1This word of the LORD also came to me,
2“Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see, but do not see; they have ears to hear, but do not hear; they are a rebellious bunch!
3Therefore, son of man, pack your belongings as if about to move into exile, and leave your home in daylight - in plain sight of the people; and you shall move from place to place in plain view of them. Perhaps they will take note, despite being a rebellious people.
4Then during the daytime, you shall bring out your baggage as if moving into captivity; and then you shall go out at evening, well within their sight, like one going into captivity.
5While they watch, dig through the wall, and carry your baggage out through the hole in wall.
6In their sight you shall bear your baggage upon your shoulders, and carry it out in the twilight, as they watch. Cover your face, so that you cannot see the ground; for I have made you to be a sign to the people of Israel.”
7So I did as He said: I brought out baggage as if for captivity by day; and in the evening, I dug through the wall with my hand; I brought out baggage in the twilight, and I carried it upon my shoulder in their sight.
8And in the morning this word of the LORD came to me,
9“Son of man, have those rebellious Israelites not asked you, ‘What are you doing?’
10Say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD God: “This prophecy (of my peculiar actions) contains a message for King Zedekiah in Jerusalem, and all the Israelites who live there”.
11Say, “I am a sign to you; as I have done, so shall it be done to them; they shall move and go into exile as captives.
12And even King Zedekiah shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go out; they shall dig through the wall to pull his belongings out through it; and he shall cover his face, so that he cannot see the ground.
13I will also spread My net upon him, and he shall be caught in My trap; and I will bring him to Babylon, to the land of the Chaldeans; but he shall not see it, though he shall die there.
14And I will scatter to the winds all his aides and all his troops that are with him; and I will pursue them with the sword.
15And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall disperse them among the nations, and throughout the countries.
16But I will spare a few of them from the sword, the famine, and the pestilence; that they may acknowledge and declare all their abominations among the nations to which they go; and they shall know that I am the LORD.
17Moreover, this word of the LORD came to me:
18“Son of man, eat your bread and drink your water with trembling and with anxiety;
19And say to the people of the land, ‘Thus says the LORD God of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel: “They shall eat their bread with anxiety, and drink their water with consternation, that her land may be desolate from all that is in it, because of the violence of all those that dwell in it.
20And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate; and you shall know that I am the LORD.”
21And this word of the LORD came to me:
22“Son of man, what is that proverb that you have in the land of Israel, that says, ‘The days are prolonged, and every vision comes to nothing’?
23Say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD God: “I will put an end to this proverb, and they shall no longer use it as a proverb in Israel; but say to them, ‘The days are at hand, when every prophecy shall be fulfilled’.
24For there shall be no longer be any vain visions, nor false flattering divination within the nation of Israel.
25For I am the LORD; I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall no longer be delayed; for in your days, O rebellious people, I will say the word, and will promptly perform it”, says the LORD God.
26And again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
27“Son of man, behold, the Israelites say, ‘The vision that he sees is for many days from now, and he prophesies of the times that are far in the future’.
28Therefore, say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD God: “There shall none of My words be delayed any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be promptly done, says the LORD God. Easy Reader Bible: Purple Letter Edition © 2023 by Jim Musser. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. Bible Hub |
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