Ezekiel 12 (JPS)

1The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying:Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2'Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of the rebellious house, that have eyes to see, and see not, that have ears to hear, and hear not; for they are a rebellious house.“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.

3Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for exile, and remove as though for exile by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight; it may be they will perceive, for they are a rebellious house.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.

4And thou shalt bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for exile; and thou shalt go forth thyself at even in their sight, as when men go forth into exile.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.

5Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.As they watch, dig through the wall and carry your belongings out through it.

6In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulder, and carry it forth in the darkness; thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground; for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.'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.”

7And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for exile, and in the even I digged through the wall with my hand; I carried out in the darkness, and bore it upon my shoulder in their sight.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.

8And in the morning came the word of the LORD unto me, saying:And in the morning the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

9'Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee: What doest thou?“Son of man, hasn’t the rebellious house of Israel asked you, ‘What are you doing?’

10Say thou unto them: Thus saith the Lord GOD: Concerning the prince, even this burden, in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel among whom they are,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.’

11say: I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them — they shall go into exile, into captivity.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.

12And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder, and go forth in the darkness; they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby; he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes.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.

13My 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.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.

14And I will disperse toward every wind all that are round about him to help him, and all his troops; and I will draw out the sword after them.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.

15And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the countries.And they will know that I am the LORD, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them throughout the countries.

16But 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 nations whither they come; and they shall know that I am the LORD.'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.”

17Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying: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 anxiety;“Son of man, eat your bread with trembling, and drink your water with quivering and anxiety.

19and say unto the people of the land: Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel. They shall eat their bread with anxiety, and drink their water with appalment, that her land may be desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein.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.

20And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.'The inhabited cities will be laid waste, and the land will become desolate. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”

21And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:Again the word of the LORD came to 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?“Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by, and every vision fails’?

23Tell 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 word of every vision.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.

24For there shall be no more any vain vision nor smooth divination within the house of Israel.For there will be no more false visions or flattering divinations within the house of Israel,

25For I am the LORD; I will speak, what word soever it be that I shall speak, and it shall be performed; it shall be no more delayed; for in your days, O rebellious house, will I speak the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD.'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.’”

26Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying:Furthermore, 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 times that are far off.“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.’

28Therefore say unto them: Thus saith the Lord GOD: There shall none of My words be delayed any more, but the word which I shall speak shall be performed, saith the Lord GOD.'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.’”

Ezekiel 12

Signs of the Coming Captivity

The Presumptuous Proverb

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Ezekiel 12

Signs of the Coming Captivity

The Presumptuous Proverb

You’ve read Ezekiel 12

Go deeper