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Ezekiel 12
New American Standard Bible

Ezekiel Prepares for Exile

12 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, you live in the (A)midst of the (B)rebellious house, who (C)have eyes to see but do not see, ears to hear but do not hear; for they are a rebellious house. 3 So as for you, son of man, prepare for yourself baggage for exile and go into exile by day in their sight; that is, go into exile from your place to another place in their sight. (D)Perhaps they will [a]understand, though they are a rebellious house. 4 Bring your baggage out by day in their sight, as baggage for exile. Then you shall go out (E)at evening in their sight, as those who are going into exile. 5 Dig a hole through the wall in their sight and [b]go out through it. 6 Load the baggage on your shoulder in their sight and carry it out in the dark. You shall (F)cover your face so that you cannot see the land, for I have set you as a (G)sign to the house of Israel.”

7 Then I (H)did so, just as I had been commanded. By day I (I)brought out my baggage like the baggage of an exile. Then in the evening I dug through the wall with my hands; I went out in the dark and carried the baggage on my shoulder in their sight.

8 And in the morning the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 9 “Son of man, has the house of Israel, the (J)rebellious house, not said to you, ‘(K)What are you doing?’ 10 Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord [c]God says: “This (L)pronouncement concerns the prince in Jerusalem as well as all the house of Israel who are [d]in it.”’ 11 Say, ‘I am [e]a (M)sign to you. Just as I have done, so it will be done to them; they will (N)go into exile, into captivity.’ 12 The (O)prince who is among them will load his baggage on his shoulder in the dark and go out. [f]They will dig a hole through the wall to bring it out through it. He will cover his face so that he cannot see the land with his eyes. 13 I will also spread My (P)net over him, and he will be caught in My net. And I will bring him to Babylon in the land of the Chaldeans; yet he will (Q)not see it, though he will die there. 14 And I will (R)scatter to every wind all who are around him, his helpers and all his troops; and I will draw out a sword after them. 15 So they will (S)know that I am the Lord, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them among the countries. 16 But I will [g]spare a few of them from the (T)sword, the famine, and plague so that they may tell of all their abominations among the nations where they go, and [h]may (U)know that I am the Lord.”

17 Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 18 “Son of man, (V)eat your bread with trembling, and drink your water with quivering and anxiety. 19 Then say to the people of the land, ‘This is what the Lord God says concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel: “They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water with horror, because [i]their land will be [j](W)stripped of its fullness on account of the violence of all who live in it. 20 The inhabited (X)cities will be in ruins, and the (Y)land will be a desolation. So you will know that I am the Lord.”’”

21 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 22 “Son of man, what is this (Z)proverb you people have about the land of Israel, saying, ‘The (AA)days are long, and every (AB)vision fails’? 23 Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “I will put an end to this proverb so that they will no longer use it as a proverb in Israel.” But tell them, “(AC)The days are approaching as well as the [k]fulfillment of every vision. 24 For there will no longer be any [l](AD)false vision or deceptive divination within the house of Israel. 25 For I the Lord will speak whatever (AE)word I speak, and it will be performed. It will no longer be delayed, for in (AF)your days, you (AG)rebellious house, I will speak the word and perform it,” declares the Lord God.’”

26 Furthermore, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 27 “Son of man, behold, the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is for (AH)many [m]years from now, and he prophesies of times far off.’ 28 Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “None of My words will be delayed any longer. Whatever word I speak will be performed,”’” declares the Lord God.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 12:3 Or see that they are
  2. Ezekiel 12:5 Lit bring it out
  3. Ezekiel 12:10 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
  4. Ezekiel 12:10 Lit in their midst
  5. Ezekiel 12:11 Lit your sign
  6. Ezekiel 12:12 I.e., the king’s attendants
  7. Ezekiel 12:16 Lit leave over men
  8. Ezekiel 12:16 Or they will know
  9. Ezekiel 12:19 Lit her
  10. Ezekiel 12:19 Lit deserted
  11. Ezekiel 12:23 Lit word
  12. Ezekiel 12:24 Lit worthless
  13. Ezekiel 12:27 Lit days
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Ezekiel 12
New International Version

The Exile Symbolized

12 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people.(A) They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people.(B)

3 “Therefore, son of man, pack your belongings for exile and in the daytime, as they watch, set out and go from where you are to another place. Perhaps(C) they will understand,(D) though they are a rebellious people.(E) 4 During the daytime, while they watch, bring out your belongings packed for exile. Then in the evening, while they are watching, go out like those who go into exile.(F) 5 While they watch, dig through the wall(G) and take your belongings out through it. 6 Put them on your shoulder as they are watching and carry them out at dusk. Cover your face so that you cannot see the land, for I have made you a sign(H) to the Israelites.”

7 So I did as I was commanded.(I) During the day I brought out my things packed for exile. Then in the evening I dug through the wall with my hands. I took my belongings out at dusk, carrying them on my shoulders while they watched.

8 In the morning the word of the Lord came to me: 9 “Son of man, did not the Israelites, that rebellious people, ask you, ‘What are you doing?’(J)

10 “Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: This prophecy concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the Israelites who are there.’ 11 Say to them, ‘I am a sign(K) to you.’

“As I have done, so it will be done to them. They will go into exile as captives.(L)

12 “The prince among them will put his things on his shoulder at dusk(M) and leave, and a hole will be dug in the wall for him to go through. He will cover his face so that he cannot see the land.(N) 13 I will spread my net(O) for him, and he will be caught in my snare;(P) I will bring him to Babylonia, the land of the Chaldeans,(Q) but he will not see(R) it, and there he will die.(S) 14 I will scatter to the winds all those around him—his staff and all his troops—and I will pursue them with drawn sword.(T)

15 “They will know that I am the Lord, when I disperse them among the nations(U) and scatter them through the countries. 16 But I will spare a few of them from the sword, famine and plague, so that in the nations where they go they may acknowledge all their detestable practices. Then they will know that I am the Lord.(V)”

17 The word of the Lord came to me: 18 “Son of man, tremble as you eat your food,(W) and shudder in fear as you drink your water. 19 Say to the people of the land: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says about those living in Jerusalem and in the land of Israel: They will eat their food in anxiety and drink their water in despair, for their land will be stripped of everything(X) in it because of the violence of all who live there.(Y) 20 The inhabited towns will be laid waste and the land will be desolate. Then you will know that I am the Lord.(Z)’”

There Will Be No Delay

21 The word of the Lord came to me: 22 “Son of man, what is this proverb(AA) you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by and every vision comes to nothing’?(AB) 23 Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to put an end to this proverb, and they will no longer quote it in Israel.’ Say to them, ‘The days are near(AC) when every vision will be fulfilled.(AD) 24 For there will be no more false visions or flattering divinations(AE) among the people of Israel. 25 But I the Lord will speak what I will, and it shall be fulfilled without delay.(AF) For in your days, you rebellious people, I will fulfill(AG) whatever I say, declares the Sovereign Lord.(AH)’”

26 The word of the Lord came to me: 27 “Son of man, the Israelites are saying, ‘The vision he sees is for many years from now, and he prophesies about the distant future.’(AI)

28 “Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: None of my words will be delayed any longer; whatever I say will be fulfilled, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

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Ezekiel 12
The Voice

12 The word of the Eternal One came to me again, this time over two days.

Eternal One: 2 Son of man, you are living among a rebellious lot. They have eyes, but they do not see. They have ears, but they do not hear. They are a rebellious lot. 3 Because of this, son of man, act as if you are being sent into exile. I want you to go pack your bag and go about from one place to another so that everyone can see you leaving. Then perhaps they will understand what you’re demonstrating, although they are a rebellious lot. 4 During the day, bring out the bag you have packed for the journey where they can see you; in the evening, while they watch, leave the city as if you are going into exile. 5 While they are watching you leave, dig out an opening in the wall—as if you were escaping—and carry your bag through it. 6 Put your bag over your shoulder, and while everyone is watching, carry it out into the dark. Cover your face so that you don’t see the land. I have made you a sign of the coming destruction of Jerusalem to the people of Israel.

7 So I did exactly what He told me to do. During the day, I brought out my bag as if it were an exile’s bag. Then in the evening, I dug out an opening in the wall with my hands. I put my bag over my shoulder and carried it out into the dark. People watched as I acted out all of this.

8 The word of the Eternal came to me the next morning and told me how to explain the sign to the exiles.

Eternal One: 9 Son of man, haven’t the rebellious people of Israel asked you, “What do you think you are doing?” 10 You have been silent, but now you may answer, “The Eternal Lord says: This message has to do with the prince in Jerusalem and all the rest of Israel still living there.” 11 Tell them that I am an example to you, a living sign. As I have done, so it will be done to the people in Jerusalem. They will be carried off and taken into exile. 12 Not just the people, but the prince himself will put his bag over his shoulder and carry it out in the dark. People will dig a hole in the city wall to help him escape, and he’ll cover his eyes so that he cannot look upon the land he’ll never see again. 13 But I will set a trap for him, and he will be caught in My net. Then I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, but the blind prince won’t see any of it. There he will die. 14 I will scatter all of his helpers and troops to the wind, and I will hunt them down with a drawn sword.

Again God calls upon Ezekiel to act out His message. These dramatic actions apply specifically to Zedekiah. After Nebuchadnezzar attacked Jerusalem in 597 b.c., he deported Judah’s king Jehoiachin and most of the powerful citizens of the city—many of whom are now members of Ezekiel’s audience in exile. Nebuchadnezzar then installed Zedekiah as king to represent Babylonia’s interests and guarantee Judah’s submission. But Zedekiah will rebel against Nebuchadnezzar, who will then flatten Jerusalem in 586 b.c. (a decade after Ezekiel performs this sign-act). During that final siege, Zedekiah will do everything Ezekiel portrays here: he will attempt to escape the starving city, but he will be caught and taken to the Babylonian king. As punishment Nebuchadnezzar will order him to be blinded and taken into captivity. Zedekiah’s fate is a warning to any other who might consider opposing Babylonia’s king.

Eternal One: 15 They will know I am the Eternal when I send them far away and scatter them like chaff among other lands. 16 I will spare a few of them from slaughter, starvation, and disease, so that wherever they are, they will tell the world of all the shocking acts they committed against Me. Then they will know that I am the Eternal One.

17 The word of the Eternal came to me yet again.

Eternal One: 18 Son of man, tremble as you eat your meals. Shake with anxiousness as you drink your water. 19 Tell the people of the land what the Eternal Lord says regarding the people living in Jerusalem in the land of Israel: They will eat their meals in fear and drink their water with anxiety, for their land will be pillaged of everything in it because of their own violent acts. 20 Every inhabited town and city will be destroyed, and the land will be deserted. Then you will know I am the Eternal One.

21 The word of the Eternal came to me with another message.

Eternal One: 22 Son of man, what is this saying the people keep repeating in the land of Israel: “The days pass by, and the prophecies never come true”? 23 Tell the people of Israel the Eternal Lord says that this saying will not be quoted for long. I am going to make sure it is never said again in Israel. The time is near when every prophecy will be fulfilled. 24 There won’t be any more false visions or favorable predictions in Israel. 25 I, the Eternal One, will speak, and what I speak will be fulfilled without delay. You rebellious crowd! I will fulfill whatever I say during your lifetime.

So said the Eternal Lord.

26 The word of the Eternal came to me.

Eternal One: 27 Son of man, the people of Israel are saying, “The visions of the prophet are for the distant future; He speaks of events a long way off.” 28 Therefore, tell the people of Israel the Eternal Lord most certainly says that nothing I’ve predicted will wait any longer. Whatever I speak will be fulfilled without delay.

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Ezekiel 11
Ezekiel 13
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