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)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 24:23 Or away in

24 Again, in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, “Son of man, write the name of the day, this same day. The king of Babylon drew close to Jerusalem this same day. Utter a parable to the rebellious house, and tell them, ‘The Lord Yahweh says,

“Put the cauldron on the fire.
    Put it on,
    and also pour water into it.
Gather its pieces into it,
    even every good piece:
    the thigh and the shoulder.
    Fill it with the choice bones.
Take the choice of the flock,
    and also a pile of wood for the bones under the cauldron.
Make it boil well.
    Yes, let its bones be boiled within it.”

“‘Therefore the Lord Yahweh says:

“Woe to the bloody city,
    to the cauldron whose rust is in it,
    and whose rust hasn’t gone out of it!
Take out of it piece after piece
    without casting lots for it.

“‘“For the blood she shed is in the middle of her.
    She set it on the bare rock.
She didn’t pour it on the ground,
    to cover it with dust.
That it may cause wrath to come up to take vengeance,
    I have set her blood on the bare rock,
    that it should not be covered.”

“‘Therefore the Lord Yahweh says:

“Woe to the bloody city!
    I also will make the pile great.
10 Heap on the wood.
    Make the fire hot.
Boil the meat well.
    Make the broth thick,
    and let the bones be burned.
11 Then set it empty on its coals,
    that it may be hot,
and its bronze may burn,
    and that its filthiness may be molten in it,
    that its rust may be consumed.
12 She is weary with toil;
    yet her great rust,
    rust by fire, doesn’t leave her.

13 “‘“In your filthiness is lewdness. Because I have cleansed you and you weren’t cleansed, you won’t be cleansed from your filthiness any more, until I have caused my wrath toward you to rest.

14 “‘“I, Yahweh, have spoken it. It will happen, and I will do it. I won’t go back. I won’t spare. I won’t repent. According to your ways and according to your doings, they will judge you,” says the Lord Yahweh.’”

15 Also Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, 16 “Son of man, behold, I will take away from you the desire of your eyes with one stroke; yet you shall neither mourn nor weep, neither shall your tears run down. 17 Sigh, but not aloud. Make no mourning for the dead. Bind your headdress on you, and put your sandals on your feet. Don’t cover your lips, and don’t eat mourner’s bread.”

18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died. So I did in the morning as I was commanded.

19 The people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things mean to us, that you act like this?”

20 Then I said to them, “Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, 21 ‘Speak to the house of Israel, “The Lord Yahweh says: ‘Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pities; and your sons and your daughters whom you have left behind will fall by the sword. 22 You will do as I have done. You won’t cover your lips or eat mourner’s bread. 23 Your turbans will be on your heads, and your sandals on your feet. You won’t mourn or weep; but you will pine away in your iniquities, and moan one toward another. 24 Thus Ezekiel will be a sign to you; according to all that he has done, you will do. When this comes, then you will know that I am the Lord Yahweh.’”’”

25 “You, son of man, shouldn’t it be in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their heart—their sons and their daughters— 26 that in that day he who escapes will come to you, to cause you to hear it with your ears? 27 In that day your mouth will be opened to him who has escaped, and you will speak and be no more mute. So you will be a sign to them. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.”

Symbol of the Cooking Pot(A)

24 Again, in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, write down the name of the day, this very day—the king of Babylon started his siege against Jerusalem (B)this very day. (C)And utter a parable to the rebellious house, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God:

(D)“Put on a pot, set it on,
And also pour water into it.
Gather pieces of meat in it,
Every good piece,
The thigh and the shoulder.
Fill it with choice [a]cuts;
Take the choice of the flock.
Also pile fuel bones under it,
Make it boil well,
And let the cuts simmer in it.”

‘Therefore thus says the Lord God:

“Woe to (E)the bloody city,
To the pot whose scum is in it,
And whose scum is not gone from it!
Bring it out piece by piece,
On which no (F)lot has fallen.
For her blood is in her midst;
She set it on top of a rock;
(G)She did not pour it on the ground,
To cover it with dust.
That it may raise up fury and take vengeance,
(H)I have set her blood on top of a rock,
That it may not be covered.”

‘Therefore thus says the Lord God:

(I)“Woe to the bloody city!
I too will make the pyre great.
10 Heap on the wood,
Kindle the fire;
Cook the meat well,
Mix in the spices,
And let the [b]cuts be burned up.

11 “Then set the pot empty on the coals,
That it may become hot and its bronze may burn,
That (J)its filthiness may be melted in it,
That its scum may be consumed.
12 She has [c]grown weary with [d]lies,
And her great scum has not gone from her.
Let her scum be in the fire!
13 In your (K)filthiness is lewdness.
Because I have cleansed you, and you were not cleansed,
You will (L)not be cleansed of your filthiness anymore,
(M)Till I have caused My fury to rest upon you.
14 (N)I, the Lord, have spoken it;
(O)It shall come to pass, and I will do it;
I will not hold back,
(P)Nor will I spare,
Nor will I relent;
According to your ways
And according to your deeds
[e]They will judge you,”
Says the Lord God.’ ”

The Prophet’s Wife Dies

15 Also the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 16 “Son of man, behold, I take away from you the desire of your eyes with one stroke; yet you shall (Q)neither mourn nor weep, nor shall your tears run down. 17 Sigh in silence, (R)make no mourning for the dead; (S)bind your turban on your head, and (T)put your sandals on your feet; (U)do not cover your [f]lips, and do not eat man’s bread of sorrow.

18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died; and the next morning I did as I was commanded.

19 And the people said to me, (V)“Will you not tell us what these things signify to us, that you behave so?”

20 Then I answered them, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 21 ‘Speak to the house of Israel, “Thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, (W)I will profane My sanctuary, [g]your arrogant boast, the desire of your eyes, the [h]delight of your soul; (X)and your sons and daughters whom you left behind shall fall by the sword. 22 And you shall do as I have done; (Y)you shall not cover your [i]lips nor eat man’s bread of sorrow. 23 Your turbans shall be on your heads and your sandals on your feet; (Z)you shall neither mourn nor weep, but (AA)you shall pine away in your iniquities and mourn with one another. 24 Thus (AB)Ezekiel is a sign to you; according to all that he has done you shall do; (AC)and when this comes, (AD)you shall know that I am the Lord God.’ ”

25 ‘And you, son of man—will it not be in the day when I take from them (AE)their stronghold, their joy and their glory, the desire of their eyes, and [j]that on which they set their minds, their sons and their daughters: 26 that on that day (AF)one who escapes will come to you to let you hear it with your ears? 27 (AG)On that day your mouth will be opened to him who has escaped; you shall speak and no longer be mute. Thus you will be a sign to them, and they shall know that I am the Lord.’ ”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 24:4 Lit. bones
  2. Ezekiel 24:10 Lit. bones
  3. Ezekiel 24:12 Or wearied Me
  4. Ezekiel 24:12 Or toil
  5. Ezekiel 24:14 LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. I
  6. Ezekiel 24:17 Lit. moustache
  7. Ezekiel 24:21 Lit. the pride of your strength
  8. Ezekiel 24:21 Lit. compassion
  9. Ezekiel 24:22 Lit. moustache
  10. Ezekiel 24:25 Lit. the lifting up of their soul

Chapter 24[a]

Allegory of the Boiling Pot. In the ninth year, on the tenth day of the tenth month, this word of the Lord came to me: Son of man, write down the date of this day. For the king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day. Therefore, propose this parable to this tribe of rebels and say to them: Thus says the Lord God:

Set up the cooking pot on the fire
    and pour in some water.
Put pieces of meat into it,
    all the choice pieces, the leg and the shoulder;
    fill it with choice bones.
Take the choicest animal from the flock,
    and pile the wood beneath it.
Cook it thoroughly
    and boil the bones in it.

Therefore, thus says the Lord God:

Woe to the bloody city,
    the pot whose rust is in it,
    the rust that cannot be removed.
Empty it piece by piece,
    and do not bother casting lots.
For the blood she shed is in her midst;
    she has poured it on a bare rock.
She did not pour it on the ground
    where the soil would cover it.[b]
To stir up anger and take revenge,
    I placed her blood on the bare rock
    so that it would not be covered.

Therefore, thus says the Lord God:

Woe to the city running with blood.
    I plan to build a great fire.
10 Heap on the wood,
    and kindle the fire.
Mix in the spices,
    and let the bones be thoroughly burned.
11 Stand the empty pot on the coals
    so that it may become red-hot,
until the copper glows
    and the filth inside it melts,
    and its rust is consumed.
12 Yet not even with fire
    will its rust disappear.
13 And when I expended my efforts
    to cleanse you of your filthy lewdness,
you did not allow yourself
    to be purged of your filth.
Now you shall not again be cleansed
    until I have exhausted my anger upon you.

14 I, the Lord, have spoken. The time is coming, and I will take action. I will not refrain, nor will I spare, nor will I relent. You will be judged by your conduct and by what you have done, says the Lord God.

15 Death of Ezekiel’s Wife. This word of the Lord was addressed to me: 16 Son of man, with a single blow I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes. However, you are not to lament or weep or shed any tears. 17 Groan in silence, and do not mourn for the dead. Wrap your turban around your head, and put sandals on your feet. Do not cover your beard or eat the bread of mourners.

18 Therefore, I spoke to the people in the morning; in the evening my wife died. And on the following morning I did as I had been commanded. 19 Thereupon, the people said to me, “Will you not explain to us what all these things you are doing mean for us?”

20 Then I said to them: This is what the Lord God said to me, 21 “Say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord God: I am prepared to desecrate my sanctuary, the stronghold in which you take such pride, the delight of your eyes, and the desire of your heart. Your sons and your daughters whom you have left behind will fall by the sword.

22 “Then you shall do as I have done. You shall not cover your upper lip or eat the bread of mourners. 23 Your turbans shall remain on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You shall not mourn or weep. Further, you will waste away because of your iniquities and groan to one another. 24 Thus, Ezekiel will be a sign for you; you shall do just as he has done. When this occurs, then you will know that I am the Lord God.”

25 End of Ezekiel’s Muteness.[c] As for you, son of man, on the day when I take from them their stronghold, their crowning joy, the delight of their eyes, the joy of their hearts, as well as their sons and daughters, 26 on that day, a fugitive will come and report this news to you. 27 On that day, your mouth will be opened and you shall no longer be mute. Thus, you shall be a sign for them, and they shall know that I am the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 24:1 Ezekiel reports this misfortune to the exiles around him: he notes the date of the disaster, describes the scene with the pot, does not mourn his wife, and receives the first fugitive.
  2. Ezekiel 24:7 Blood was regarded as the seat of life; therefore the prohibition against eating flesh with blood still in it, since this would have been like making one’s own the life, of which, the divinity alone could dispose (Gen 9:4; Lev 17:10-12; Deut 12:16, 23-25). For the same reason, blood spilled was not to be left uncovered, since it might contain some inauspicious power (Gen 4:10; Job 16:18).
  3. Ezekiel 24:25 We learn here that Ezekiel ceases to be mute when a refugee arrives who has seen Jerusalem fall into the hands of the enemy. The passage corresponds to the symbolic gesture described in Ezek 3:26.