Eze 12 | NASB2020 | STEP | Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying ,

Ezekiel 12

Ezekiel Prepares for Exile

1 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, you live in the ^amidst of the ^brebellious house, who ^chave eyes to see but do not see, ears to hear but do not hear; for they are a rebellious house. 3 So as for you, son of man, prepare for yourself baggage for exile and go into exile by day in their sight; that is, go into exile from your place to another place in their sight. ^dPerhaps they will ^{▼▼Or see that they are}understand, though they are a rebellious house. 4 Bring your baggage out by day in their sight, as baggage for exile. Then you shall go out ^fat evening in their sight, as those who are going into exile. 5 Dig a hole through the wall in their sight and ^{▼▼Lit bring it out}go out through it. 6 Load the baggage on your shoulder in their sight and carry it out in the dark. You shall ^hcover your face so that you cannot see the land, for I have set you as a ⁱsign to the house of Israel.”

7 Then I ^jdid so, just as I had been commanded. By day I ^kbrought out my baggage like the baggage of an exile. Then in the evening I dug through the wall with my hands; I went out in the dark and carried the baggage on my shoulder in their sight.

8 And in the morning the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 9 “Son of man, has the house of Israel, the ^lrebellious house, not said to you, ‘ ^mWhat are you doing?’ 10 Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord ^{▼▼Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch}God says: “This ^opronouncement concerns the prince in Jerusalem as well as all the house of Israel who are ^{▼▼Lit in their midst}in it.”’ 11 Say, ‘I am ^{▼▼Lit your sign}a ^rsign to you. Just as I have done, so it will be done to them; they will ^sgo into exile, into captivity.’ 12 The ^tprince who is among them will load his baggage on his shoulder in the dark and go out. ^{▼▼I.e., the king’s attendants}They will dig a hole through the wall to bring it out through it. He will cover his face so that he cannot see the land with his eyes. 13 I will also spread My ^vnet over him, and he will be caught in My net. And I will bring him to Babylon in the land of the Chaldeans; yet he will ^wnot see it, though he will die there. 14 And I will ^xscatter to every wind all who are around him, his helpers and all his troops; and I will draw out a sword after them. 15 So they will ^yknow that I am the Lord, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them among the countries. 16 But I will ^{▼▼Lit leave over men}spare a few of them from the ^aasword, the famine, and plague so that they may tell of all their abominations among the nations where they go, and ^{▼▼Or they will know}may ^acknow that I am the Lord.”

17 Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 18 “Son of man, ^adeat your bread with trembling, and drink your water with quivering and anxiety. 19 Then say to the people of the land, ‘This is what the Lord God says concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel: “They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water with horror, because ^{▼▼Lit her}their land will be ^{▼▼Lit deserted
,} ^agstripped of its fullness on account of the violence of all who live in it. 20 The inhabited ^ahcities will be in ruins, and the ^ailand will be a desolation. So you will know that I am the Lord.”’”

21 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 22 “Son of man, what is this ^ajproverb you people have about the land of Israel, saying, ‘The ^akdays are long, and every ^alvision fails’? 23 Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “I will put an end to this proverb so that they will no longer use it as a proverb in Israel.” But tell them, “ ^amThe days are approaching as well as the ^{▼▼Lit word}fulfillment of every vision. 24 For there will no longer be any ^{▼▼Lit worthless
,} ^apfalse vision or deceptive divination within the house of Israel. 25 For I the Lord will speak whatever ^aqword I speak, and it will be performed. It will no longer be delayed, for in ^aryour days, you ^asrebellious house, I will speak the word and perform it,” declares the Lord God.’”

26 Furthermore, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 27 “Son of man, behold, the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is for ^atmany ^{▼▼Lit days}years from now, and he prophesies of times far off.’ 28 Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “None of My words will be delayed any longer. Whatever word I speak will be performed,”’” declares the Lord God.