Ezekiel
Chapter 12
1 God’s message came to me, saying,
2 Human, you live among people who refuse to obey, who have eyes but do not see and ears but do not hear, because they are defiant.
3 So, you human, get your things ready for moving. Move during the day while they watch. You will go from one place to another while they watch. Maybe they will think about it, even though they are stubborn.
4 Take your belongings out during the day while they watch, as if you’re getting ready to move. Then leave in the evening while they watch, as if you’re going into exile.
5 Dig through the wall while they watch, and take stuff out that way.
6 Carry it on your shoulders in front of them and take it out at dusk. Cover your face so you can’t see the land, because I have made you a symbol for the people of Israel.
7 I did as I was told. During the day, I took out my things like prisoners do, and at night, I made a hole in the wall with my hands. I took my things out at dusk and carried them on my shoulder while they watched.
8 In the morning, God’s message came to me, saying,
9 Human, hasn’t the house of Israel, the defiant house, asked you, “What are you doing?”
10 Tell them, ‘This is what God says: This message is about the leader in Jerusalem and all the people of Israel who are with him.’
11 I am your sign: just as I did, it will happen to them: they will move and be taken as captives.
12 The leader among them will carry their load on his shoulder at dusk and leave. They will break through the wall to get out. He will cover his face so he can’t see the ground.
13 I will also spread my net over him, and he will be caught in my trap. I will take him to Babylon in the land of the Chaldeans, but he will not see it, even though he will die there.
14 I will scatter in all directions everyone who is with him to support him, along with all his troops; and I will chase them with a sword.
15 People will understand that I am God when I spread them among different nations and scatter them across the countries.
16 I will let some of them survive war, hunger, and disease, so they can tell all their sins to the foreign people where they go; then they will understand that I am God.
17 God spoke to me again, saying,
18 Human, eat your bread with shaking, and drink your water with trembling and anxiety.
19 Tell the people of the country, “God says to the people of Jerusalem and Israel: They will eat their bread with worry and drink their water in shock, so their country will be empty of everything, because of the violence of everyone living there.”
20 The cities where people live will be destroyed, the land will become empty, and you will know that I am God.
21 God spoke to me and said,
22 Human, what is the saying you have in Israel: “Time goes on, and every promise fails”?
23 So tell them, ‘This is what God says: I will end this saying, and it will no longer be quoted in Israel. Tell them instead: The time is near when every vision will come true.’
24 There will be no more false visions or flattering predictions in Israel.
25 I am God: I will speak, and what I say will happen; it won’t be delayed anymore. In your time, O defiant people, I’ll say my word and make it happen, says God.
26 God spoke to me again, saying.
27 Human, look, the people of Israel say, “The vision he sees is for the distant future, and he talks about times that are far away.”
28 Tell them this: God says, “My words will not be delayed anymore, but what I have said will happen.”