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Judah’s Captivity Portrayed

12 The word of the Lord came to me: Mortal, you are living in the midst of a rebellious house who have eyes to see but do not see, who have ears to hear but do not hear,(A) for they are a rebellious house. Therefore, mortal, 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 they are a rebellious house.(B) You shall bring out your baggage by day in their sight, as baggage for exile, and you shall go out yourself at evening in their sight, as those do who go into exile.(C) Dig through the wall in their sight, and carry the baggage through it. In their sight you shall lift the baggage on your shoulder and carry it out in the dark; you shall cover your face, so that you may not see the land, for I have made you a sign for the house of Israel.(D)

I did just 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 brought it out in the dark, carrying it on my shoulder in their sight.

In the morning the word of the Lord came to me: Mortal, has not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said to you, “What are you doing?”(E) 10 Say to them, “Thus says the Lord God: This oracle concerns the prince in Jerusalem[a] and all the house of Israel in it.”[b](F) 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.”(G) 12 And the prince who is among them shall lift his baggage on his shoulder in the dark and shall go out; he[c] shall dig through the wall and carry it through; he shall cover his face so that he may not see the land with his eyes.(H) 13 I will spread my net over him, and he shall be caught in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, yet he shall not see it, and he shall die there.(I) 14 I will scatter to every wind all who are around him, his helpers and all his troops, and I will unsheathe the sword behind them.(J) 15 And they shall know that I am the Lord when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them through the countries.(K) 16 But I will let a few of them escape from the sword, from famine and pestilence, so that they may tell of all their abominations among the nations where they go; then they shall know that I am the Lord.(L)

Judgment Not Postponed

17 The word of the Lord came to me: 18 Mortal, eat your bread with quaking and drink your water with trembling and with fearfulness; 19 and say to 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 their water in dismay, because their land shall be stripped of all it contains, on account of the violence of all those who live in it.(M) 20 The inhabited cities shall be laid waste, and the land shall become a desolation, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”(N)

21 The word of the Lord came to me: 22 Mortal, what is this proverb of yours about the land of Israel that says, “The days are prolonged, and every vision comes to nothing”?(O) 23 Tell them therefore, “Thus says the Lord God: I will put an end to this proverb, and they shall use it no more as a proverb in Israel.” But say to them: “The days are near, and the fulfillment of every vision.(P) 24 For there shall no longer be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel.(Q) 25 But I the Lord will speak the word that I speak, and it will be fulfilled. It will no longer be delayed, but in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and fulfill it, says the Lord God.”(R)

26 The word of the Lord came to me: 27 Mortal, the house of Israel is saying, “The vision that he sees is for many years ahead; he prophesies for distant times.”(S) 28 Therefore say to them, “Thus says the Lord God: None of my words will be delayed any longer, but the word that I speak will be fulfilled, says the Lord God.”(T)

False Prophets Condemned

13 The word of the Lord came to me: Mortal, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are prophesying; say to those who prophesy out of their own imaginations: “Hear the word of the Lord!”(U) Thus says the Lord God: Alas for the senseless prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!(V) Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel. You have not gone up into the breaches or repaired a wall for the house of Israel, so that it might stand in battle on the day of the Lord.(W) They have envisioned falsehood and lying divination; they say, “Says the Lord,” when the Lord has not sent them, and yet they wait for the fulfillment of their word!(X) Have you not seen a false vision or uttered a lying divination when you have said, “Says the Lord,” even though I did not speak?

Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you have uttered falsehood and envisioned lies, I am against you, says the Lord God. My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations; they shall not be in the council of my people nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel, and you shall know that I am the Lord God.(Y) 10 Because, in truth, because they have misled my people, saying, “Peace,” when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a flimsy wall, these prophets[d] smear whitewash on it.(Z) 11 Say to those who smear whitewash on it that it shall fall. There will be a deluge of rain,[e] great hailstones will fall, and a stormy wind will break out.(AA) 12 When the wall falls, will it not be said to you, “Where is the whitewash you smeared on it?” 13 Therefore thus says the Lord God: In my wrath I will make a stormy wind break out, and in my anger there shall be a deluge of rain and hailstones in wrath to destroy it. 14 I will break down the wall that you have smeared with whitewash and bring it to the ground, so that its foundation will be laid bare; when the city falls, you shall perish within it, and you shall know that I am the Lord.(AB) 15 Thus I will spend my wrath upon the wall and upon those who have smeared it with whitewash, and I will say to you, “The wall is no more, nor those who smeared it— 16 the prophets of Israel who prophesied concerning Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for it when there was no peace, says the Lord God.”(AC)

17 As for you, mortal, set your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own imaginations; prophesy against them(AD) 18 and say: Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the women who sew bands on all wrists and make veils for the heads of persons of every height, in the hunt for lives! Will you hunt down lives among my people and maintain your own lives?(AE) 19 You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, putting to death those who should not die and keeping alive those who should not live, by your lies to my people, who listen to lies.(AF)

20 Therefore thus says the Lord God: I am against your bands with which you hunt lives;[f] I will tear them from your arms and let the lives go free, the lives that you hunt down like birds. 21 I will tear off your veils and save my people from your hands; they shall no longer be prey in your hands, and you shall know that I am the Lord. 22 Because you have disheartened the righteous falsely, although I have not disheartened them, and you have encouraged the wicked not to turn from their wicked way and save their lives,(AG) 23 therefore you shall no longer see false visions or practice divination; I will save my people from your hand. Then you will know that I am the Lord.(AH)

God’s Judgments Justified

14 Certain elders of Israel came to me and sat down before me.(AI) And the word of the Lord came to me: Mortal, these men have taken their idols into their hearts and placed their iniquity as a stumbling block before them; shall I let myself be consulted by them?(AJ) Therefore speak to them, and say to them: Thus says the Lord God: Any of those of the house of Israel who take their idols into their hearts and place their iniquity as a stumbling block before them and yet come to the prophet, I the Lord will answer those who come with the multitude of their idols, in order that I may take hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, all of whom are estranged from me through their idols.(AK)

Therefore say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord God: Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations.(AL) For any of those of the house of Israel or of the aliens who reside in Israel who separate themselves from me, taking their idols into their hearts and placing their iniquity as a stumbling block before them and yet come to a prophet to inquire of me by him, I the Lord will answer them myself.(AM) I will set my face against them; I will make them a sign and a byword and cut them off from the midst of my people, and you shall know that I am the Lord.(AN)

If a prophet is deceived and speaks a word, I, the Lord, have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.(AO) 10 And they shall bear their punishment—the punishment of the inquirer and the punishment of the prophet shall be the same— 11 so that the house of Israel may no longer go astray from me nor defile themselves any more with all their transgressions. Then they shall be my people, and I will be their God, says the Lord God.(AP)

12 The word of the Lord came to me: 13 Mortal, when a land sins against me by acting faithlessly and I stretch out my hand against it and cut off its supply of bread[g] and send famine upon it and cut off from it humans and animals,(AQ) 14 even if Noah, Daniel,[h] and Job, these three, were in it, they would save only their own lives by their righteousness, says the Lord God.(AR) 15 If I send wild animals through the land to ravage it so that it is made desolate and no one may pass through because of the animals,(AS) 16 even if these three men were in it, as I live, says the Lord God, they would save neither sons nor daughters; they alone would be saved, but the land would be desolate. 17 Or if I bring a sword upon that land and say, “Let a sword pass through the land,” and I cut off humans and animals from it,(AT) 18 though these three men were in it, as I live, says the Lord God, they would save neither sons nor daughters, but they alone would be saved. 19 Or if I send a pestilence into that land and pour out my wrath upon it with blood, to cut off humans and animals from it,(AU) 20 even if Noah, Daniel,[i] and Job were in it, as I live, says the Lord God, they would save neither son nor daughter; they would save only their own lives by their righteousness.

21 Therefore thus says the Lord God: How much more when I send upon Jerusalem my four deadly acts of judgment, sword, famine, wild animals, and pestilence, to cut off humans and animals from it!(AV) 22 Yet survivors shall be left in it, sons and daughters who will be brought out; they will come out to you. When you see their ways and their deeds, you will be consoled for the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, for all that I have brought upon it.(AW) 23 They shall console you when you see their ways and their deeds, and you shall know that it was not without cause that I did all that I have done in it, says the Lord God.(AX)

Footnotes

  1. 12.10 Tg: Meaning of Heb uncertain
  2. 12.10 Heb in them
  3. 12.12 Gk Syr: Heb they
  4. 13.10 Heb they
  5. 13.11 Heb rain and you
  6. 13.20 Gk Syr: Heb lives for birds
  7. 14.13 Heb staff of bread
  8. 14.14 Or Danel
  9. 14.20 Or Danel

The Exile Symbolized

12 The word of the Lord came to me: “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)

“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) 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) While they watch, dig through the wall(G) and take your belongings out through it. 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.”

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.

In the morning the word of the Lord came to me: “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.’”

False Prophets Condemned

13 The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets(AJ) of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination:(AK) ‘Hear the word of the Lord!(AL) This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish[a] prophets(AM) who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!(AN) Your prophets, Israel, are like jackals among ruins. You have not gone up to the breaches in the wall to repair(AO) it for the people of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the Lord.(AP) Their visions are false(AQ) and their divinations a lie. Even though the Lord has not sent(AR) them, they say, “The Lord declares,” and expect him to fulfill their words.(AS) Have you not seen false visions(AT) and uttered lying divinations when you say, “The Lord declares,” though I have not spoken?

“‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you,(AU) declares the Sovereign Lord. My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying(AV) divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records(AW) of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.(AX)

10 “‘Because they lead my people astray,(AY) saying, “Peace,”(AZ) when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash,(BA) 11 therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones(BB) hurtling down,(BC) and violent winds will burst forth.(BD) 12 When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, “Where is the whitewash you covered it with?”

13 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: In my wrath I will unleash a violent wind, and in my anger hailstones(BE) and torrents of rain(BF) will fall with destructive fury.(BG) 14 I will tear down the wall(BH) you have covered with whitewash and will level it to the ground so that its foundation(BI) will be laid bare. When it[b] falls,(BJ) you will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the Lord. 15 So I will pour out my wrath against the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash. I will say to you, “The wall is gone and so are those who whitewashed it, 16 those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her when there was no peace, declares the Sovereign Lord.(BK)”’

17 “Now, son of man, set your face(BL) against the daughters(BM) of your people who prophesy out of their own imagination. Prophesy against them(BN) 18 and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on all their wrists and make veils of various lengths for their heads in order to ensnare people. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own? 19 You have profaned(BO) me among my people for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread.(BP) By lying to my people, who listen to lies, you have killed those who should not have died and have spared those who should not live.(BQ)

20 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against your magic charms with which you ensnare people like birds and I will tear them from your arms; I will set free the people that you ensnare like birds.(BR) 21 I will tear off your veils and save my people from your hands, and they will no longer fall prey to your power. Then you will know that I am the Lord.(BS) 22 Because you disheartened the righteous with your lies,(BT) when I had brought them no grief, and because you encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways and so save their lives,(BU) 23 therefore you will no longer see false visions(BV) or practice divination.(BW) I will save(BX) my people from your hands. And then you will know that I am the Lord.(BY)’”

Idolaters Condemned

14 Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me.(BZ) Then the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts(CA) and put wicked stumbling blocks(CB) before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?(CC) Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When any of the Israelites set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block before their faces and then go to a prophet, I the Lord will answer them myself in keeping with their great idolatry. I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted(CD) me for their idols.’(CE)

“Therefore say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent!(CF) Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!(CG)

“‘When any of the Israelites or any foreigner(CH) residing in Israel separate themselves from me and set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block(CI) before their faces and then go to a prophet to inquire(CJ) of me, I the Lord will answer them myself. I will set my face against(CK) them and make them an example(CL) and a byword.(CM) I will remove them from my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord.(CN)

“‘And if the prophet(CO) is enticed(CP) to utter a prophecy, I the Lord have enticed that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and destroy him from among my people Israel.(CQ) 10 They will bear their guilt—the prophet will be as guilty as the one who consults him. 11 Then the people of Israel will no longer stray(CR) from me, nor will they defile themselves anymore with all their sins. They will be my people,(CS) and I will be their God, declares the Sovereign Lord.(CT)’”

Jerusalem’s Judgment Inescapable

12 The word of the Lord came to me: 13 “Son of man, if a country sins(CU) against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply(CV) and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals,(CW) 14 even if these three men—Noah,(CX) Daniel[c](CY) and Job(CZ)—were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness,(DA) declares the Sovereign Lord.

15 “Or if I send wild beasts(DB) through that country and they leave it childless and it becomes desolate so that no one can pass through it because of the beasts,(DC) 16 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved, but the land would be desolate.(DD)

17 “Or if I bring a sword(DE) against that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass throughout the land,’ and I kill its people and their animals,(DF) 18 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved.

19 “Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out my wrath(DG) on it through bloodshed,(DH) killing its people and their animals,(DI) 20 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could save neither son nor daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness.(DJ)

21 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful judgments(DK)—sword(DL) and famine(DM) and wild beasts and plague(DN)—to kill its men and their animals!(DO) 22 Yet there will be some survivors(DP)—sons and daughters who will be brought out of it.(DQ) They will come to you, and when you see their conduct(DR) and their actions, you will be consoled(DS) regarding the disaster I have brought on Jerusalem—every disaster I have brought on it. 23 You will be consoled when you see their conduct and their actions, for you will know that I have done nothing in it without cause, declares the Sovereign Lord.(DT)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 13:3 Or wicked
  2. Ezekiel 13:14 Or the city
  3. Ezekiel 14:14 Or Danel, a man of renown in ancient literature; also in verse 20