Ezekiel

The book of the prophet Ezekiel, chapter 12, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 12 New English Translation

Previewing the Exile

   1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 "Son of man, you are living in the midst of a rebellious house. They have eyes to see, but do not see, and ears to hear, but do not hear, because they are a rebellious house.
   3 "Therefore, son of man, pack up your belongings as if for exile. During the day, while they are watching, pretend to go into exile. Go from where you live to another place. Perhaps they will understand, although they are a rebellious house. 4 Bring out your belongings packed for exile during the day while they are watching. And go out at evening, while they are watching, as if for exile. 5 While they are watching, dig a hole in the wall and carry your belongings out through it. 6 While they are watching, raise your baggage onto your shoulder and carry it out in the dark. You must cover your face so that you cannot see the ground because I have made you an object lesson to the house of Israel."
   7 So I did just as I was commanded. I carried out my belongings packed for exile during the day, and at evening I dug myself a hole through the wall with my hands. I went out in the darkness, carrying my baggage on my shoulder while they watched.
   8 The word of the LORD came to me in the morning: 9 "Son of man, has not the house of Israel, that rebellious house, said to you, 'What are you doing?' 10 Say to them, 'This is what the sovereign LORD says: The prince will raise this burden in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel within it.' 11 Say, 'I am an object lesson for you. Just as I have done, it will be done to them; they will go into exile and captivity.'
   12 "The prince who is among them will raise his belongings onto his shoulder in darkness, and will go out. He will dig a hole in the wall to leave through. He will cover his face so that he cannot see the land with his eyes. 13 But I will throw my net over him, and he will be caught in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans (but he will not see it), and there he will die. 14 All his retinue - his attendants and his troops - I will scatter to every wind; I will unleash a sword behind them.
   15 "Then they will know that I am the LORD when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them among foreign countries. 16 But I will let a small number of them survive the sword, famine, and pestilence, so that they can confess all their abominable practices to the nations where they go. Then they will know that I am the LORD."
   17 The word of the LORD came to me: 18 "Son of man, eat your bread with trembling, and drink your water with anxious shaking. 19 Then say to the people of the land, 'This is what the sovereign LORD says about the inhabitants of Jerusalem and of the land of Israel: They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water in fright, for their land will be stripped bare of all it contains because of the violence of all who live in it. 20 The inhabited towns will be left in ruins and the land will be devastated. Then you will know that I am the LORD.'"
   21 The word of the LORD came to me: 22 "Son of man, what is this proverb you have in the land of Israel, 'The days pass slowly, and every vision fails'? 23 Therefore tell them, 'This is what the sovereign LORD says: I hereby end this proverb; they will not recite it in Israel any longer.' But say to them, 'The days are at hand when every vision will be fulfilled. 24 For there will no longer be any false visions or flattering omens amidst the house of Israel. 25 For I, the LORD, will speak. Whatever word I speak will be accomplished. It will not be delayed any longer. Indeed in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and accomplish it, declares the sovereign LORD.'"
   26 The word of the LORD came to me: 27 "Take note, son of man, the house of Israel is saying, 'The vision that he sees is for distant days; he is prophesying about the far future.' 28 Therefore say to them, 'This is what the sovereign LORD says: None of my words will be delayed any longer! The word I speak will come to pass, declares the sovereign LORD.'"

King James Version

   1 The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying,
   2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.
   3 Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for removing, and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight: it may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious house.
   4 Then shalt thou bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing: and thou shalt go forth at even in their sight, as they that go forth into captivity.
   5 Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.
   6 In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulders, and carry it forth in the twilight: thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.
   7 And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for captivity, and in the even I digged through the wall with mine hand; I brought it forth in the twilight, and I bare it upon my shoulder in their sight.
   8 ¶ And in the morning came the word of the LORD unto me, saying,
   9 Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou?
   10 Say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; This burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel that are among them.
   11 Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove and go into captivity.
   12 And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes.
   13 My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.
   14 And I will scatter toward every wind all that are about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the sword after them.
   15 And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the countries.
   16 But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen whither they come; and they shall know that I am the LORD.
   17 ¶ Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
   18 Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness;
   19 And say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord GOD of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel; They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water with astonishment, that her land may be desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein.
   20 And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
   21 ¶ And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
   22 Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?
   23 Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision.
   24 For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel.
   25 For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD.
   26 ¶ Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
   27 Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off.
   28 Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord GOD.