Ezekiel 12

1And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

2Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see but do not see, ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house.

3And you, son of man, prepare for yourself baggage for exile, and go into exile by day before their eyes. You shall go into exile from your place to another place before their eyes. Perhaps they will see, though they are a rebellious house.

4And you shall bring out your baggage like the baggage of exile by day before their eyes, and you yourself shall go out in the evening before their eyes like those going out into exile.

5Before their eyes, dig through the wall, and bring out through it.

6Before their eyes you shall carry it on your shoulder; in the dark you shall bring it out. You shall cover your face so that you do not see the land, for I have made you a sign for the house of Israel.

7So I did as I was commanded: by day I brought out my baggage like the baggage of exile, and in the evening I dug through the wall by hand. In the dark I brought it out; I carried it on my shoulder before their eyes.

8And in the morning the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

9Son of man, has not the house of Israel, that rebellious house, said to you, ‘What are you doing?’

10Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: This burden concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are in their midst.’

11Say, ‘I am a sign to you: just as I have done, so it shall be done to them; into exile, into captivity they shall go.’

12And the prince who is among them will lift his baggage onto his shoulder in the dark and go out. They will dig through the wall to bring him out through it. He will cover his face so that he may not see the land with his eyes.

13I will spread my net over him, and he will be caught in my snare. Then I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans; yet he will not see it, and there he will die.

14And all who are around him—his helpers and all his troops—I will scatter to every wind, and I will draw out a sword after them.

15And they will know that I am Yahweh when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them through the lands.

16But I will spare from among them a few men from the sword, from famine, and from pestilence, so that they may recount all their abominations among the nations where they go; and they will know that I am Yahweh.

17And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

18Son of man, eat your bread with trembling, and drink your water with quaking and anxiety.

19And say to the people of the land, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel: They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water with horror, so that her land may be made desolate of its fullness because of the violence of all who dwell in it.’

20And the inhabited cities will be laid waste, and the land will become a desolation; then you will know that I am Yahweh.

21And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

22Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel, saying, ‘The days drag on, and every vision comes to nothing’?”

23Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: I will put an end to this proverb, and they will no longer use it as a proverb in Israel. But say to them, “The days have drawn near, and the word of every vision.”’

24For there will no longer be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel.

25For I am Yahweh; the word that I speak will be done. It will no longer be delayed, for in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak a word and do it, declares the Lord GOD.

26And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

27Son of man, look, the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is for many days from now, and he prophesies about distant times.’

28Therefore 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 done,’ declares the Lord GOD.