1The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying , 2Son 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 . 3Therefore, 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 . 4Then 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 . 5Dig thou through the wall in their sight , and carry out thereby. 6In 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 .
The Response of the People
7And 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 . 8And in the morning came the word of the LORD unto me, saying , 9Son of man , hath not the house of Israel , the rebellious house , said unto thee, What doest thou? 10Say 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. 11Say , I am your sign : like as I have done , so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove and go into captivity . 12And 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 . 13My 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.
The Assurance of Judgment
14And 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. 15And they shall know that I am the LORD , when I shall scatter them among the nations , and disperse them in the countries . 16But 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 .
The Proclamation of the Word
17Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying , 18Son of man , eat thy bread with quaking , and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness ; 19And 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. 20And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste , and the land shall be desolate ; and ye shall know that I am the LORD . 21And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying , 22Son of man , what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel , saying , The days are prolonged , and every vision faileth ? 23Tell 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 . 24For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel . 25For 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 . 26Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying , 27Son 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. 28Therefore 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 .