New Living Translation | International Standard Version |
1Again a message came to me from the LORD: | 1This message came to me from the LORD: |
2“Son of man, you live among rebels who have eyes but refuse to see. They have ears but refuse to hear. For they are a rebellious people. | 2"Son of Man, you live in a rebellious house that has eyes to see, but they can't see, and ears to hear, but they can't hear, since they're a rebellious house. |
3“So now, son of man, pretend you are being sent into exile. Pack the few items an exile could carry, and leave your home to go somewhere else. Do this right in front of the people so they can see you. For perhaps they will pay attention to this, even though they are such rebels. | 3"So now, Son of Man, you are to prepare your luggage for a trip into exile, and then you are to leave during the daytime so they see you leaving. Leave from your place to another while they're watching. Then perhaps they'll realize that they're a rebellious house. |
4Bring your baggage outside during the day so they can watch you. Then in the evening, as they are watching, leave your house as captives do when they begin a long march to distant lands. | 4"Bring out your luggage, like you're packing to go into exile, and do this during the daytime while they're watching you. Later that evening, leave while they're watching you like someone heading into exile. |
5Dig a hole through the wall while they are watching and go out through it. | 5While they continue to watch, dig a hole for yourself in the wall and enter through it. |
6As they watch, lift your pack to your shoulders and walk away into the night. Cover your face so you cannot see the land you are leaving. For I have made you a sign for the people of Israel.” | 6"While they're watching, carry your luggage on your shoulder and go out in total darkness. Cover your face so that you won't see the land, because I'm using you as a sign to Israel's house." |
7So I did as I was told. In broad daylight I brought my pack outside, filled with the things I might carry into exile. Then in the evening while the people looked on, I dug through the wall with my hands and went out into the night with my pack on my shoulder. | 7I did just as I was commanded. I brought out the luggage as if it were luggage for exile. I did this during the day. Then in the evening I dug a hole in the wall with my hand and brought the luggage out in total darkness and carried it out on my shoulder while they were watching. |
8The next morning this message came to me from the LORD: | 8The next morning, this message came to me from the LORD: |
9“Son of man, these rebels, the people of Israel, have asked you what all this means. | 9"Son of Man, didn't the house of Israel, that rebellious house, ask you, 'What are you doing?' |
10Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: These actions contain a message for King Zedekiah in Jerusalem and for all the people of Israel.’ | 10Answer them, 'This is what the Lord GOD says, "This oracle concerns the prince of Jerusalem and the whole of Israel's house that is in their midst. |
11Explain that your actions are a sign to show what will soon happen to them, for they will be driven into exile as captives. | 11Tell them, 'I'm a sign for you. Just as I enacted it, it's going to happen to them. They'll go into exile and captivity. |
12“Even Zedekiah will leave Jerusalem at night through a hole in the wall, taking only what he can carry with him. He will cover his face, and his eyes will not see the land he is leaving. | 12Then the prince, who will be one of them, will carry his luggage on his shoulder in the dark and will go out. They'll dig a hole in the wall for him to go through. His face will be covered so that he won't be able to see the land with his eyes. |
13Then I will throw my net over him and capture him in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Babylonians, though he will never see it, and he will die there. | 13But I'll throw my net over him. As a result, he'll be captured with my net, and with it I'll bring him to Babel, the land of the Chaldeans. He won't see it, though he'll die there. |
14I will scatter his servants and warriors to the four winds and send the sword after them. | 14I'll scatter every attendant who surrounds him, along with his entire army, to every wind. When I unsheathe my sword to pursue them, |
15And when I scatter them among the nations, they will know that I am the LORD. | 15they'll learn that I am the LORD, when I've dispersed them among the nations and scattered them throughout the earth."'" |
16But I will spare a few of them from death by war, famine, or disease, so they can confess all their detestable sins to their captors. Then they will know that I am the LORD.” | 16"But I'll preserve a few people out of the violent death, famine, and pestilence, so they can recount their detestable practices among the nations when they'll go there. Then they'll know that I am the LORD." |
17Then this message came to me from the LORD: | 17This message came to me from the LORD: |
18“Son of man, tremble as you eat your food. Shake with fear as you drink your water. | 18"Son of Man, eat your bread with trembling and drink your water with quivering and anxiety. |
19Tell the people, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says concerning those living in Israel and Jerusalem: They will eat their food with trembling and sip their water in despair, for their land will be stripped bare because of their violence. | 19Then tell the people of the land, 'This is what the LORD says to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to Israel's land: "They'll eat their food in anxiety and drink their water in trepidation, because their land will be desolate in its entirety due to all the violence committed by all who live in it. |
20The cities will be destroyed and the farmland made desolate. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’” A New Proverb for Israel | 20The towns that are inhabited will lie in ruins, because the land will be devastated. Then they'll learn that I am the LORD."'" |
21Again a message came to me from the LORD: | 21Later, this message came to me from the LORD: |
22“Son of man, you’ve heard that proverb they quote in Israel: ‘Time passes, and prophecies come to nothing.’ | 22"Son of Man, what's this proverb you have concerning Israel's land that says, 'The days pass slowly and every vision ends in nothing.'? |
23Tell the people, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will put an end to this proverb, and you will soon stop quoting it.’ Now give them this new proverb to replace the old one: ‘The time has come for every prophecy to be fulfilled!’ | 23Therefore you are to tell them, 'This is what the Lord GOD says, "I'm about to put an end to use of this proverb in Israel. It will never be used again as a proverb in Israel. Instead, tell them that the days are drawing near when every vision will be fulfilled. |
24“There will be no more false visions and flattering predictions in Israel. | 24There will no longer be worthless visions and flattering divinations in the midst of Israel's house. |
25For I am the LORD! If I say it, it will happen. There will be no more delays, you rebels of Israel. I will fulfill my threat of destruction in your own lifetime. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!” | 25Because I am the LORD, I'll speak and the message that I communicate will be accomplished without delay. While you continue to be a rebellious house, I'll speak the message and then fulfill it," declares the Lord GOD.'" |
26Then this message came to me from the LORD: | 26Later, this message came to me from the LORD: |
27“Son of man, the people of Israel are saying, ‘He’s talking about the distant future. His visions won’t come true for a long, long time.’ | 27"Son of Man, pay attention! The house of Israel keeps on saying, 'The vision that he's talking about concerns the distant future. He's prophesying concerning times that are far in the future!' |
28Therefore, tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: No more delay! I will now do everything I have threatened. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!’” | 28Therefore tell them, 'This is what the Lord GOD says, "None of my messages will be delayed any longer. Any message that I speak will be fulfilled," declares the Lord GOD.'" |
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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