Ezekiel Chapter 12

Judah’s Exile Symbolized

12^:1A message from the LORD came to me:

² “Son of man, you’re living with a rebellious people. They have eyes but don’t see, and ears but don’t hear. ³ So get together baggage for exile and go into exile in the daytime so they can watch; go from one place to another. Maybe they’ll understand, though they’re a rebellious people. ⁴ Bring your baggage out in the daytime. Then go out in the evening as if you’re going into exile. ⁵ Make a hole in the wall so they can watch you go out through it.

Ezek 12:1-5

⁶ “Put the baggage on your shoulder and carry it out in the dark. Cover your face so you can’t see where you’re going. I’m using you as an object lesson for Israel.”

⁷ So in the daytime I brought out my baggage like an exile. In the evening I made a hole in the wall with my hands. I went out in the dark and carried the baggage on my shoulder while they watched.                                   

Ezek 12:6-7

⁸ In the morning a message from the LORD came to me:

⁹ “Son of man, hasn’t the rebellious House of Israel asked you what you’re doing? ¹⁰ Tell them the Lord GOD says this oracle is about the official in Jerusalem and the House of Israel that’s there. ¹¹ ‘I’m an object lesson for you. As I’ve done, you’ll do. You’ll go into exile.’ ¹² The official that’s among you will put his baggage on his shoulder in the dark and go out. He’ll make a hole in the wall to take it out. He’ll cover his face so he can’t see where he’s going. ¹³ I’ll throw my net over him and take him to Babylon in the land of the Babylonians, but he won’t see it even though he’s going to die there. ¹⁴ I’ll scatter in every direction his helpers and troops, and chase them with a sword. ¹⁵ They’ll know I’m the LORD when I scatter them among the countries. ¹⁶ I’ll spare a few from sword, famine, and disease so they can confess their detestable acts to the nations where they go.”         

Ezek 12:8-16

¹⁷ A message from the LORD came to me:

¹⁸ “Son of man, eat your bread cringing; drink your water shuddering with anxiety. ¹⁹ Then tell the people the Lord GOD says, “The people in Jerusalem will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water with alarm, because everybody living there will strip them violently. ²⁰ The populated towns will be laid waste; the land will be desolate. They’ll know I’m the LORD.’”

Ezek 12:17-20

²¹ A message from the LORD came to me:

²² “Son of man, what’s this proverb you people have about Israel, ‘The days are long and every vision fails’? ²³ Tell them the Lord GOD says, ‘I’ll make this proverb stop being used. The time’s coming soon for fulfilling every vision. ²⁴ From now on, there won’t be false vision or flattering fortunetelling in Israel. ²⁵ I’ll speak, and it’ll happen without delay. In your days, rebellious people, what I’ll say I’ll do.’”                                                

²⁶ A message from the LORD came to me:

²⁷ “Son of man, Israel is saying, ‘The vision he sees is for years from now.’ ²⁸ Tell them, “None of what I’m saying will delay any longer. It will happen soon,’” the Lord GOD says.                    

Ezek 12:21-28