“ 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.

所以人子啊，你要预备掳去使用的物件，在白日当他们眼前从你所住的地方移到别处去；他们虽是悖逆之家，或者可以揣摩思想。

所以人子啊，你要收拾被掳时需用的物件，白天在他们眼前离去，在他们眼前离开你所住的地方，移到别处去；他们虽是悖逆之家，或者可以领悟。

所以人子啊，你要收拾被掳时需用的物件，白天在他们眼前离去，在他们眼前离开你所住的地方，移到别处去；他们虽是悖逆之家，或者可以领悟。

所以，人子啊，你要准备流亡的行装，在白天当着他们的面从你住的地方搬到别处。他们虽然叛逆，或许还会明白其中的意思。

因此，人子啊！你要为自己预备被掳时所需的东西，在日间当着他们眼前离去，从你所住的地方移居别处；他们虽然是叛逆的民族，或者他们可以看得明白。

所以人子啊，你要預備擄去使用的物件，在白日當他們眼前從你所住的地方移到別處去；他們雖是悖逆之家，或者可以揣摩思想。

所以人子啊，你要收拾被擄時需用的物件，白天在他們眼前離去，在他們眼前離開你所住的地方，移到別處去；他們雖是悖逆之家，或者可以領悟。

所以人子啊，你要收拾被擄時需用的物件，白天在他們眼前離去，在他們眼前離開你所住的地方，移到別處去；他們雖是悖逆之家，或者可以領悟。

所以，人子啊，你要準備流亡的行裝，在白天當著他們的面從你住的地方搬到別處。他們雖然叛逆，或許還會明白其中的意思。

因此，人子啊！你要為自己預備被擄時所需的東西，在日間當著他們眼前離去，從你所住的地方移居別處；他們雖然是叛逆的民族，或者他們可以看得明白。

所以人子啊，你要為自己豫備流亡時應用的物件，大白日天當他們眼前從你所住的地方移到別處；他們雖是叛逆之家，或者能夠看明白。

故爾人子、當備行李、晝時遷徙、俾眾目睹、自此適彼、使眾見之、彼雖悖逆之家、庶或思之、

故爾人子、必預為備、將行遷徙、當在晝時、俾違逆者目睹、庶或思而悔之。

今爾人子、當備遷徙他方需用之物具、當在晝時、在其目前遷徙、在其目前離爾之所、遷徙他處、彼雖悖逆之族、庶或思之、彼雖悖逆之族庶或思之或作彼因此庶或自覺為悖逆之族

“ Therefore, son of man, pack your belongings for exile and in the daytime, as they watch, set out and go from where you are to another place. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious people.

“ Son of man, pack your belongings as if you were going on a long trip. Leave in the daytime. Let the people see you. Start out from where you are. Go to another place. Perhaps they will understand the meaning of what you are doing. But they will still refuse to obey me.

As for you, son of man, prepare for yourself an exile’s baggage, and go into exile by day in their sight. You shall go like an exile from your place to another place in their sight. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house.

“ Now you, son of man, get your bags ready for exile and go into exile in their sight during the day. You will go into exile from your place to another place while they watch; perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house.

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.

“ 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.

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 are a rebellious house.

“ Son of man, get your bags ready for exile and go into exile in their sight during the day. You will go into exile from your place to another place while they watch; perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house.

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.

“ Therefore, son of man, pack up your belongings as if for exile. During the day, while they are watching, pretend to go into exile. Go from where you live to another place. Perhaps they will understand, although they are a rebellious house.

“ 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.

Perhaps the people of Judah will repent when they hear again all the terrible things I have planned for them. Then I will be able to forgive their sins and wrongdoings.”

Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth.

Perhaps they will listen and turn from their evil ways. Then I will change my mind about the disaster I am ready to pour out on them because of their sins.

Perhaps even yet they will turn from their evil ways and ask the Lord’s forgiveness before it is too late. For the Lord has threatened them with his terrible anger.”

“‘ What will I do?’ the owner asked himself.‘ I know! I’ll send my cherished son. Surely they will respect him.’

Say to them,‘ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: These actions contain a message for King Zedekiah in Jerusalem and for all the people of Israel.’Explain that your actions are a sign to show what will soon happen to them, for they will be driven into exile as captives.“ Even Zedekiah will leave Jerusalem at night through a hole in the wall, taking only what he can carry with him. He will cover his face, and his eyes will not see the land he is leaving.

“ Again and again the Lord has sent you his servants, the prophets, but you have not listened or even paid attention.Each time the message was this:‘ Turn from the evil road you are traveling and from the evil things you are doing. Only then will I let you live in this land that the Lord gave to you and your ancestors forever.Do not provoke my anger by worshiping idols you made with your own hands. Then I will not harm you.’“ But you would not listen to me,” says the Lord.“ You made me furious by worshiping idols you made with your own hands, bringing on yourselves all the disasters you now suffer.

This is what the Lord said to me:“ Make a yoke, and fasten it on your neck with leather straps.

“ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.

This is what the Lord said to me:“ Go and buy a clay jar. Then ask some of the leaders of the people and of the priests to follow you.Go out through the Gate of Broken Pots to the garbage dump in the valley of Ben Hinnom, and give them this message.Say to them,‘ Listen to this message from the Lord, you kings of Judah and citizens of Jerusalem! This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: I will bring a terrible disaster on this place, and the ears of those who hear about it will ring!“‘ For Israel has forsaken me and turned this valley into a place of wickedness. The people burn incense to foreign gods— idols never before acknowledged by this generation, by their ancestors, or by the kings of Judah. And they have filled this place with the blood of innocent children.They have built pagan shrines to Baal, and there they burn their sons as sacrifices to Baal. I have never commanded such a horrible deed; it never even crossed my mind to command such a thing!So beware, for the time is coming, says the Lord, when this garbage dump will no longer be called Topheth or the valley of Ben Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter.“‘ For I will upset the careful plans of Judah and Jerusalem. I will allow the people to be slaughtered by invading armies, and I will leave their dead bodies as food for the vultures and wild animals.I will reduce Jerusalem to ruins, making it a monument to their stupidity. All who pass by will be astonished and will gasp at the destruction they see there.I will see to it that your enemies lay siege to the city until all the food is gone. Then those trapped inside will eat their own sons and daughters and friends. They will be driven to utter despair.’“ As these men watch you, Jeremiah, smash the jar you brought.Then say to them,‘ This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: As this jar lies shattered, so I will shatter the people of Judah and Jerusalem beyond all hope of repair. They will bury the bodies here in Topheth, the garbage dump, until there is no more room for them.This is what I will do to this place and its people, says the Lord. I will cause this city to become defiled like Topheth.Yes, all the houses in Jerusalem, including the palace of Judah’s kings, will become like Topheth— all the houses where you burned incense on the rooftops to your star gods, and where liquid offerings were poured out to your idols.’”Then Jeremiah returned from Topheth, the garbage dump where he had delivered this message, and he stopped in front of the Temple of the Lord. He said to the people there,“ This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says:‘ I will bring disaster upon this city and its surrounding towns as I promised, because you have stubbornly refused to listen to me.’”

“ And now, son of man, take a large clay brick and set it down in front of you. Then draw a map of the city of Jerusalem on it.Show the city under siege. Build a wall around it so no one can escape. Set up the enemy camp, and surround the city with siege ramps and battering rams.Then take an iron griddle and place it between you and the city. Turn toward the city and demonstrate how harsh the siege will be against Jerusalem. This will be a warning to the people of Israel.“ Now lie on your left side and place the sins of Israel on yourself. You are to bear their sins for the number of days you lie there on your side.I am requiring you to bear Israel’s sins for 390 days— one day for each year of their sin.After that, turn over and lie on your right side for 40 days— one day for each year of Judah’s sin.“ Meanwhile, keep staring at the siege of Jerusalem. Lie there with your arm bared and prophesy her destruction.I will tie you up with ropes so you won’t be able to turn from side to side until the days of your siege have been completed.“ Now go and get some wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and emmer wheat, and mix them together in a storage jar. Use them to make bread for yourself during the 390 days you will be lying on your side.Ration this out to yourself, eight ounces of food for each day, and eat it at set times.Then measure out a jar of water for each day, and drink it at set times.Prepare and eat this food as you would barley cakes. While all the people are watching, bake it over a fire using dried human dung as fuel and then eat the bread.”Then the Lord said,“ This is how Israel will eat defiled bread in the Gentile lands to which I will banish them!”Then I said,“ O Sovereign Lord, must I be defiled by using human dung? For I have never been defiled before. From the time I was a child until now I have never eaten any animal that died of sickness or was killed by other animals. I have never eaten any meat forbidden by the law.”“ All right,” the Lord said.“ You may bake your bread with cow dung instead of human dung.”Then he told me,“ Son of man, I will make food very scarce in Jerusalem. It will be weighed out with great care and eaten fearfully. The water will be rationed out drop by drop, and the people will drink it with dismay.Lacking food and water, people will look at one another in terror, and they will waste away under their punishment.

“ The gardener answered,‘ Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer.If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’”

Oh, that they were wise and could understand this! Oh, that they might know their fate!

This is what the Lord said to me:“ Go and buy a linen loincloth and put it on, but do not wash it.”So I bought the loincloth as the Lord directed me, and I put it on.Then the Lord gave me another message:“ Take the linen loincloth you are wearing, and go to the Euphrates River. Hide it there in a hole in the rocks.”So I went and hid it by the Euphrates as the Lord had instructed me.A long time afterward the Lord said to me,“ Go back to the Euphrates and get the loincloth I told you to hide there.”So I went to the Euphrates and dug it out of the hole where I had hidden it. But now it was rotting and falling apart. The loincloth was good for nothing.Then I received this message from the Lord:“ This is what the Lord says: This shows how I will rot away the pride of Judah and Jerusalem.These wicked people refuse to listen to me. They stubbornly follow their own desires and worship other gods. Therefore, they will become like this loincloth— good for nothing!As a loincloth clings to a man’s waist, so I created Judah and Israel to cling to me, says the Lord. They were to be my people, my pride, my glory— an honor to my name. But they would not listen to me.

Oh, that they would always have hearts like this, that they might fear me and obey all my commands! If they did, they and their descendants would prosper forever.

As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?

“ Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.”So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel.But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over.Then the Lord gave me this message:“ O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.If I announce that a certain nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed,but then that nation renounces its evil ways, I will not destroy it as I had planned.And if I announce that I will plant and build up a certain nation or kingdom,but then that nation turns to evil and refuses to obey me, I will not bless it as I said I would.“ Therefore, Jeremiah, go and warn all Judah and Jerusalem. Say to them,‘ This is what the Lord says: I am planning disaster for you instead of good. So turn from your evil ways, each of you, and do what is right.’”But the people replied,“ Don’t waste your breath. We will continue to live as we want to, stubbornly following our own evil desires.”

Oh, that my people would listen to me! Oh, that Israel would follow me, walking in my paths!