1The word of the LORD came to me. He said:
2"Son of man, you live among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see, but they do not see. They have ears to hear, but they do not hear. For they are a rebellious people."
3"So, son of man, get your bags ready for going away. Move out by day while they watch. Leave your own place and go to another place while they watch. Perhaps they will think about it, even though they are a rebellious people."
4"Bring out your bags by day while they watch, like bags packed for a journey. Then in the evening go out while they watch, like people going away as prisoners."
5"Dig through the wall while they watch, and carry your bags out through it."
6"While they watch, lift them onto your shoulders and carry them out in the dark of evening. Cover your face, so that you cannot see the ground. For I have made you a sign to the house of Israel."
7So I did as I was commanded. I brought out my bags by day, like the bags of a prisoner. In the evening I dug through the wall with my hand. I brought the bags out in the dark and carried them on my shoulder while they watched.
8In the morning the word of the LORD came to me. He said:
9"Son of man, has not the house of Israel, that rebellious people, said to you, 'What are you doing?'"
10"Say to them, 'This is what the Lord GOD says: This message is about the prince in Jerusalem, and about all the house of Israel who are there among them.'"
11"Say, 'I am your sign. What I have done will be done to them. They will be taken away and go as prisoners.'"
12"The prince who is among them will lift his load on his shoulder in the dark and go out. They will dig through the wall to carry things out through it. He will cover his face, so that his eyes cannot see the ground."
13"I will spread my net over him, and he will be caught in my trap. I will bring him to Babylon, to the land of the Chaldeans. Yet he will not see it, though he will die there."
14"I will scatter to every wind all who are around him to help him, and all his troops. And I will draw out the sword after them."
15"Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I scatter them among the nations and spread them through the countries."
16"But I will let a few of them escape the sword, the famine and the disease. Then they can tell about all their disgusting deeds among the nations where they go. And they will know that I am the LORD."
17The word of the LORD came to me again. He said:
18"Son of man, eat your bread shaking with fear, and drink your water trembling and worried."
19"Say to the people of the land, 'This is what the Lord GOD says about the people living in Jerusalem and in the land of Israel: They will eat their bread full of worry and drink their water in horror, because their land will be stripped bare of everything in it, because of the violence of all who live there."
20"'The cities where people live will be ruined, and the land will be empty. Then you will know that I am the LORD.'"
21The word of the LORD came to me. He said:
22"Son of man, what is this saying you have in the land of Israel? You say, 'The days go on and on, and every vision comes to nothing.'"
23"So tell them, 'This is what the Lord GOD says: I will put an end to this saying. They will not use it as a saying in Israel any more.' Say to them instead, 'The days are near, and so is the fulfilling of every vision."
24"'For there will be no more empty visions or smooth-talking fortune-telling among the house of Israel."
25"'For I am the LORD. I will speak, and the word I speak will happen. It will not be put off any longer. In your own days, you rebellious people, I will say the word and carry it out, says the Lord GOD.'"
26The word of the LORD came to me again. He said:
27"Son of man, look, the house of Israel says, 'The vision he sees is for many days from now. He speaks about times that are far off.'"
28"So say to them, 'This is what the Lord GOD says: None of my words will be put off any longer. The word I have spoken will be done, says the Lord GOD.'"