nations, And scattering them throughout 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].”
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.
17 Then Yahweh gave me another message. [He said, ]
Then came the word of Yahweh unto me, saying:
18 “You human, tremble while you eat your food, and shudder fearfully while you drink your water.
Son of man, Thy bread with trembling, shalt thou eat, — And, thy water in agitation and in fear, shalt thou drink.
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.
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:
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].'”
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.
21 Yahweh gave me another message. [He said, ]
And the word of Yahweh came unto 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 ye have, concerning the soil of Israel, saying, — The days, are prolonged, Therefore shall every vision come to nought?
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 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.
24 No longer [false prophets tell] to the Israeli people false visions, or prophecies that try to please people.
For there shall no more be— Any vision of falsehood Or divination of deceit, In the midst of the house 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, 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.
26 Yahweh also gave me this message:
And the word of Yahweh came unto 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. Lo! the house of Israel are saying, the vision which he seeth is for many days, Yea for times far away, hath he prophesied.
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.’”
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.
