Ezekiel 12

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

1The LORD spoke 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 keep saying no to me. They have eyes, but they do not really see. They have ears, but they do not really listen. They keep saying no to me.

Note"Son of man" is the name God uses for Ezekiel all through this book. It simply means "human being."

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 moving far away. Carry them out in the daytime while the people watch. Leave your home and go to another place while they watch. Maybe they will stop and think, even though they keep saying no.

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 in the daytime while they watch. Then, in the evening, walk out while they watch. Walk like people who are being taken away to another land.

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

5While they watch, dig a hole through the wall. Carry your things out through the hole.

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. Carry them out when the light is fading. Cover your face so you cannot see the land. I have made you a sign for 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.

7So I did what God told me. I brought my bags out in the daytime, packed like a traveler's. In the evening I dug through the wall with my hands. When the light was fading, I carried my bags out on my shoulder while they watched.

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

8The next morning the LORD spoke to me again. He said:

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

9"Son of man, those people who keep saying no to me have asked you a question. They asked, '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 message is about the prince in Jerusalem, the ruler of the city. It is also about all the people of Israel who live there.

NoteIn the King James Bible a "burden" here is not something you carry. It means a heavy message from God.

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 I acted out will really happen to them. They will be taken away from their homes to another land.

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.

12When the light is fading, the prince among them will lift his bag onto his shoulder. Then he will go out. Others will dig through the wall to get 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. He will be caught in my trap. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans. He will not see that land, but 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.

14All the helpers around him and all his soldiers will be blown apart like leaves in the wind. I will send a sword chasing 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. They will know it when I scatter them among other nations and far-off 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 let a few of them live through the war, the hunger, and the sickness. Then, in the lands they go to, they can tell about all the awful things they did. And they will know that I am the LORD."

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

17The LORD spoke to me again. He said:

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

18"Son of man, eat your bread while you shake. Drink your water while you tremble and worry.

NoteThe King James word "carefulness" does not mean being careful. In 1611 it meant being full of worry.

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 Israel. They will eat their bread full of worry. They will drink their water full of fear. Their land will be stripped bare of everything in it. This is because of all the cruel things the people there have done.

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 knocked down. 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 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 people repeat in the land of Israel? They say, 'The days go by, and nothing a prophet sees 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 what the Lord GOD says. I will put a stop to that saying. No one in Israel will say it anymore. Tell them this instead: the time is near when everything the prophets saw will happen.

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

24There will be no more false pictures of the future in Israel. There will be no more sweet-sounding fortune-telling that turns out to be a lie.

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.

25I am the LORD. When I speak, what I say will happen. It will not be put off any longer. You people keep saying no to me. But in your own lifetime I will speak, and I will do it. This is what the Lord GOD says."

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

26The LORD spoke to me again. 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 to what the people of Israel are saying. They say, 'What 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 what the Lord GOD says. None of my words will be put off any longer. What I have said will be done. This is what the Lord GOD says."