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Signs of the Coming Exile
Again a message came to me from the LORD:
Again a message came to me from the LORD:
Ezekiel Prepares for Exile
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
“Son of man, you live among rebels who have eyes but refuse to see. They have ears but refuse to hear. For they are a rebellious people.
“Son of man, you live in the midst of the rebellious house, who have eyes to see but do not see, ears to hear but do not hear; for they are a rebellious house.
“So now, son of man, pretend you are being sent into exile. Pack the few items an exile could carry, and leave your home to go somewhere else. Do this right in front of the people so they can see you. For perhaps they will pay attention to this, even though they are such rebels.
“Therefore, son of man, prepare for yourself baggage for exile and go into exile by day in their sight; even go into exile from your place to another place in their sight. Perhaps they will understand though they are a rebellious house.
Bring your baggage outside during the day so they can watch you. Then in the evening, as they are watching, leave your house as captives do when they begin a long march to distant lands.
“Bring your baggage out by day in their sight, as baggage for exile. Then you will go out at evening in their sight, as those going into exile.
Dig a hole through the wall while they are watching and go out through it.
“Dig a hole through the wall in their sight and go out through it.
As they watch, lift your pack to your shoulders and walk away into the night. Cover your face so you cannot see the land you are leaving. For I have made you a sign for the people of Israel.”
“Load the baggage on your shoulder in their sight and carry it out in the dark. You shall cover your face so that you cannot see the land, for I have set you as a sign to the house of Israel.”
So I did as I was told. In broad daylight I brought my pack outside, filled with the things I might carry into exile. Then in the evening while the people looked on, I dug through the wall with my hands and went out into the night with my pack on my shoulder.
I did so, as I had been commanded. By day I brought 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.
The next morning this message came to me from the LORD:
In the morning the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
“Son of man, these rebels, the people of Israel, have asked you what all this means.
“Son of man, has not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said to you, ‘What are you doing?’
“Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “This burden concerns the prince in Jerusalem as well as all the house of Israel who are in it.”’
Explain that your actions are a sign to show what will soon happen to them, for they will be driven into exile as captives.
“Say, ‘I am a sign to you. As I have done, so it will be done to them; they will go into exile, into captivity.’
“Even Zedekiah will leave Jerusalem at night through a hole in the wall, taking only what he can carry with him. He will cover his face, and his eyes will not see the land he is leaving.
“The prince who is among them will load his baggage on his shoulder in the dark and go out. They will dig a hole through the wall to bring it out. He will cover his face so that he can not see the land with his eyes.
“I will also spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare. And I will bring him to Babylon in the land of the Chaldeans; yet he will not see it, though he will die there.
I will scatter his servants and warriors to the four winds and send the sword after them.
“I will scatter to every wind all who are around him, his helpers and all his troops; and I will draw out a sword after them.
And when I scatter them among the nations, they will know that I am the LORD.
“So they will know that I am the LORD when I scatter them among the nations and spread them among the countries.
But I will spare a few of them from death by war, famine, or disease, so they can confess all their detestable sins to their captors. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”
“But I will spare a few of them from the sword, the famine and the pestilence that they may tell all their abominations among the nations where they go, and may know that I am the LORD.”
“Son of man, tremble as you eat your food. Shake with fear as you drink your water.
“Son of man, eat your bread with trembling and drink your water with quivering and anxiety.
Tell the people, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says concerning those living in Israel and Jerusalem: They will eat their food with trembling and sip their water in despair, for their land will be stripped bare because of their violence.
“Then say to the people of the land, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel, “They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water with horror, because their land will be stripped of its fullness on account of the violence of all who live in it.
The cities will be destroyed and the farmland made desolate. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
“The inhabited cities will be laid waste and the land will be a desolation. So you will know that I am the LORD.”’”
A New Proverb for Israel
Again a message came to me from the LORD:
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
“Son of man, you’ve heard that proverb they quote in Israel: ‘Time passes, and prophecies come to nothing.’
“Son of man, what is this proverb you people have concerning the land of Israel, saying, ‘The days are long and every vision fails’?
Tell the people, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will put an end to this proverb, and you will soon stop quoting it.’ Now give them this new proverb to replace the old one: ‘The time has come for every prophecy to be fulfilled!’
“Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “I will make this proverb cease so that they will no longer use it as a proverb in Israel.” But tell them, “The days draw near as well as the fulfillment of every vision.
“There will be no more false visions and flattering predictions in Israel.
“For there will no longer be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel.
For I am the LORD! If I say it, it will happen. There will be no more delays, you rebels of Israel. I will fulfill my threat of destruction in your own lifetime. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!”
“For I the LORD will speak, and whatever word I speak will be performed. It will no longer be delayed, for in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and perform it,” declares the Lord GOD.’”
Then this message came to me from the LORD:
Furthermore, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
“Son of man, the people of Israel are saying, ‘He’s talking about the distant future. His visions won’t come true for a long, long time.’
“Son of man, behold, the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is for many years from now, and he prophesies of times far off.’
Therefore, tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: No more delay! I will now do everything I have threatened. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!’”
“Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “None of My words will be delayed any longer. Whatever word I speak will be performed,”’” declares the Lord GOD.