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12 The word of Jehovah also came unto me, saying, Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of the rebellious house, that have eyes to see, and see not, that have ears to hear, and hear not; for they are a rebellious house. Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for [a]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 [b]consider, though they are a rebellious house. And thou shalt bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for [c]removing; and thou shalt go forth thyself at even in their sight, as when men go forth into exile. Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby. In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulder, and carry it forth in the dark; thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the land: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.

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

And in the morning came the word of Jehovah unto me, saying, Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou? 10 Say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: This [d]burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel [e]among whom they are. 11 Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them; they shall go into exile, into captivity. 12 And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the dark, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, because he shall not see the land with his eyes. 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. 14 And I will scatter toward every wind all that are round about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the sword after them. 15 And they shall know that I am Jehovah, when I shall disperse them among the nations, and scatter them through the countries. 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 nations whither they come; and they shall know that I am Jehovah.

17 Moreover the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, 18 Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with fearfulness; 19 and say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the land of Israel: They shall eat their bread with fearfulness, and drink their water in dismay, that her land may be desolate, and despoiled of [f]all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein. 20 And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be a desolation; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.

21 And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, 22 Son of man, what is this proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth? 23 Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: 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 [g]fulfilment of every vision. 24 For there shall be no more any false vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel. 25 For I am Jehovah; I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall be performed; it shall be no more deferred: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I speak the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord Jehovah.

26 Again the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, 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 times that are far off. 28 Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: There shall none of my words be deferred any more, but the word which I shall speak shall be performed, saith the Lord Jehovah.

13 And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own heart, Hear ye the word of Jehovah: Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, [h]and have seen nothing! O Israel, thy prophets have been like foxes in the waste places. Ye have not gone up into the [i]gaps, neither built up the wall for the house of Israel, to stand in the battle in the day of Jehovah. They have seen falsehood and lying divination, that say, Jehovah saith; but Jehovah hath not sent them: and they [j]have made men to hope that the word would be confirmed. Have ye not seen a false vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, in that ye say, Jehovah saith; albeit I have not spoken?

Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Because ye have spoken falsehood, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord Jehovah. And my hand shall be against the prophets that see false visions, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the [k]council of my people, neither shall they be written in the [l]writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord Jehovah. 10 Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there is no peace; and when one buildeth up [m]a wall, behold, they daub it with [n]untempered mortar: 11 say unto them that daub it with untempered mortar, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it. 12 Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it? 13 Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my wrath; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in wrath to consume it. 14 So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be uncovered; and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am Jehovah. 15 Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered mortar; and I will say unto you, The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it; 16 to wit, the prophets of Israel that prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and that see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord Jehovah.

17 And thou, son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, that prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them, 18 and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Woe to the women that sew pillows upon all [o]elbows, and make kerchiefs for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls! [p]Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and save souls alive [q]for yourselves? 19 And ye have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hearken unto lies.

20 Wherefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I am against your pillows, [r]wherewith ye there hunt the souls [s]to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms; and I will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt [t]to make them fly. 21 Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah. 22 Because with lies ye have grieved the heart of the righteous, whom I have not made sad, and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, [u]and be saved alive; 23 therefore ye shall no more see false visions, nor divine divinations: and I will deliver my people out of your hand; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.

14 Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me. And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Son of man, these men have [v]taken their idols into their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be inquired of at all by them? Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Every man of the house of Israel that taketh his idols into his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I Jehovah will answer him [w]therein according to the multitude of his idols; that I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.

Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Return ye, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations. For every one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that separateth himself from me, and taketh his idols into his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet to inquire [x]for himself of me; I Jehovah will answer him by myself: and I will set my face against that man, and will make him an astonishment, for a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah. And if the prophet be [y]deceived and speak a word, I, Jehovah, have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. 10 And they shall bear [z]their iniquity: the iniquity of the prophet shall be even as the iniquity of him that seeketh unto him; 11 that the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither defile themselves any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord Jehovah.

12 And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, 13 Son of man, when a land sinneth against me by committing a trespass, and I stretch out my hand upon it, and break the staff of the bread thereof, and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast; 14 though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord Jehovah. 15 If I cause evil beasts to pass through the land, and they [aa]ravage it, and it be made desolate, so that no man may pass through because of the beasts; 16 though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, they should deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only should be delivered, but the land should be desolate. 17 Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, [ab]Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off from it man and beast; 18 though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, they should deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only should be delivered themselves. 19 Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my wrath upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast; 20 though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, they should deliver neither son nor daughter; they should but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.

21 For thus saith the Lord Jehovah: How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the evil beasts, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast! 22 Yet, behold, therein shall be left [ac]a remnant that shall be carried forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings; and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it. 23 And they shall comfort you, when ye see their way and their doings; and ye shall know that I have not done [ad]without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord Jehovah.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 12:3 Or, exile
  2. Ezekiel 12:3 Or, perceive that they are
  3. Ezekiel 12:4 Or, exile
  4. Ezekiel 12:10 Or, oracle
  5. Ezekiel 12:10 Or, that are among them
  6. Ezekiel 12:19 Hebrew the fulness thereof.
  7. Ezekiel 12:23 Hebrew word.
  8. Ezekiel 13:3 Or, and things which they have not seen
  9. Ezekiel 13:5 Or, breaches
  10. Ezekiel 13:6 Or, have hoped
  11. Ezekiel 13:9 Or, secret
  12. Ezekiel 13:9 Or, register
  13. Ezekiel 13:10 Or, a slight wall
  14. Ezekiel 13:10 Or, whitewash. So in verses 11, 14, 15
  15. Ezekiel 13:18 Hebrew joints of the hands.
  16. Ezekiel 13:18 Or, Ye hunt . . . and ye save etc.
  17. Ezekiel 13:18 Or, that are yours
  18. Ezekiel 13:20 Or, where ye hunt
  19. Ezekiel 13:20 Or, as birds
  20. Ezekiel 13:20 Or, as birds
  21. Ezekiel 13:22 Or, by promising him life
  22. Ezekiel 14:3 Hebrew caused to come up.
  23. Ezekiel 14:4 Or, according thereto. Another reading is, he is come in the multitude etc.
  24. Ezekiel 14:7 Or, of him concerning me
  25. Ezekiel 14:9 Or, enticed
  26. Ezekiel 14:10 Or, the punishment of their iniquity
  27. Ezekiel 14:15 Hebrew bereave.
  28. Ezekiel 14:17 Or, Let the sword go
  29. Ezekiel 14:22 Hebrew they that escape.
  30. Ezekiel 14:23 Or, in vain

The Exile Symbolized

12 The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people.(A) They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people.(B)

“Therefore, son of man, pack your belongings for exile and in the daytime, as they watch, set out and go from where you are to another place. Perhaps(C) they will understand,(D) though they are a rebellious people.(E) During the daytime, while they watch, bring out your belongings packed for exile. Then in the evening, while they are watching, go out like those who go into exile.(F) While they watch, dig through the wall(G) and take your belongings out through it. Put them on your shoulder as they are watching and carry them out at dusk. Cover your face so that you cannot see the land, for I have made you a sign(H) to the Israelites.”

So I did as I was commanded.(I) During the day I brought out my things packed for exile. Then in the evening I dug through the wall with my hands. I took my belongings out at dusk, carrying them on my shoulders while they watched.

In the morning the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, did not the Israelites, that rebellious people, ask you, ‘What are you doing?’(J)

10 “Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: This prophecy concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the Israelites who are there.’ 11 Say to them, ‘I am a sign(K) to you.’

“As I have done, so it will be done to them. They will go into exile as captives.(L)

12 “The prince among them will put his things on his shoulder at dusk(M) and leave, and a hole will be dug in the wall for him to go through. He will cover his face so that he cannot see the land.(N) 13 I will spread my net(O) for him, and he will be caught in my snare;(P) I will bring him to Babylonia, the land of the Chaldeans,(Q) but he will not see(R) it, and there he will die.(S) 14 I will scatter to the winds all those around him—his staff and all his troops—and I will pursue them with drawn sword.(T)

15 “They will know that I am the Lord, when I disperse them among the nations(U) and scatter them through the countries. 16 But I will spare a few of them from the sword, famine and plague, so that in the nations where they go they may acknowledge all their detestable practices. Then they will know that I am the Lord.(V)

17 The word of the Lord came to me: 18 “Son of man, tremble as you eat your food,(W) and shudder in fear as you drink your water. 19 Say to the people of the land: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says about those living in Jerusalem and in the land of Israel: They will eat their food in anxiety and drink their water in despair, for their land will be stripped of everything(X) in it because of the violence of all who live there.(Y) 20 The inhabited towns will be laid waste and the land will be desolate. Then you will know that I am the Lord.(Z)’”

There Will Be No Delay

21 The word of the Lord came to me: 22 “Son of man, what is this proverb(AA) you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by and every vision comes to nothing’?(AB) 23 Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to put an end to this proverb, and they will no longer quote it in Israel.’ Say to them, ‘The days are near(AC) when every vision will be fulfilled.(AD) 24 For there will be no more false visions or flattering divinations(AE) among the people of Israel. 25 But I the Lord will speak what I will, and it shall be fulfilled without delay.(AF) For in your days, you rebellious people, I will fulfill(AG) whatever I say, declares the Sovereign Lord.(AH)’”

26 The word of the Lord came to me: 27 “Son of man, the Israelites are saying, ‘The vision he sees is for many years from now, and he prophesies about the distant future.’(AI)

28 “Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: None of my words will be delayed any longer; whatever I say will be fulfilled, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

False Prophets Condemned

13 The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets(AJ) of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination:(AK) ‘Hear the word of the Lord!(AL) This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish[a] prophets(AM) who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!(AN) Your prophets, Israel, are like jackals among ruins. You have not gone up to the breaches in the wall to repair(AO) it for the people of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the Lord.(AP) Their visions are false(AQ) and their divinations a lie. Even though the Lord has not sent(AR) them, they say, “The Lord declares,” and expect him to fulfill their words.(AS) Have you not seen false visions(AT) and uttered lying divinations when you say, “The Lord declares,” though I have not spoken?

“‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you,(AU) declares the Sovereign Lord. My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying(AV) divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records(AW) of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.(AX)

10 “‘Because they lead my people astray,(AY) saying, “Peace,”(AZ) when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash,(BA) 11 therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones(BB) hurtling down,(BC) and violent winds will burst forth.(BD) 12 When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, “Where is the whitewash you covered it with?”

13 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: In my wrath I will unleash a violent wind, and in my anger hailstones(BE) and torrents of rain(BF) will fall with destructive fury.(BG) 14 I will tear down the wall(BH) you have covered with whitewash and will level it to the ground so that its foundation(BI) will be laid bare. When it[b] falls,(BJ) you will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the Lord. 15 So I will pour out my wrath against the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash. I will say to you, “The wall is gone and so are those who whitewashed it, 16 those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her when there was no peace, declares the Sovereign Lord.(BK)”’

17 “Now, son of man, set your face(BL) against the daughters(BM) of your people who prophesy out of their own imagination. Prophesy against them(BN) 18 and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on all their wrists and make veils of various lengths for their heads in order to ensnare people. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own? 19 You have profaned(BO) me among my people for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread.(BP) By lying to my people, who listen to lies, you have killed those who should not have died and have spared those who should not live.(BQ)

20 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against your magic charms with which you ensnare people like birds and I will tear them from your arms; I will set free the people that you ensnare like birds.(BR) 21 I will tear off your veils and save my people from your hands, and they will no longer fall prey to your power. Then you will know that I am the Lord.(BS) 22 Because you disheartened the righteous with your lies,(BT) when I had brought them no grief, and because you encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways and so save their lives,(BU) 23 therefore you will no longer see false visions(BV) or practice divination.(BW) I will save(BX) my people from your hands. And then you will know that I am the Lord.(BY)’”

Idolaters Condemned

14 Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me.(BZ) Then the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts(CA) and put wicked stumbling blocks(CB) before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?(CC) Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When any of the Israelites set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block before their faces and then go to a prophet, I the Lord will answer them myself in keeping with their great idolatry. I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted(CD) me for their idols.’(CE)

“Therefore say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent!(CF) Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!(CG)

“‘When any of the Israelites or any foreigner(CH) residing in Israel separate themselves from me and set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block(CI) before their faces and then go to a prophet to inquire(CJ) of me, I the Lord will answer them myself. I will set my face against(CK) them and make them an example(CL) and a byword.(CM) I will remove them from my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord.(CN)

“‘And if the prophet(CO) is enticed(CP) to utter a prophecy, I the Lord have enticed that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and destroy him from among my people Israel.(CQ) 10 They will bear their guilt—the prophet will be as guilty as the one who consults him. 11 Then the people of Israel will no longer stray(CR) from me, nor will they defile themselves anymore with all their sins. They will be my people,(CS) and I will be their God, declares the Sovereign Lord.(CT)’”

Jerusalem’s Judgment Inescapable

12 The word of the Lord came to me: 13 “Son of man, if a country sins(CU) against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply(CV) and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals,(CW) 14 even if these three men—Noah,(CX) Daniel[c](CY) and Job(CZ)—were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness,(DA) declares the Sovereign Lord.

15 “Or if I send wild beasts(DB) through that country and they leave it childless and it becomes desolate so that no one can pass through it because of the beasts,(DC) 16 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved, but the land would be desolate.(DD)

17 “Or if I bring a sword(DE) against that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass throughout the land,’ and I kill its people and their animals,(DF) 18 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved.

19 “Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out my wrath(DG) on it through bloodshed,(DH) killing its people and their animals,(DI) 20 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could save neither son nor daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness.(DJ)

21 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful judgments(DK)—sword(DL) and famine(DM) and wild beasts and plague(DN)—to kill its men and their animals!(DO) 22 Yet there will be some survivors(DP)—sons and daughters who will be brought out of it.(DQ) They will come to you, and when you see their conduct(DR) and their actions, you will be consoled(DS) regarding the disaster I have brought on Jerusalem—every disaster I have brought on it. 23 You will be consoled when you see their conduct and their actions, for you will know that I have done nothing in it without cause, declares the Sovereign Lord.(DT)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 13:3 Or wicked
  2. Ezekiel 13:14 Or the city
  3. Ezekiel 14:14 Or Danel, a man of renown in ancient literature; also in verse 20