Ezekiel 12:3-11

EasyEnglish Bible

³ Because of that, son of man, pretend that you are going away as a prisoner. During the day, prepare your things for the journey. While people are watching, prepare to leave your home and go to another place. The people refuse to obey me, but perhaps they will understand what you are doing. ⁴ Bring out the things that you have prepared for your journey. Do that during the day while the people are watching you. Then leave your home in the evening while they are watching you. Go away like someone who is travelling to a far country as a prisoner. ⁵ While the people are watching, dig a hole in the wall of your house. Go out through the hole and carry your things with you. ⁶ Put your bag of things on your shoulder while the people watch you. Carry it out when it starts to become dark. Cover your face so that you cannot see the ground. I want you to do this so that it warns Israel's people about danger.’

⁷ So I did what the Lord had told me to do. I carried out a bag of my things to show that I was going on a journey. I prepared these things during the day. Then in the evening I used my hands to dig a hole in the wall of my house. When it became dark, I went out. I carried my bag of things on my shoulder. The people watched me do all this.

⁸ In the morning, the Lord gave this message to me: ⁹ ‘Son of man, listen to Israel's people who refuse to obey me. They have asked you, “What are you doing?” ¹⁰ Say to them, “This is what the Almighty Lord says: This is a message about the prince who rules in Jerusalem and all the Israelites who are there.”

¹¹ Tell them, “I am teaching you a lesson to warn you about what will happen to you.” As you have done, the people will have to go as prisoners to another country.