Ezekiel 12:1-16

Expanded Bible

Ezekiel Moves Out

12 Again the ·Lord spoke his word [^Lword of the Lord came] to me, saying: ² “·Human [^TSon of man; 2:1], you are living among a ·people who refuse to obey [^Lrebellious house]. They have eyes to see, but they do not see, and they have ears to hear, but they do not hear [Is. 42:18; Matt. 13:13], because they are a ·people who refuse to obey [^Lrebellious house].

³ “So, ·human [^Tson of man; 2:1], ·pack your things as if you will be taken away captive [^Lmake yourself bags of exile], and ·walk away like a captive [go into exile] in the daytime with the people watching. Move from your place to another with the people watching. Maybe they will understand, even though they are a ·people who refuse to obey [^Lrebellious house]. ⁴ During the day when the people are watching, bring out ·the things you would pack as captive [your bags of exile]. At evening, with the people watching, leave your place like those ·who are taken away as captives from their country [going out as exiles]. ⁵ Dig a hole through the wall while they watch, and bring your things out through it. ⁶ Lift them onto your shoulders with the people watching, and carry them out in the dark. Cover your face so you cannot see the ·ground [or land], because I have made you a sign to the ·people [^Lhouse] of Israel.”

⁷ I did these things as I was commanded. In the daytime I brought what I had packed as ·if I were being taken away captive [bags of exile]. Then in the evening I dug through the wall with my hands. I brought my things out in the dark and carried them on my shoulders as the people watched.

⁸ Then in the morning the ·Lord spoke his word [^Lword of the Lord came] to me, saying: ⁹ “·Human [^TSon of man; 2:1], didn’t [^Lthe house of] Israel, ·who refuses to obey [^Lthe rebellious house], ask you, ‘What are you doing?’

¹⁰ “Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: This ·message [oracle; burden] is about the ·king [prince; ruler; ^Creferring to King Zedekiah] in Jerusalem and all the ·people [^Lhouse] of Israel who live there.’ ¹¹ Say, ‘I am a sign to you.’

“The same things I have done will be done to the people in Jerusalem. They will be taken ·away from their country [into exile] as captives. ¹² The ·king [prince; ruler] among them will put his things on his shoulder in the dark and will leave. ·The people^[a] [^LThey] will dig a hole through the wall to bring him out. He will cover his face so he cannot see the ·ground [land] with his eyes. ¹³ But I will spread my net over him, and he will be caught in my ·trap [snare]. Then I will bring him to Babylon in the land of the ·Babylonians [^LChaldeans]. He will not see that land, but he will die there. ¹⁴ All who are around the king—his ·helpers [attendants] and all his ·army [troops]—I will scatter ·in every direction [^Lto every wind], and I will ·chase them with a sword [^Ldraw/unsheathe a sword after them].

¹⁵ “They will know that I am the Lord when I ·scatter [disperse] them among the nations and ·spread [scatter] them among the countries. ¹⁶ But I will save a few of them from the sword and from ·hunger [famine] and ·disease [plague; pestilence]. Then they can tell about their ·hateful [detestable; abominable] actions among the nations where they go. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”