Ezekiel Moves Out
12 Again the ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 2 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], you are living among a ·people who refuse to obey [L rebellious house]. They have eyes to see, but they do not see, and they have ears to hear, but they do not hear [Is. 42:18; Matt. 13:13], because they are a ·people who refuse to obey [L rebellious house].
3 “So, ·human [T son of man; 2:1], ·pack your things as if you will be taken away captive [L make yourself bags of exile], and ·walk away like a captive [go into exile] in the daytime with the people watching. Move from your place to another with the people watching. Maybe they will understand, even though they are a ·people who refuse to obey [L rebellious house]. 4 During the day when the people are watching, bring out ·the things you would pack as captive [your bags of exile]. At evening, with the people watching, leave your place like those ·who are taken away as captives from their country [going out as exiles]. 5 Dig a hole through the wall while they watch, and bring your things out through it. 6 Lift them onto your shoulders with the people watching, and carry them out in the dark. Cover your face so you cannot see the ·ground [or land], because I have made you a sign to the ·people [L house] of Israel.”
7 I did these things as I was commanded. In the daytime I brought what I had packed as ·if I were being taken away captive [bags of exile]. Then in the evening I dug through the wall with my hands. I brought my things out in the dark and carried them on my shoulders as the people watched.
8 Then in the morning the ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 9 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], didn’t [L the house of] Israel, ·who refuses to obey [L the rebellious house], ask you, ‘What are you doing?’
10 “Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: This ·message [oracle; burden] is about the ·king [prince; ruler; C referring to King Zedekiah] in Jerusalem and all the ·people [L house] of Israel who live there.’ 11 Say, ‘I am a sign to you.’
“The same things I have done will be done to the people in Jerusalem. They will be taken ·away from their country [into exile] as captives. 12 The ·king [prince; ruler] among them will put his things on his shoulder in the dark and will leave. ·The people[a] [L They] will dig a hole through the wall to bring him out. He will cover his face so he cannot see the ·ground [land] with his eyes. 13 But I will spread my net over him, and he will be caught in my ·trap [snare]. Then I will bring him to Babylon in the land of the ·Babylonians [L Chaldeans]. He will not see that land, but he will die there. 14 All who are around the king—his ·helpers [attendants] and all his ·army [troops]—I will scatter ·in every direction [L to every wind], and I will ·chase them with a sword [L draw/unsheathe a sword after them].
15 “They will know that I am the Lord when I ·scatter [disperse] them among the nations and ·spread [scatter] them among the countries. 16 But I will save a few of them from the sword and from ·hunger [famine] and ·disease [plague; pestilence]. Then they can tell about their ·hateful [detestable; abominable] actions among the nations where they go. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
The Lesson of Ezekiel’s Shaking
17 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 18 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], tremble as you eat your ·food [bread], and shake with fear as you drink your water. 19 Then say to the people of the land: ‘This is what the Lord God says about the ·people who live in [inhabitants of] Jerusalem in the land of Israel: They will eat their food with ·fear [anxiety] and drink their water in ·shock [dread; despair], because their land will be stripped bare because of the violence of the people who live in it. 20 The ·cities [towns] where people live will become ruins, and the land will become ·empty [desolate; devastated]. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
The Visions Will Come True
21 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 22 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], what is this ·saying [proverb] you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days ·go by [pass slowly; grow long] and every vision comes to nothing’? 23 So say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: I will ·make them stop saying this [L put an end to this proverb], and nobody in Israel will use this ·saying [proverb] anymore.’ But tell them, ‘The ·time is [days are] near when every vision will ·come true [be fulfilled]. 24 There will be no more false visions or ·pleasing prophecies [flattering omens/divinations] inside the ·nation [L house] of Israel, 25 but I, the Lord, will speak. What I say will be done, and it will not be delayed. You ·refuse to obey [are a rebellious house], but in your ·time [days] I will say the word and do it, says the Lord God.’”
26 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 27 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], the ·people [L house] of Israel are saying, ‘The vision that Ezekiel sees is for a time many ·years [L days] from now. He is prophesying about times far away.’
28 “So say to them: ‘The Lord God says this: None of my words will be delayed anymore. ·What I have said [L The word I speak] will be done, says the Lord God.’”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 12:12 The people Hebrew copies read, “They.” Greek and Syriac copies read “He.”