| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1The word of the LORD came to me: | 1Again a message came to me from the LORD: |
| 2"Son of man, you are living in the midst of a rebellious house. They have eyes to see, but do not see, and ears to hear, but do not hear, because they are a rebellious house. | 2“Son of man, you live among rebels who have eyes but refuse to see. They have ears but refuse to hear. For they are a rebellious people. |
| 3"Therefore, son of man, pack up your belongings as if for exile. During the day, while they are watching, pretend to go into exile. Go from where you live to another place. Perhaps they will understand, although they are a rebellious house. | 3“So now, son of man, pretend you are being sent into exile. Pack the few items an exile could carry, and leave your home to go somewhere else. Do this right in front of the people so they can see you. For perhaps they will pay attention to this, even though they are such rebels. |
| 4Bring out your belongings packed for exile during the day while they are watching. And go out at evening, while they are watching, as if for exile. | 4Bring your baggage outside during the day so they can watch you. Then in the evening, as they are watching, leave your house as captives do when they begin a long march to distant lands. |
| 5While they are watching, dig a hole in the wall and carry your belongings out through it. | 5Dig a hole through the wall while they are watching and go out through it. |
| 6While they are watching, raise your baggage onto your shoulder and carry it out in the dark. You must cover your face so that you cannot see the ground because I have made you an object lesson to the house of Israel." | 6As they watch, lift your pack to your shoulders and walk away into the night. Cover your face so you cannot see the land you are leaving. For I have made you a sign for the people of Israel.” |
| 7So I did just as I was commanded. I carried out my belongings packed for exile during the day, and at evening I dug myself a hole through the wall with my hands. I went out in the darkness, carrying my baggage on my shoulder while they watched. | 7So I did as I was told. In broad daylight I brought my pack outside, filled with the things I might carry into exile. Then in the evening while the people looked on, I dug through the wall with my hands and went out into the night with my pack on my shoulder. |
| 8The word of the LORD came to me in the morning: | 8The next morning this message came to me from the LORD: |
| 9"Son of man, has not the house of Israel, that rebellious house, said to you, 'What are you doing?' | 9“Son of man, these rebels, the people of Israel, have asked you what all this means. |
| 10Say to them, 'This is what the sovereign LORD says: The prince will raise this burden in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel within it.' | 10Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: These actions contain a message for King Zedekiah in Jerusalem and for all the people of Israel.’ |
| 11Say, 'I am an object lesson for you. Just as I have done, it will be done to them; they will go into exile and captivity.' | 11Explain that your actions are a sign to show what will soon happen to them, for they will be driven into exile as captives. |
| 12"The prince who is among them will raise his belongings onto his shoulder in darkness, and will go out. He will dig a hole in the wall to leave through. He will cover his face so that he cannot see the land with his eyes. | 12“Even Zedekiah will leave Jerusalem at night through a hole in the wall, taking only what he can carry with him. He will cover his face, and his eyes will not see the land he is leaving. |
| 13But I will throw my net over him, and he will be caught in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans (but he will not see it), and there he will die. | 13Then I will throw my net over him and capture him in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Babylonians, though he will never see it, and he will die there. |
| 14All his retinue--his attendants and his troops--I will scatter to every wind; I will unleash a sword behind them. | 14I will scatter his servants and warriors to the four winds and send the sword after them. |
| 15"Then they will know that I am the LORD when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them among foreign countries. | 15And when I scatter them among the nations, they will know that I am the LORD. |
| 16But I will let a small number of them survive the sword, famine, and pestilence, so that they can confess all their abominable practices to the nations where they go. Then they will know that I am the LORD." | 16But I will spare a few of them from death by war, famine, or disease, so they can confess all their detestable sins to their captors. Then they will know that I am the LORD.” |
| 17The word of the LORD came to me: | 17Then this message came to me from the LORD: |
| 18"Son of man, eat your bread with trembling, and drink your water with anxious shaking. | 18“Son of man, tremble as you eat your food. Shake with fear as you drink your water. |
| 19Then say to the people of the land, 'This is what the sovereign LORD says about the inhabitants of Jerusalem and of the land of Israel: They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water in fright, for their land will be stripped bare of all it contains because of the violence of all who live in it. | 19Tell the people, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says concerning those living in Israel and Jerusalem: They will eat their food with trembling and sip their water in despair, for their land will be stripped bare because of their violence. |
| 20The inhabited towns will be left in ruins and the land will be devastated. Then you will know that I am the LORD.'" | 20The cities will be destroyed and the farmland made desolate. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’” A New Proverb for Israel |
| 21The word of the LORD came to me: | 21Again a message came to me from the LORD: |
| 22"Son of man, what is this proverb you have in the land of Israel, 'The days pass slowly, and every vision fails'? | 22“Son of man, you’ve heard that proverb they quote in Israel: ‘Time passes, and prophecies come to nothing.’ |
| 23Therefore tell them, 'This is what the sovereign LORD says: I hereby end this proverb; they will not recite it in Israel any longer.' But say to them, 'The days are at hand when every vision will be fulfilled. | 23Tell the people, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will put an end to this proverb, and you will soon stop quoting it.’ Now give them this new proverb to replace the old one: ‘The time has come for every prophecy to be fulfilled!’ |
| 24For there will no longer be any false visions or flattering omens amidst the house of Israel. | 24“There will be no more false visions and flattering predictions in Israel. |
| 25For I, the LORD, will speak. Whatever word I speak will be accomplished. It will not be delayed any longer. Indeed in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and accomplish it, declares the sovereign LORD.'" | 25For I am the LORD! If I say it, it will happen. There will be no more delays, you rebels of Israel. I will fulfill my threat of destruction in your own lifetime. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!” |
| 26The word of the LORD came to me: | 26Then this message came to me from the LORD: |
| 27"Take note, son of man, the house of Israel is saying, 'The vision that he sees is for distant days; he is prophesying about the far future.' | 27“Son of man, the people of Israel are saying, ‘He’s talking about the distant future. His visions won’t come true for a long, long time.’ |
| 28Therefore say to them, 'This is what the sovereign LORD says: None of my words will be delayed any longer! The word I speak will come to pass, declares the sovereign LORD.'" | 28Therefore, tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: No more delay! I will now do everything I have threatened. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!’” |
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