1 T he Word of the Lord came to me, saying,

Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

2 “ Son of man, you live among sinful people. They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear. For they are sinful people.

“Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, which has eyes to see but does not see, and ears to hear but does not hear; for they are a rebellious house.

3 S o, son of man, get your things ready to take with you to another land, and let them see you leave during the day. Let them see you leave to go to another place. It may be that they will understand even if they are sinful people.

“Therefore, son of man, prepare your belongings for captivity, and go into captivity by day in their sight. You shall go from your place into captivity to another place in their sight. It may be that they will consider, though they are a rebellious house.

4 T ake your things with you during the day, with them watching you. Take the things you will need for going to another land. Then let them see you go out at evening, like those who go to another land.

By day you shall bring out your belongings in their sight, as though going into captivity; and at evening you shall go in their sight, like those who go into captivity.

5 W hile they watch, dig a hole through the wall and go out through it.

Dig through the wall in their sight, and carry your belongings out through it.

6 L oad your things on your shoulder while they watch, and carry the load out in the dark. Cover your face so that you cannot see the land. For I have made you as something special for the people of Israel to see.”

In their sight you shall bear them on your shoulders and carry them out at twilight; you shall cover your face, so that you cannot see the ground, for I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.”

7 I did as I was told. During the day I brought out my things that I would need to go to another land. Then in the evening I dug through the wall with my hands. I went out in the dark and carried the load on my shoulder while they watched.

So I did as I was commanded. I brought out my belongings by day, as though going into captivity, and at evening I dug through the wall with my hand. I brought them out at twilight, and I bore them on my shoulder in their sight.

8 I n the morning the Word of the Lord came to me, saying,

And in the morning the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

9 “ Son of man, have not the sinful people of Israel said to you, ‘What are you doing?’

“Son of man, has not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said to you, ‘What are you doing?’

10 T ell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “This word is about the leader in Jerusalem, as well as all the people of Israel who are in it.”’

Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “This burden concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are among them.”’

11 T ell them, ‘I am something special for you to see. As I have done, so it will be done to them. They will be taken to another land and held there.’

Say, ‘I am a sign to you. As I have done, so shall it be done to them; they shall be carried away into captivity.’

12 T he leader among them will load his things on his shoulder in the dark and go out. A hole will be dug through the wall for him to go through. He will cover his face so that he cannot see the land with his eyes.

And the prince who is among them shall bear his belongings on his shoulder at twilight and go out. They shall dig through the wall to carry them out through it. He shall cover his face, so that he cannot see the ground with his eyes.

13 I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My trap. I will bring him to Babylon in the land of the Babylonians, yet he will not see it. And he will die there.

I will also spread My net over him, and he shall be caught in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon, to the land of the Chaldeans; yet he shall not see it, though he shall die there.

14 I will divide all his helpers and all his army who are around him to the four winds and have the sword follow them.

I will scatter to every wind all who are around him to help him, and all his troops; and I will draw out the sword after them.

15 T hen they will know that I am the Lord when I divide them among the nations, and spread them among the countries.

“Then they shall know that I am the Lord, when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries.

16 B ut I will let a few of them get away from the sword, hunger and disease. They will tell about all their sinful ways to the nations where they go. And they will know that I am the Lord.”

But I will spare a few of their men from the sword, from famine, and from pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the Gentiles wherever they go. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.” Judgment Not Postponed

17 T he Word of the Lord came to me, saying,

Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

18 “ Son of man, shake in fear as you eat your bread and drink your water.

“Son of man, eat your bread with quaking, and drink your water with trembling and anxiety.

19 T hen tell the people of the land, ‘This is what the Lord God says about the people of Jerusalem in the land of Israel: “They will be afraid as they eat their bread, and drink their water in fear. For their land will lay waste because of the fighting of all who live in it.

And say to the people of the land, ‘Thus says the Lord God to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the land of Israel: “They shall eat their bread with anxiety, and drink their water with dread, so that her land may be emptied of all who are in it, because of the violence of all those who dwell in it.

20 T he cities where people live will be laid waste, and the land will be destroyed. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”’”

Then the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall become desolate; and you shall know that I am the Lord.”’”

21 T he Word of the Lord came to me, saying,

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

22 “ Son of man, what is this saying you people have about the land of Israel, which says, ‘The days are long and every special dream comes to nothing’?

“Son of man, what is this proverb that you people have about the land of Israel, which says, ‘The days are prolonged, and every vision fails’?

23 T ell them, ‘The Lord God says, “I will make this saying come to an end, so that they will no longer use it as a saying in Israel.’” But tell them, ‘The days are near when all the special dreams from God will come true.

Tell them therefore, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I will lay this proverb to rest, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel.”’ But say to them, ‘“The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every vision.

24 F or there will be no more false dreams or good sounding words that do not come true.

For no more shall there be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel.

25 F or I the Lord will speak, and whatever I say will be done. It will no longer be held back. For in your days, O sinful people, I will speak the word and do it,’ says the Lord God.”

For I am the Lord. I speak, and the word which I speak will come to pass; it will no more be postponed; for in your days, O rebellious house, I will say the word and perform it,” says the Lord God.’”

26 A gain the Word of the Lord came to me, saying,

Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

27 “ Son of man, the people of Israel are saying, ‘The special dream he sees will not come to pass for many years. He is speaking of times far in the future.’

“Son of man, look, the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is for many days from now, and he prophesies of times far off.’

28 S o tell them, ‘The Lord God says, “None of My words will be held back any longer. Whatever I say will be done,’” says the Lord God.”

Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “None of My words will be postponed any more, but the word which I speak will be done,” says the Lord God.’”