Judah’s Captivity Portrayed

12 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying: ² “Son of man, you dwell in the midst of ^(A)a rebellious house, which ^(B)has eyes to see but does not see, and ears to hear but does not hear; ^(C)for they are a rebellious house.

³ “Therefore, son of man, prepare your belongings for captivity, and go into captivity by day in their sight. You shall go from your place into captivity to another place in their sight. It may be that they will consider, though they are a rebellious house. ⁴ By day you shall bring out your belongings in their sight, as though going into captivity; and at evening you shall go in their sight, like those who go into captivity. ⁵ Dig through the wall in their sight, and carry your belongings out through it. ⁶ In their sight you shall bear them on your shoulders and carry them out at twilight; you shall cover your face, so that you cannot see the ground, ^(D)for I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.”

⁷ So I did as I was commanded. I brought out my belongings by day, as though going into captivity, and at evening I dug through the wall with my hand. I brought them out at twilight, and I bore them on my shoulder in their sight.

⁸ And in the morning the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ⁹ “Son of man, has not the house of Israel, ^(E)the rebellious house, said to you, ^(F)‘What are you doing?’ ¹⁰ Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “This ^(G)burden^[a] concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are among them.” ’ ¹¹ Say, ^(H)‘I am a sign to you. As I have done, so shall it be done to them; ^(I)they shall be carried away into captivity.’ ¹² And ^(J)the prince who is among them shall bear his belongings on his shoulder at twilight and go out. They shall dig through the wall to carry them out through it. He shall cover his face, so that he cannot see the ground with his eyes. ¹³ I will also spread My ^(K)net over him, and he shall be caught in My snare. ^(L)I will bring him to Babylon, to the land of the Chaldeans; yet he shall not see it, though he shall die there. ^14 (M)I will scatter to every wind all who are around him to help him, and all his troops; and ^(N)I will draw out the sword after them.

^15 (O)“Then they shall know that I am the Lord, when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries. ^16 (P)But I will spare a few of their men from the sword, from famine, and from pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the Gentiles wherever they go. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.”