Ezekiel 12

1 The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

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

2 “Son of man, you live in the midst of a rebellious house, where they have eyes to see but they do not see; and where they have ears to hear but do not listen, because they are a rebellious house.

“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 Therefore as for you, son of man, prepare your things for exile, and begin going out by day in their sight, for I will exile you in their sight from your place to another place. Perhaps they will begin to see, though they are a rebellious house.

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 You will bring out your things for an exile in the day in their sight; go out in the evening in their sight in the way that anyone goes 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 Dig a hole through the wall in their sight, and go out through it.

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

6 In their sight, lift up your things onto your shoulder, and bring them out in the darkness. Cover your face, for you must not see the land, since I have set you as a sign to the house 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 this, just as I was commanded. I brought out my things of exile in the daytime, and in the evening I dug a hole through the wall by hand. I brought my things out in the dark, and lifted them up on my shoulder in their sight.

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 Then the word of Yahweh came to me in the morning, saying,

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

9 “Son of man, is the house of Israel, that rebellious house, not asking, 'What are you doing?'

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

10 Say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: this prophetic action concerns the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel in whose midst they are.'

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 Say, 'I am a sign to you.' As I have done, so it will be done to them; they will go into exile and into captivity.

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 The prince who is among them will lift up his things upon his shoulder in the dark, and will go out through the wall. They will dig through the wall and bring out their things. He will cover his face, so he will not see the land with his eyes.

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 I will spread out my net over him and he will be caught in my snare; then I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, but he will not see it. He will 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 will also scatter in every direction all of those around him who were to assist him and his entire army, and I will send out a sword after them.

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 Then they will know that I am Yahweh, when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the lands.

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 spare a few men from among them from the sword, famine, and plague, so they may record all of their abominations in the lands where I take them, so they will know that I am Yahweh.”

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 The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

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

18 “Son of man, eat your bread with trembling, and drink your water with shaking and worry.

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

19 Then say to the people of the land, 'The Lord Yahweh says this concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the land of Israel, “They will eat their bread with trembling and drink their water while shaking, since the land will be despoiled of its fullness because of the violence of all those who live 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 So the cities that were inhabited will be desolate, and the land will become a wasteland; so you will know that I am Yahweh.”'”

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

21 Again the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

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

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

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

23 Therefore, say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: I will put an end to this proverb, and the people of Israel will no longer use it.' Say to them, 'The days have drawn near when every vision will be fulfilled.

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 For there will no longer be any false visions or favorable divinations within the house of Israel.

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

25 For I am Yahweh! I speak, and I carry out the words that I speak. The matter will no longer be delayed. For I will speak this word in your days, rebellious house, and I will carry it out!—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'”

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 Again the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

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

27 “Son of man! Behold, the house of Israel has said, 'The vision that he sees is for many days from now, and he prophesies of far off times.'

“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 Therefore say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: My words will not be delayed any longer, but the word that I have spoken will be done—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'”

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.’”