The parable of the exile
1 ① This word of Yahweh came to me, 2“Son of man, you live in the midst of a house of rebels: they have eyes for seeing but do not see; they have ears for hearing but do not hear, for they are a house of rebels. 3Because of this, son of man, prepare for yourself an exile’s baggage in their sight as an exile does; and go as an exile to another place in their sight. Would that they may understand, because they are a house of rebels.
4You will gather your things, an exile’s baggage, by day to be seen by them, and you will leave in the evening as for a departure of deportees. While they look on, 5dig a hole in the wall and leave from there. 6As they look on, shoulder your baggage and leave in the dark. Veil your face and do not look at the land for I have made you a sign for Israel.”
7I did as I was ordered, gathering my things by day, an exile’s baggage, and in the evening I made a hole in the wall with my hand. I left in the dark, in their presence, shouldering my baggage.
8In the morning the word of Yahweh came to me: 9“Son of man, did not the Israelites, these rebels, ask you, ‘What are you doing there?’ 10Answer them on behalf of Yahweh: This oracle concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the Israelites remaining in the city.
11Say, ‘I am a sign for you,’ for what I have done will happen to them: They will be deported, exiled. 12The prince among them shall shoulder his baggage in the dark and depart. They will dig a hole in the wall to let him leave by it. He will cover his face because he must not see the land with his eyes. 13I will spread my net over him and he will be caught in its mesh. I will bring him to Babylon in the country of the Chaldeans but he will not see it and it is there that he will die.
14As for all those who form his court, his guard, his troops, I will scatter them to the winds and pursue them with the sword. 15They will know I am Yahweh when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them in other countries. 16I will however allow a small number of them to escape the sword, famine and pestilence so they may confess their abominations among the nations where they will go and they will know I am Yahweh.”
17This word of Yahweh came to me, 18“Son of man, trembling you will eat your bread and you will drink water in fear and anxiety. 19Say to the people, ‘This is what Yahweh says regarding those who live in Jerusalem in the land of Israel: In fear they will eat their bread and in affliction they will drink their water because the land will be desolate, stripped of all it contains, due to the violence of its inhabitants. 20Cities that were inhabited will become ruins, the country a wasteland and you will know that I am Yahweh.”
The word of God will be fulfilled
21 ② The word of Yahweh came to me in these terms, 22“Son of man, what do you mean by this proverb: The days pass and the visions do not come true? Why do you refer thus to what happens in Israel? 23You shall say to them this word of Yahweh: No more of this proverb. It will not be used in Israel, for the day is at hand when every vision will be fulfilled. 24No longer will there be false visions or misleading divinations in Israel. 25I, Yahweh, will say what I want to say, and my words will be fulfilled. There will be no more delay, for it is in your days, rebellious people, that I will speak and it will be done – word of Yahweh.”
26The word of Yahweh was given me in these terms, 27“Son of man, this is what Israel says: ‘Ezekiel’s visions refer to the distant future; he prophesies for times far off.’ 28Therefore speak to them: This is what Yahweh says: There will be no further delay concerning my words: what I say will be done – word of Yahweh.”
- Ezk 12,1 At nightfall in Babylon, people gather at the doors of their houses. Ezekiel appears. Without saying a word he behaves as a solitary actor in a performance which captures the people's attention. When his act is over, he leaves without giving any explanation. The next day he reveals the meaning of this parable in action. By this symbolic act the prophet announces the deportation of the residents of Jerusalem and of their king. Ezk 12,21 The days pass and the visions do not come true. We are surprised by the lack of faith of the Jews, because looking back at Sacred History it seems to us that it is filled with miracles and the words of the prophets were fulfilled. This is not the way it appeared to the prophets' contemporaries. In almost two centuries, there were only Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and a few minor prophets; besides, miraculous liberations like that of Jerusalem in 701 did not often occur. History was not only miracles; prophetic words were not fulfilled immediately. Moreover, side by side with the true prophets there were false ones whose visions often failed to come true. Thus, the Jews' unbelief is quite understandable. There are times, in the course of history, when changes occur rapidly, and other times when God does not seem to be doing anything. In the Gospel itself we are told not to become materialistic when the Lord seems absent from the affairs of the world (Lk 21:34; 17:26; 2 P 3:3).
- Ezk 12,1 At nightfall in Babylon, people gather at the doors of their houses. Ezekiel appears. Without saying a word he behaves as a solitary actor in a performance which captures the people's attention. When his act is over, he leaves without giving any explanation. The next day he reveals the meaning of this parable in action. By this symbolic act the prophet announces the deportation of the residents of Jerusalem and of their king. Ezk 12,21 The days pass and the visions do not come true. We are surprised by the lack of faith of the Jews, because looking back at Sacred History it seems to us that it is filled with miracles and the words of the prophets were fulfilled. This is not the way it appeared to the prophets' contemporaries. In almost two centuries, there were only Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and a few minor prophets; besides, miraculous liberations like that of Jerusalem in 701 did not often occur. History was not only miracles; prophetic words were not fulfilled immediately. Moreover, side by side with the true prophets there were false ones whose visions often failed to come true. Thus, the Jews' unbelief is quite understandable. There are times, in the course of history, when changes occur rapidly, and other times when God does not seem to be doing anything. In the Gospel itself we are told not to become materialistic when the Lord seems absent from the affairs of the world (Lk 21:34; 17:26; 2 P 3:3).
