Ezekiel 12

1 The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

2 “Son of man, you live in the midst of a rebellious house, where they have eyes to see but they do not see; and where they have ears to hear but do not listen, because they are a rebellious house.

Son of man, you are living among an uncontrolled people, who have eyes to see but see not, and ears for hearing but they do not give ear; for they are an uncontrolled people.

3 Therefore as for you, son of man, prepare your things for exile, and begin going out by day in their sight, for I will exile you in their sight from your place to another place. Perhaps they will begin to see, though they are a rebellious house.

And you, O son of man, by day, before their eyes, get ready the vessels of one who is taken away, and go away from your place to another place before their eyes: it may be that they will see, though they are an uncontrolled people.

4 You will bring out your things for an exile in the day in their sight; go out in the evening in their sight in the way that anyone goes into exile.

By day, before their eyes, take out your vessels like those of one who is taken away: and go out in the evening before their eyes, like those who are taken away as prisoners.

5 Dig a hole through the wall in their sight, and go out through it.

Make a hole in the wall, before their eyes, and go out through it.

6 In their sight, lift up your things onto your shoulder, and bring them out in the darkness. Cover your face, for you must not see the land, since I have set you as a sign to the house of Israel.”

And before their eyes, take your goods on your back and go out in the dark; go with your face covered: for I have made you a sign to the children of Israel.

7 So I did this, just as I was commanded. I brought out my things of exile in the daytime, and in the evening I dug a hole through the wall by hand. I brought my things out in the dark, and lifted them up on my shoulder in their sight.

And I did as I was ordered: I took out my vessels by day, like those of one who is taken away, and in the evening I made a hole through the wall with a tent-pin; and in the dark I went out, taking my things on my back before their eyes.

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

And in the morning the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

9 “Son of man, is the house of Israel, that rebellious house, not asking, 'What are you doing?'

Son of man, has not Israel, the uncontrolled people, said to you, What are you doing?

10 Say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: this prophetic action concerns the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel in whose midst they are.'

You are to say to them, This is what the Lord has said: This word has to do with the ruler in Jerusalem and all the children of Israel in it.

11 Say, 'I am a sign to you.' As I have done, so it will be done to them; they will go into exile and into captivity.

Say, I am your sign: as I have done, so will it be done to them: they will go away as prisoners.

12 The prince who is among them will lift up his things upon his shoulder in the dark, and will go out through the wall. They will dig through the wall and bring out their things. He will cover his face, so he will not see the land with his eyes.

And the ruler who is among them will take his goods on his back in the dark and go out: he will make a hole in the wall through which to go out: he will have his face covered so that he may not be seen.

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

And my net will be stretched out on him, and he will be taken in my cords: and I will take him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldaeans; but he will not see it, and there death will come to him.

14 I will also scatter in every direction all of those around him who were to assist him and his entire army, and I will send out a sword after them.

And all his helpers round about him and all his armies I will send in flight to every wind; and I will let loose a sword after them.

15 Then they will know that I am Yahweh, when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the lands.

And they will be certain that I am the Lord, when I send them in flight among the nations, driving them out through the countries.

16 But I will spare a few men from among them from the sword, famine, and plague, so they may record all of their abominations in the lands where I take them, so they will know that I am Yahweh.”

But a small number of them I will keep from the sword, from the need of food, and from disease, so that they may make clear all their disgusting ways among the nations where they come; and they will be certain that I am the Lord.

17 The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

18 “Son of man, eat your bread with trembling, and drink your water with shaking and worry.

Son of man, take your food with shaking fear, and your water with trouble and care;

19 Then say to the people of the land, 'The Lord Yahweh says this concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the land of Israel, “They will eat their bread with trembling and drink their water while shaking, since the land will be despoiled of its fullness because of the violence of all those who live there.

And say to the people of the land, This is what the Lord has said about the people of Jerusalem and the land of Israel: They will take their food with care and their drink with wonder, so that all the wealth of their land may be taken from it because of the violent ways of the people living in it.

20 So the cities that were inhabited will be desolate, and the land will become a wasteland; so you will know that I am Yahweh.”'”

And the peopled towns will be made waste, and the land will become a wonder; and you will be certain that I am the Lord.

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

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

22 “Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel that says, 'The days are prolonged, and every vision fails'?

Son of man, what is this saying which you have about the land of Israel, The time is long and every vision comes to nothing?

23 Therefore, say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: I will put an end to this proverb, and the people of Israel will no longer use it.' Say to them, 'The days have drawn near when every vision will be fulfilled.

For this cause say to them, This is what the Lord has said: I have made this saying come to an end, and it will no longer be used as a common saying in Israel; but say to them, The days are near, and the effect of every vision.

24 For there will no longer be any false visions or favorable divinations within the house of Israel.

For there will be no more false visions or smooth use of secret arts in Israel.

25 For I am Yahweh! I speak, and I carry out the words that I speak. The matter will no longer be delayed. For I will speak this word in your days, rebellious house, and I will carry it out!—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'”

For I am the Lord; I will say the word and what I say I will do; it will not be put off: for in your days, O uncontrolled people, I will say the word and do it, says the Lord.

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

Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

27 “Son of man! Behold, the house of Israel has said, 'The vision that he sees is for many days from now, and he prophesies of far off times.'

Son of man, see, the children of Israel say, The vision which he sees is for the days which are a long way off, and his words are of times still far away.

28 Therefore say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: My words will not be delayed any longer, but the word that I have spoken will be done—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'”

Say to them then, This is what the Lord has said: Not one of my words will be put off any longer, but what I say I will do, says the Lord.