1And the word of יהוה came to me, saying,

2“Son of man, you are dwelling in the midst of a rebellious house. They have eyes to see but they have not seen, they have ears to hear but they have not heard, for they are a rebellious house.

3“Therefore, son of man, prepare your baggage for exile, and go into exile by day before their eyes. And you shall go from your place into exile to another place before their eyes. It could be that they see, though they are a rebellious house.

4“And you shall bring out your baggage for exile before their eyes by day, and at evening go before their eyes, like those who go into exile.

5“Dig through the wall before their eyes, and you shall bring them out through it –

6take them on your shoulders and bring them out at dark before their eyes. Cover your face, so that you do not see the land, for I have made you a sign to the house of Yisra’ĕl.”

7And so I did, as I was commanded. I brought out my baggage for exile by day, and at evening I dug through the wall with my hand. I brought them out at dark, and I took them on my shoulder before their eyes.

8And in the morning the word of יהוה came to me, saying,

9“Son of man, did not the house of Yisra’ĕl, the rebellious house, say to you, ‘What are you doing?’

10“Say to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “This message is to the prince in Yerushalayim and all the house of Yisra’ĕl who are in their midst.” ’

11“Say, ‘I am a sign to you. As I have done, so it is done to them – they are to go into exile, into captivity.’

12“And the prince who is in their midst is to bear his baggage on his shoulder at dark and go out. They are to dig through the wall to bring them out through it. He is to cover his face, so that he does not see the land with his eyes.

13“And I shall spread My net over him, and he shall be caught in My snare. And I shall bring him to Baḇel, the land of the Chaldeans, but he shall not see it, and yet die there.

14“And I shall scatter to every wind all who are around him to help him, and all his bands, and I shall draw out the sword after them.

15“And they shall know that I am יהוה, when I scatter them among the gentiles. And I shall disperse them throughout the lands.

16“But I shall let a few of their men escape from the sword, from scarcity of food, and from pestilence, so that they recount all their abominations among the gentiles wherever they go. And they shall know that I am יהוה.”

17And the word of יהוה came to me, saying,

18“Son of man, eat your bread with trembling, and drink your water with fear and with anxiety.

19“And you shall say to the people of the land, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה to the inhabitants of Yerushalayim and to the land of Yisra’ĕl, “Let them eat their bread with anxiety, and drink their water with astonishment, for her land is emptied of all who are in it, because of the violence of all those who dwell in it.

20“And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall become a wasteland. And you shall know that I am יהוה.” ’ ”

21And the word of יהוה came to me, saying,

22“Son of man, what is this proverb that you people have about the land of Yisra’ĕl, which says, ‘The days go by, and every vision shall come to naught’?

23“Therefore say to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “I shall make this proverb to cease, so that they no longer use it as a proverb in Yisra’ĕl.” But say to them, “The days have drawn near, as well as the matter of every vision.

24“For no longer is there to be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Yisra’ĕl.

25“For I am יהוה, I speak. And the word which I speak is done. It is no longer deferred. For in your days, O rebellious house, when I speak the word I shall do it,” declares the Master יהוה.’ ”

26Again the word of יהוה came to me, saying,

27“Son of man, see, the house of Yisra’ĕl is saying, ‘The vision that he is seeing is for many days from now, and he is prophesying of times far off.’

28“Therefore say to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “None of My words are deferred any longer. When I speak a word it is done,” declares the Master יהוה.’ ”