Signs of the Coming Captivity
The word of the LORD comes to Ezekiel, calling Israel a rebellious house that sees and hears without understanding. He is told to pack baggage for exile in daylight, then at evening dig through the wall and carry his things out at dusk with his face covered. Ezekiel obeys exactly, acting out the departure of a captive before the watching people.
T1hen the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2“Son of man, you are living in a rebellious house. They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house. 3Therefore, son of man, pack your bags for exile. In broad daylight, set out from your place and go to another as they watch. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house. 4Bring out your baggage for exile by day, as they watch. Then in the evening, as they watch, go out like those who go into exile. 5As they watch, dig through the wall and carry your belongings out through it. 6And as they watch, lift your bags to your shoulder and take them out at dusk; cover your face so that you cannot see the land. For I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.” 7So I did as I was commanded. I brought out my bags for exile by day, and in the evening I dug through the wall by hand. I took my belongings out at dusk, carrying them on my shoulder as they watched.
When the people ask what he is doing, Ezekiel is told to explain that the sign concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel there. As Ezekiel has acted, so they will go into exile; the prince will attempt to escape through the wall at dusk, but the LORD will spread His net over him, bring him to Babylon though he will not see it, and scatter his troops in every direction. Yet a few will be spared from sword, famine, and plague so they can recount their abominations among the nations and know that the LORD is God.
8And in the morning the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 9“Son of man, hasn’t the rebellious house of Israel asked you, ‘What are you doing?’ 10Tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘This burden concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are there.’ 11You are to say, ‘I am a sign to you.’ Just as it happened here, so will it be done to them; they will go into exile as captives. 12And at dusk the prince among them will lift his bags to his shoulder and go out. They will dig through the wall to bring him out. He will cover his face so he cannot see the land. 13But I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans; yet he will not see it, and there he will die. 14And I will scatter to every wind all the attendants around him and all his troops, and I will draw a sword to chase after them. 15And they will know that I am the LORD, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them throughout the countries. 16But I will spare a few of them from sword and famine and plague, so that in the nations to which they go, they can recount all their abominations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”
The LORD gives Ezekiel a second sign-act: he must eat his bread with trembling and drink his water with quivering anxiety. This is to show how those living in Jerusalem and the land will consume their food in dread as everything is stripped away because of the violence of its inhabitants. The result will be wasted cities, a desolate land, and the recognition that the LORD has spoken.
17Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 18“Son of man, eat your bread with trembling, and drink your water with quivering and anxiety. 19Then tell the people of the land that this is what the Lord GOD says about those living in Jerusalem and in the land of Israel: ‘They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water in dread, for their land will be stripped of everything in it because of the violence of all who dwell in it. 20The inhabited cities will be laid waste, and the land will become desolate. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”