Signs of the Coming Captivity
1 The word of the Lord also came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see and do not see, who have ears to hear, and do not hear, for they are a rebellious house.
3 “Therefore, son of man, prepare your belongings for exile and move by day in their sight. You shall move from your place to another place in their sight. Perhaps they will take it into consideration, though they are a rebellious house. 4 You shall bring out your belongings, like moving baggage, by day in their sight. You shall go out at evening in their sight, like when people go into exile.
5 Dig through the wall in their sight and carry your belongings out that way. 6 In their sight you shall bear it on your shoulder and carry it out in the dark. You shall cover your face, so that you do not see the land, for I have set you as a sign to the house of Israel.”
7 I did this, as I was commanded. I brought out my belongings by day, like baggage for moving, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my hand. I brought it out in the dark and bore it on my shoulder in their sight.
8 In the morning, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 9 “Son of man, has the house of Israel, the rebellious house, not asked you, ‘What are you doing?’ 10 “Say to them, ‘The Lord God says, “This burden concerns the prince in Jerusalem and the entire house of Israel who live among them.
11 Say, ‘I am your sign. As I have done, so will it be done to them. They will go into exile, into captivity. 12 The prince who is among them will go out in the dark, bearing his bags on his shoulder. They will dig through the wall to carry things out that way. He will cover his face, because he will not see the land with his eyes. 13 I will also spread my net on him, and he will be taken in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans, yet he will not see it, though he will die there.
14 I will scatter toward every wind all who are around him to help him, and all his bands. I will draw out the sword after them. 15 They will know that I am the Lord when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them through the countries. 16 But I will leave a few of them from the sword, from famine, and from pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the nations from where they come. Then they will 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 quaking, and drink your water with fear and trembling. 19 Tell the people of the land, ‘The Lord God says concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the land of Israel: They will eat their bread in fear and drink their water in dismay, that her land may be desolate, and all that is in it, because of the violence of all those who dwell in it. 20 The cities that are inhabited will be laid waste and the land will be a desolation. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ”
The Presumptuous Proverb
21 The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 22 “Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel, saying,
‘Time passes,
and every vision fails?’
23 Tell them therefore, ‘The Lord God says, “I will bring an end to this proverb, and they will no longer use it as a proverb in Israel,” ’ but tell them, ‘ “The days are at hand and the fulfillment of every vision. 24 For there will no longer be any false visions nor flattering divination within the house of Israel. 25 For I am the Lord. I will speak, and the word that I speak will be fulfilled. It will be deferred no longer, for in your days, rebellious house, I will speak the word and will fulfill it,” says the Lord God.’ ”
26 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 27 “Son of man, they, of the house of Israel say, ‘The vision that he sees is for many days to come, and he prophesies of times that are far off.’ 28 Therefore tell them, ‘The Lord God says: None of my words will be deferred any longer, but the word which I speak will be performed,” says the Lord God.’ ””