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 corrosion inside it,
and its corrosion has not come out of it!
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 corrosion will be consumed.(H)
12 It has frustrated every effort;[e]
its thick corrosion will not come off.
Into the fire with its corrosion!
13 Because of the depravity 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, the Lord, 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. 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 iniquities 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 God.’

25 “As for you, son of man, know that on that day I will take from them their stronghold—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 the Lord.”

Footnotes

  1. 24:5 Lit bones
  2. 24:7 Lit For her blood
  3. 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. 24:10 Or and stir the broth
  5. 24:12 Hb obscure
  6. 24:14 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg; other Hb mss read They
  7. 24:17 Lit men, also in v. 22

The Siege of Jerusalem

24 (A)In the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: (B)“Son of man, write down the name of this day, this very day. The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day. And (C)utter a parable to (D)the rebellious house and say to them, Thus says the Lord God:

“Set on (E)the pot, set it on;
    pour in water also;
put in it the pieces of meat,
    all the good pieces, (F)the thigh and the shoulder;
    fill it with choice bones.
Take the choicest one of the flock;
    pile the logs[a] under it;
boil it well;
    seethe also its bones in it.

“Therefore thus says the Lord God: (G)Woe to the bloody city, to (H)the pot whose corrosion is in it, and whose corrosion has not gone out of it! Take out of it piece after piece, without making any choice.[b] For the blood she has shed is in her midst; she put it on (I)the bare rock; (J)she did not pour it out on the ground to cover it with dust. To rouse my wrath, to take vengeance, I have set on the bare rock the blood she has shed, that it may not be covered. Therefore thus says the Lord God: Woe to the bloody city! (K)I also will make the pile great. 10 Heap on the logs, kindle the fire, boil the meat well, mix in the spices,[c] and let the bones be burned up. 11 Then set it empty upon the coals, that it may become hot, and its copper may burn, (L)that its uncleanness may be melted in it, its corrosion consumed. 12 (M)She has wearied herself with toil;[d] its abundant corrosion does not go out of it. Into the fire with its corrosion! 13 On account of your unclean lewdness, because I would have cleansed you and you were not cleansed from your uncleanness, (N)you shall not be cleansed anymore till (O)I have satisfied my fury upon you. 14 (P)I am the Lord. I have spoken; it shall come to pass; I will do it. I will not go back; (Q)I will not spare; (R)I will not relent; (S)according to your ways and your deeds you will be judged, declares the Lord God.”

Ezekiel's Wife Dies

15 The word of the Lord came to me: 16 (T)“Son of man, behold, I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you at a stroke; yet you shall not mourn or weep, nor shall your tears run down. 17 Sigh, but not aloud; make no mourning for the dead. (U)Bind on your turban, and (V)put your shoes on your feet; do not cover your lips, (W)nor eat the bread of men.” 18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and (X)at evening my wife died. And on the next morning I did (Y)as I was commanded.

19 And (Z)the people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things mean for us, that you are acting thus?” 20 Then I said to them, “The word of the Lord came to me: 21 ‘Say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: (AA)Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the delight of your eyes, and the yearning of your soul, and (AB)your sons and your daughters whom you left behind shall fall by the sword. 22 And (AC)you shall do as I have done; (AD)you shall not cover your lips, (AE)nor eat the bread of men. 23 (AF)Your turbans shall be on your heads and your shoes on your feet; you shall not mourn or weep, but (AG)you shall rot away in your iniquities and groan to one another. 24 Thus shall Ezekiel be to you (AH)a sign; (AI)according to all that he has done you shall do. When this comes, then (AJ)you will know that I am the Lord God.’

25 “As for you, (AK)son of man, surely on the day when I take from them (AL)their stronghold, their joy and glory, the delight of their eyes and their soul's desire, and also their sons and daughters, 26 (AM)on that day a fugitive will come to you to report to you the news. 27 On that day your mouth (AN)will be opened to the fugitive, and you shall speak and be no longer mute. (AO)So you will be a sign to them, and (AP)they will know that I am the Lord.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 24:5 Compare verse 10; Hebrew the bones
  2. Ezekiel 24:6 Hebrew no lot has fallen upon it
  3. Ezekiel 24:10 Or empty out the broth
  4. Ezekiel 24:12 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain