10 Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “This ^aburden concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are among them.” ’  ‡

11 Say, ^a‘I am a sign to you. As I have done, so shall it be done to them; ^bthey shall be carried away into captivity.’  ‡

12 And ^athe prince who is among them shall bear his belongings on his shoulder at twilight and go out. They shall dig through the wall to carry them out through it. He shall cover his face, so that he cannot see the ground with his eyes.  ‡

13 I will also spread My ^anet over him, and he shall be caught in My snare. ^bI will bring him to Babylon, to the land of the Chaldeans; yet he shall not see it, though he shall die there.  ‡

14 ^aI will scatter to every wind all who are around him to help him, and all his troops; and ^bI will draw out the sword after them.  ‡

15 ^a“Then they shall know that I am the Lord, when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries.  ‡

16 ^aBut I will spare a few of their men from the sword, from famine, and from pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the Gentiles wherever they go. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.”  ‡

17 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

18 “Son of man, ^aeat your bread with quaking, and drink your water with trembling and anxiety.  ‡

19 And say to the people of the land, ‘Thus says the Lord God to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the land of Israel: “They shall eat their bread with anxiety, and drink their water with dread, so that her land may ^abe emptied of all who are in it, ^bbecause of the violence of all those who dwell in it.  ‡

20 Then the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall become desolate; and you shall know that I am the Lord.” ’ ”

21 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

22 “Son of man, what is this proverb that you people have about the land of Israel, which says, ^a‘The days are prolonged, and every vision fails’?  ‡