Signs of the Coming Captivity

1The worde of the LORDE came vnto me, sayenge: 2Thou sonne of ma, thou dwellest in the myddest of a frauwerde housholde: which haue eyes to se, & yet se not: eares haue they to heare, and yet heare they not, for they are an obstinate housholde. 3Therfore (O thou sonne of man) make thy gere redy to flit, and go forth by fayre daye light, yt they maye se. Yee eue in their sight shalt thou go from thy place to another place: yf peraduenture they wil considre, yt they be an vnobedient housholde. 4Thy gere that thou hast made redy to flit withall, shalt thou beare out by fayre daye light, that they maie se: & thou yi self shalt go forth also at eue in their sight, as a ma doth whe he flitteth. 5Dygge thorow the wall, that they maye se, and beare thorow it the same thinge, that thou tokest vp 6in their sight. As for thy self, thou shalt go forth in the darcke. Hyde thy face that thou se not ye earth, for I haue made the a shewtoke vnto the house of Israel.

7Now as ye LORDE comaunded me, so I dyd: ye gere that I had made redy, brought I out by daye. At euen I brake downe an hole thorow the wall with my honde: & when it was darcke, I toke the gere vpo my shulders, and bare them out in their sight.

8And in the mornynge, came the worde of the LORDE vnto me, sayenge: 9Thou sonne of man, yf Israel, yt frauwerde housholde axe the, and saye: what dost thou there? 10Then tell them: Thus saieth the LORDE God: This punyshment toucheth the chefe rulers at Ierusalem, and all the house of Israel, that dwell amonge them: 11Tell them: I am youre shewtoken: like as I haue done, so shal it happen vnto you: Flyt shal ye also, and go in to captiuyte. 12The chefest that is amonge you, shall lade his shulders in the darcke, and get him awaye. He shal breake downe the wall, to carie stuff there thorow: He shal couer his face, that he se not the grounde, with his eyes. 13My lyne will I sprede out vpon him, and catch him in my net, and carie him to Babilon, in the lode of the Caldees: which he shal not se, & yet shal he dye there. 14As for all his helpers, and all his hoostes that be aboute him: I will scatre them towarde all the wyndes, and drawe out a swearde after them. 15So when I haue scatred them amonge the Heithen, and strowed them in the londes: they shal knowe, that I am ye LORDE. 16But, I will leaue a litle nombre of them, from the swearde, hunger & pestilence: to tell all their abhominacions amonge the Heithen, where they come: that they maye knowe, how that I am the LORDE.

17Morouer, the worde of the LORDE came vnto me sayenge: 18Thou sonne of man: with a fearfull treblinge shalt thou eate thy bred, with carefulnesse & sorowe shalt thou drynke thy water. 19And vnto the people of the londe, speake thou on this maner: Thus saieth the LORDE God, to them that dwell in Ierusalem, and to the londe of Israel: Ye shall eate youre bred with sorowe, and drynke youre water with heuynesse: Yee the londe with the fulnesse therof shalbe layde waist, for ye wickednesse of them that dwell therin. 20And the cities that now be well occupied, shal be voyde, and the londe desolate: that ye maye knowe, how that I am the LORDE.

The Presumptuous Proverb

21Yet came the worde of the LORDE vnto me agayne, sayenge: 22Thou sonne of man, what maner of byworde is that, which ye vse in the londe of Israel, sayenge: Tush, seynge that the daies are so slacke in commynge, all the visios are of none effecte: 23Tell them therfore, thus saieth the LORDE God: I wil make that byworde to ceasse, so that it shall nomore be comonly vsed in Israel. But saye this vnto them: The daies are at honde, that euery thinge which hath bene prophecied, shalbe fulfilled. 24There shall no vision be in vayne, nether eny prophecie fayle amonge the children of Israel: 25For it is I the LORDE, that speake it: and what so euer I ye LORDE speake, it shal be perfourmed, and not be slacke in commynge. Yee euen in youre dayes (O ye frauwarde housholde) will I deuyse somethinge, & bringe it to passe, saieth the LORDE God.

26And the worde of the LORDE came vnto me sayenge: 27Beholde, thou sonne of man: The house of Israel saye in this maner: Tush, as for the vision that he hath sene, it will be many a daye or it come to passe: Is it farre of yet, the thinge that he prophecieth. 28Therfore saye vnto them: Thus saieth the LORDE God: All my wordes shal nomore be slacke: Loke what I speake, that same shal come to passe, saieth the LORDE.