12 Yahweh’s word also came to me, saying, ² “Son of man, you dwell in the middle of the rebellious house, who have eyes to see, and don’t see, who have ears to hear, and don’t hear; for they are a rebellious house.

³ “Therefore, you son of man, prepare your stuff for moving, and move by day in their sight. You shall move from your place to another place in their sight. It may be they will consider, though they are a rebellious house. ⁴ You shall bring out your stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for moving. You shall go out yourself at evening in their sight, as when men go out into exile. ⁵ Dig through the wall in their sight, and carry your stuff out that way. ⁶ In their sight you shall bear it on your shoulder, and carry it out in the dark. You shall cover your face, so that you don’t see the land, for I have set you for a sign to the house of Israel.”

⁷ I did so as I was commanded. I brought out my stuff by day, as stuff for moving, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my hand. I brought it out in the dark, and bore it on my shoulder in their sight.

⁸ In the morning, Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, ⁹ “Son of man, hasn’t the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said to you, ‘What are you doing?’

¹⁰ “Say to them, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “This burden concerns the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel among whom they are.”’

¹¹ “Say, ‘I am your sign. As I have done, so will it be done to them. They will go into exile, into captivity.

¹² “‘The prince who is among them will bear on his shoulder in the dark, and will go out. They will dig through the wall to carry things out that way. He will cover his face, because he will not see the land with his eyes. ¹³ I will also spread my net on him, and he will be taken in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet he will not see it, though he will die there. ¹⁴ I will scatter toward every wind all who are around him to help him, and all his bands. I will draw out the sword after them.

¹⁵ “‘They will know that I am Yahweh when I 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 where they come. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.’”