Ezekiel Prepares for Exile
Ezekiel 12, verse 1. Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Ezekiel 12, verse 2. “Son of man, you dwell in the midst of wrongdoers who have eyes to see, but do not see, and ears to hear, but do not hear; for they are a house of provocation. Ezekiel 12, verse 3. As for you, son of man, prepare belongings for captivity, for captivity by daylight and in their sight. You will be taken into captivity from your place to a different place, a place in their sight; so they may see they are a house of provocation. Ezekiel 12, verse 4. You will carry out your belongings as baggage for captivity by day before their eyes; and you shall go out in the evening as a captive goes out. Ezekiel 12, verse 5. Dig through the wall for yourself, and you shall go out through it in their sight. Ezekiel 12, verse 6. You shall be carried on men's shoulders and go forth in secret. You shall cover your face and not see the ground, because I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.” Ezekiel 12, verse 7. So I did this according to all He commanded me. I brought out my belongings as baggage for captivity by day, dug through the wall for myself in the evening, and went out in secret. I was borne upon men's shoulders before them. Ezekiel 12, verse 8. Then in the morning, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Ezekiel 12, verse 9. “Son of man, has not the house of Israel, the house that provokes, said to you, ‘What are you doing?’ Ezekiel 12, verse 10. Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord, the Master, the Ruler and the Leader in Jerusalem and over all the house of Israel in their midst. Ezekiel 12, verse 11. Say, “I am performing signs in her midst. As I have done, so shall it be to them, and they shall go into deportation and captivity.” Ezekiel 12, verse 12. The ruler in their midst will be carried on men's shoulders and will go out secretly through the wall. He shall dig through that he may pass through it. He shall cover his face so as to remain hidden from any eye; and he himself shall not see the ground. Ezekiel 12, verse 13. I will spread out My net over him, and he shall be caught in My enclosure. I will lead him to Babylon, to the land of the Chaldeans, but he will not see it, though he shall die there. Ezekiel 12, verse 14. I will scatter to every wind all his assistants around him, and all his auxiliaries; and I will unsheathe a sword after them. Ezekiel 12, verse 15. Then they shall know that I am the Lord, when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them in the countries. Ezekiel 12, verse 16. But I will spare a few of their men from the sword, famine, and pestilence so they may declare all their lawlessness among the nations where they go. They shall know that I am the Lord.’” Ezekiel 12, verse 17. Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Ezekiel 12, verse 18. “Son of man, you shall eat your bread in sorrow and drink your water with torment and affliction. Ezekiel 12, verse 19. You shall say to the people of the land, ‘Thus says the Lord to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the land of Israel: “They shall eat their bread in poverty and drink their water in desolation, that the land may be destroyed with its fullness; for all who dwell in it are ungodly. Ezekiel 12, verse 20. Their inhabited cities shall be utterly wasted and their land destroyed. You shall know that I am the Lord.”’” Ezekiel 12, verse 21. Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Ezekiel 12, verse 22. “Son of man, what is your parable about the land of Israel which says, ‘The days are far off; the vision has perished’? Ezekiel 12, verse 23. Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: “I shall remove this parable, and no longer shall the house of Israel repeat this parable.” For you shall say to them, “The days are at hand, and the word of every vision. Ezekiel 12, verse 24. For there shall no longer be any false vision or favorable prophesying in the midst of the children of Israel. Ezekiel 12, verse 25. For I, the Lord, shall speak my words; I will speak and perform them. I shall delay no longer, because in your days, O house which provokes, I will speak the word and perform it,” says the Lord.’” Ezekiel 12, verse 26. Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Ezekiel 12, verse 27. “Son of man, behold, the house of Israel which provokes is surely saying, ‘The vision this man sees is many days from now, and he prophesies of times far off.’ Ezekiel 12, verse 28. Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: “All My words I speak shall no longer be delayed. I will speak and do,” says the Lord.’”