Ezekiel Prepares for Exile

12 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “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. 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. 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. Dig a hole through the wall in their sight and [b]go out through it. 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.”

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.

And in the morning the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “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

Predicción del cautiverio

12 El Señor me dirigió la palabra:

— Hijo de hombre, vives entre ciudadanos rebeldes que tienen ojos pero no ven, y oídos pero no oyen; son realmente rebeldes. Así pues, hijo de hombre, prepárate un equipo de deportado y sal como deportado en pleno día, a la vista de todos. Abandona tu residencia y ve a otra residencia a la vista de todos, como un deportado; tal vez así se den cuenta de que son ciudadanos rebeldes. Sacarás tu equipo de deportado en pleno día, a la vista de todos, pero tú saldrás por la tarde, como salen los deportados. Haz un agujero en la pared a la vista de todos, y sal por él. Te echarás el equipo al hombro, a la vista de todos, y saldrás cuando haya anochecido, con la cara cubierta para no ver la tierra, pues te he convertido en un símbolo para Israel.

Yo hice como se me había ordenado: saqué mi equipo de día, como si fuera el de un deportado; por la tarde practiqué un agujero en la pared y salí con mi equipo al hombro cuando ya había anochecido, a la vista de todos. Por la mañana el Señor me dirigió la palabra:

Hijo de hombre, ¿no te han preguntado los israelitas, esa gente rebelde, qué es lo que haces? Si lo hacen, 10 les dirás: “Esto dice el Señor Dios: Este oráculo se refiere a Jerusalén y a todos los israelitas que viven allí”. 11 Y añadirás: “Yo soy un símbolo para vosotros”. Tendrán, pues, que hacer lo mismo que he hecho yo; marcharán deportados al destierro. 12 Hasta el príncipe que vive con ellos tendrá que cargar su equipo al hombro cuando haya anochecido; practicarán un agujero en la pared para que pueda salir por él, y saldrá con la cara cubierta para no ver la tierra. 13 Extenderé mi red a su paso para que caiga en mi trampa; después lo llevaré a Babilonia, la tierra de los caldeos, donde morirá sin poder verla. 14 Dispersaré a los cuatro vientos a sus ayudas de cámara y a todo su séquito, y desenvainaré la espada en pos de ellos. 15 Así, cuando los disperse por las naciones paganas y los disemine por otras tierras, reconocerán que yo soy el Señor. 16 Pero dejaré a algunos de ellos, que escaparán a la espada, al hambre y a la peste; de ese modo podrán contar en las naciones adonde vayan las abominaciones que habéis cometido, y así reconocerán que yo soy el Señor.

Un signo complementario

17 El Señor me dirigió la palabra:

18 — Hijo de hombre, cuando comas, lo harás atemorizado, y cuando bebas, estarás inquieto y angustiado. 19 Dirás a la gente del país: Esto dice el Señor Dios con respecto a los habitantes de Jerusalén, a los que viven en la tierra de Israel: Cuando coman, lo harán atemorizados; y cuando beban, estarán asustados, pues su tierra quedará devastada, vacía de cuanto contiene, por culpa de la violencia de sus habitantes. 20 Las ciudades habitadas quedarán en ruinas, y la tierra será pura desolación; así reconoceréis que yo soy el Señor.

Falsedad de algunos dichos populares

21 El Señor me dirigió la palabra:

22 — Hijo de hombre, ¿qué dicho es ese que utilizáis referente a la tierra de Israel, cuando decís: “Pasan los días y las visiones no se cumplen”? 23 Pues les dirás lo siguiente: Esto dice el Señor Dios: Voy a poner fin a este dicho; ya no volverá a ser pronunciado en Israel. Y les dirás además: “Los días ya están cerca, y con ellos el contenido de cada visión”. 24 Ya no habrá visiones falsas ni presagios engañosos en la comunidad de Israel. 25 Yo soy el Señor, quien habla, y lo que hablo se cumplirá sin dilación. Y precisamente en vuestros días, casa rebelde, pronunciaré una palabra y haré que se cumpla —oráculo del Señor Dios—.

26 El Señor me dirigió la palabra:

27 — Hijo de hombre, ahí tienes a la comunidad de Israel, que anda diciendo: “La visión de este va para largo, profetiza para un tiempo aún lejano”. 28 Diles lo siguiente: Esto dice el Señor Dios: No volverán a retrasarse mis palabras; todo lo que yo diga, se cumplirá —oráculo del Señor Dios—.

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.