Ezekiel 12

1. And the Word of the LORD came to me, saying,

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

3. Therefore, son of man, prepare for yourself vessels for exile, and go into exile by day in their sight. And you shall be exiled from your place to another place in their sight. It may be they will consider, though they are a rebellious house.

4. And you shall bring out your vessels, as vessels for exile, by day in their sight. And you shall go out at evening in their sight, as those going into exile.

5. Dig through the wall in their sight, and carry your gear through it.

6. In their sight you shall carry it on your shoulders, carry it out in the dark. You shall cover your face so that you do not see the ground, for I have set you as a sign to the house of Israel.”

7. And I did as I was commanded. By day I brought out my vessel as a vessel for exile. And in the evening I dug by hand through the wall. I brought it out in the dark, and I carried it on my shoulder in their sight.

8. And in the morning the Word of the LORD came to me, saying,

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

10. Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “This burden concerns the king in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel among them.” ‘

11. Say, ‘I am your sign: As I have done, so it shall be done to them. They shall go into exile, into captivity.’

12. And the prince who is among them shall carry burdens on his shoulder in the dark, and shall go out. They shall dig through the wall to carry them out. He shall hide his face so that he does not see the ground with his eye.

13. I will also spread My net upon him, and He shall be taken in My snare. And I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans. Yet he shall not see it, though he shall die there.

14. And I will scatter to every wind all who are around 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 plague, so that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they go. And they shall know that I am the LORD.”

17. And the Word of the LORD came to me, saying,

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

19. And say to the people of the land, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD to the people of Jerusalem and in the land of Israel, “They shall eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water with despair, so that her land may be desolate from all that is therein because of the violence of all those who dwell in it.

20. And the cities that have people shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate. And you shall know that I am the LORD.” ‘ ”

21. And the Word of the LORD came to me, saying,

22. “Son of man, what is this proverb that you have concerning the land of Israel, saying: ‘The days are prolonged and every vision shall fail’?

23. Therefore tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel.” But say to them, “The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every vision.

24. For there shall never again be any vain vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel.

25. For I, the LORD, will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall be done. It shall no more be delayed; for in your days, O rebellious house, I will say the word and will do it,” says the Lord GOD.’ ”

26. And the Word of the LORD came to me, saying,

27. “Son of man, behold, the house of Israel says, ‘The vision that he sees is for many days to come, and he prophesies of the times that are far off.’

28. Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “There shall none of my words be delayed any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done,” says the Lord GOD.’ ”