A reading from the book of Ezekiel.

The word of the Lord came to me.

Son of man. You dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see,

but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house.

As for you, son of man, prepare for yourself in 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. You shall bring out your baggage

by day in their sight as baggage for exile, and you shall go out yourself at evening in their

sight, as those do who must go into exile.

In their sight, dig through the wall, and bring your baggage out through it.

In their sight, you shall lift the baggage upon your shoulder and carry it out at dusk.

You shall cover your face that you may not see the land, for I have made you a sign for the House of Israel.

And I did as I was commanded. I brought out my baggage by day as baggage for exile,

and in the evening I dug through the wall with my own hands. I brought out my baggage at dusk,

carrying it on my shoulder in their sight. In the morning, the word of the Lord came to me.

Son of man, has not the House of Israel, the rebellious house, said to you, what are you doing?

Say to them, thus says the Lord God, this oracle concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the

house of Israel who are in it. Say, I am assigned for you. As I have done, so shall it be done to them. They shall go into exile,

into captivity. And the prince who is among them shall lift his baggage upon his shoulder at dusk,

and shall go out. They shall dig through the wall to bring him out through it. He shall cover his face,

that he may not see the land with his eyes. And I will spread my net over him, and he shall be taken in my snare,

and I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, yet he shall not see it, and he shall die there.

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