Parable of the Boiling Pot

24 The word of the Lord came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month: “Son of man, write down today’s date, this very day. The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day.(A) Now speak a parable(B) to the rebellious house. Tell them: This is what the Lord God says:

Put the pot(C) on the fire—
put it on,
and then pour water into it!
Place the pieces of meat in it,
every good piece—
thigh and shoulder.
Fill it with choice bones.
Take the choicest of the flock
and also pile up the fuel[a] under it.
Bring it to a boil
and cook the bones in it.”

Therefore, this is what the Lord God says:

Woe to the city of bloodshed,(D)
the pot that has rust inside it,
and whose rust will not come off!
Empty it piece by piece;
lots should not be cast for its contents.
For the blood she shed[b] is still within her.
She put it out on the bare rock;
she didn’t pour it on the ground
to cover it with dust.(E)
In order to stir up wrath and take vengeance,(F)
I have put her blood on the bare rock,
so that it would not be covered.

Therefore, this is what the Lord God says:

Woe to the city of bloodshed!(G)
I Myself will make the pile of kindling large.
10 Pile on the logs and kindle the fire!
Cook the meat well
and mix in the spices![c][d]
Let the bones be burned!
11 Set the empty pot on its coals
so that it becomes hot and its copper glows.
Then its impurity will melt inside it;
its rust will be consumed.(H)
12 It has frustrated every effort;[e]
its thick rust will not come off.
Into the fire with its rust!
13 Because of the indecency of your uncleanness—
since I tried to purify you,
but you would not be purified from your uncleanness—
you will not be pure again
until I have satisfied My wrath on you.(I)
14 I, Yahweh, have spoken.
It is coming, and I will do it!(J)
I will not refrain, I will not show pity,
and I will not relent.
I[f] will judge you
according to your ways and deeds.(K)
This is the declaration of the Lord God.

The Death of Ezekiel’s Wife: A Sign

15 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 16 “Son of man, I am about to take the delight of your eyes(L) away from you with a fatal blow. But you must not lament or weep or let your tears flow.(M) 17 Groan quietly; do not observe mourning rites for the dead.(N) Put on your turban and strap your sandals on your feet; do not cover your mustache or eat the bread of mourners.”[g](O)

18 I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. The next morning I did just as I was commanded. 19 Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things you are doing mean for us?”

20 So I answered them: “The word of the Lord came to me: 21 ‘Say to the house of Israel: This is what the Lord God says: I am about to desecrate My sanctuary, the pride of your power, the delight of your eyes, and the desire of your heart. Also, the sons and daughters you left behind will fall by the sword.(P) 22 Then you will do just as I have done: You will not cover your mustache or eat the bread of mourners.[h] 23 Your turbans will remain on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You will not lament or weep(Q) but will waste away(R) because of your sins and will groan to one another. 24 Now Ezekiel will be a sign for you.(S) You will do everything that he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Lord Yahweh.

25 “‘Son of man, know that on the day I take their stronghold from them, their pride and joy, the delight of their eyes and the longing of their hearts, as well as their sons and daughters, 26 on that day a fugitive will come to you and report the news.(T) 27 On that day your mouth will be opened to talk with him; you will speak and no longer be mute.(U) So you will be a sign for them, and they will know that I am Yahweh.’”

Prophecies Against the Nations

Judgment against Ammon

25 Then the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, turn your face toward the Ammonites and prophesy against them.(V) Say to the Ammonites: Hear the word of the Lord God: This is what the Lord God says: Because you said, ‘Good!’(W) about My sanctuary when it was desecrated, about the land of Israel when it was laid waste, and about the house of Judah when they went into exile, therefore I am about to give you to the people of the east as a possession. They will set up their encampments and pitch their tents among you. They will eat your fruit and drink your milk. I will make Rabbah a pasture(X) for camels and Ammon a sheepfold. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.”

For this is what the Lord God says: “Because you clapped your hands,(Y) stamped your feet, and rejoiced over the land of Israel with wholehearted contempt, therefore I am about to stretch out My hand against you(Z) and give you as plunder to the nations. I will cut you off from the peoples and eliminate you from the countries. I will destroy you, and you will know that I am Yahweh.”

Judgment against Moab

This is what the Lord God says: “Because Moab and Seir said,(AA) ‘Look, the house of Judah is like all the other nations,’ therefore I am about to expose Moab’s flank beginning with its[i] frontier cities, the pride of the land: Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon,(AB) and Kiriathaim. 10 I will give it along with Ammon to the people of the east as a possession, so that Ammon will not be remembered among the nations. 11 So I will execute judgments against Moab, and they will know that I am Yahweh.”

Judgment against Edom

12 This is what the Lord God says: “Because Edom acted vengefully against the house of Judah(AC) and incurred grievous guilt by taking revenge on them, 13 therefore this is what the Lord God says: I will stretch out My hand against Edom and cut off both man and animal from it. I will make it a wasteland; they will fall by the sword from Teman to Dedan. 14 I will take My vengeance(AD) on Edom through My people Israel, and they will deal with Edom according to My anger and wrath. So they will know My vengeance.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.

Judgment against Philistia

15 This is what the Lord God says: “Because the Philistines acted in vengeance and took revenge with deep contempt,(AE) destroying because of their ancient hatred, 16 therefore this is what the Lord God says: I am about to stretch out My hand against the Philistines,(AF) cutting off the Cherethites and wiping out what remains of the coastal peoples.[j](AG) 17 I will execute great vengeance against them with furious rebukes. They will know that I am Yahweh(AH) when I take My vengeance on them.”

The Downfall of Tyre

26 In the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, because Tyre(AI) said about Jerusalem, ‘Good!(AJ) The gateway to the peoples is shattered. She has been turned over to me. I will be filled now that she lies in ruins,’ therefore this is what the Lord God says: See, I am against you, Tyre!(AK) I will raise up many nations against you, just as the sea raises its waves. They will destroy the walls of Tyre and demolish her towers. I will scrape the soil from her and turn her into a bare rock. She will become a place in the sea to spread nets, for I have spoken.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. “She will become plunder for the nations,(AL) and her villages on the mainland will be slaughtered by the sword.(AM) Then they will know that I am Yahweh.”

For this is what the Lord God says: “See, I am about to bring King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, king of kings,(AN) against Tyre from the north with horses, chariots, cavalry, and a vast company of troops. He will slaughter your villages on the mainland with the sword. He will set up siege works against you,(AO) and will build a ramp[k] and raise a wall of shields against you. He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and tear down your towers with his iron tools. 10 His horses will be so numerous that their dust will cover you. When he enters your gates as an army entering a breached city, your walls will shake from the noise of cavalry, wagons, and chariots. 11 He will trample all your streets with the hooves of his horses.(AP) He will slaughter your people with the sword, and your mighty pillars will fall to the ground. 12 They will take your wealth as spoil and plunder your merchandise.(AQ) They will also demolish your walls and tear down your beautiful homes. Then they will throw your stones, timber, and soil into the water. 13 I will put an end to the noise of your songs,(AR) and the sound of your lyres will no longer be heard. 14 I will turn you into a bare rock, and you will be a place to spread nets. You will never be rebuilt, for I, Yahweh, have spoken.”(AS) This is the declaration of the Lord God.

15 This is what the Lord God says to Tyre: “Won’t the coasts and islands quake at the sound of your downfall,(AT) when the wounded groan and slaughter occurs within you? 16 All the princes of the sea will descend from their thrones,(AU) remove their robes, and strip off their embroidered garments. They will clothe themselves with trembling; they will sit on the ground, tremble continually, and be appalled(AV) at you. 17 Then they will lament(AW) for you and say of you:

How you have perished, city of renown,
you who were populated from the seas![l]
She who was powerful on the sea,
she and all of her inhabitants
inflicted their terror.[m]
18 Now the coastlands tremble(AX)
on the day of your downfall;
the islands in the sea
are alarmed by your demise.”

19 For this is what the Lord God says: “When I make you a ruined city like other deserted cities, when I raise up the deep against you so that the mighty waters cover you, 20 then I will bring you down to be with those who descend to the Pit,(AY) to the people of antiquity. I will make you dwell in the underworld[n] like[o] the ancient ruins, with those who descend to the Pit, so that you will no longer be inhabited or display your splendor[p] in the land of the living.(AZ) 21 I will make you an object of horror, and you will no longer exist.(BA) You will be sought but will never be found again.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 24:5 Lit bones
  2. Ezekiel 24:7 Lit For her blood
  3. Ezekiel 24:10 Some Hb mss read well; remove the broth; LXX reads fire so that the meat may be cooked and the broth may be reduced
  4. Ezekiel 24:10 Or and stir the broth
  5. Ezekiel 24:12 Hb obscure
  6. Ezekiel 24:14 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg; other Hb mss read They
  7. Ezekiel 24:17 Lit men
  8. Ezekiel 24:22 Lit men
  9. Ezekiel 25:9 Lit with the cities, with its
  10. Ezekiel 25:16 Lit the seacoast
  11. Ezekiel 26:8 Lit ramp against you
  12. Ezekiel 26:17 Some LXX mss read How you were destroyed from the seas, city of renown!
  13. Ezekiel 26:17 Lit and all her inhabitants who put their terror on all her inhabitants; Hb obscure
  14. Ezekiel 26:20 Lit the lower parts of the earth
  15. Ezekiel 26:20 Some Hb mss, LXX; other Hb mss, Syr read in
  16. Ezekiel 26:20 LXX reads or appear

Jerusalem as a Cooking Pot

24 In the ninth year, in the tenth month on the tenth day, the word of the Lord came to me:(A) “Son of man, record(B) this date, this very date, because the king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day.(C) Tell this rebellious people(D) a parable(E) and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘Put on the cooking pot;(F) put it on
    and pour water into it.
Put into it the pieces of meat,
    all the choice pieces—the leg and the shoulder.
Fill it with the best of these bones;(G)
    take the pick of the flock.(H)
Pile wood beneath it for the bones;
    bring it to a boil
    and cook the bones in it.(I)

“‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘Woe(J) to the city of bloodshed,(K)
    to the pot now encrusted,
    whose deposit will not go away!
Take the meat out piece by piece
    in whatever order(L) it comes.(M)

“‘For the blood she shed is in her midst:
    She poured it on the bare rock;
she did not pour it on the ground,
    where the dust would cover it.(N)
To stir up wrath and take revenge
    I put her blood on the bare rock,
    so that it would not be covered.

“‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘Woe to the city of bloodshed!
    I, too, will pile the wood high.
10 So heap on the wood
    and kindle the fire.
Cook the meat well,
    mixing in the spices;
    and let the bones be charred.
11 Then set the empty pot on the coals
    till it becomes hot and its copper glows,
so that its impurities may be melted
    and its deposit burned away.(O)
12 It has frustrated all efforts;
    its heavy deposit has not been removed,
    not even by fire.

13 “‘Now your impurity is lewdness. Because I tried to cleanse you but you would not be cleansed(P) from your impurity, you will not be clean again until my wrath against you has subsided.(Q)

14 “‘I the Lord have spoken.(R) The time has come for me to act.(S) I will not hold back; I will not have pity,(T) nor will I relent.(U) You will be judged according to your conduct and your actions,(V) declares the Sovereign Lord.(W)’”

Ezekiel’s Wife Dies

15 The word of the Lord came to me: 16 “Son of man, with one blow(X) I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes.(Y) Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears.(Z) 17 Groan quietly;(AA) do not mourn for the dead. Keep your turban(AB) fastened and your sandals(AC) on your feet; do not cover your mustache and beard(AD) or eat the customary food of mourners.(AE)

18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded.(AF)

19 Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things have to do with us?(AG) Why are you acting like this?”

20 So I said to them, “The word of the Lord came to me: 21 Say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to desecrate my sanctuary(AH)—the stronghold in which you take pride,(AI) the delight of your eyes,(AJ) the object of your affection. The sons and daughters(AK) you left behind will fall by the sword.(AL) 22 And you will do as I have done. You will not cover your mustache and beard(AM) or eat the customary food of mourners.(AN) 23 You will keep your turbans(AO) on your heads and your sandals(AP) on your feet. You will not mourn(AQ) or weep but will waste away(AR) because of[a] your sins and groan among yourselves.(AS) 24 Ezekiel(AT) will be a sign(AU) to you; you will do just as he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.’

25 “And you, son of man, on the day I take away their stronghold, their joy and glory, the delight of their eyes,(AV) their heart’s desire,(AW) and their sons and daughters(AX) as well— 26 on that day a fugitive will come to tell you(AY) the news. 27 At that time your mouth will be opened; you will speak with him and will no longer be silent.(AZ) So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord.(BA)

A Prophecy Against Ammon

25 The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, set your face against(BB) the Ammonites(BC) and prophesy against them.(BD) Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the Sovereign Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you said “Aha!(BE)” over my sanctuary when it was desecrated(BF) and over the land of Israel when it was laid waste and over the people of Judah when they went into exile,(BG) therefore I am going to give you to the people of the East(BH) as a possession. They will set up their camps(BI) and pitch their tents among you; they will eat your fruit and drink your milk.(BJ) I will turn Rabbah(BK) into a pasture for camels and Ammon into a resting place for sheep.(BL) Then you will know that I am the Lord. For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you have clapped your hands(BM) and stamped your feet, rejoicing with all the malice of your heart against the land of Israel,(BN) therefore I will stretch out my hand(BO) against you and give you as plunder(BP) to the nations. I will wipe you out from among the nations and exterminate you from the countries. I will destroy(BQ) you, and you will know that I am the Lord.(BR)’”

A Prophecy Against Moab

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because Moab(BS) and Seir(BT) said, “Look, Judah has become like all the other nations,” therefore I will expose the flank of Moab, beginning at its frontier towns—Beth Jeshimoth(BU), Baal Meon(BV) and Kiriathaim(BW)—the glory of that land. 10 I will give Moab along with the Ammonites to the people of the East as a possession, so that the Ammonites will not be remembered(BX) among the nations; 11 and I will inflict punishment on Moab. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”(BY)

A Prophecy Against Edom

12 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because Edom(BZ) took revenge on Judah and became very guilty by doing so, 13 therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will stretch out my hand(CA) against Edom and kill both man and beast.(CB) I will lay it waste, and from Teman(CC) to Dedan(CD) they will fall by the sword.(CE) 14 I will take vengeance on Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they will deal with Edom in accordance with my anger(CF) and my wrath; they will know my vengeance, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”(CG)

A Prophecy Against Philistia

15 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because the Philistines(CH) acted in vengeance and took revenge with malice(CI) in their hearts, and with ancient hostility sought to destroy Judah, 16 therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines,(CJ) and I will wipe out the Kerethites(CK) and destroy those remaining along the coast.(CL) 17 I will carry out great vengeance(CM) on them and punish(CN) them in my wrath. Then they will know that I am the Lord,(CO) when I take vengeance on them.(CP)’”

A Prophecy Against Tyre

26 In the eleventh month of the twelfth[b] year, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:(CQ) “Son of man, because Tyre(CR) has said of Jerusalem, ‘Aha!(CS) The gate to the nations is broken, and its doors have swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will prosper,’ therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Tyre, and I will bring many nations against you, like the sea(CT) casting up its waves. They will destroy(CU) the walls of Tyre(CV) and pull down her towers; I will scrape away her rubble and make her a bare rock. Out in the sea(CW) she will become a place to spread fishnets,(CX) for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord. She will become plunder(CY) for the nations,(CZ) and her settlements on the mainland will be ravaged by the sword. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

“For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: From the north I am going to bring against Tyre Nebuchadnezzar[c](DA) king of Babylon, king of kings,(DB) with horses and chariots,(DC) with horsemen and a great army. He will ravage your settlements on the mainland with the sword; he will set up siege works(DD) against you, build a ramp(DE) up to your walls and raise his shields against you. He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and demolish your towers with his weapons.(DF) 10 His horses will be so many that they will cover you with dust. Your walls will tremble at the noise of the warhorses, wagons and chariots(DG) when he enters your gates as men enter a city whose walls have been broken through. 11 The hooves(DH) of his horses will trample all your streets; he will kill your people with the sword, and your strong pillars(DI) will fall to the ground.(DJ) 12 They will plunder your wealth and loot your merchandise; they will break down your walls and demolish your fine houses and throw your stones, timber and rubble into the sea.(DK) 13 I will put an end(DL) to your noisy songs,(DM) and the music of your harps(DN) will be heard no more.(DO) 14 I will make you a bare rock, and you will become a place to spread fishnets. You will never be rebuilt,(DP) for I the Lord have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.

15 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Tyre: Will not the coastlands(DQ) tremble(DR) at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan(DS) and the slaughter takes place in you? 16 Then all the princes of the coast will step down from their thrones and lay aside their robes and take off their embroidered(DT) garments. Clothed(DU) with terror, they will sit on the ground,(DV) trembling(DW) every moment, appalled(DX) at you. 17 Then they will take up a lament(DY) concerning you and say to you:

“‘How you are destroyed, city of renown,
    peopled by men of the sea!
You were a power on the seas,
    you and your citizens;
you put your terror
    on all who lived there.(DZ)
18 Now the coastlands tremble(EA)
    on the day of your fall;
the islands in the sea
    are terrified at your collapse.’(EB)

19 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I make you a desolate city, like cities no longer inhabited, and when I bring the ocean depths(EC) over you and its vast waters cover you,(ED) 20 then I will bring you down with those who go down to the pit,(EE) to the people of long ago. I will make you dwell in the earth below, as in ancient ruins, with those who go down to the pit, and you will not return or take your place[d] in the land of the living.(EF) 21 I will bring you to a horrible end and you will be no more.(EG) You will be sought, but you will never again be found, declares the Sovereign Lord.”(EH)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 24:23 Or away in
  2. Ezekiel 26:1 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text does not have month of the twelfth.
  3. Ezekiel 26:7 Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar, of which Nebuchadnezzar is a variant; here and often in Ezekiel and Jeremiah
  4. Ezekiel 26:20 Septuagint; Hebrew return, and I will give glory