The
Exile Symbolized
12:1 The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying,
12:2 Son 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.
12:3 Therefore, 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.
12:4 Then 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.
12:5 Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry
out thereby.
12:6 In 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.
12:7 And 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.
12:8 And in the morning came the word of the LORD unto me,
saying,
12:9 Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the
rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou?
12:10 Say 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.
12:11 Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it
be done unto them: they shall remove and go into captivity.
12:12 And 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.
12:13 My 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.
12:14 And 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.
12:15 And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall
scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the
countries.
12:16 But 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.
12:17 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
12:18 Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy
water with trembling and with carefulness;
12:19 And 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.
12:20 And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid
waste, and the land shall be desolate; and ye shall know
that I am the LORD.
There Will Be No Delay
12:21 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
12:22 Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the
land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every
vision faileth?
12:23 Tell 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.
12:24 For there shall be no more any vain vision nor
flattering divination within the house of Israel.
12:25 For 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.
12:26 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying.
12:27 Son 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.
12:28 Therefore 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. |