Hebrew Names Version HNV
The Message Bible MSG
1 The word of the LORD also came to me, saying,
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God's Message came to me:
2 Son of man, you dwell in the midst of the rebellious house, who have eyes to see, and don't see, who have ears to hear, and don't hear; for they are a rebellious house.
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"Son of man, you're living with a bunch of rebellious people. They have eyes but don't see a thing, they have ears but don't hear a thing. They're rebels all.
3 Therefore, you son of man, prepare you stuff for removing, and remove by day in their sight; and you shall remove from your place to another place in their sight: it may be they will consider, though they are a rebellious house.
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So, son of man, pack up your exile duffel bags. Leave in broad daylight with everyone watching and go off, as if into exile. Maybe then they'll understand what's going on, rebels though they are.
4 You shall bring forth your stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing; and you shall go forth yourself at even in their sight, as when men go forth into exile.
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You'll take up your baggage while they watch, a bundle of the bare necessities of someone going into exile, and toward evening leave, just like a person going off into exile.
5 Dig you through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.
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As they watch, dig through the wall of the house and carry your bundle through it.
6 In their sight shall you bear it on your shoulder, and carry it forth in the dark; you shall cover your face, that you don't see the land: for I have set you for a sign to the house of Yisra'el.
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In full sight of the people, put the bundle on your shoulder and walk out into the night. Cover your face so you won't have to look at what you'll never see again. I'm using you as a sign for the family of Israel."
7 I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for removing, and in the even I dug through the wall with my hand; I brought it forth in the dark, and bore it on my shoulder in their sight.
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I did exactly as he commanded me. I got my stuff together and brought it out in the street where everyone could see me, bundled it up the way someone being taken off into exile would, and then, as the sun went down, made a hole in the wall of the house with my hands. As it grew dark and as they watched, I left, throwing my bundle across my shoulders.
8 In the morning came the word of the LORD to me, saying,
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The next morning God spoke to me:
9 Son of man, has not the house of Yisra'el, the rebellious house, said to you, What do you?
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"Son of man, when anyone in Israel, that bunch of rebels, asks you, 'What are you doing?'
10 Say you to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: This burden [concerns] the prince in Yerushalayim, and all the house of Yisra'el among whom they are.
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Tell them, 'God, the Master, says that this Message especially concerns the prince in Jerusalem - Zedekiah - but includes all the people of Israel.'
11 Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done to them; they shall go into exile, into captivity.
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"Also tell them, 'I am drawing a picture for you. As I am now doing, it will be done to all the people of Israel. They will go into exile as captives.'
12 The prince who is among them shall bear on his shoulder in the dark, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, because he shall not see the land with his eyes.
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"The prince will put his bundle on his shoulders in the dark and leave. He'll dig through the wall of the house, covering his face so he won't have to look at the land he'll never see again.
13 My net also will I spread on him, and he shall be taken in my snare; and I will bring him to Bavel to the land of the Kasdim; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.
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But I'll make sure he gets caught and is taken to Babylon. Blinded, he'll never see that land in which he'll die.
14 I will scatter toward every wind all who are round about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the sword after them.
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I'll scatter to the four winds those who helped him escape, along with his troops, and many will die in battle.
15 They shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall disperse them among the nations, and scatter them through the countries.
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They'll realize that I am God when I scatter them among foreign countries.
16 But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they come; and they shall know that I am the LORD.
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"I'll permit a few of them to escape the killing, starvation, and deadly sickness so that they can confess among the foreign countries all the disgusting obscenities they've been involved in. They will realize that I am God."
17 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
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God's Message came to me:
18 Son of man, eat your bread with quaking, and drink your water with trembling and with fearfulness;
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"Son of man, eat your meals shaking in your boots, drink your water trembling with fear.
19 and tell the people of the land, Thus says the Lord GOD concerning the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, and Eretz-Yisra'el: They shall eat their bread with fearfulness, and drink their water in dismay, that her land may be desolate, [and despoiled] of all that is therein, because of the violence of all those who dwell therein.
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Tell the people of this land, everyone living in Jerusalem and Israel, God's Message: 'You'll eat your meals shaking in your boots and drink your water in terror because your land is going to be stripped bare as punishment for the brutality rampant in it.
20 The cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be a desolation; and you shall know that I am the LORD.
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All the cities and villages will be emptied out and the fields destroyed. Then you'll realize that I am God.'"
21 The word of the LORD came to me, saying,
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God's Message came to me:
22 Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in Eretz-Yisra'el, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision fails?
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"Son of man, what's this proverb making the rounds in the land of Israel that says, 'Everything goes on the same as ever; all the prophetic warnings are false alarms'?
23 Tell them therefore, Thus says the Lord GOD: I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Yisra'el; but tell them, The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every vision.
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"Tell them, 'God, the Master, says, This proverb's going to have a short life!'
24 For there shall be no more any false vision nor flattering divination within the house of Yisra'el.
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False alarms and easygoing preaching are a thing of the past in the life of Israel.
25 For I am the LORD; I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall be performed; it shall be no more deferred: for in your days, rebellious house, will I speak the word, and will perform it, says the Lord GOD.
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I, God, am doing the speaking. What I say happens. None of what I say is on hold. What I say, I'll do - and soon, you rebels!' Decree of God the Master."
26 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
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God's Message came to me:
27 Son of man, behold, they of the house of Yisra'el say, The vision that he sees is for many day to come, and he prophesies of times that are far off.
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"Son of man, do you hear what Israel is saying: that the alarm the prophet raises is for a long time off, that he's preaching about the far-off future?
28 Therefore tell them, Thus says the Lord GOD: There shall none of my words be deferred any more, but the word which I shall speak shall be performed, says the Lord GOD.
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Well, tell them, 'God, the Master, says, "Nothing of what I say is on hold. What I say happens."' Decree of God, the Master."
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.