Chapter 12

The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying,²

Son of man, thou dwellest⁶ in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see,² and see¹ not; they have ears to hear,² and hear¹ not: for they [are] a rebellious house.

Therefore, thou son of man, prepare³ thee stuff for removing, and remove³ by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove¹ from thy place to another place in their sight: it may be they will consider,⁴ though they [be] a rebellious house.

Then shalt thou bring forth⁵² thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing: and thou shalt go forth⁴ at even in their sight, as they that go forth into captivity.

Dig³ thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out⁵² thereby.

In their sight shalt thou bear⁴ [it] upon [thy] shoulders, [and] carry [it] forth⁵⁵ in the twilight: thou shalt cover¹⁷ thy face, that thou see⁴ not the ground: for I have set¹ thee [for] a sign unto the house of Israel.

And I did⁴ so as I was commanded:²⁷ I brought forth⁵² my stuff by day, as stuff for captivity, and in the even I digged¹ through the wall with mine hand; I brought [it] forth⁵² in the twilight, [and] I bare¹ [it] upon [my] shoulder in their sight.

And in the morning came the word of the LORD unto me, saying,²

Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said¹ unto thee, What doest⁶ thou?

Say³ thou unto them, Thus saith¹ the Lord GOD; This burden [concerneth] the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel that [are] among them.

Say,³ I [am] your sign: like as I have done,¹ so shall it be done¹¹ unto them: they shall remove [and] go⁴ into captivity.

And the prince that [is] among them shall bear⁴ upon [his] shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth:⁴ they shall dig⁴ through the wall to carry out⁵³ thereby: he shall cover¹⁷ his face, that he see⁴ not the ground with [his] eyes.

My net also will I spread¹ upon him, and he shall be taken⁸ in my snare: and I will bring⁵² him to Babylon [to] the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see⁴ it, though he shall die⁴ there.

And I will scatter¹⁷ toward every wind all that [are] about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out⁵⁵ the sword after them.

And they shall know¹ that I [am] the LORD, when I shall scatter⁵³ them among the nations, and disperse¹⁴ them in the countries.

But I will leave⁵² a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare¹⁷ all their abominations among the heathen whither they come;¹ and they shall know¹ that I [am] the LORD.

Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,²

Son of man, eat⁴ thy bread with quaking, and drink⁴ thy water with trembling and with carefulness;

And say¹ unto the people of the land, Thus saith¹ the Lord GOD of the inhabitants⁶ of Jerusalem, [and] of the land of Israel; They shall eat⁴ their bread with carefulness, and drink⁴ their water with astonishment, that her land may be desolate⁴ from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell⁶ therein.

And the cities that are inhabited¹² shall be laid waste,⁴ and the land shall be desolate; and ye shall know¹ that I [am] the LORD.

And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,²

Son of man, what [is] that proverb [that] ye have in the land of Israel, saying,² The days are prolonged,⁴ and every vision faileth?¹

Tell³ them therefore, Thus saith¹ the Lord GOD; I will make this proverb to cease,⁵² and they shall no more use it as a proverb⁴ in Israel; but say¹⁶ unto them, The days are at hand,¹ and the effect of every vision.

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

For I [am] the LORD: I will speak,¹⁷ and the word that I shall speak¹⁷ shall come to pass;¹¹ it shall be no more prolonged:¹¹ for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say¹⁷ the word, and will perform¹ it, saith⁷ the Lord GOD.

Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,²

Son of man, behold, [they of] the house of Israel say,⁶ The vision that he seeth⁶ [is] for many days [to come], and he prophesieth⁸ of the times [that are] far off.

Therefore say³ unto them, Thus saith¹ the Lord GOD; There shall none of my words be prolonged¹¹ any more, but the word which I have spoken¹⁷ shall be done,¹¹ saith⁷ the Lord GOD.