1 Jehovah continued to speak his word to me, He said:

2 »Son of man, you are living among rebellious people. They have eyes, but they cannot see. They have ears, but they cannot hear because they are rebellious people.

3 »Son of man, pack your bags as if you were going into exile. Let the people see you leave in the daylight. March like a captive from your place to another place as they watch. Maybe they will understand, even though they are a rebellious people house.

4 »Bring out your bags as if you were going into exile. Let them see this in the daylight. In the evening let them see you leave like a captive going into exile.

5 »Dig a hole through the wall of your house, as they watch, and leave through it.

6 »Let them see you put your bags on your shoulders and carry them out in the dark. Cover your face so that you won't see the land. I have made you a sign to warn the nation of Israel.«

7 I did what I was ordered to do. During the day I brought out bags as if I were going into exile. In the evening I dug a hole through the wall. I brought out my bags in the dark. I let the people see me as I carried my bags on my shoulders.

8 The next morning Jehovah spoke his word to me, He said:

9 »Son of man, did the rebellious nation of Israel ask you what you were doing?

10 »Tell them: This is what the Lord Jehovah says: ‘This is the divine revelation about the prince from Jerusalem and about all the people of Israel who live there.’«

11 »Tell them: ‘I am your warning sign. What I have done will happen to you. You will go into exile and into captivity.

12 ‘»The prince who is among you will put his bags on his shoulders in the dark and leave. People will dig holes in the wall to go through. The prince will cover his face so that he cannot see the land.’«

13 »I will also spread my net over him, and he will be caught in my snare. And I will bring him to Babylon in 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, his helpers and all his troops. I will draw out a sword after them.

15 »So they will know that I am Jehovah when I scatter them among the nations and spread them among the countries.

16 »I will spare a few of them from the sword, the famine and the pestilence that they may tell all their abominations among the nations where they go, and may know that I am Jehovah.«

17 Moreover, the word of Jehovah came to me, He said:

18 »Son of man, eat your bread with trembling and drink your water with quivering and anxiety.

19 »Then say to the people of the land: ‘The Lord Jehovah says concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel, They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water with horror, because their land will be stripped of its fullness on account of the violence of all who live in it.

20 ‘»The inhabited cities will be laid waste and the land will be a desolation. So you will know that I am Jehovah.« ’

21 Then the word of Jehovah came to me:

22 »Son of man, what is this proverb you people have concerning the land of Israel. You say: ‘The days are long and every vision fails?’

23 »Therefore say to them: ‘The Lord Jehovah says: ‘I will make this proverb cease so that they will no longer use it as a proverb in Israel. Tell them: ‘The days draw near as well as the fulfillment of every vision.’

24 »There will no longer be any false visions or flattering fortune telling to the people.

25 »I Jehovah will speak. Everything that I say will happen without any more delay. I will say something, and it will happen during your rebellious lifetime,« declares the Almighty God Jehovah.

26 Jehovah continued to speak his word to me:

27 »Son of man, the people of Israel are saying, ‘The vision that Ezekiel sees will not happen for a long time. What he prophecies will happen in the distant future.’

28 »Tell them: ‘This is what the Lord Jehovah says:’ »Everything that I say will no longer be delayed. Whatever I say will happen, declares the Lord Jehovah.« ’«