Ezekiel 12

The LORD commands Ezekiel to pack his belongings and dig through the wall in the sight of the people as a sign of exile. The prince in Jerusalem will carry his bags on his shoulder at twilight, and every vision and prophecy will shortly be fulfilled — no longer delayed.

v	King James Version	Modern English
1	The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying,	The word of the LORD came to me:
2	Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.	"Son of man, You live among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see but do not see, ears to hear but do not hear — for they are a rebellious house."
3	Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for removing, and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight: it may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious house.	"Son of man, pack Your belongings for exile and move out in the daytime as they watch. Move from Your place to another place in their sight. Perhaps they will understand, even though they are a rebellious house."
4	Then shalt thou bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing: and thou shalt go forth at even in their sight, as they that go forth into captivity.	"Bring out Your belongings by day as if going into exile. Then go out in the evening as they watch — as those who go into captivity go out."
5	Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.	"Dig through the wall in their sight and carry Your belongings out through it."
6	In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulders, and carry it forth in the twilight: thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.	"Carry Your pack on Your shoulders and go out in the dark. Cover Your face so You cannot see the ground — for I have made You a sign to the house of Israel."
7	And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for captivity, and in the even I digged through the wall with mine hand; I brought it forth in the twilight, and I bare it upon my shoulder in their sight.	I did as I was commanded. By day I brought out my belongings as though going into exile. In the evening I dug through the wall by hand. I carried my pack out in the dark and bore it on my shoulder as they watched.
8	And in the morning came the word of the LORD unto me, saying,	In the morning the word of the LORD came to me:
9	Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou?	"Son of man, did the house of Israel — that rebellious house — not ask You what You were doing?"
10	Say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; This burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel that are among them.	"Say to them: This is what the Lord GOD says: This message concerns the prince in Jerusalem and the whole house of Israel who are there."
11	Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove and go into captivity.	"Say: I am a sign to You. As I have done, so it will be done to them. They will go into exile as captives."
12	And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes.	"The prince among them will put his pack on his shoulder in the dark and go out through the wall. They will dig a hole through the wall to carry him through. He will cover his face so he cannot see the land."
13	My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.	"I will throw My net over him and catch him in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon in the land of the Chaldeans, but he will not see it — and there he will die."
14	And I will scatter toward every wind all that are about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the sword after them.	"I will scatter in every direction all his helpers and all his troops, and I will pursue them with a drawn sword."
15	And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the countries.	"They will know that I am the LORD when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them through the lands."
16	But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen whither they come; and they shall know that I am the LORD.	"But I will spare a few of them from sword, famine, and plague, so they may confess all their abominations among the heathen where they go. They will know that I am the LORD."
17	Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,	The word of the LORD came to me:
18	Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness;	"Son of man, eat Your bread while trembling and drink Your water in fear and anxiety."
19	And say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord GOD of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel; They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water with astonishment, that her land may be desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein.	"Say to the people of the land: This is what the Lord GOD says about those living in Jerusalem and in the land of Israel. They will eat their food in anxiety and drink their water in despair. Their land will be stripped bare because of the violence of all who live there."
20	And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.	"The inhabited cities will lie in ruins and the land will become a wasteland. Then You will know that I am the LORD."
21	And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,	The word of the LORD came to me:
22	Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?	"Son of man, what is this proverb You have in the land of Israel: 'The days drag on and every vision fails to come true'?"
23	Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision.	"Say to them: This is what the Lord GOD says: I am going to stop this proverb. It will no longer be used in Israel. Say to them, 'The days are near when every vision will be fulfilled.'"
24	For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel.	"There will be no more false visions or flattering predictions within the house of Israel."
25	For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD.	"For I am the LORD. I will speak, and the word I speak will be fulfilled. It will no longer be delayed. In Your own days, You rebellious house, I will speak the word and carry it out, declares the Lord GOD."
26	Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,	The word of the LORD came to me:
27	Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off.	"Son of man, the house of Israel is saying, 'The vision He sees is for many years from now. He is prophesying about the distant future.'"
28	Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord GOD.	"Therefore say to them: This is what the Lord GOD says: None of My words will be delayed any longer. The word I have spoken will be fulfilled, declares the Lord GOD."