Signs of the Coming Captivity

1And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, 2Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not, which have ears to hear, and hear not; for they are a rebellious house. 3And thou, son of man, prepare thee a captive's baggage, and go captive by day in their sight; and thou shalt go captive from thy place to another place in their sight. It may be they will consider, though they are a rebellious house. 4And bring forth thy baggage by day in their sight, as a captive's baggage, and thou thyself, 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] shoulder, and carry it forth in the dark; thou shalt cover thy face, and thou shalt not see the ground: for I have appointed thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.

7And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my baggage by day, as a captive's baggage, and in the even I digged through the wall with my hand; I brought it forth in the dark, [and] bore it upon [my] shoulder, in their sight.

8And in the morning the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, 9Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou? 10Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: This burden [concerneth] the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel that are among them. 11Say, I am your sign: as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall go into exile, into captivity. 12And the prince that is among them shall bear upon [his] shoulder in the dark, and shall go forth; they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby; he shall cover his face, that he see not the land with [his] eyes. 13And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare; and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; but he shall not see it, and there shall he die. 14And I will scatter toward every wind all that are about him to help him, and all his troops; and I will draw out the sword after them. 15And they shall know that I [am] Jehovah when I shall scatter them among the nations and disperse them through 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 nations whither they shall come; and they shall know that I [am] Jehovah.

17And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, 18Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with anxiety; 19and say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem, in the land of Israel: They shall eat their bread with anxiety, and drink their water with astonishment, because her land shall be left desolate of all that is in it, for the violence of all them that dwell therein. 20And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be a desolation; and ye shall know that I [am] Jehovah.

The Presumptuous Proverb

21And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, 22Son of man, what is that proverb which ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days shall be prolonged, and every vision faileth? 23Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: 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 accomplishment of every vision. 24For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination in the midst of the house of Israel. 25For I [am] Jehovah; I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall be performed, it shall be no more deferred. For in your days, O rebellious house, will I speak the word and will perform it, saith the Lord Jehovah.

26And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, 27Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days, and he prophesieth of times that are far off. 28Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: There shall none of my words be deferred any more, but the word that I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord Jehovah.