Ezekiel 12

Revised Geneva Translation

12 The Word of the LORD also came to me, saying:

² “Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious House, which have eyes to see and do not see. They have ears to hear and do not hear. For they are a rebellious House.

³ “Therefore, you, son of man, prepare your stuff to go into captivity; and go forth by day, in their sight. And you shall pass from your place to another place, in their sight. It may be that they consider it, though they are a rebellious house.

⁴ “Then you shall bring forth your stuff by day, in their sight, as the stuff of him who goes into captivity. And you shall go forth in the evening, in their sight, as those who go forth into captivity.

⁵ “Dig through the wall in their sight and carry it out.

⁶ “You shall bear it upon your shoulders in their sight, carry it forth in the dark. You shall cover your face, so that you cannot see the ground. For I have set you as a sign to the House of Israel.”

⁷ And as I was commanded, so I brought forth my stuff by day, as the stuff of one who goes into captivity. And by night, I dug through the wall with my hand, and brought it forth in the dark. I bore it upon 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 chief in Jerusalem, and all the House of Israel who are among them.”’

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

¹² “And the chief among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the dark and shall go forth. They shall dig through the wall to carry it out. He shall cover his face, so that he cannot see the ground with his eyes.

¹³ “I will also spread My net over him; and he shall be taken in My net. And I will bring him to Babel, to the land of the Chaldeans. Yet he shall not see it, though he shall die there.

¹⁴ “And I will scatter all who are around him toward every wind, to help him, and all his garrisons. 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 save a small number of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence, so that they may declare all these abominations among the heathen, wherever they go. 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 your bread with trembling, and drink your water with trouble, and with carefulness.

¹⁹ “And say to the people of the land, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD about the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel: “They shall eat their bread with carefulness and drink their water with desolation. For the land shall be desolate from her abundance, because of the cruelty of those who dwell in it.

²⁰ “And the cities that are inhabited shall be left empty. 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 that proverb that you have in the land of Israel, saying, ‘The days are prolonged, and all visions fail?’

²³ “Tell them, therefore, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I will make this proverb cease, and they shall no longer 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 no longer be any false vision or flattering divination within the House of Israel.

²⁵ “For I am the LORD. I will speak, and that thing that I shall speak shall come to pass. It shall no longer be delayed. For in your days, O rebellious House, I will say the thing and will perform it,” says the Lord GOD.’”

²⁶ Again, the Word of the LORD came to me, saying:

²⁷ “Son of man, behold. Those of the House of Israel say, ‘The vision that he sees, is for many days in the future; and he prophesies of the times that are far off.’

²⁸ “Therefore, say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “All My Words shall no longer be delayed. But that thing which I have spoken shall be done,” says the Lord GOD.’”