Ezekiel 12
Christian Standard Bible
Ezekiel Dramatizes the Exile
12 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, you are living among a rebellious house.(A) They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear,(B) for they are a rebellious house.(C)
3 “Now you, son of man, get your bags ready for exile and go into exile in their sight during the day. You will go into exile from your place to another place while they watch; perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house. 4 During the day, bring out your bags like an exile’s bags while they look on. Then in the evening go out in their sight like those going into exile. 5 As they watch, dig through the wall and take the bags out through it. 6 And while they look on, lift the bags to your shoulder and take them out in the dark; cover your face so that you cannot see the land. For I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.”(D)
7 So I did just as I was commanded. In the daytime I brought out my bags like an exile’s bags. In the evening I dug through the wall by hand; I took them out in the dark, carrying them on my shoulder in their sight.
8 In the morning the word of the Lord came to me: 9 “Son of man, hasn’t the house of Israel, that rebellious house,(E) asked you, ‘What are you doing?’ (F) 10 Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: This pronouncement concerns the prince[a] in Jerusalem and the whole house of Israel living there.’[b] 11 You are to say, ‘I am a sign for you. Just as I have done, it will be done to them; they will go into exile,(G) into captivity.’ 12 The prince who is among(H) them will lift his bags to his shoulder in the dark and go out. They[c] will dig through the wall to bring him out through it. He will cover his face so he cannot see the land with his eyes. 13 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,(I) and he will die there. 14 I will also scatter all the attendants who surround him and all his troops to every direction of the wind,(J) and I will draw a sword to chase after them. 15 They will know that I am the Lord(K) when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them among the countries.(L) 16 But I will spare a few of them from the sword,(M) famine, and plague, so that among the nations where they go they can tell about all their detestable practices. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Ezekiel Dramatizes Israel’s Anxiety
17 The word of the Lord came to me: 18 “Son of man, eat your bread with(N) trembling and drink your water with anxious shaking. 19 Then say to the people of the land, ‘This is what the Lord God says about the residents of Jerusalem in the land of Israel: They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water in dread, for their[d][e] land will be stripped of everything(O) in it because of the violence of all who live there. 20 The inhabited cities will be destroyed, and the land will become dreadful. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
A Deceptive Proverb Stopped
21 Again the word of the Lord came to me: 22 “Son of man, what is this proverb you people have about the land of Israel,(P) which goes, ‘The days keep passing by,(Q) and every vision fails’? 23 Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: I will put a stop to this proverb, and they will not use it again in Israel.’(R) But say to them, ‘The days have arrived,(S) as well as the fulfillment of every vision. 24 For there will no longer be any false vision or flattering divination(T) within the house of Israel. 25 But I, the Lord, will speak whatever message I will speak, and it will be done.(U) It will no longer be delayed.(V) For in your days, rebellious house, I will speak a message and bring it to pass. This is the declaration of the Lord God.’”
26 The word of the Lord came to me: 27 “Son of man, notice that the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees concerns many years from now;(W) he prophesies about distant times.’ 28 Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: None of my words will be delayed any longer. The message I speak will be fulfilled. This is the declaration of the Lord God.’”
Ezekiel 12
Common English Bible
Baggage for exile
12 The Lord’s word came to me: 2 Human one, you live in a household of rebels. They have eyes to see but they don’t see, ears to hear but they don’t hear, because they are a household of rebels. 3 But you, human one, prepare a backpack for going into exile. In the daytime while they watch, go into exile; while they watch, go out from your place to another. Even though they are a household of rebels, perhaps they will understand. 4 In the daytime while they watch, carry your backpack as if for exile. At twilight while they watch, go out like those who are led out to exile. 5 While they watch, dig a hole through the wall and take your backpack out through it. 6 While they watch, shoulder your backpack and carry it out in the dark. Cover your face so that you can’t see the land, because I’m making you a sign for the house of Israel. 7 So I did as I was commanded. I carried out my backpack like an exile’s backpack in the daytime. At night I dug a hole through the wall with my hands. In the darkness, I shouldered my backpack and carried it out while they watched.
8 In the morning, the Lord’s word came to me: 9 Human one, has the house of Israel, that household of rebels, asked you, “What are you doing?” 10 Say to them, The Lord God proclaims: This concerns the prince in Jerusalem, along with the entire house of Israel in it.[a] 11 Say: I’m your sign. Just as I have done, so it will be done to them. They will go into captivity in exile. 12 Their prince will shoulder his backpack at night and go out. They will dig through the wall to lead him out through it, and he will cover his face so that his eyes won’t see the land. 13 But I will spread my net over him, catch him in my trap, and bring him to Babylon, to the land of the Chaldeans. He won’t see it, but he will die there. 14 As for all those who are in league with him, I will scatter his helpers and all his troops to the winds and let the sword loose after them. 15 They will know that I am the Lord when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them throughout the lands. 16 But I will preserve a few of their number from the sword, famine, and plague, so that they may confess all their detestable practices among the nations where they go. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
17 The Lord’s word came to me: 18 Human one, eat your bread in trembling, and drink your water in anxious agitation. 19 Say to the land’s people, The Lord God proclaims to those living in Jerusalem regarding Israel’s fertile land: As they anxiously eat up their bread and drink up their water in dismay, the land will be emptied of everything in it because of the violence of all who live there. 20 The inhabited cities will be laid waste, the land left desolate, and you will know that I am the Lord.
Fulfillment of prophecy
21 The Lord’s word came to me: 22 Human one, what is this proverb of your people concerning Israel’s fertile land? They say, “The days go by, and every vision vanishes.” 23 Therefore, say to them, The Lord God proclaims: I’ll put an end to this proverb! It will never again be uttered in Israel. Tell them instead: The days are coming soon for the fulfillment of every vision. 24 Never again will there be any worthless vision or deceptive divination in the house of Israel. 25 I am the Lord! The word that I speak is the word that I will speak! It will happen and be delayed no longer. In your own days, household of rebels, I speak a word and make it happen. This is what the Lord God says!
26 The Lord’s word came to me: 27 Human one, the house of Israel is now saying, “The vision that he sees is for distant days; he prophesies about future times.” 28 Therefore, say to them, The Lord God proclaims: It will be delayed no longer. Every word of mine that I’ve spoken is certain, and it will happen. This is what the Lord God says.
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 12:10 Or them
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