Signs of the Coming Captivity 1 UDB Yahweh gave me another message. He said, BSB BSB: Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2 UDB "Son of man, you are living among people who are very rebellious. They have eyes, but they do not see what I want them to see; they have ears, but they do not listen to what I want them to hear, because they are such a rebellious people. BSB BSB: “Son of man, you are living in a rebellious house. They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house.
3 UDB Therefore, son of man, pack your belongings as though you were going into exile. Then, during the daytime, while people are watching, prepare to go to another place. Even though the people are rebellious, perhaps they will understand what you are symbolizing. BSB BSB: Therefore, son of man, pack your bags for exile. In broad daylight, set out from your place and go to another as they watch. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house.
4 UDB During the daytime, while they are watching, bring out the things that you want to take, and pack them. Then in the evening, while they are watching, do what those who are preparing to go into exile do. BSB BSB: Bring out your baggage for exile by day, as they watch. Then in the evening, as they watch, go out like those who go into exile.
5 UDB Dig through the city wall and take your things through the hole. BSB BSB: As they watch, dig through the wall and carry your belongings out through it.
6 UDB Put them in a sack on your shoulder while they are watching, and leave when it becomes dark. Cover your face so you cannot see the path. I want you to do this because I want you to warn the Israelite people." BSB BSB: And as they watch, lift your bags to your shoulder and take them out at dusk; cover your face so that you cannot see the land. For I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.”
7 UDB So I did what Yahweh told me to do. During the day I brought things out of my house as though I was packing to go into exile. Then in the evening I dug through the city wall. Then while people watched, I put my sack of belongings on my shoulder and left. BSB BSB: So I did as I was commanded. I brought out my bags for exile by day, and in the evening I dug through the wall by hand. I took my belongings out at dusk, carrying them on my shoulder as they watched.
8 UDB The next morning, Yahweh gave me this message, BSB BSB: And in the morning the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
9 UDB "Son of man, did the rebellious people of Israel not ask you, 'What are you doing?' BSB BSB: “Son of man, hasn’t the rebellious house of Israel asked you, ‘What are you doing?’
10 UDB So go back and say to them, 'What I did is about the king in Jerusalem and all the other people of Israel who are there.' BSB BSB: Tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘This burden concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are there.’
11 UDB Tell them, 'What I did is a warning to you. What I did in front of you, they are going to have to do. They will be captured and forced to go to another country. BSB BSB: You are to say, ‘I am a sign to you.’ Just as it happened here, so will it be done to them; they will go into exile as captives.
12 UDB Their king will put his belongings on his shoulder when it becomes dark and he will try to escape. His servants will dig a hole through the city wall, and he will take his belongings through it. He will cover his face so others will not recognize him and he will not be able to see the land. BSB BSB: And at dusk the prince among them will lift his bags to his shoulder and go out. They will dig through the wall to bring him out. He will cover his face so he cannot see the land.
13 UDB But it will be as though I will spread a net for him to be captured; enemy soldiers will capture him, blind him, and take him to the city of Babylon where the Chaldean people live. But he will not be able to see it because he will be blind; and there he will die. BSB BSB: But I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans; yet he will not see it, and there he will die.
14 UDB I will scatter all those who have been around him—his advisors and his soldiers—in every direction; and I will cause his enemies to pursue them, with their swords ready to strike them. BSB BSB: And I will scatter to every wind all the attendants around him and all his troops, and I will draw a sword to chase after them.
15 UDB Then, when I scatter them among many nations, they will know that I, Yahweh have the power to do what I say that I will do. BSB BSB: And they will know that I am the LORD, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them throughout the countries.
16 UDB But I will spare some of them from being killed by the sword, or starving to death, or dying of disease so they can record that they have been doing disgusting things, and they will know that I, Yahweh, have the power to do what I say that I will do." BSB BSB: But I will spare a few of them from sword and famine and plague, so that in the nations to which they go, they can recount all their abominations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”
17 UDB Then Yahweh gave me another message. He said, BSB BSB: Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
18 UDB "Son of man, tremble while you eat your food, and shudder fearfully while you drink your water. BSB BSB: “Son of man, eat your bread with trembling, and drink your water with quivering and anxiety.
19 UDB Tell this to the Israelite people: 'This is what Yahweh the Lord says about those who are still living in Jerusalem and in other places in Israel. They also will be very anxious while they eat their food and drink their water, because their country will soon have everything taken away. That will happen because the people who live there continually act very violently. BSB BSB: Then tell the people of the land that this is what the Lord GOD says about those living in Jerusalem and in the land of Israel: ‘They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water in dread, for their land will be stripped of everything in it because of the violence of all who dwell in it.
20 UDB The towns where people live will be devastated, and the land will become barren. Then you people will know that it is I, Yahweh, who have the power to do what I say that I will do.'" BSB BSB: The inhabited cities will be laid waste, and the land will become desolate. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
The Presumptuous Proverb 21 UDB Yahweh gave me another message. He said, BSB BSB: Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
22 UDB "Son of man, the people in Israel have this proverb that says, 'The days keep passing, and what the prophets predict never happens.' BSB BSB: “Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by, and every vision fails’?
23 UDB So say to them, 'This is what Yahweh the Lord says: I am going to prove that what they say is not correct, and then they will never say it again in Israel.' Tell them, 'It will soon be the time when everything that the prophets predict will happen.' BSB BSB: Therefore tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will put an end to this proverb, and in Israel they will no longer recite it.’ But say to them: ‘The days are at hand when every vision will be fulfilled.
24 UDB No longer will prophets tell the Israelite people false visions, or tell people prophecies just to please them. BSB BSB: For there will be no more false visions or flattering divinations within the house of Israel,
25 UDB Instead, I, Yahweh, will say what I want to tell the people, and what I predict will quickly happen. You rebellious people, I will cause to happen everything that I say will happen. That is what I, Yahweh the Lord, say.'" BSB BSB: because I, the LORD, will speak whatever word I speak, and it will be fulfilled without delay. For in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak a message and bring it to pass, declares the Lord GOD.’”
26 UDB Yahweh also gave me this message. He said, BSB BSB: Furthermore, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
27 UDB "Son of man, the Israelite people are constantly saying about you, 'The things that he sees in visions will not happen soon. They are about things that will happen many years from now, far in the future.' BSB BSB: “Son of man, take note that the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is for many years from now; he prophesies about the distant future.’
28 UDB Therefore say to them, 'This is what Yahweh the Lord says: I will no longer delay causing to happen any of the things that I have prophesied. Whatever I have predicted will soon happen.'" BSB BSB: Therefore tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘None of My words will be delayed any longer. The message I speak will be fulfilled, declares the Lord GOD.’”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.