Ezekiel

The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying,

1Then the LORD spoke his word to me. He said:

2Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.

2"Son of man, you live among people who refuse to obey. They have eyes but do not see. They have ears but do not hear. They are people who refuse to obey.

3Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for removing, and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight: it may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious house.

3So, son of man, pack your bags like someone being forced to leave home. In daylight, while they watch, move from your place to another place. Maybe they will stop and think, even though they refuse to obey.

4Then shalt thou bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing: and thou shalt go forth at even in their sight, as they that go forth into captivity.

4Bring your bags outside during the day, while they watch, packed as if you were leaving for good. Then in the evening, while they watch, go out like people being marched away as prisoners.

5Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.

5While they watch, dig a hole through the wall and carry your things out through it.

NoteHouse walls then were made of mud brick. A person could break a hole through one by hand, the way someone escaping a city would.

6In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulders, and carry it forth in the twilight: thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.

6While they watch, lift your bags onto your shoulder and carry them out in the dark of evening. Cover your face so you cannot see the land. I have made you a sign to the people of Israel."

7And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for captivity, and in the even I digged through the wall with mine hand; I brought it forth in the twilight, and I bare it upon my shoulder in their sight.

7I did just what I was told. During the day I brought out my bags, packed as if I were being taken away. In the evening I dug through the wall with my hands. At dusk I carried my things out on my shoulder while they watched.

8And in the morning came the word of the LORD unto me, saying,

8In the morning the LORD spoke his word to me. He said:

9Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou?

9"Son of man, did the people of Israel, who refuse to obey, not ask you, 'What are you doing?'

10Say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; This burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel that are among them.

10Tell them this is what the Lord GOD says: This heavy message is about the ruler in Jerusalem and about all the people of Israel who are there.

Note"Burden" in the old wording means a heavy message from God, not a load someone is carrying.

11Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove and go into captivity.

11Say to them, 'I am a sign to you.' What happened to me will happen to them. They will be taken from their homes and carried away as prisoners.

12And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes.

12At dusk the ruler among them will lift his bags onto his shoulder and go out. They will dig through the wall to bring him out. He will cover his face so he cannot see the land.

13My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.

13But I will spread my net over him, and he will be caught in my trap. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans. He will never see that land, yet he will die there.

14And I will scatter toward every wind all that are about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the sword after them.

14I will scatter in every direction everyone around him, all his helpers and all his soldiers. And I will send a sword to chase after them.

15And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the countries.

15Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I scatter them among the nations and spread them through many countries.

16But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen whither they come; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

16But I will keep a few of them alive through the war, the hunger, and the disease. In the countries where they go, they will tell about all the disgusting things they did. Then they will know that I am the LORD."

17Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

17Then the LORD spoke his word to me. He said:

18Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness;

18"Son of man, shake as you eat your bread. Tremble and worry as you drink your water.

NoteThe old word "carefulness" here means worry or dread, not being careful.

19And say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord GOD of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel; They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water with astonishment, that her land may be desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein.

19Then tell the people of the land what the Lord GOD says about those living in Jerusalem and in the land of Israel. They will eat their bread worried sick and drink their water in dread. Their land will be stripped of everything in it, because of the violence of everyone living there.

20And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

20The cities where people live will be torn down, and the land will be left empty. Then you will know that I am the LORD."

21And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

21The LORD spoke his word to me again. He said:

22Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?

22"Son of man, what is this saying you have in the land of Israel: 'The days go by, and no vision ever comes true'?

23Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision.

23So tell them this is what the Lord GOD says: I will put an end to that saying. No one in Israel will repeat it anymore. Instead tell them: The time is near when every vision will come true.

24For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel.

24There will be no more false visions in Israel, and no more fortune-telling that only tells people what they want to hear.

25For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD.

25For I am the LORD. I will speak, and what I say will happen. It will not be put off any longer. You people who refuse to obey, in your own lifetime I will speak and I will act, says the Lord GOD."

26Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

26Again the LORD spoke his word to me. He said:

27Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off.

27"Son of man, listen. The people of Israel are saying, 'The vision he sees is for many years from now. He is talking about a time far away.'

28Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord GOD.

28So tell them this is what the Lord GOD says: None of my words will be put off any longer. What I have said will happen, says the Lord GOD."