Ezekiel 12

1 Then came the word of Yahweh unto me saying:

A message from the Lord came to me, saying,

2 Son of man. In the midst of a perverse house, dost thou dwell, — Who have eyes to see—and have not seen. Ears have they to hear—and have no heard, For a perverse house, they are.

“Son of man, you are living among rebellious people. They have eyes to see but they don't see, and ears to hear but they don't hear, because they are rebellious people.

3 Thou, therefore Son of man, Prepare thee baggage for exile, and exile thyself, by day, before their eyes, —so shalt thou exile thyself out of thy place unto another place before their eyes, peradventure they will consider— though a perverse house, they are.

So, son of man, go and pack your bags as if you're going into exile. As people watch, get everything ready during the day so you can leave where you are and go somewhere else. Maybe they will realize what this means, even though they are rebellious people.

4 Therefore shalt thou take forth thy baggage as baggage for exile, by day before their eyes, —and thou thyself, shalt go forth in the evening, before their eyes, like them who go forth to exile.

Take your bags out for traveling into exile during the day while they watch. But you yourself are to leave in the evening as they watch, just like someone going into exile.

5 Before their eyes, break thou forth by thyself through the wall, —and carry forth through it.

While they go on watching, knock down part of the wall of your house and take your belongings out through the hole.

6 Before their eyes, Upon the shoulder, shalt thou lift it. In thick darkness, take it forth, Thy face, shalt thou cover so that thou see not the land; For a sign, have I appointed thee to the house of Israel.

When it gets dark, as they continue to watch, put your bags on your shoulder and carry them as you leave. Cover your face so that you can't see the country you're leaving behind, because I'm providing you as a sign to warn the people of Israel.”

7 And I did so, just as I was commanded, My baggage, took I forth as baggage for exile by day, and in the evening, I brake forth by myself through the wall, by force: in the twilight, I took it forth—on to my shoulder, I lifted it, before their eyes.

So I did as I was told. I took my bags out to go into exile during the day, and in the evening I knocked down part of the wall of my house with my bare hands. I took my belongings out when it got dark, carrying them on my shoulder while they watched.

8 Then came the word of Yahweh unto me in the morning, saying:

In the morning a message from the Lord came to me, saying,

9 Son of man, Have not the house of Israel the perverse house, said unto thee, — What art thou doing?

“Son of man, haven't those rebellious Israelites asked you, ‘What are you doing?’

10 Say unto them, Thus, saith My Lord, Yahweh, — [For] the Bearer, is this burden, in Jerusalem, and [for] all the house of Israel such as are in their midst.

Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: ‘This prophetic sign concerns the prince who is ruling in Jerusalem and all the people of Israel who are living there.’

11 Say, I, am your sign: As I have done, so. shall it be done to them, Into exile—into captivity, shall they go.

You are to say to them, ‘I'm a sign to you.’ Just as it was demonstrated here, so it will happen to them—they will go into exile as prisoners.

12 Yea, the Bearer who is in their midst, Upon his shoulder, shall lift it. In thick darkness, shall he go forth, Through the wall, shall they break to bear forth through it, — His face, shall he cover, to the end that, his own eye, may not see the land.

When it gets dark, their prince will also put his bags on his shoulder and leave. They will knock down the wall to take him away. He will cover his face so he can't see the country he's leaving behind.

13 Then will I spread my net over him, and he shall be taken in my snare; And I will take him to Babylon. in the land of the Chaldeans, The which, indeed, he shall not see. And yet there, shall he die!

But I will catch him in my net; I will trap him in my snare. I will take him to Babylon in the country of Babylonia. However, won't see it, and he'll die there.

14 And all who are round about him to help him and all his troops, will I scatter to every wind, —and, a sword, will I make bare after them.

I'm going to scatter all his attendants and all his troops in every direction, and I will chase after them with a drawn sword.

15 So shall they know that, I, am Yahweh, — By my dispersing them among the nations, And scattering them throughout the lands.

They will know that I am the Lord when I scatter them among the different nations and countries.

16 Yet will I leave remaining of them men easily counted, from the sword from the famine and from the pestilence, —that they may recount all their abominations among the nations whither they have come, So shall they know that, I, am Yahweh.

But I will let a few of them survive war, famine, and disease so that they can tell the nations where they're exiled about all their disgusting sins. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

17 Then came the word of Yahweh unto me, saying:

A message from the Lord came to me, saying,

18 Son of man, Thy bread with trembling, shalt thou eat, — And, thy water in agitation and in fear, shalt thou drink.

“Son of man, tremble as you eat your bread; shake with worry as you drink your water.

19 Then shalt thou say unto the people of the land, Thus saith My Lord Yahweh concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem upon the soil of Israel, Their bread with anxious care, shall they eat, And, their water in astonishment, shall they drink, — That her land, may be deserted, of her fulness, because of the violence of all them who dwell therein:

Then explain to the people of this country that this is what the Lord God says to those living in Jerusalem and in the country of Israel: They will be worried as eat their bread and they will be in despair as they drink their water, for their land will be stripped bare because of the violent crimes committed by everyone who lives there.

20 Yea, the cities that are inhabited, shall be laid waste, And, the land, shall become, an astonishment, — So shall ye know that, I, am Yahweh.

The towns will be destroyed, and the countryside turned into a wasteland. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”

21 And the word of Yahweh came unto me saying:

Another message from the Lord came to me, saying,

22 Son of man What is this proverb ye have, concerning the soil of Israel, saying, — The days, are prolonged, Therefore shall every vision come to nought?

“Son of man, what's this proverb you people have in the land of Israel: ‘Time goes by, and no vision comes true’?

23 Therefore say unto them, Thus, saith My Lord Yahweh, I will cause this proverb to cease, And they shall use it as a proverb no more in Israel, — But speak unto them, The days, are drawn near, And the substance of every vision.

So tell them that this is what the Lord God says: ‘I will put a stop to this proverb. No one in Israel will quote it anymore.’ Instead tell them: The time is soon coming when every vision will come true.

24 For there shall no more be— Any vision of falsehood Or divination of deceit, In the midst of the house of Israel.

There won't be any more false visions or fake prophecies among the Israelites,

25 For, I, Yahweh will speak whatsoever word I please to speak, And it shall be done, It shall not be delayed any more, — For in your own days, O perverse house, will I speak a word and perform it, Declareth My Lord. Yahweh.

because I, the Lord, will say whatever I choose to say, and it will happen immediately. Right now, you rebellious people, I will say something and make sure it happens, declares the Lord God.”

26 And the word of Yahweh came unto me, saying:

An additional message from the Lord came to me, saying,

27 Son of man. Lo! the house of Israel are saying, the vision which he seeth is for many days, Yea for times far away, hath he prophesied.

“Son of man, notice what the people of Israel are saying, ‘The vision that he's describing won't happen for a long time. He's prophesying about a time in the distant future.’

28 Therefore say unto them. Thus saith My Lord Yahweh, None of my words shall be delayed any more, — Whatsoever word I speak, then shall it be performed, Declareth My Lord Yahweh.

So tell them that this is what the Lord God says: Everything I've said is about to happen. There won't be any more delay, declares the Lord God.”