Signs of the Coming Captivity
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying:
Son of man, you are dwelling in the midst of the house of rebellion — who have eyes to see and do not see, ears to hear and do not hear; for they are a house of rebellion.
And you, son of man, make yourself baggage for exile, and go into exile by day before their eyes. And you will go into exile from your place to another place before their eyes; perhaps they will see, for they are a house of rebellion.
And you will bring out your baggage like baggage for exile, by day before their eyes; and you yourself will go out in the evening before their eyes, like those going out into exile.
Before their eyes, dig yourself through the wall and carry it out through it.
Before their eyes you will lift it on your shoulder; in the darkness you will carry it out. You will cover your face and not see the land; for I have made you a portent for the house of Israel.
And I did so, as I was commanded. My baggage I brought out like baggage for exile by day, and in the evening I dug myself through the wall by hand; in the darkness I carried it out, on my shoulder I lifted it, before their eyes.
And the word of the LORD came to me in the morning, saying:
Son of man, has not the house of Israel, the house of rebellion, said to you: What are you doing?
Say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD: This burden is for the leader in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel who are among them.
Say: I am your portent. As I have done, so it will be done to them; into exile, into captivity they will go.
And the leader who is among them will lift it on his shoulder in the darkness and go out. They will dig through the wall to carry out through it. He will cover his face, so that he does not see the land with his eye.
And I will spread my net over him, and he will be caught in my snare; and I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans — and he will not see it, and there he will die.
And all who are around him, his help and all his troops, I will disperse to every wind, and I will draw out a sword after them.
And they will know that I am the LORD, when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them through the lands.
But I will leave from them men of number, from the sword, from the famine and from the pestilence, so that they recount all their abominations among the nations where they come; and they will know that I am the LORD.
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying:
Son of man, eat your bread with quaking, and drink your water with shaking and with anxiety.
And say to the people of the land: Thus says the Lord GOD to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, concerning the land of Israel: They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water with horror, so that her land is stripped of its fullness, because of the violence of all who dwell in her.
And the inhabited cities will be ruined, and the land will be a desolation; and you will know that I am the LORD.
The Presumptuous Proverb
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying:
Son of man, what is this proverb you have concerning the land of Israel, saying: The days grow long and every vision perishes?
Therefore say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD: I will make this proverb cease, and they will not use it as a proverb again in Israel. But speak to them: The days have drawn near, and the word of every vision.
For there will be no more any empty vision or smooth divination in the midst of the house of Israel.
For I the LORD will speak; what I speak is a word, and it will be done. It will not be drawn out any longer; for in your days, house of rebellion, I will speak a word and do it — the utterance of the Lord GOD.
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying:
Son of man, see, the house of Israel is saying: The vision he sees is for many days off, and for distant times he prophesies.
Therefore say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD: None of my words will be drawn out any longer. What I speak is a word, and it will be done — the utterance of the Lord GOD.