1 And the word of the LORD {YHWH, Divine Communicator} came to me, saying {lemor: introducing direct speech}.
2 Son of man {ben-adam: human representative}, you dwell in the midst of the house of rebellion {meri: obstinate resistance}, who have eyes to see but do not see, who have ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a house of rebellion.
3 And you, son of man {ben-adam: representative human}, prepare for yourself articles for exile {kelei golah: items of captivity}, and go into exile by day before their eyes. And you shall go into exile from your place to another place before their eyes; perhaps they will see, for they are a house of rebellion.
4 And you shall bring out your equipment {khli: personal belongings} by day in their sight as equipment for exile {golah: forced displacement}, and you shall go out at evening in their sight as those who go out to exile.
5 Before their eyes, dig {chatar: break open or tunnel} for yourself through the wall {kir: structural barrier} and bring your belongings out through it.
6 Before their eyes you shall lift {tissa: bear on shoulder} it upon your shoulder; in the twilight you shall bring it out. You shall cover your face so that you do not see the land, for I {YHWH: Sovereign Sign-Giver} have made you a sign {mofet: portent} to the house of Israel.
7 So I did just as I was commanded: I brought out my utensils as gear for exile by day, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my hand {yad: personal effort}; at dusk I brought them out, carrying them on my shoulder in their sight {le-eyneihem: openly witnessed}.
8 And the word of the LORD {YHWH, Message Giver} came to me in the morning, saying {leemor: introducing direct speech},
9 Son of man {ben-adam: prophet’s representative}, has not the house of Israel, the house of rebellion {ham-meri: Israel’s stubbornness}, said to you, “What are you doing?”
10 Say to them, “Thus says the LORD GOD {YHWH Adonai, Sovereign Master}: This burden concerns the prince {hannasi: leader} in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are in their midst.”
11 Say, “I am your sign {mofetkhem: prophetic symbol}; just as I have done, so it will be done to them. In exile {bagolah: forced removal} and captivity, they will go.”
12 And the prince {nasi: leader or chief} who is among them shall bear upon his shoulder {katef: place of burden} in the twilight and go out. Through the wall they shall dig to bring him out that way. He shall cover his face because he will not see the land with his eyes.
13 And I {YHWH, Sovereign Judge} will spread my net over him, and he will be caught in my snare {bimtudati: instrument of capture}; and I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, but he will not see it, and there he will die.
14 And all those who are around him—his help and all his troops—I {YHWH, Judgment Executor} will scatter to every wind; and I will unsheath the sword {cherev: instrument of judgment} after them.
15 And they shall know that I am the LORD {YHWH, Judge among the nations}, when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them among the lands {aratzot: territories or countries}.
16 But I will leave a few men from among them, spared from the sword, from famine, and from pestilence, so that they may recount all their abominations {toavah: detestable practices} among the nations where they have come, and they will know that I am the LORD {YHWH, Revealer through Judgment}.
17 And the word of the LORD {YHWH, Message Sender} came to me, saying {le'emor: introducing direct speech},
18 Son of man, you shall eat your bread with trembling {ra'ash: shaking fear}, and drink your water with quaking and with anxiety {de'agah: distress}.
19 And you shall say to the people of the land, “Thus says the Lord GOD {YHWH Adonai, Supreme Judge} concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the land of Israel: they shall eat their bread with anxiety {de’agah: distress} and drink their water in dismay, so that their land may be desolate from all its fullness because of the violence of all who dwell in it.”
20 And the inhabited cities shall be laid waste, and the land shall become a desolation {shemamah: utter devastation}; and you shall know that I am the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Judge}.
21 And the word of the LORD {YHWH, Message Sender} came to me, saying {lemor: to declare}:
22 Son of man, what is this proverb {mashal: proverbial saying} that you have in the land of Israel, saying, “The days are being prolonged and every vision {chazon: prophetic revelation} has perished?”
23 Therefore say to them, “Thus says the Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH, Sovereign Master}: I have caused this proverb {mashal: figure of speech} to cease, and they will no longer use it as a proverb in Israel.” Then say to them, “The days are near, and the fulfillment of every vision will come.”
24 For there will no longer be any false vision {chazon: empty revelation} or flattering divination within the house of Israel {beit Yisrael: national community}.
25 For I am the LORD {YHWH, Sovereign Speaker}. I will speak what I say—a word—and it shall be done. It will not be delayed any longer. For in your days, O rebellious house {beit hameri: resistant people}, I will speak the word and will accomplish it, declares the Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH, Supreme Authority}.
26 And the word of the LORD {YHWH, Message Giver} came to me {elay: personal recipient}, saying:
27 Son of man, behold, the house of Israel says, “The vision {chazon: prophetic revelation} that he sees is for many days hence, and for distant times he prophesies {niva: divine prophecy}.”
28 Therefore say to them, “Thus says the Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH, Sovereign Ruler}: None of My words will be delayed any longer, but the word that I speak will be fulfilled {ve-yeaseh: assured completion},” declares the Lord GOD.