Judah's Captivity Symbolized

12 The word of the Lord came to me: (A)“Son of man, you dwell in the midst of (B)a rebellious house, (C)who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are (D)a rebellious house. As for you, son of man, prepare for yourself (E)an exile's baggage, and go into exile by day (F)in their sight. You shall go like an exile from your place to another place (G)in their sight. (H)Perhaps they will understand, though[a] they are a rebellious house. You shall bring out your baggage by day in their sight, as baggage for exile, and you shall go out yourself (I)at evening in their sight, as those do who must go into exile. In their sight (J)dig through the wall, and bring your baggage out through it. In their sight you shall lift the baggage upon your shoulder and carry it out at dusk. You shall cover your face that you may not see the land, for I have made you (K)a sign for the house of Israel.”

(L)And I did as I was commanded. (M)I brought out my baggage by day, as baggage for exile, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my own hands. I brought out my baggage at dusk, carrying it on my shoulder in their sight.

In the morning the word of the Lord came to me: (N)“Son of man, has not the house of Israel, (O)the rebellious house, said to you, (P)‘What are you doing?’ 10 Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: This oracle concerns[b] (Q)the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are in it.’[c] 11 Say, (R)‘I am a sign for you: (S)as I have done, so shall it be done to them. They shall go into exile, into captivity.’ 12 (T)And the prince who is among them shall lift his baggage upon his shoulder at dusk, and shall go out. (U)They shall dig through the wall to bring him out through it. (V)He shall cover his face, that he may not see the land with his eyes. 13 (W)And I will spread my net over him, and he shall be taken in my snare. And (X)I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, (Y)yet he shall not see it, and he shall die there. 14 (Z)And I will scatter toward every wind all who are around him, his helpers and all his troops, (AA)and I will unsheathe the sword after them. 15 (AB)And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them among the countries. 16 (AC)But I will let a few of them escape from the sword, from famine and pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they go, (AD)and may know that I am the Lord.”

17 And the word of the Lord came to me: 18 (AE)“Son of man, (AF)eat your bread with quaking, and drink water with trembling and with anxiety. 19 And say to the people of the land, Thus says the Lord God concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel: (AG)They shall eat their bread with anxiety, (AH)and drink water in dismay. In this way (AI)her land will be stripped of all it contains, (AJ)on account of the violence of all those who dwell in it. 20 (AK)And the inhabited cities shall be laid waste, and the land shall become a desolation; and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

21 And the word of the Lord came to me: 22 “Son of man, (AL)what is this proverb that you[d] have about the land of Israel, saying, (AM)‘The days grow long, and every vision comes to nothing’? 23 Tell them therefore, ‘Thus says the Lord God: I will put an end to this proverb, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel.’ But say to them, (AN)The days are near, and the fulfillment[e] of every vision. 24 (AO)For there shall be no more any (AP)false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel. 25 For I am the Lord; I will speak (AQ)the word that I will speak, and it will be performed. (AR)It will no longer be delayed, but in your days, (AS)O rebellious house, I will speak the word and perform it, declares the Lord God.”

26 And the word of the Lord came to me: 27 “Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, (AT)‘The vision that he sees is (AU)for many days from now, and he prophesies of times far off.’ 28 Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord God: (AV)None of my words will be delayed any longer, (AW)but the word that I speak will be performed, declares the Lord God.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 12:3 Or will see that
  2. Ezekiel 12:10 Or This burden is
  3. Ezekiel 12:10 Hebrew in the midst of them
  4. Ezekiel 12:22 The Hebrew for you is plural
  5. Ezekiel 12:23 Hebrew word

12 The word of the Lord also came unto me, saying,

Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.

Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for removing, and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight: it may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious house.

Then shalt thou bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing: and thou shalt go forth at even in their sight, as they that go forth into captivity.

Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.

In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulders, and carry it forth in the twilight: thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.

And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for captivity, and in the even I digged through the wall with mine hand; I brought it forth in the twilight, and I bare it upon my shoulder in their sight.

And in the morning came the word of the Lord unto me, saying,

Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou?

10 Say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; This burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel that are among them.

11 Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove and go into captivity.

12 And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes.

13 My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.

14 And I will scatter toward every wind all that are about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the sword after them.

15 And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the countries.

16 But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen whither they come; and they shall know that I am the Lord.

17 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

18 Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness;

19 And say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord God of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel; They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water with astonishment, that her land may be desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein.

20 And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.

21 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

22 Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?

23 Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord God; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision.

24 For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel.

25 For I am the Lord: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord God.

26 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying.

27 Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off.

28 Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord God.