“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.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Therefore, you son of man, prepare your stuff for moving, and move by day in their sight. You shall move from your place to another place in their sight. It may be they will consider, though they are a rebellious house.
- KJV Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for removing, and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight: it may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious house.
- BSB Therefore, 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.
- NKJV “Therefore, son of man, prepare your belongings for captivity, and go into captivity by day in their sight. You shall go from your place into captivity to another place in their sight. It may be that they will consider, though they are a rebellious house.
- NASB So as for you, son of man, prepare for yourself baggage for exile and go into exile by day in their sight; that is, go into exile from your place to another place in their sight. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Ezekiel is told to pack his belongings and act out going into exile in plain view, hoping the people will take warning.
Overview
God commands a dramatized sign-act: prepare an exile's pack and move by day so the watching captives cannot miss the message. The faint hope that 'perhaps they will consider' shows God's patient desire that even rebels repent. Such enacted prophecies make the coming judgment on Jerusalem vivid and undeniable.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Jer 36:3It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do to them; that they may each return from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.”
- 2 Tim 2:25in gentleness correcting those who oppose him: perhaps God may give them repentance leading to a full knowledge of the truth,
- Jer 26:3It may be they will listen, and turn every man from his evil way; that I may relent from the evil which I intend to do to them because of the evil of their doings.’
- Luke 20:13The lord of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. It may be that seeing him, they will respect him.’
- Jer 36:7It may be they will present their supplication before Yahweh, and will each return from his evil way; for Yahweh has pronounced great anger and wrath against this people.”
- Deut 32:29Oh that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!
- Luke 13:34“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, like a hen gathers her own brood under her wings, and you refused!
- Jer 19:1–15Thus said Yahweh, “Go, and buy a potter’s earthen bottle, and take some of the elders of the people, and of the elders of the priests;
- Jer 18:2–12“Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear my words.”
- Jer 27:2Yahweh says to me: “Make bonds and bars, and put them on your neck.
- Ps 81:13Oh that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!
- Deut 5:29Oh that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!
- Ezek 33:11Tell them, As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn, turn from your evil ways; for why will you die, house of Israel?
- Luke 13:8–9He answered, ‘Lord, leave it alone this year also, until I dig around it, and fertilize it.
- Jer 25:4–7Yahweh has sent to you all his servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them (but you have not listened, nor inclined your ear to hear)
- Ezek 12:10–12“Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “This burden concerns the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel among whom they are.”’
- Ezek 4:1–17“You also, son of man, take a tile, and lay it before yourself, and portray on it a city, even Jerusalem.
- Jer 13:1–11Yahweh says to me, “Go, and buy yourself a linen belt, and put it on your waist, and don’t put it in water.”
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Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 12:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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