Ezekiel 12
Revised Standard Version
Judah’s Captivity Portrayed
12 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not; 3 for they are a rebellious house. Therefore, son of man, prepare for yourself an exile’s baggage, and go into exile by day in their sight; you shall go like an exile from your place to another place in their sight. Perhaps they will understand, though[a] they are a rebellious house. 4 You shall bring out your baggage by day in their sight, as baggage for exile; and you shall go forth yourself at evening in their sight, as men do who must go into exile. 5 Dig through the wall in their sight, and go[b] out through it. 6 In their sight you shall lift the baggage upon your shoulder, and carry it out in the dark; you shall cover your face, that you may not see the land; for I have made you a sign for the house of Israel.”
7 And I did as I was commanded. 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 went forth in the dark, carrying my outfit upon my shoulder in their sight.
8 In the morning the word of the Lord came to me: 9 “Son of man, has not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said to you, ‘What are you doing?’ 10 Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: This oracle concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are in it.’[c] 11 Say, ‘I am a sign for you: as I have done, so shall it be done to them; they shall go into exile, into captivity.’ 12 And the prince who is among them shall lift his baggage upon his shoulder in the dark, and shall go forth; he[d] shall dig through the wall and go[e] out through it; he shall cover his face, that he may not see the land with his eyes. 13 And I will spread my net over him, and he shall be taken in my snare; and I will bring him to Babylon in the land of the Chalde′ans, yet he shall not see it; and he shall die there. 14 And I will scatter toward every wind all who are round about him, his helpers[f] and all his troops; and I will unsheathe the sword after them. 15 And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them through the countries. 16 But I will let a few of them escape from the sword, from famine and pestilence, that they may confess all their abominations among the nations where they go, and may know that I am the Lord.”
Judgment Not Postponed
17 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me: 18 “Son of man, eat your bread with quaking, and drink water with trembling and with fearfulness; 19 and say of the people of the land, Thus says the Lord God concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel: They shall eat their bread with fearfulness, and drink water in dismay, because their land will be stripped of all it contains, on account of the violence of all those who dwell in it. 20 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, what is this proverb that you have about the land of Israel, saying, ‘The days grow long, and every vision comes to nought’? 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, The days are at hand, and the fulfilment[g] of every vision. 24 For there shall be no more any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel. 25 But I the Lord will speak the word which I will speak, and it will be performed. It will no longer be delayed, but in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and perform it, says the Lord God.”
26 Again the word of the Lord came to me: 27 “Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, ‘The vision that he sees is for many days hence, and he prophesies of times far off.’ 28 Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord God: None of my words will be delayed any longer, but the word which I speak will be performed, says the Lord God.”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 12:3 Or will see that
- Ezekiel 12:5 Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb bring
- Ezekiel 12:10 Heb in the midst of them
- Ezekiel 12:12 Gk Syr: Heb they
- Ezekiel 12:12 Gk Syr Tg: Heb bring
- Ezekiel 12:14 Gk Syr Tg: Heb his help
- Ezekiel 12:23 Heb word
Ezekiel 12
American Standard Version
12 The word of Jehovah also came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of the rebellious house, that have eyes to see, and see not, that have ears to hear, and hear not; for they are a rebellious house. 3 Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for [a]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 [b]consider, though they are a rebellious house. 4 And thou shalt bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for [c]removing; and thou shalt go forth thyself at even in their sight, as when men go forth into exile. 5 Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby. 6 In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulder, and carry it forth in the dark; thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the land: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.
7 And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for removing, and in the even I digged through the wall with my hand; I brought it forth in the dark, and bare it upon my shoulder in their sight.
8 And in the morning came the word of Jehovah unto me, saying, 9 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 Jehovah: This [d]burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel [e]among whom they are. 11 Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them; they shall go into exile, into captivity. 12 And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the dark, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, because he shall not see the land 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 round 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 Jehovah, when I shall disperse them among the nations, and scatter them through 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 nations whither they come; and they shall know that I am Jehovah.
17 Moreover the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, 18 Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with fearfulness; 19 and say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the land of Israel: They shall eat their bread with fearfulness, and drink their water in dismay, that her land may be desolate, and despoiled of [f]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 a desolation; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.
21 And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, 22 Son of man, what is this 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 Jehovah: 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 [g]fulfilment of every vision. 24 For there shall be no more any false vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel. 25 For I am Jehovah; I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall be performed; it shall be no more deferred: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I speak the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord Jehovah.
26 Again the word of Jehovah 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 times that are far off. 28 Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: There shall none of my words be deferred any more, but the word which I shall speak shall be performed, saith the Lord Jehovah.
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 12:3 Or, exile
- Ezekiel 12:3 Or, perceive that they are
- Ezekiel 12:4 Or, exile
- Ezekiel 12:10 Or, oracle
- Ezekiel 12:10 Or, that are among them
- Ezekiel 12:19 Hebrew the fulness thereof.
- Ezekiel 12:23 Hebrew word.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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